The Easter holidays are almost upon us and whilst we hope to be enjoying time with family and friends, NHS clinical commissioning groups are reminding families of the health services available, should anyone become unwell.
Every 15 minutes someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer and it’s the UK’s second biggest cancer killer but it shouldn’t be. It’s treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early.
Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage however this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis really does save lives. Being aware of the key symptoms and visiting your GP if things don’t feel right can help increase chances of an early diagnosis.
The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
Most people with these symptoms don’t have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. If you have one or more of these, or if things just don’t feel right, see your GP.
For more information visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk
Thousands of people in Wolverhampton are being urged to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by making some simple changes to their lifestyle. The plea by NHS Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) comes ahead of Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs from 1 -7 April 2019.
Good progress is being made towards Wolverhampton's pledge to become an Autism Friendly City, but there is still more to be done to ensure that people affected by autism are afforded the same opportunities as anyone else.
Autism affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they see, hear and feel the world around them. People with autism experience it in different ways, but typically face challenges in social communication and interaction.
Around 1 in 100 children and adults – approximately 2,500 people in Wolverhampton – are estimated to have an autism spectrum condition.
Last year, Wolverhampton announced its intention to become an Autism Friendly City by 2021 and, ahead of this year’s World Autism Awareness Week, which begins today (Monday 1 April) Wolverhampton's Joint Autism Strategy has been refreshed to focus on three key themes – increasing awareness and understanding of autism, improving services for people with autism, and helping people with autism to become more independent.
Health and social care leaders in Wolverhampton are proud of their joint working to tackle local issues that arise from time to time. Currently our leaders are working closely with Wolverhampton Local Pharmaceutical Committee, the Government and NHS suppliers to make sure that medicines and medical products continue to be available in Wolverhampton during and beyond the uncertainty currently surrounding Brexit.
Wolverhampton Doctors and Pharmacists have not been instructed to delay or change any routine treatment or medicines as a result of Brexit planning.
Advice for all patients is not to stockpile and to keep ordering your repeat prescriptions and taking your medicines as normal. The NHS, through your local doctor's surgery and pharmacy, will keep you informed if there are any necessary changes.
Then we need to hear from you.
NHS clinical commissioning groups in the Black Country, along with the Black Country Partnership Foundation Trust, are leading the way in improving care for adults with learning disabilities in our region – and want local people to help inform what they are doing.