Issue 97  |  24 May 2024

Welcome to this week's Stakeholder Bulletin.

Our stakeholder bulletin aims to bring you key updates from the health and care system.

The NHS is here to help you over the bank holiday – so make sure you know your services to get the care you need.

• Some community pharmacies will be open over the bank holiday. Please check the NHS England website for pharmacy opening times and other useful information about accessing NHS services over the bank holiday period.
• GP practice services will largely be closed over the bank holiday. If you need medical advice, please contact NHS 111 through the online service https://111.nhs.uk.
•  The five Urgent Treatment Centres in Derby and Derbyshire are open over the bank holiday from 8am-8pm and can treat a range of urgent care needs, without the long waits at A&E.
• Please remember that if you have a medical emergency, such as a suspected heart attack, stroke, or other serious life-threatening condition, to call 999

Whooping cough rates have risen sharply in recent months. Babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk.

Vaccination is the best defence against whooping cough. The whooping cough vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule in the UK at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age with a booster offered preschool. This programme provides good protection against severe disease but protection after vaccination and disease will wane over time.

You can read more about the signs, symptoms and what to do if you suspect a child may have whooping cough on the NHS website.

People who are immunosuppressed, aged 75 or over and older adults care home residents are now eligible for their covid-19 spring vaccine. People in these groups will be invited to book in for their vaccine starting from April. It is really important to book in and get your vaccine if this is offered to you. The vaccine reduces your risk of becoming seriously unwell with covid.

Book yours now if eligible.

Derbyshire Community Health services (DCHS) have appointed an interim chief executive, following the announcement of Tracy Allen stepping down later this year. After a thorough and robust process, Jim Austin has been appointed to the position. 

Jim has been with DCHS since 2015 and an integral part of the executive team. Jim is also an established leader across the system, currently holding a dual role as chief information and transformation officer for DCHS and a similar role in the Integrated Care Board (ICB). Over the next few months, he will continue to work closely with Tracy before officially taking over when she steps down in September. At the same time, Jim will relinquish his current duties with the ICB. 

Further detail can be found on the DCHS website.

Lee Radford has been appointed as the new chief people officer for NHS Derby and Derbyshire and for the Joined Up Care Derbyshire system.

Lee will join from Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB where he has most recently been acting chief people officer. He will take up his role on 1 July.

As chief people officer for the system Lee will play a key role in connecting programmes for workforce, training, culture and people development issues across our trusts, local authorities, primary care and in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.

You can read more about Lee and his role on our website.

People at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes are being urged to learn more about what they can do to help avoid the condition.

This week is Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week and NHS leaders have joined with the charity Diabetes UK in raising awareness about what can be done to prevent diabetes.

They are being urged to learn more about diabetes prevention and to know their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by visiting the Diabetes UK online tool.

Around 90% people with diabetes have type 2 which can be prevented or delayed through being more physically active, eating healthily and managing their weight.

You can find out more information on type 2 diabetes on our website.

Two Derbyshire NHS teams have been shortlisted at a national awards ceremony next month for their efforts to support local people with a learning disability and/or autism.

Both the Autism Assessment Team and Community Learning Disability team are in the running for awards at the National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards. Both the Autism Assessment Team and the Community Learning Disability Team are part of the Adult Neurodevelopmental Service, which brings together services provided by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The awards celebrate excellence in the support of people with learning disabilities and aim to pay tribute to those individuals or organisations who excel in providing quality care.

You can read more about the work on the Derbyshire Healthcare website.

A new campaign has been developed by Derbyshire Community Health Services to increase STI testing rates amongst targeted groups, who are traditionally less likely to get tested, with an emphasis on early detection and preventive care that promises to significantly enhance health outcomes throughout the city and county.

At the heart of the campaign is a commitment to extend the reach of sexual health services to traditionally under-represented groups. With a focus on males and those identifying as male within the 16-24 and 40+ age brackets, as well as ethnically diverse communities - including Asian or Asian British, mixed white Asian, mixed black African, and Chinese males. 

You can read more about the campaign on the DCHS website.

Derby and Derbyshire Drug Alert Group has recently established a Local Drug Information System.

This is designed to receive information about concerning substances, assess and grade risks, and, if needed, issue alerts to people who use drugs, and the organisations who come into contact with them.

A panel of local health, education, and law enforcement specialists will review information and they will issue an alert when harm can be reduced. The alert will include the Derby and Derbyshire Drug Alert Group logo, giving reassurance that this information is relevant to the current local situation. 

Illicit substances can include substances such as a fake tablet, white powder or dodgy vape.

Unregulated products can vary by strength and substance.

Taking any illicit drug can be risky but when it turns out to be something different to what was expected there can be devastating consequences.

People can become ill, hospitalised, and even die. 

Sharing warnings about such drugs can often feel like a good thing to do but experience tells us that these messages can cause problems and can even advertise the substances they seek to warn about.

If you have a concern about a substance and want to make sure this is considered by The Derby and Derbyshire Drug Alert Group you can report it here: Visit the LDIS online form

If you receive a drug alert that does not originate from. the Derby and Derbyshire Drug Alert Group, you should not share it any further, but you should forward it to: drugsupport@derbyshire.police.uk  for review by the panel.

If you want to receive local drug alerts directly from the Derby and Derbyshire Drug Alert Group, you can join the Professional Information Network by emailing  David.Henstock@Derbyshire.gov.uk or Nicola.Jordan@Derby.gov.uk providing your name, role, organisation, and email address.

Join the CCPL Futures Workspace to find out more about Clinical and Care Professional Leadership in Derby and Derbyshire, receive updates on CCPL developments (including latest news, training opportunities and events), and connect with other clinical and care professional leaders across JUCD. The space is open to aspiring, emerging and existing clinical and care professional leads across all system partners but also non-clinical colleagues interested/supporting this space.

You can join the workspace on NHS Futures.

Television and comedy star Ed Byrne will appear in the newest series of Ashgate Hospice’s podcast, which explores frank and honest conversations about life, death and grief.

Ed, known for appearing on panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and his stand-up comedy, was interviewed for the first episode of The Life and Death Podcast.

Episodes of the podcast are released on Mondays every fortnight. You can listen to episodes from all five series of The Life and Death Podcast online or by searching for ‘Ashgate Hospice’ on all streaming platforms.

Did you know that you don't always need to see a GP or consultant to access some referral services? Self-referral is an option that can make it easier and faster for you to get help, rather than seeing your doctor.

You can register for most of them online. Click on the service you're interested in, and find the help you need easily.