URGENT: All the wheelchairs at Crouch Vale Medical Centre have disappeared. If you’ve used one and accidentally forgotten to return it please do so urgently as patients need them to get to our GPs and the out-patient sessions on the 1st Floor.
Our virtual public AGM will be held on Thursday 25 September from 1900-2030. If you want to attend please email swfhealthsocial@outlook.com or leave a voicemail on 01245 322079. We invite the annual nominations for our Officers: Chair, Task Force Chair, and Secretary. Our Governance and roles are at https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/terms-of-reference/ and https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-group/ . Please send Nominations with a proposer and seconder to our Administrator atswfhealthsocial@outlook.com by 9 September 2025.
Broomfield, Basildon & Southend hospitals’ latest performances in July:
- 77.6% (75.4% in June) of patients were treated, admitted or discharged within 4 hours in their emergency departments;
- 25 minutes (22 mins) is the average time for ambulances to hand over patients, compared to 26mins (26) in East of England and 32mins (37) nationally;
- 56.9% (58.8%) of patients received cancer diagnosis results within 28 days;
- This month included the 5-day resident doctors strike and the start of holidays;
- We want steady improvements; scrutiny of these and other vital services by commissioners is stringent.
We publish weekly bulletins on our website, full of information and guidance selected for SWF. It’s impossible to include everything here so do consider subscribing to our weekly newsletter which includes everything we’ve published in the previous 7-days. Libraries provide online services and help with internet access. For welfare information and subscription to our newsletter, email swfhealthsocial@outlook.com or leave voicemails on 01245 322079.
The NHS performed a record number of checks for treatments, cancer checks and other tests in June, as 18-week performance hit its best level in 3 years. The 2025 national Patient Survey says 77% of our Primary Care Network’s patients rate their overall GP experiences as Good. Seven million appointments were delivered in mid and south Essex GP practices in 2024, 5% more than 2023.
NHS strike impact data: More care was delivered during the July 2025 resident doctors’ strike than in the 5-day June 2024 walkout, with an additional 11,071 appointments and procedures going ahead.
The Food Standards Agency warns parents and caregivers not to give children under-7 slush ice drinks or ‘slushies’ containing glycerol. Children aged 7 to 10 should only have one 350ml ‘slushie’ drink with glycerol per day.
Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) now provide vital tests, scans and checks 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, in evenings and at weekends for busy working people. Braintree CDC will open early 2026, Southend mid-2025, Thurrock later this summer, and Pitsea late 2026. Clacton CDC is already working.
Stop using certain non-sterile alcohol-free wipes. Investigating an outbreak, found the following wipes were contaminated with Burkholderia stabilis:
- ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
- Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
Testing also revealed contamination of Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes with a Burkholderia strain not related to the outbreak cases. Don’t use these wipes to treat injuries, wounds, or broken skin, or to clean intravenous lines.
The opening of a new £1.3m procedure room at Braintree Community Hospital brings nearly 1,500pa extra procedures, freeing up main operating theatres for more complex surgeries, reducing waiting times and improving patient care.