URGENT: All the wheelchairs at Crouch Vale Medical Centre have disappeared. It appears they may have been stolen. I have been able to donate one we don’t use any more. If anyone has any wheelchairs no longer needed please do donate or loan them by taking them to the ground floor Reception where they will be accepted gratefully. In future they will be kept in the office so people needing one will have to ask for one. 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 at swfhealthsocial@outlook.com by 9 September 2025.

Latest news:

A baby whose mother was not vaccinated against whooping cough while pregnant has died after contracting the infection. (UKHSA) The death, which occurred between January and June 2025, is the first fatal case of whooping cough in the UK this year. It follows government warnings about low vaccine uptake, including among children, as well as an increase in vaccine hesitancy. None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached the uptake target of 95% last year, recent data from the health agency showed. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the lungs and airways which can be fatal, particularly for babies. Eleven infants died of the illness in 2024. Pregnant women, as well as infants and young children, are advised to get vaccinated against it. The uptake among pregnant women currently stands at 72.6%.

Listen: The UKHSA releases audio of what whooping cough can sound like in a child. Please note that some people might find the audio distressing.

The government is planning a new law in England to stop anyone under the age of 16 buying energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime from shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online. Up to a third of UK children are thought to consume these types of drinks every week, despite most supermarkets having already introduced a voluntary ban. Some popular drinks contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee. Excessive consumption is linked to headaches and sleep problems. Too much caffeine can cause a rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures. Although rare, there have been some deaths linked to excess caffeine. The sugary versions of the drinks can also cause damage to teeth and contribute to obesity. A consultation will now run for 12 weeks to gather evidence from health and education experts as well as the public and retailers and manufacturers who already ban the drinks.

Shingles vaccine to be offered to hundreds of thousands more immunosuppressed adults – Around 300,000 more people will become eligible for a potentially lifesaving shingles vaccination, as GP practices roll out the jab to protect all severely immunosuppressed adults.

MHRA approves UK’s first new type of antibiotic for urinary tract infections in nearly 30 years -The MHRA has approved gepotidacin (Blujepa), a new kind of oral antibiotic pill to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections in females aged 12 years and older.

NHS launches winter vaccine roll out with flu vaccines for children and pregnant women – The national flu immunisation programme has commenced, with vaccines now available for children (age 2 to 16) and pregnant women (any stage of pregnancy). The NHS National Booking System has also opened for all eligible individuals to book their winter flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, with appointments starting from Wednesday 1 October.

Back to school vaccination drive – UKHSA reveals that 18.6% of children (almost 1 in 5) have not received their pre-school booster vaccination, leaving them vulnerable to serious diseases including polio, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria when starting primary school.

Government has announced that, starting next January,a free chickenpox vaccination will be offered for the first time to children across England on the NHS. Young children in England will get a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. Expected to be given to around half a million children each year across England, the vaccination will be given to eligible children during routine GP appointments as part of the infant vaccination schedule.

NHS England is setting out 10 ways to improve resident doctors’ working conditions over the next 12 weeks.

Summary of the 10 Point Plan

• Trusts should take action to improve the working environment and wellbeing of resident doctors
• Resident doctors must receive work schedules and rota information in line with the Code of Practice
• Resident doctors should be able to take annual leave in a fair and equitable way which enables wellbeing
• All NHS trust boards should appoint 2 named leads: one senior leader responsible for resident doctor issues, and one peer representative who is a resident doctor. Both should report to trust boards.
• Resident doctors should never experience payroll errors due to rotations
• No resident doctor will unnecessarily repeat statutory and mandatory training when rotating
• Resident doctors must be enabled and encouraged to Exception Report to better support doctors working beyond their contracted hours
• Resident doctors should receive reimbursement of course related expenses as soon as possible
• The impact of rotations upon resident doctors’ lives will be reduced while maintaining service delivery
• The practical impact upon resident doctors of having to move employers when they rotate will be minimised

Continuing Items:

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.

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 the Dengie & SWF 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.

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