Archive for September, 2013

The next Governing Body meeting of NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS SFCCG) takes place on 25 September, and members of the public are invited to come along.

The CCG is made up of 20 GP practices across Southport and Formby. Its Governing Body brings together doctors, nurses, practice staff and other health professionals to make decisions about the majority of local health services on behalf of its member practices.

Anyone attending will have the opportunity to meet the Governing Body and ask them questions from 1pm, before the formal meeting gets underway at 1.30pm. It takes place on:

• Wednesday 25 September – Family Life Centre, Ash St, Southport

Call to find out more or to confirm your attendance.

Mersey Care NHS Trust is inviting anyone with an interest in its mental health, learning disability and addiction services across Liverpool, Sefton and Kirkby to come to its annual general meeting.

The meeting, on Wednesday 25 September (6pm) at Liverpool Town Hall, High Street, Liverpool city centre, L2 3SW, will hear all about the trust’s progress and its performance over the past financial year. It will also be an opportunity for guests to find out more about the trust’s wide range of expert services, with a range of information stands available on all aspects of mental health and wellbeing along with light refreshments available from 5.30pm.  

During the year Mersey Care cared for and treated nearly 34,000 patients. It also established a membership of nearly 11,500 people who are interested in supporting the trust in preparation for it becoming an NHS foundation trust. This year’s annual report is presented at the meeting and is on a theme of how the trust listens and responds.

Mersey Care NHS Trust is one of the country’s leading NHS organisations in service user involvement and prides itself on the breadth and depth of service user and carer participation in all aspects of its work. The trust would welcome the opportunity to share some of the stories of this work more widely and will be happy to talk to anyone about how they can become involved with the organisation.

For more details or to confirm attendance at Mersey Care’s annual meeting, telephone or email

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust is providing members of the public with the opportunity to take a closer look at the impressive work of the region’s ambulance service at a special event in Lancashire!

On Thursday 19 September, NWAS will celebrate its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Health Fair at Preston North End Football Club’s Deepdale Stadium on Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, PR1 6RU – and all are welcome to attend!

The day will begin with the Trust’s AGM at 1.30pm, followed by the Health Fair, which will take place from 2.30pm – 4.30pm, and it promises to be an action-packed and informative afternoon.

The Health Fair, which is a FREE event, will include a range of information stands about the various emergency and community-based schemes the Trust is leading on across the North West, as well as promoting the work of its wider-NHS partners.

All attendees will also be able to meet staff from both the Paramedic Emergency Service (PES) and Patient Transport Service (PTS), and hear firsthand about a day in the life of a local hero.

Outside, the Trust will also be showcasing some of its hi-tech vehicles, including the Hazardous Area Response Team’s (HART) vehicles, as well as offering equipment demonstrations.

A key aim of the event is not only to raise awareness of what NWAS does as an NHS trust, but also how the organisation works in partnership with other emergency services and healthcare professionals to deliver vital services to the local community and across the whole of the North West.

For further information, or to register your interest in either or both parts of the day, please contact:

Residents are invited to celebrate the launch of Sefton’s new independent health and social care champion at a special launch event in October.

Healthwatch Sefton captures the views and experiences of local people and works with service providers to improve health and social care across the borough. The public launch event will take place from 10am on Tuesday 1^st October at Crosby Civic Hall – exactly six months after the organisation was established.

Chair Maureen Kelly said “We’re pleased to announce the launch of Healthwatch Sefton and we hope local residents can join us and get involved in improving local health and social care services”.

“The event is an opportunity to find out more about what Healthwatch do and how you can have your say on local services. The launch will also focus on patient and public involvement and the value of your experiences”.

Healthwatch Sefton has been active since April, and has captured hundreds of comments from local people about health and social care services. This event will highlight some of the experience work with local providers including GP practices and hospitals.

If you would like to attend the Healthwatch Sefton launch event or would like more information, please call the staff team on ext. 240 or visit www.healthwatchsefton.co.uk/events.

Would you like to know more about what your local NHS trust is achieving and what its plans for health care in north Sefton and West Lancashire are?

The annual general meeting of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust on Tuesday 17th September at 6pm will give local people just that chance.

There will be the opportunity to hear progress on how the hospital is integrating care for patients between hospital, health centres and home with the support of health and social care partners.

Members of the public will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the Board, including chairman Sir Ron Watson CBE and chief executive Jonathan Parry.

Also attending will be members of the trust’s recently elected Council of Governors who are operating in shadow form as we continue on our journey to become a foundation trust.

The AGM will be held in the lecture theatre of the Clinical Education Centre at Southport and Formby District General Hospital. The centre will be open from 5.30pm. Light refreshments will be available.

The Trust’s annual report is available on its  website or on request, and in other formats, by calling

A Southport doctor has got on his bike to successfully complete a 300 mile, four day cycle challenge from London to Paris to raise the profile of one of the country’s biggest killers.  

Dr Niall Leonard’s charity bike ride was in aid of Cancer Research UK. Apart from raising vital funds, the chair of NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group also wanted to raise awareness of bowel cancer.  

Niall said: “A patient of mine was recently detected with bowel cancer and because they took prompt action when they spotted the signs, they are now making a good recovery. So, I wanted to remind people about the difference that early detection and treatment can make. 

“About one in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime. It is the third most common cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, but we know that detecting and treating it early really can save lives.”  

Regular screening has been shown to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by 16%. As well as encouraging those aged 60-74 to get screened when they are invited to do so, people are also reminded to know the symptoms: 

• Bleeding or blood in your poo
• A change in your bowel habits for more than three weeks
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or lump in your tummy

Niall said: “If you experience any of the symptoms or if you are worried, get advice quickly from your doctor, who will be more than happy to talk it through with you.”

People who take little exercise, who are overweight, and who have a diet high in red meat and low in vegetables, fruits and fibre are all thought to have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer.

Niall concluded: “There are some really simple things you can do to help prevent bowel cancer that will benefit your all round health too. It can be as easy as eating more fruit and veg, less red meat and taking regular exercise. The good news is you don’t have to cycle from London to Paris to make a difference to your health, simply walking or cycling to the shops instead of taking the car can increase your activity levels and have great benefits.” 

You find out more about bowel cancer and the national bowel cancer screening programme by visiting www.nhs.uk   For free advice and local services to help you live a healthier lifestyle, call Healthy Sefton or visit www.healthysefton.nhs.uk