Health & Wellbeing

Sixteen and 17-year-olds across the UK are now being invited to book their Covid-19 vaccine.

GPs in England have been told they can contact this age group, while invites are also being sent out in Wales. In Northern Ireland, walk-in centres are now open to older teenagers, and in Scotland they can register their interest online.

Wolverhampton’s Covid-19 vaccine bus is returning to Phoenix Park tomorrow, eight weeks after it was there last.

The bus will be in Phoenix Park car park, off Dudley Road in Blakenhall on Thursday 5 August between 1pm and 6pm and then from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 August between 11am and 6pm daily, with both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

A group of golfers will be swinging into action when they take to the green to raise funds for a mental health and wellbeing charity.

The 10^th annual Michael and Neil Drew golf day will return on September 4 raising funds for The Kaleidoscope Plus Group at Gaudet Luce Golf Club in Droitwich. Brothers Chris and Phil Drew are the organisers of the event having set it up originally in 2011 in memory of their late father and brother, Michael and Neil.

More than four billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered, in over 190 countries worldwide.

However, there are vast differences in the pace of progress in different parts of the world.

The city council’s Preparation for Adulthood team, working with Birmingham Children’s Trust, has been shortlisted for a Local Government Chronicle award in the ‘innovation’ category.

The team works with a range of young people starting with those with social care needs and then moving incrementally to support wider cohorts of vulnerable young people that don’t meet the thresholds of traditional services. Funded by Birmingham City Council, the service works across the city of Birmingham and across traditional organisational boundaries, and consists of three elements:

Bluebird Care Walsall have appointed a new Registered Manager - their very own Vicki Smith.

Vicki’s career in care began at Bluebird Care Walsall in 2018, after the completion of a degree in Social Care and Social Policy, and a Masters in Public Health. Joining as a Care and Support Supervisor, Vicki’s early career at Bluebird Care Walsall provided a platform for her success today.

According to leading Cosmetic and Restorative Dentist, Dr Kamala Aydazada, the demand for ‘the perfect smile’ is diminishing – people are now requesting imperfections to be added to their veneers to make them appear more natural. Traditionally, it’s been relatively easy to spot someone who has been treated with veneers. 

That classic white, ‘mono-tooth’ look sported by the likes of Simon Cowell, Katie Price and most of the cast of Love Island has been popular for many years now. However, Kensington-based Cosmetic Dentist Kamala Aydazada reports an increase in people asking for more natural looking veneers – with many requesting slight imperfections to be added.

Universities are being urged to do more to address mental health issues as it has been revealed that less than half of students feel enough has been done to support them over the last year.

The results were revealed in a survey conducted by Ivory Research, which found that only 43% of students felt that their university had taken sufficient steps to support their wellbeing during the pandemic and over 40% would have benefitted from more mental health support.

There are many different assumptions around what makes someone fit and healthy, and a new study has revealed just how important we as a nation think fitness is.

According to a survey of 15,946 UK adults carried out by Decathlon as part of the Decathlon Activity Index, a staggering 62% of Brits say being fit and healthy is important, with nearly 1 in 5 (15%) saying it is their biggest priority. 

Cignpost ExpressTest (a division of Cignpost Diagnostics Ltd) has expanded its drive through Covid-19 screening service at Birmingham Airport. The new facility will be particularly useful for members of the public returning from green and amber list destinations and requiring arrivals testing. 

The tests on offer are priced at £59 per person for travel passengers and £69 per person for Day 2 Arrivals tests. ExpressTest is delivered using the latest gold standard PCR equipment that is fully CE-IVD certified and manufactured to the highest possible standards, and tests are carried out by trained Screening Practitioners.  

With the Government proposing to limit access to some venues and events later in the year to people who are fully vaccinated, young people across Wolverhampton are being urged to step forward and get their Covid-19 jabs as soon as possible.

Public Health England (PHE) has launched the latest ‘Better Health’ campaign to encourage adults across the nation to lose excess weight, eat more healthily and get active this summer. 

The new campaign offers free evidence-based support and guidance to those working towards a healthier weight. There are a variety of NHS endorsed apps which will help people to introduce changes that will help them eat better and get active this summer, including the newly updated NHS Weight Loss Plan app.

New research, due to be published shortly by Public Health England, suggests that those who used and followed the NHS Weight Loss Plan app over 12 weeks, reported a loss on average of almost a stone (5.8kg). The move follows a nationwide survey of over 5,000 adults which has revealed that over four in ten (41 per cent) in West Midlands say they have put on weight since the first lockdown in March 2020.

Almost 9.5lb (4.3 kg) was gained on average by adults who put on weight, with one in five (19 per cent) reporting putting on a stone or more (6.1kg-9kg). In adults aged 35-65 years old, the average weight gain rises to over 10lbs (4.6kg) nationally.

The new insights show the extent that lockdowns have impacted people’s eating and physical activity habits. Unhealthy eating habits, like snacking and comfort eating, were seen as the main contributor to weight gain during the pandemic for almost half (44 per cent) of those who reported gaining weight.

A high proportion (89 per cent) of adults in the West Midlands who said they gained weight since March 2020 said it was important for them to introduce new healthy habits this summer, with more than half (54 per cent) saying they would like to have a healthier diet¹. Half (51 per cent), feel optimistic about making the changes they desire, and a majority (59 per cent) would welcome more advice on eating more healthily, 57 per cent would like ideas for doing so on a budget and 55 per cent want ideas for exercise routines.

Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said: “The pandemic has been hugely challenging for everyone and it has upended our daily routines. As we build back better in the months ahead, we want to make it easier for people to adopt a healthier lifestyle that works for them.

“The brilliant Better Health campaign returns today and provides a wide range of tools – including an easy to use phone app - to support people, whether that’s losing weight, sharing healthier recipes or motivating people to be more active. Our new Office for Health Promotion is going to keep building on the success of this campaign, helping people to make lifestyle choices that improves both their mental and physical health.”

David Elliott, West Midlands Health & Wellbeing Programme Manager for Healthy Weight said: "With four in ten people in the West Midlands putting on weight and a fifth putting on a stone or more since the start of lockdown, the impact on people’s eating and physical activity habits has been considerable.

"We also know that many people in the region are looking for advice and help that works for them to eat more healthily and be more active. PHE’s Better Health has a proven range of tools and resources that offer free support and guidance to help them do just that."

As part of the campaign, Linda Robson, has talked about her experience with weight gain and unhealthy habits over lockdown. Having gained some weight since the start of the pandemic, Linda is looking to eat more healthily with the help of the Better Health apps.

TV presenter and actress, Linda Robson, said: “I can definitely relate to having slipped a bit during lockdowns - in fact I actually gained over a stone myself! People shouldn’t feel guilty for having put on weight, especially after the year we’ve had – we've all had to just try and get through it the best we can.

“However, this summer I want to get my health on track and look to lose some weight. I know it can feel hard, but the Better Health apps are a great place to start, I’ve started eating some of the Better Health recipes – they are dead easy to do and taste great!”

Better Health is also working in partnership with a number of weight management and physical activity partners who are providing both free and exclusive discounted offers. Public Health England is also working with local authorities to provide weight management support to those who need it.

The upcoming launch of the new Office for Health Promotion in Autumn will lead national efforts to level up the health of the nation by continuing to support people living with obesity, supporting mental health and promoting physical activity. Search ‘Better Health’ or visit nhs.uk/betterhealth for free tools and support to start leading a healthier lifestyle today.

The latest figures show over 130,000 people in Wolverhampton have now had both doses of their Covid-19 vaccination and so have the best protection from serious illness caused by the virus.

In total 294,602 life-saving injections have been administered to date across the city, with 163,931 people having had their first dose, and 130,671 having completed their vaccination with two doses for the best protection.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “For the last few weeks, we’ve been running around 30 walk-in vaccination clinics each week, at locations all around the city where people can walk-in and get their vaccinations at a time or place that it is convenient to them, without needing to book ahead.

“Together with pre-bookable appointments at vaccination sites and pharmacies, these clinics are making it easier for a large number of people to get protected, with over 130,000 people in our city now having had both doses of the vaccine, and almost 164,000 people receiving their first doses.

“This is great uptake, but there are still people over the age of 18 who have not yet had a Covid-19 vaccination. With social restrictions now eased and the number of positive coronavirus cases continuing to rise locally and nationally, it is crucial that as many people as possible have their jabs, as soon as possible.”

To encourage vaccine uptake and make it easier for people to get their second doses, walk-in vaccination clinics are open across the city, with more planned for coming weeks. Full information including clinic locations, times and dates plus vaccine type available, can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/localvaccine

Vaccinations can also be booked online at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling NHS 119.

Latest figures show there were 465.5 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last seven days. That means 1,224 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.

Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the RCEM (Royal College of Emergency Medicine) has stated that it is absolutely essential that patients and visitors in Emergency Departments continue to protect themselves and others with face masks, hand washing and social distancing.

She said: “While restrictions have been eased, it is absolutely essential that we continue to keep everyone safe in hospital settings and in Emergency Departments. Patients and visitors must therefore expect to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

“Emergency Departments regularly see vulnerable patients. We must do all we can to keep those patients safe, but also to ensure that these patients feel safe coming to the hospital and the Emergency Department if, and when, they need help.

“We ask patients and visitors to kindly respect and co-operate with this guidance and help to keep everyone safe. Staff will not tolerate any abuse whatsoever.

“They absolutely do not deserve it, but it is a sad reality that we are already hearing and seeing abusive behaviour towards staff. It is clear these measures will help protect the most vulnerable patients, so it is right that all patients and visitors follow them. Staff will request all patients and visitors to put a mask on when in an Emergency Department and they will not be engaging in any debate on the guidance.

“It is a matter of public health and infection prevention control to keep all our patients safe.”

Eighty years ago, in July 1941, a group of young men who had sustained severe burns in aircraft crashes during the Second World War came together to form The Guinea Pig Club. They took this name in honour of the ground-breaking techniques of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe.

Upon leaving hospital following their lengthy treatments, members established new careers, married and raised families, challenging the opinions of those who questioned their abilities. These young men quickly became a beacon of hope and their perseverance and tenacity continues to inspire burns survivors today.

The RAF Benevolent Fund is proud to have supported The Guinea Pig Club since its formation 80 years ago and has provided assistance to many of its members over the years. However, just six members of the Guinea Pig Club remain, so the Fund is taking this important anniversary to highlight the inspiring story of the Guinea Pig Club to ensure its legacy lives on.

people are now being urged to pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed their lives during the Second World War by visiting: rafbf.dedicationpage.org/gpc80 where they can share memories, photographs, and thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot

Chief Executive of the RAF Benevolent Fund

A leading charity has partnered with property investor and developer, Sam Ginda, in a bid to improve mental ill health in Sandwell.

The Kaleidoscope Plus Group will be working with Mr Ginda and his new company, Future High Street Living, to offer further support to people in West Bromwich who need help with their mental health and wellbeing.

Mr Ginda kickstarted the partnership with a £5,000 donation to the charity with plans for fundraising activities and workshops currently underway.

The partnership was announced following news that Mr Ginda aims to invest in town centres, helping to revive them with new retail and residential developments, starting with Queens Square Shopping Centre in West Bromwich.

With just 40 per cent currently occupied, his investment in the shopping centre would see the retail provision consolidated into one area, alongside a residential development including 84 new houses and more than 200 residential apartments, plus improvements to the surroundings to make the area a more pleasant place to visit.

Chief Executive of Kaleidoscope, Monica Shafaq said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sam and the Future High Street Living Team. We have seen the devastating impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had both on people’s mental health and on the retail industry and urgent action is needed in both these areas.

“At Kaleidoscope, we are passionate about promoting positive mental health and providing high quality services to people who need them in our local community and, having grown up in West Brom, Sam also feels passionate about doing his part to help. Together I think we can do some really great work to support people even more.”

Mr Ginda is joint chief executive of property development and investment firm, Taylor Grange. His new initiative will focus on locations such as commuter belt towns and smaller cities, aiming to support high streets in need of regeneration by bringing forward new schemes that will help boost footfall and create jobs.

He said: "Building stronger communities is an important focus for Future High Street Living and we recognise the important role that the Kaleidoscope Plus Group plays in supporting the mental wellbeing of the local community here in West Bromwich. We see a natural synergy between our work and theirs and are delighted to have the opportunity to work together in this way."