News
Immunisation Catch Up Clinics
Our immunisation team is offering 'catch-up' appointments for children who missed their school-based vaccinations due to lockdown, or were absent from school at the time of their immunisations. Parents and guardians who are unsure as to whether or not their children...
NHS Trusts ease some restrictions on hospital visiting
The NHS in Gloucestershire is easing some of the restrictions around visiting hospitals as part of the next phase of COVID-19 planning. The restrictions, which were implemented in March to limit the spread of the virus and protect patients, staff and visitors, stopped...
Get involved – join our Council of Governors
Nominations are now open to join our Council of Governors. We are looking for seven new public Governors to join our Trust. Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust provides joined up community physical health, mental health and learning disability...
Domestic Abuse and Covid-19 Isolation
An article by Carol Innes, Specialist Safeguarding Nurse – Domestic Abuse, and Penny Humble, Counsellor, Working Well The need to isolate ourselves within our own households can be challenging for many of us and for many different reasons. For those in a domestic...
Lockdown Experiences – Learning Disabilities Week
Dawn and Maisie Dawn and Maisie first met each other in 2009 when they both worked on a Learning Disability Partnership Board. They have known each other for 11 years and have been friends since they stopped working together. Maisie and Dawn speak on the phone...
A GPs Perspective on Lockdown
‘New ways of working’ is a phrase that has been bandied about in General Practice for a few years. We felt the need to do things differently because we have been stretched, at times to breaking point. Then the tragedy of Covid19 and lockdown came along. Suddenly we...
Caring Through Covid-19 Workshops
Following on from our Caring through Covid-19 surveys, we are now holding virtual workshops to listen further to your experiences of using our services during Covid-19. Your experiences and views are very important to us and will help us plan for the future. Workshop...
Nominations open soon for next Governor elections
As a Trust, we are passionate about redressing inequalities and coproducing what we do with the people we serve. Governors play an important role in our Trust as members of the Council of Governors. They seek and reflect the views of the Trust’s members, promote and...
What’s on during Learning Disability Week 2020
Wednesday 17th June 11am - 12pm: Kingfisher Treasure Seekers will be playing Bingo live on Facebook! Send them a Facebook message if you would like to join in - https://www.facebook.com/KFTreasureSeekers/ All day - New Forwards website launches! Take a look at their...
Men and Mental Health in BAME Communities
I was recently asked to write this blog about men in the ‘Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic' (BAME) community and the stigma around mental health. The question raised is why males find it more difficult to access NHS mental health support services. As an Expert who...
Help us prevent the spread of infection
Patients, carers and visitors are being asked to take precautions to help us prevent the spread of infection. The risk of getting an infection whilst in our premises is low and careful attention to the prevention of infections is a high priority for us. Please help us...
£375k boost for county mental health services
The county council and Gloucestershire’s NHS have secured £375,000 in extra funding, over three years, to help prevent suicide and improve the positive mental wellbeing of people in Gloucestershire. The money, which is part of a national NHS England and NHS...
Caring through Covid-19 – Your Experience
As an NHS Trust we have had to change our way of working due to Covid-19. This has altered the way many of our services are delivered. We would like to hear the views and experiences of patients, service users, carers and those they care for on how our services are...
Thank You To Our Volunteers
As Volunteers Week draws to aclose, our Trust Chair, Ingrid Barker, says thank you to all our volunteers. As I am working from home, I am sitting in my kitchen recalling our terrific volunteers‘ tea party last year. There were 130 volunteers there from what were then...
New Associate Non-Executive Director Joins Board
A new Associate Non-Executive Director has been appointed to Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. Steve Brittan has a career background in technology and innovation, and Trust Chair Ingrid Barker said his experience would be very beneficial to the...
Home Baking in Lockdown – Dietitians Week
As a dietitian, I welcome people knowing what goes into their food and home baking is an excellent way to discover this. Dietitians are trained to understand what causes the mix to rise, what holds it together and why anything that has a high level of fat, sugar or...
Views of Children and Young People to Help Shape Local Mental Health Services
Children and young people, parents, carers and health and social care professionals in Gloucestershire are being asked to share their experiences of mental health and wellbeing support to help improve future experiences for children and young people. Feedback will be...
Mental Health Helpline during Covid-19
A 24-hour a day, seven day a week helpline is now available for anyone in Gloucestershire experiencing mental health distress and needing urgent support or advice. The service is available by ringing 0800 169 0398. The line is staffed by mental health professionals...
Fire Service and NHS help to increase Covid-19 testing in care homes
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) and NHS staff have teamed up to help care homes in the county with testing residents and staff for Covid-19. The Accelerated Care Home Provision Outreach Service has been set up to improve access to Covid-19 testing and...
Nutrition In Lockdown – Having a balanced diet from the store cupboard
Covid 19 has given all of us challenges to daily life, not least the provision of a healthy balanced diet for ourselves and our loved ones. So how can we eat in a healthy way during lockdown? The same healthy eating messages continue as before, however we may need to...
Got symptoms that need to be checked out urgently?
Help us help you get the treatment you need. The NHS in Gloucestershire is launching the Help us, help you get the treatment you need campaign in the county today. Clinicians are urging local people to seek medical help if they are worried about their health or...
Covid-19 Nutrition and Recovery
Jo Sansom, specialist dietitian in our MacMillan Next Steps Service, has written some helpful information on nutrition for people who have, or are recovering from, Covid-19. During or following infection with Covid-19, many people experience a loss of appetite, taste...
How We’re Helping Patients Stay Connected With Loved Ones
Colleagues across Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust are helping to ensure patients at their hospitals can keep in touch with loved ones during the current suspension on visiting due to Covid-19. A number of initiatives have been rolled out across...
Clare Celebrates 40 Years of Nursing
I started my training to become a Registered General Nurse (RGN) three weeks after my 18th birthday, on Monday 5th May 1980 at the Royal South Hants Hospital in Winchester. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my training, even though we were terrified of matron! I...
Dying Matters Awareness Week
This week is Dying Matters Awareness Week. The theme for this year is “Dying to be Heard”, which aims to encourage people to listen to their loved ones if they want to talk about death. The health and care system in Gloucestershire recognises that it’s hard for people...
VE Day Celebrations – We need decorations!
Lots of our hospitals are planning (social distanced!) parties and celebrations to mark VE Day this Friday. The hospitals would love to be able to decorate with banners and bunting, but we are having trouble getting hold of any! If you have any VE Day/Union flag...
Staff Testing Helps Keep Health and Care Services Running in Gloucestershire
Health and care organisations in Gloucestershire are continuing to test their staff for Covid-19 to ensure more can get back to work, helping local people to stay safe, healthy and well. A drive through, appointment only testing centre is operating in Brockworth,...
Staff applaud as first Covid-19 patient discharged from Cirencester Hospital
Last Thursday (23 April) saw an emotional but heartwarming celebration on Coln Ward at Cirencester Hospital, as staff said to goodbye to Stephen Lefley, who was well enough to return home after receiving treatment for Covid-19. They lined the corridors to cheer and...
Public Encouraged to Seek Mental Health Support
Health experts are encouraging people across Gloucestershire to look after their mental health and wellbeing during the current Covid-19 ‘lockdown’. The physical health impacts of Covid-19 are well recognised, but anxiety about health, job security and finances,...
Mental Health and Learning Disability Services in Gloucestershire – Changes Due to Coronavirus (Covid-19)
The outbreak of Covid-19 has led to changes in the way some mental health and learning disability services are being delivered in Gloucestershire. One obvious change is that, due to social distancing, all of our services will minimise face to face contact and will use...
