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Lancs Health & Care

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Public Health England has launched a major national campaign this week to encourage more women to attend their cervical screening. The ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign which was launched  on 5th March follows recent data showing that the number of women attending screening has fallen to a 20-year low. Around 2,600 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England each year, and around 690 women die from the disease, which is 2 deaths every day. It is estimated that if everyone attended screening regularly, 83% of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.

Dr Neil Smith, local award winning GP and Cancer Lead for Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Cervical screening checks the health of your cervix. It is not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer by detecting early abnormalities in the cervix, so they can be treated. If these abnormalities are left untreated they can lead to cancer of the cervix (the neck of the womb). I would recommend that every woman invited should have the test.  We know that on average cervical screening helps save the lives of approximately 4,500 women in England every year.”

Professor Anne Mackie, Director of Screening Programmes at Public Health England, said: “The decline in numbers getting screened for cervical cancer is a major concern as it means millions of women are missing out on a potentially life-saving test. Two women die every day in England from cervical cancer, yet it is one of the most preventable cancers if caught early.

“We want to see a future generation free of cervical cancer but we will only achieve our vision if women take up their screening invitations. This is a simple test which takes just five minutes and could save your life. It’s just not worth ignoring.” Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under. Despite this, more than 20 per cent of women invited for screening do not attend. Cervical screening can prevent around 45% of cervical cancer cases in women in their 30s, rising with age to 75 per cent in women in their 50s and 60s, who attend regularly.

As well as attending for screening when you are invited, other signs to look out for include any abnormal bleeding or unpleasant discharge or pain after sex. If you notice anything unusual, make an appointment to see your doctor and get it checked out.

For further information on cervical cancer and smear tests visit:http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/cervical-cancer/about/cervical-cancer-screening

https://www.jostrust.org.uk/about-cervical-cancer

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Foster carers from across Lancashire who have looked after children for many years have been honoured with a lunch at County Hall. The celebration, held on (Wednesday 13 February), was attended by foster carers from across Lancashire, county councillors and senior officers.
These foster carers have all been fostering for at least 15 years, caring for more than 750 children in total during this time. The foster carers who attended the lunch were: Alison and Arthur Poulter from Skelmersdale, who have been foster carers for 26 years and have fostered over 50 children.

Susan Ewens and Brett Steven from Burnley, who have been foster carers for 15 years and have fostered nine children. Gillian and Peter Blackwell from Leyland, who have been foster carers for 19 years and have fostered 18 children. Christine and Harry Gregoire from Carnforth, who have been foster carers for over 30 years and have fostered 200 children.
Kath and Pat Miller from Poulton-le Fylde area, who have been foster carers for over 18 years and fostered four children.

County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, attended the event. She said: “It is such a pleasure to have the opportunity to be able to recognise the incredible efforts made by our foster carers. “All of our foster carers work tirelessly to improve the lives of looked after children in Lancashire. The importance of the work they do is much appreciated by us all. Being able to hold this lunch gave us a chance to meet the foster carers and to thank them. It also gave us the opportunity to mark the length of time that some of our foster carers have carried out this incredibly important role.

“For many years now they have all opened up their hearts and their homes to provide children with a secure and loving place to live, and they make a massive difference in improving children’s lives each day. I’d like to offer my personal thanks to each one of them, including those who unfortunately weren’t able to attend the celebration.”

County Councillor Anne Cheetham, Chairman of the county council, hosted the lunch. She said: “I was a foster carer myself for 11 years, so it was a great pleasure for me to be able to host a lunch to honour the foster carers and to recognise the important role they do. I enjoyed spending time with them, and having the opportunity to personally thank some of them for their incredible contribution.

“Fostering is such a tremendous thing to do, as it gives children the opportunity for the childhood that they deserve, a childhood that otherwise they may not have had. I’d like to say a personal thank you to all our foster carers.” The county council is currently recruiting new people who can foster all ages of children, particularly siblings who need to stay together and older children. No formal experience or qualifications are needed, all that is required is a spare room and the desire to make a difference to a local child’s life. A package of support is available 24/7 to help foster carers in their role, including local support groups, their own social worker, a dedicated helpline and flexible training.

If you want to find out more, call the fostering recruitment team on 0300 123 6723 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/fostering

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Gordon Marsden MP for Blackpool South and Shadow Minister for Higher and Further Education and Skills, visited Beaumont College in Blackpool to meet staff and students and see the fantastic work being carried out at the campus.

Beaumont College of Further Education, which is based in the Health and Wellbeing Centre on Highfield Road, provides a person-centred curriculum to young people with physical and learning disabilities, ages 19 to 25.

During the visit Mr Marsden was given a tour of the college’s facilities, discussed the curriculum and watched a showcase of work from a dance session.

Mr Marsden said: “I was really struck by the dedication of Laura and the other tutors at Beaumont. It is a challenging job but the passion and hard work from her and other colleagues shone through. I could see from the smiles on the students’ faces that they enjoy the curriculum and other activities they do there.

“When I was there, some of the students performed a dance routine, which they had choreographed themselves. Laura told me dance, music and other interactive forms of learning were a big part of the curriculum at Beaumont.  This particularly helps with their interaction skills when some go on to do work placements. One of these was Koby who has really gained confidence from his time here and has also been getting experience working in a charity shop.”

“Laura told me that the college works closely with Blackpool Council’s Transition team, but also local schools such as Highfurlong and Woodlands, who work with younger students. I was pleased to hear this is happening. These partnerships are vital for the students so they have a smooth transition through the various stages of their education and have the opportunities to succeed when they complete their studies.”

Laura Spencer Lead Tutor at Beaumont College Blackpool said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Marsden to Beaumont College.

“It is always a pleasure to be able to showcase the work we do and share the enthusiasm of our students.”

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF AMBITO CARE AND EDUCATION

For further information contact Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care, Lancs Sport

Carly Evans – whose daughter and son were both born naturally at 29 weeks – is running London Landmarks Half Marathon in March 2019 for charity, Bliss.

Miss Evans said of the charity: “The main reason I’m running is to give back for what Bliss do medical wise, to make sure our babies are here today, fit and healthy.

“They are miracle workers and if I can give something back and maybe help another family, even if it’s in the slightest, I will be happy.”

Bliss – which was founded in 1979 – is a charity in the UK for babies born premature or sick.
It was founded after a group of concerned parents noticed that no hospital had the equipment or trained staff to safely care for vulnerable babies.
Their mission is to be as involved as possible in the process of caring for sick or premature babies, supporting research that will enable better outcomes, and supporting neonatal professionals to deliver high quality care for babies.

In 2011, Carly gave birth to her first child, Daisy-Rae, in Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
Her daughter weighed 3lb 4oz at birth but dropped down to 2lb 6oz.
Daisy-Rae was on the unit for just over seven weeks but was able to go home almost four weeks before her due date.

Carly said: “I witnessed first-hand how stressful it is for parents’ to support their baby while being so far away from home.

“I was lucky enough that I lived close to get to and from the unit, but families travelling far were given phenomenal support by Bliss.”

The 27-year-olds second child, Jude, was born in 2017 at Arrowe Park Hospital, weighing 3lb 2oz.

He was transferred to the Liverpool Women’s Hospital when he was one week old and remained there for five more weeks.
Carly said: “Daisy took a long time to gain weight and strength after dropping down to 2lb 6oz.

“Jude was like a mini superman. He only lost 2oz and gained weight straight away.”

Miss Evans spent a lot of time on the neonatal unit alone and spoke to numerous consultants, doctors and nurses.

“The information they give you is a lot to take in all at once and remember”, she explained.

“But the staff at Bliss help you to understand exactly where the babies are up to and are there to reassure you.

“The care my own two had was unbelievable and I will be forever grateful to everyone involved in getting them stronger and back home with me both times.”

You can donate to Carly Evans’ charity half marathon here:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carly-evans29?utm_campaign

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

To show support for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (1–31 March), doctors at NHS Blackburn with Darwen and NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are encouraging women in the local area to familiarise themselves with the key symptoms of the disease.

Every year 7,300 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Compared to other countries, fewer women in the UK live for a year following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Early diagnosis could prolong the life of many women.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer experienced by women. It mainly affects women who have been through the menopause (usually over the age of 50), but it can sometimes affect younger women.

Common symptoms include:

  • Feeling bloated for a long period of time
  • Swollen stomach
  • Discomfort in your stomach or pelvic area
  • Needing to pee more often
  • Feeling full quickly when eating

There are several signs to look out for, it does not mean you have cancer but it is good to get things checked out and to be safe.

Make an appointment and go see your GP if you have been bloated for the last three weeks, you are experiencing other symptoms of ovarian cancer or you have a family history of the disease.

The main treatments available include surgery, which often involves removing ovaries, the womb and the fallopian tubes. Chemotherapy is usually used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells but is sometimes used before surgery to shrink the cancer.

Dr Neil Smith GP cancer lead at the CCGs said:

“At the moment, women in the UK are being diagnosed with ovarian cancer too late. We need to educate local residents on the symptoms so it can be caught more quickly.

“Women who feel they are experiencing symptoms of ovarian cancer should contact their GP for a check-up.

“With an early diagnosis, life expectancy increases dramatically, so it is important for women to know what the signs are before it becomes too late.”

In total, about half of women with ovarian cancer will live for at least five years after diagnosis and around one in three will live at least 10 years.

For more information about ovarian cancer, including the symptoms and treatments, visit http://www.nhs.uk. To find out about the survival statistics visit Cancer Research UK.

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Lancashire County Council is always looking for adopters, but this month there’s an added focus on finding people willing to adopt older children and sibling groups. County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: “We’re running a campaign from the end of the month to remind anyone wanting to start or grow their family through adoption that there are children of all ages ready for a loving home.

“When people first start to think about adoption, they usually consider a baby, or even a toddler, rather than an older child. “The unfortunate reality is that children are considered to be older for adoption at just four years of age. It is likely that these children will have a brother or sister, and we try to keep brothers and sisters together whenever we can. “We’re trying to find homes for these children in particular.

“There is always a need for adopters to come forward to look after all types of children of different ages and backgrounds.” “There are real benefits to adopting a sibling group. The children will already have bonded and will settle into their new family much quicker if they are with their brothers and sisters. Anyone open to adopting more than one child will also only have to go through the adoption process once to adopt a sibling group.” The county council is keen to hear from a broad range of prospective adopters, including single people and couples, same-sex and heterosexual, from all religious backgrounds or none.

Consideration is given to anyone who wishes to adopt, regardless of their age, marital status, sexuality or gender. There are no strict rules about whether people should have jobs, their own homes or have their own children. The only legal requirement is that adopters must be over 21 and live within Lancashire or nearby.

A range of adoption support services and advice is available to anyone who has adopted a child. The council recognise that adoptive families require support at different times and even after people adopt, the authority is there to help.

People can spread the word about adopting with Lancashire County Council on their own social media channels. This can be done by:

• Following the county council on Twitter @LancashireCC and searching for #LancsAdoption for messages to retweet.

• Liking the county council on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lancashireccand sharing #LancsAdoption posts.
By doing this people can help to spread the word to their friends and family, their colleagues and maybe the organisations they work with.
Anyone interested in finding out more about adoption can contact the county council by:

• Calling the friendly adoption team on 0300 123 6723.

• Visiting the website at www.lancashire.gov.uk/adoptionand filling in the enquiry form.

• Attending an information evening, visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/adoptionfor details.

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Staff at Lancashire County Council’s care homes and day centres have been recognised for the excellent level of customer service they provide. The older people’s services team, which runs 17 residential care homes and 13 day centres, has been accredited with the Customer Service Excellence standard following a recent inspection. Customer Service Excellence is a nationally-recognised standard which was introduced by the government as a way to improve services. This standard focuses on issues that research has proven are important to customers, such as service delivery, timeliness, staff attitude, professionalism and the quality of information provided.
County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult services, said: “I’m pleased our older people’s services team has once again been recognised for the excellent levels of service it provides.

“Staff provide invaluable support to people who live in our care homes and for people who need daytime support at our day centres. “They work tirelessly day in, day out, and as well as providing support and care, they run a wide variety of activities which help improve people’s quality of life. “Inspectors praised the comprehensive knowledge of our staff, exemplary employee training, good staff attitude and the provision of clear information through measures such as dementia friendly signage, menu boards and pain assessment charts following their assessment visit. “This is very reassuring for the hundreds of people who already use our day centres and care homes and their families, and anyone else who may be considering using our services.

“Well done to everyone at our older people’s service on achieving the Customer Service Excellence standard.” The county council runs residential homes and day centres in each district of Lancashire. You can find out more about our day centres at our adult social care page. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/older-people-services/day-time-support/
For more information about our residential care homes, visit our older people’s services page. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/older-people-services/

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

While the traders at Manchester’s Arndale Market may be the best in the business at squeezing every penny out of a deal the tables were turned on them this Christmas. Linking up with homelessness charity Lifeshare, a wealth of food and clothes were donated to people in need during the festive period. Boxes of items including warm fleeces and clothes for newborns were donated as well as more than 10 bags of leftover food from traders. Manchester City Council and members of the Manchester Homelessness Partnership often see an increased number of people in need of support during the festive period. Generous donations such as this are always welcome to members of the MHP during one of the most challenging times of the year.

Julie Gimeno, assistant manager at Arndale Market, said: “The original idea came from Steve one of our Environmental Operatives who works in the market who suggested we get involved with a food bank over Christmas. “After some research we teamed up with the charity Lifeshare who work in Manchester to help homeless people living in the city. “We wouldn’t have been able to help without the support of our fantastic traders. More than ten came forward to help, and many of our staff brought food and clothing to donate. “It was so encouraging to see the support for this initiative and it is something we plan on doing again next Christmas.”

Ellen Gallacher, from Lifeshare, said: “We have been overwhelmed this Christmas by the generosity of not just the public, but from groups like the Arndale Market traders. People giving us food and warm clothing is helpful but what is just as important is people donating their time to help those in need. Councillor Sue Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Homelessness is an issue Manchester City Council cannot tackle alone. We are fortunate to have network of organisations in the Manchester Homelessness Partnership, as well as individuals and traders who contribute to supporting people who are homeless.

“Our goal is to one day ensure no one has to rely on donations to stave off hunger and cold in Manchester. “But, for anyone inspired by the generosity of these traders I would urge them to visit streetsupport.net/Manchester to see how you can help or make a donation.”