The UK’s largest hearing loss charity, Action on Hearing Loss, is urging GPs and other health and social care practitioners in Ythe West Midlands to ensure that the 433,500 local residents who are deaf or have hearing loss receive the right communication support.

The call comes as a review by NHS England published today (date)  found that almost a year since the Accessible Information Standard became law, more than half of patients who responded to a survey have not noticed any improvement in getting accessible information or communication support from NHS services.

The Standard, which was put into force on August 1 2016, requires all publicly funded health and adult social care organisations to meet the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss, including the one in six people living with hearing loss and deafness.

The review found that more than two-thirds of patients had not been asked about their information and communication needs by NHS services over the last six months. Almost a third of patients also reported that they do not usually get or have never received the communication support they need from NHS services. Many people with deafness and hearing loss still struggled to contact GP and hospital services when they needed to, and felt that staff did not know how to communicate with them.

The release of the review comes ahead of Care Quality Commission (CQC) plans to incorporateadherence to the Accessible Information Standard into its inspection criteria. This is due to come into effect in October.

Roger Wicks, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Action on Hearing Loss, said: “The Accessible Information Standard was an important milestone – for the first time, health and social care organisations have been required by law to record and meet the communication needs of people with hearing loss. It is clear, however, that more work is needed to ensure it is consistently implemented and enforced.

“People who are deaf or have hearing loss have long been denied the fundamental right to have equal access to the full benefits of our healthcare system and we believe that the Standard, properly implemented, will have a great impact. While we know that some patients have seen improvements, it’s vitally important that all patients with communication needs are experiencing tangible, positive change.”

One patient with hearing loss who responded to the survey said, “I am unable to use the phone and my GP and NHS hospital services are unable to communicate with [me] in any other way, SMS, live chat, email, etc. so booking appointments, getting test results, and getting advice from a GP on the phone is impossible. [It is] the same with the NHS 111 service.”

Another patient, who is deaf and has had a positive experience, said, “In the last six months the service has improved with more communication support at the hospital, they always ask if we need British Sign Language support, and I always say yes.”

The charity worked with NHS England on the development of the Standard to address the fact that prior to its implementation, more than a quarter of patients with hearing loss did not understand their diagnosis after visiting their GP and two in three British Sign Language (BSL) users did not get an interpreter.

Dazzling photography of some of the natural world’s most astonishing sights is now available to see at Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

The Lichfield Street gallery is hosting the Natural History Museum’s 52nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition featuring awe-inspiring images capturing fascinating animal behaviour and breathtaking landscapes.

The blockbuster show won critical acclaim when it premiered in London and is running until Sunday, October 1 in the city.

Last year Wolverhampton Art Gallery hosted the 51st Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition attracting thousands of visitors, and it is hoped even more people will take the chance to see staggering images displayed in an ultra-modern lightbox format.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “It’s no understatement to describe last year’s exhibition as breathtaking and I am so delighted the gallery is hosting the Natural History Museum’s 52nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition this summer.

“It attracted lots of visitors last year and I would urge anyone, young and old, to come and make the most of a major London exhibition on their doorstep.”

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind, providing a global platform that showcases the natural world’s most astonishing and challenging sights for more than 50 years.

Founded in 1964 and organised and produced by the Natural History Museum, it is one of the longest and most renowned photography competitions in the world.

Now in its 52nd year, the competition received more than 40,000 submissions from amateur and professional photographers, from more than 95 countries, all of whom were competing for the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Every year, the best images submitted are selected to form the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which tours venues across the world, exhibiting to millions of visitors, and helping to ensure that biodiversity and sustainability remain at the forefront of public awareness.

Following the fatal stabbing of Troy Paul, in Birmingham, in July, a special prayer concert has been organized in his honour and to pray for the city, and support the families whose sons, brothers, nephews and other family members who are victims of knife crimes -100% of the funds raised there going direct to the families.

This comes after the visit of Pastor Samuel Jonathan, who attended a vigil held in memory of Paul – an experience which he found especially moving, which was compounded by the fact that his death was the fourth knife-related killing in Birmingham within one week.

Furthermore, the person charged with the murder of Troy (23), a father of a 10-month-old child, was only 15.

The other knife-crime victims were named as: Alexander Leonard (aged 22), 65-year-old Philip Rolph and Daniel Baird (26).

Seeing prayers change and transform communities around the world, Pastor Jonathan has organised prayer concerts in Atlanta, London and Accra and he firmly believes that prayer can bring godly change - hence the ‘Birmingham Prayer & Benefit Concert,’ a free event featuring an inspiring fusion of live music, poetry, sculpting, fine-art painting, choreography and prayer, to be held at the Sparkbrook Community Centre, on Grantham Road, on Saturday August 5.

Donations are welcomed and will go towards the support of the families.

This is the only organised concert and prayer gathering in memory and honour of the four fatal knife-crime victims!

To donate towards the hosting of the concert, volunteer or further information, visit -www.BirminghamPrayerConcert.org

Whether you are a baking enthusiast, or can just about make an edible sandwich, the picnic is all about getting family, friends and furry companions together for some fun in the sun.

Katie Sutcliffe, RSPCA events manager, said: “While school’s out, it’s the perfect time to get the picnic blankets out and spend quality time with the kids enjoying your favourite treats.

“The RSPCA can help plan the perfect picnic to raise money for animals in need and while you enjoy your sandwiches in the sun, you’ll be helping us continue with our work to improve the lives of animals everywhere.”

The RSPCA relies entirely on donations to do its vital work rescuing rehabilitating and rehoming animals.

So far in 2017 the charity took in 273 dogs and 914 cats in the West Midlands.

Across the centres in June there were 3,260 dogs and 9,832 cats taken into care, more than 1000 rabbits and nearly 500 horses. Our 24-hour cruelty hotline has received more than 500,000 this year so far.

Katie continued: “We need your help now as much as ever and getting friends together for some cake and sandwiches is a simple but fun way to help the charity continue this vital work.”

August Bank Holiday is the ideal time to have a picnic but they can be held anytime and anywhere.

There are free posters, bunting, invites, cake flags and recipes all available to download when you register your picnic with the RSPCA. The fundraising pack also includes face masks to colour in for children, a RSPCA-themed quiz and lots of fun ideas to do on the day.

Why not hold a competition for the best decorated cake or cupcake, collect donations to guess the weight of the cake or the number of sweets in the jar, or have a game of Tug o' War or even an egg and spoon race.

Share the memories by posting a picture of your paw-some picnic using the hashtag #RSPCAPicnic

All the money raised from donations and games can be paid online through the website and will go straight to helping animals in need.

The donations will help the RSPCA continue to rescue, rehome and rehabilitate animals in desperate need of care.

With so much beautiful countryside up and down the UK, exploring the great outdoors can be enjoyed by everyone, parents, children and even your canine companions. What better time to do this than during National Parks Week, this annual family celebration runs from 24th-30th July and aims to highlight everything that is wonderful about Britain’s breath-taking spaces.

There are 15 National Parks across the UK all of which are free to enjoy and they include many free family events. Responsible dog-walkers are all welcome, so your furry family friends needn’t be left at home. Lintbells, manufacturer of premium natural pet supplements including YuMOVE, the UK’s No. 1 joint supplement; believe in choosing an active life for both dogs and owners and exploring the wonderful spaces on offer at a National Park is a great way to do this.

From Exmoor to North Yorkshire Moors, the UK’s beautiful National Parks can be found across the country, so you and your family don’t have to travel too far to your nearest one. Covering a whole range of landscapes, including moorlands and coastal walks there is plenty of variety for dogs and families to enjoy.

As with many other public walking areas, there are a few important things to remember to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are a few simple tips and things to bear in mind when enjoying the National Parks.

• When exploring the beautiful open land, dogs should be kept close by, under control and in sight at all times.
• On open access land in particular, owners should use a short lead, no longer than 2 metres.
• A lead should also be used near farm animals, particularly sheep as they can be sensitive to dogs, and many footpaths cross their grazing land. It’s vital to respect all wildlife and livestock as you are in their habitat, your pooch may be harmless and just excitable but don’t let them chase or disturb the nearby animals.

To keep these wonderful outdoor spaces in the same condition as you found them, please ensure the whole family, pets included, respect the land. This means clearing up after your dog, taking all litter home with you and sticking to designated footpaths where possible.

Alethea Maillard, Marketing Manager at Lintbells said, “We know that it can be hard to think of ways to not only keep the kids entertained during the school holidays, but to keep them (and your furry four-legged friends) active as well. There is so much beautiful land that is free to enjoy across the UK, and National Parks Week is a great way of highlighting this. It encourages parents to get their children and dogs outside exploring the great outdoors this summer. We strongly believe in choosing an active life, for both humans and animals alike, and a trip to a National Park is perfect for this.”

For those dogs that are leading an active life YuMOVE supplement can help support their joints and mobility ensuring they can enjoy adventures for many years to come.

Nearly a quarter of water sample failures taken at customers’ taps didn’t reach quality standards because household plumbing doesn’t reach the mark.

This is one of the findings highlighted in a report launched today by the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water. It shows that despite tap water quality in England being among the highest in the world, of the small proportion of samples that do fail, a number are the result of poor household plumbing.

In its annual report for 2016, the Drinking Water Inspectorate for England confirms that 99.96 per cent of samples passed stringent water quality tests but has highlighted that where failures did occur, many were at customers’ taps.

Of these, 24 per cent were caused by poor plumbing practices, wrongly connected pipework, sub-standard fixtures and fittings and poor kitchen tap hygiene. All of which can cause the quality of drinking water to deteriorate after it has been transferred from the public water mains into private pipes and properties, potentially resulting in contamination.

Lead, nickel, taste and odour are behind some of the failures and these can be caused by legacy pipework, the wrong materials and fittings being used or inadequate protection from water ‘flowing back’ into internal pipework from dishwashers and toilets.

WaterSafe, the national register for plumbers which is backed by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and all the English water companies, is urging homeowners and property managers to use approved plumbers to help keep drinking water supplies safe.

Julie Spinks, Director of WaterSafe, said: “Water supplies in England are among the highest quality in the world and we want to ensure that the quality of the water remains high at the point it leaves customers’ taps.

“Many people don’t realise that there are many things which can affect water quality in homes, or other buildings, such as lead pipes, poor quality taps and fittings and even wrongly connected appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and even toilets.

“We vet plumbers before they are allowed to join the WaterSafe register to ensure they have the right skills and knowledge to work safely with water. We also ensure they have insurance and customer care schemes in place so customers can trust they are employing a competent and qualified professional who will not compromise the quality of one of most important services in their homes.”

Plumbers on the WaterSafe register have specific training in the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations and Byelaws, which are designed to preserve the high quality of water that is supplied by water companies, and avoid the risk of contaminated water.

Marcus Rink, The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water for England, said: “Consumers need to be aware of the risks associated with poor household plumbing and sub-standard fixtures and fittings when it comes to the quality of their tap water.

“I urge them not to take any chances and always be sure to employ a reputable plumber. The Watersafe register is there to help people make an informed choice and provides confidence that work carried out in their home is done safely by a skilled and competent plumber using approved materials.

“It is an important part of ensuring that drinking water remains healthy and wholesome right up to the tap and reaches the high standards we all quite rightly expect.”

Each year thousands of samples of water are taken from reservoirs, water treatment works, pumping stations, water mains and customers’ taps by water companies.

These are tested in laboratories to monitor for a range of substances, including metals, pesticides and naturally-occurring bacteria which are measured against required standards.