Health & Wellbeing

The first of the UK’s Clean Air Zones, London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), comes into force across the capital on 8th April 2019. Similar regulations are also being planned for towns and cities across the UK to tackle what can often be illegally high levels of air pollution. But what does this mean for fleets and company cars?

Simon Staton, Client Management Director of Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “Contributing to 40,000 early deaths every year in the UK, air pollution is undoubtedly a crisis which must be tackled as quickly as possible. The difficulty for many fleet operators at this point is the lack of consistency and clarity: local authorities are working independently on their Clean Air Zone plans, each of which will have different launch dates, vehicle restrictions and charges. Even within London the rules are different across boroughs, with some introducing low emission streets, with penalty charge notices for non-compliance. Even for an experienced fleet manager, this lack of commonality is making preparation difficult.”

Once the ULEZ is launched in London, it is expected that other schemes will be introduced from January 2020, so companies have time to prepare. There is widespread agreement that most company cars will be exempt from Clean Air Zone charges, but some calculations suggest up to 80% of vans will not comply. Toby Poston, director of communications and external relations at the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), believes the change brings “great opportunity for businesses to consider new, more sustainable vehicles or modes of transport” and BVRLA members such as Venson are well-placed to offer “affordable, compliant alternatives” to businesses affected by the new rules.

Simon Staton added: “Any business which owns company vans could be facing a hefty bill to replace them with compliant models or pay the daily rate for entering the Clean Air Zones. At a time when business confidence is low, few can afford to take this investment lightly. However, electric vehicles could offer long-term savings for many businesses. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that the new generation of plug-ins cost just £2-£3 to fully-charge for 100-mile range, compared to £9-£13 for a petrol or diesel. There are a number of pure electric and Plug-in Hybrid  vehicles available on the market which will be  exempt from the London Congestion Charge and will also be able to drive in clean air zones without paying any charges, making them the smarter, future-proof choice for businesses running fleets.”

Key details for fleets:

• ULEZ launches 8th April, covering a similar area to the Congestion charge zone
• ULEZ, and future Clean Air Zones, will be operational 24/7, 365 days a year
• Other schemes across the UK will begin from January 2020
• Most company cars will be compliant, but 80% of vans do not currently meet the forthcoming restrictions
• Generally, petrol cars registered after 2005 and diesel vans sold from September 2016 will be compliant
• A ULEZ vehicle compliance checker is available at:https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/vrm-checker-ulez
• Charges for non-compliant vehicles are £12.50 per day for cars, vans and motorcycles, and £100 for commercial vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, including buses and coaches
• The London Congestion Charge (£11.50 per day) and Low Emission Zone Charge (£100 or £200 depending on vehicle) will still be applicable, in addition to the ULEZ charge
• Owners of non-compliant vehicles, who fail to pay the relevant charge, will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice of £160 for cars, vans and motorcycles or £1,000 for commercial vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, including buses and coaches
• The ULEZ will be expanded from October 25, 2021 to the Inner London area bounded by the North and South Circular roads
• Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicles will be exempt from charges in all Clean Air Zones, and grants are available to help businesses save when making the switch. More information atvenson.com/Media/ViewWhitePaper/23

Birmingham and Solihull CCG have launched a campaign to promote awareness of support available for people with type 2 diabetes to actively manage their health.

The My Diabetes Health Programme has been designed to help people understand medical terms, give practical advice about how to improve their health and physical activity.

In Birmingham and Solihull about 8-10% of the population has diabetes. That’s over 110,000 people. This is a lot higher than other parts of the UK.

There are 3.9 million people living with type 2 diabetes in the UK and through the My Diabetes Health Programme they can be supported to manage the condition themselves.

There are a number of free courses provided across Birmingham and Solihull. You can contact your GP or Nurse to find out what is available locally.

The courses will offer you support and information about how best to look after yourself.

By making simple, easy changes, you may be able to reduce your symptoms and lead a longer, healthier life.

Dr Atif Hassan, Diabetes Clinical Lead at Birmingham and Solihull CCG, said: “Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects the body’s ability to process sugar or glucose. It can have serious health consequences. However, with careful management, people with diabetes can continue to lead full, healthy and active lives.

“We will be out and about in communities – come and talk to us to find out more about type 2 diabetes and how the My Diabetes Health Programme can help you and your family.”

My Diabetes events:

• Sunday 31  March, 10am-2pm, Guru Nanak Gurdwara, 629-631 Stratford Rd,              Birmingham B11 4LS
• Saturday 6 April, 10am-2pm, St Andrews Shopping Centre, 280 Coventry Rd, Small      Heath, Birmingham B10 0XA (Outside Morrisons)
• Saturday 11 April, 10am-2pm, Mell Square Shopping Centre, Centre Management        Suite, 44a Drury Lane, Solihull, B91 3BG

Jane Young, a 57-year-old IT manager from Birmingham, will be celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend with her 30-year-old daughter Lizzie Dean but back in 2016 that seemed very unlikely to be the case.

5 years ago, Lizzie Dean, who lives in Daventry and works as an engineer with Drive System Design, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and it was soon determined that she would require a stem cell transplant. The initial procedure was successful, but in the summer of 2016, Lizzie relapsed and her prospects were very bleak.

Thankfully, Lizzie was placed on a world first clinical trial (called VIOLA) at Birmingham’s Centre for Clinical Haematology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This trial was part funded by blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia and the results have been remarkable. Lizzie’s leukaemia is in remission, her chemotherapy has been stopped and she is almost back to living a normal life.

For Jane, this has felt nothing short of a miracle and she can’t wait to celebrate another Mother’s Day with her daughter. She said:

“Without funds from Cure Leukaemia this live-saving chance for Lizzie would not have been available and she simply would not be here now. Not a day goes by that I don’t think how lucky we are to still have Lizzie in our lives and that’s why I do everything I can to help the charity.”

Jane is a ‘Cure Leukaemia Champion’ (CL Champion), a committed group of volunteers who regularly go above and beyond for the charity, and she will be helping to share her story with cyclists taking part in Velo Birmingham & Midlands for Cure Leukaemia on Sunday May 12^th. She continued:

“The charity asked if I would give the cyclists a call during April to first and foremost thank them for fundraising but also to let them know how vital every penny raised for this charity can be. I still have my daughter because of Cure Leukaemia and I hope this helps encourage people to push that little bit further with their fundraising in the knowledge they could be saving a life in doing so.”

Lizzie, also a CL Champion, and a huge Birmingham City fan said:

“I think it’s a lovely idea to involve mum in this way. I know she’s always keen to do everything to help the charity that have done so much for me over the years. I really hope it helps inspire the cyclists and encourages them to keep pushing with the fundraising.

“Just as my life was put on hold in 2014, my mum’s has too and she has been with me every step of the way with my partner Phil as well. She has done so much for me and I am really looking forward to celebrating another Mother’s Day with her this weekend

A luxury Viking Sun cruise ship that was left floating due to engine failure and nearly crashed into the rocks in rough waters has safely arrived in the port of Molde on the west coast on Norway, with over 900 people on board.

The Viking Sky was towed to safety by two tugs, with one sailing in front of the vessel and another behind it.

The luxury cruise ship, which set sail with almost 1,400 passengers and crew aboard, sent out an SOS signal on Saturday. It was drifting in rough waters near a rocky coast after all its engines stopped working.

At some point, it approached the land at the distance of just 100 meters, with passengers posting dramatic photos. But the crew was eventually able to start one of the engines and avoid the crash.

“If they had run aground we would have faced a major disaster,” Hans Vik, the heads of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway, told TV2.

Rescue services airlifted 479 passengers on to a helicopter before the weather improved and Viking Sky could be towed.

Birmingham saw an unprecedented ensemble of over 120 key healthcare experts from India and UK, converge at the renowned ‘Queen Elizabeth Hospital’ to discuss the potential areas of collaboration and identify effective models to take the relationship to the next level.

The main objectives of the conference were to provide a forum to widen and enrich the healthcare research and innovation debate, deliberate upon workforce challenges, and hold meaningful discussions on the scale of exchange, current approach and possible solutions in this arena at a time when the Healthcare sector of both countries is at an inflection point.

The Conference which took place on March 22, 2019, was organised by the High Commission of India through the Consulate General of India, Birmingham, and was supported by University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Chairing the day-long Conference, Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Chair UHB Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust welcomed delegates at one of UK’s largest hospital, setting the tone of the conference by emphasising how the partnership between the two countries can be mutually beneficial. High Commissioner of India to the UK, H.E Ruchi Ghanashyam assured the conference that both Governments are committed to support healthcare collaboration, and stressed that India and UK need to work together to address current challenges in this sector. She elaborated that India has been able to provide world class medical treatments at one of the most competitive prices. Mentioning about the traditional systems of medicines that has developed over centuries in India, she said that there is a lot in India that we can offer to people coming from abroad.

Dr, Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India focussed on the ‘Ayushman Bharat’-the world’s largest government funded healthcare insurance scheme which will benefit over half a billion people. He explained how it’s a game-changer, and how these revolutionary changes in the healthcare landscape of India offer opportunities for international healthcare organisations both in the public and private sector.  With its guaranteed inpatient care worth INR 500,000 (GBP 5,495) per family per year, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PM-JAY) will significantly help in providing quality healthcare by drastically reducing catastrophic healthcare expenditure which pushes 60 million Indians below poverty line every year.  Ayushman Bharat PMJAY is set to reform Indian healthcare, as for the first time, this scheme seeks to change the current system by envisaging close involvement of the private sector which is critical to the removing the constraints of accessibility and affordability, and provide the same level of services to the poorest 40% population of the country, and change the whole structure from the present supply-based model to a demand-based model and from high-margin-low-volume to low-margin high-volume business model essential for unmet needs.  Engagement with private sector will help streamline the supply side as it will lead to rationalisation of the packages, increase in number of private hospitals, and better fraud control, among other outcomes. The scheme aims at improvement in quality, affordability and accountability in the healthcare sector. Ayushman Bharat will be a game-changer for healthcare given its scale with a target of 500 million poor, 1,400 benefit packages and cover of INR 500,000 (GBP 5495) per family per year. The collective bargaining power of 500 million people will drive demand for high quality healthcare from both private and government providers.

Dr. D. S. Rana, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi highlighted the fact that the 98 years old institution, also happens to be the largest medical teaching facility of its kind in the country, in the private sector. He further stressed that his institution was keen to partner with its British counterparts to address the challenge of shortage of skilled manpower in both countries.

Mayor Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands, said, “Life Sciences is a key pillar of the WMCA’s Local Industrial Strategy. Through the work being done by institutions like the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and in our Universities, I am confident it is an area we can be world famous in. The current Indian Government has put a strong emphasis on healthcare for all Indians and this has already led to new research and development in healthcare initiatives. There couldn’t be a better time for us to explore synergies and potential partnerships between India and the West Midlands on life sciences.”

Ms. Neena Gill, Member of European Parliament, stated that Indian healthcare/ pharmaceutical sector is leading the way with rapid modernisation & lower cost leading to an explosion in health tourism from the UK. Ms. Preet Kaur Gill, Member of Parliament stated that to overcome the staff shortage being faced by NHS, we could develop mutually beneficial policies and relationships with countries like India, to support domestic training and up-skilling of health workers as well as to continue to welcome non-British nationals who come to support the everyday working of the NHS. She also added that Ayushman Bharat’s conception, implementation and future expansion must be with the most vulnerable and most marginalised people in mind to start to address the huge inequalities that exist.

Other notable dignitaries who spoke on the occasion included; Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Telangana, India who also co-chaired the session on Pharma and MedTech along with Mr Madhukar Bose, Deputy Head of Healthcare, British Department of International Trade.  This session focussed on the opportunities for British companies to invest in India, and take advantage of the healthcare revolution in the country where the size of the Healthcare industry is exected to grow to USD 280 Billion by 2020. Mr. Jayesh Rajan spoke on the emerging MedTech and Pharma opportunities in India and how British Companies could capitalise by having a footprint in the Hyderabad ecosystem. And Mr. Madhukar Bose addressed the collaboration potential between India and the UK, and also highlighted the barriers that companies face, assuring that both governments are committed to finding solutions for the same.

An innovative project to attract medically qualified refugees back into healthcare roles at a West Midlands NHS trust has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

The Health Overseas Professionals (HOP) programme is run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

It provides training in the English language for refugees and work with individuals on how they can resume their medical careers, whilst putting much needed resource back into the local NHS.

Now the Trust’s Learning Works team, which has been running the programme, has been shortlisted for the Mills & Reeve most effective use of diversity gong in the HPMA (Healthcare People Management Association) Excellence Awards.

HOP follows the successful skills matching project, USE-IT!, which was piloted by the Trust nearly two years ago

Raffaela Goodby, Director of People and Organisation Development, said: “We are really pleased to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award.

“HOP is an innovative programme that harnesses the skills and expertise already in our local communities, and has been successful in developing partnerships to ensure that the overseas healthcare professionals, some whom are refugees, are able to practice in the NHS with the right support and guidance.

“Since introducing USE-IT! and HOP, we have successfully matched more than 200 people into healthcare roles and placements across the area. Examples include GPs, nurses, pharmacists and even highly trained medical and surgical consultants.”

The project has also attracted the attention of MP John Spellar, who recently visited the Learning Works in Smethwick to find out more about the scheme.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Manchester on June 6.

Thousands of children from across the West Midlands and the country made their way to the NEC Birmingham to visit the Big Bang Fair, one of the many events organised to celebrate British Science Week 2019.

Among the multitude of stalls engaging young people in science and technology was the Public Health England and E-bug stand – which featured a variety of weird and wonderful items including petri dishes to build plasticine microbes; polystyrene globes, colourful pipe cleaners and glitter to create your own personal virus; and a laser shining through different solutions to reveal the presence of nanoparticles – which PHE scientists make sure cannot transfer from every-day substances like medicines and cosmetics into the body.

Okechukwu Onianwa is a virologist in the Culture Collections team with PHE’s National Infection Service (NIS), he said: “My job involves collecting different viruses, so we can supply them to various clients, including pharmaceutical companies, to study their behaviour and develop vaccines and medicines to combat them. Here at the Big Bang Fair, we’ve been asking young people if they know what a virus is and getting them to ‘build their own virus’ and name it. It’s a bit of fun, but the idea is to get young people to engage with viruses as living organisms which can attack the body and explain that we need to defend ourselves against the dangerous ones.

“A lot of the time the students don’t realise that things like chicken pox and flu are viruses – so it’s good to see them starting to think about things that they are aware of in a different way. Hopefully some of the young people coming to an event like the Big Bang Fair will get curious and think about pursuing science as a career.”

PHE scientists also brought an ‘alien infection’ to the NEC in the form of ‘Pluto Pox’, to give young people an introduction to epidemiology.

Simon Packer is an epidemiologist with PHE’s Field Service and donned a PPE (personal protective equipment) suit to add to the fun of teaching children about an outbreak. He said: “My job is to identify links between cases of infectious diseases by time, place and persons involved, to chart the source of outbreaks and provide information about the organism (pathogen) causing the problem, to help our Health Protection Teams prevent further infection.

“Here at the Big Bang Fair we’ve been inviting children to dip into a tombola to see if they’ve been ‘infected’ with the alien bug ‘Pluto Pox’. Infected children were given two cards to pass to random people in the hall, and infected individuals had to visit the stall to notify the PHE epidemiologist team they’d caught the pox. Their infection status was instantly relayed to a screen on the wall, which kept count of the number of people ‘infected’ and ‘protected’ plus the place and time they caught the bug. We’ve been explaining to the children that in order to investigate disease and control and outbreak, we need to look at the person, place and time, plus factors like people who are more susceptible to infection. We’ve collected information from each person on a tablet and extract data hourly to create a real-time epidemiology graph ‘epi curve’ on a screen, which shows the spread of the disease across each day.”

The most dramatic and somewhat gruesome part of the PHE stand was when the ‘snot runway’ was brought out, to teach children how far a sneeze can travel – with the aid of a ‘Shrek’ monster mask on top of a pump spray gun filled with green fluid.

Rowshonara Syeda is a Researcher with PHE and works with schools to promote the e-Bug learning resources. She said:“E-bug provides free resources which aim to reduce antibiotic resistance by helping children and young people understand infections and antibiotic use. We do a lot of research to evaluate children’s knowledge, to tailor the information we provide – which is available in 22 languages, operating in 26 countries worldwide.

“Here at the Big Bang Fair, children were invited to guess how far a sneeze would travel from our Shrek monster head squirting green fluid along the ‘snot runway’ and mark their guess with a post-it note. After the sneeze exceeded all expectations, one child was asked to volunteer to show how effective shielding a sneeze with a hand is, then finally another child is asked to use a tissue to cover the nose of the monster as it is about to sneeze – to illustrate the importance of the ‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ advice. We’ve also been letting children make their own microbes with plasticine in a petri-dish and teaching them that not all bugs are the same; there are some bad bugs like Shigella, which cause stomach ache and then good ones like Acidophilus, which help us stay healthy. We’re trying to give important messages in a colourful and fun way.”

Loving mum Mandy Taylor is taking on yet another gruelling challenge event to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.  Mandy, 50, is taking on Great Strides 65 in The Yorkshire Dales, an epic 65kilometre, or 40mile, trek through Hawes, Thwaite, Muker & Reeth which climbs to a height of 1290m over the course of 17 hours.

“My son has cystic fibrosis and so my husband Chris and I have done various fundraising activities for the Trust over the years. When I saw the Great Strides event advertised, it was entirely different to anything we had done before”, says Mandy.

Great Strides 65 was set up back in 2015 to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Originally just taking place in the Surrey Hills, it has now grown to include the Peak District, Brecon Beacons and Yorkshire Dales, and now even includes the three-peak series, scaling Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the mere thought of which is enough to exhaust anyone. But none of that phases Mandy, who is taking on her third of the four 65k treks.

She’s doing all this for her son Sam, who has cystic fibrosis, a life-limiting genetic condition which affects around 10,400 people in the UK.  It not only affects the lungs and digestive system but the whole body, making activities like walking, sleeping and even eating a daily challenge. People with cystic fibrosis often look perfectly healthy. But it’s a lifelong challenge involving a vast daily intake of drugs and time-consuming physiotherapy.

Mandy won’t be alone when she takes on yet another epic challenge. Great Strides is a team event, with teams of four or five, plus a support driver, working together to reach the finish line.

“I’ve run a marathon and two half marathons for the Trust, but before Great Strides I hadn’t organised a big group of people like this before. Our team name is the ‘Optimistic Striders’.

We’re optimistic for the future treatment and a possible cure for cystic fibrosis and we’re also optimistic that we’ll be able to finish the treks!”

“We’ve had great fun on the training walks and explored some beautiful countryside that I never would have seen otherwise. The fun and camaraderie while training and during the events themselves have created memories that will always stay with me. The exhilaration of completing such a mammoth challenge is also hard to beat!”

After taking part in Yorkshire Great Strides this year Mandy will have completed three of the four treks and has been contemplating going for the full set, “That depends”, says Mandy, “on who I can blackmail, coerce and persuade to join us again! But seriously, to anyone who’s considering taking on one of these events I’d say, do it! You’ll have a fabulous time, you’ll get fitter, and you will really get to know your teammates better!

And best of all, you’ll raise lots of money towards the vital work of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.”

She’s hoping all this will help make a real difference in cystic fibrosis research.

“A breakthrough in the research and treatment of CF would literally be life-changing. We are all very mindful of the reduced life expectancy in CF and as Sam gets older, this tends to take greater emphasis.”

“The whole family has been getting involved in fundraising. Sam’s dad Chris and his brothers Josh and Jacob are talented musicians and have put a lot of effort into holding charity music events over the years. Alex Lleo, a local singer songwriter has also supported them over the years and many of our friends have helped stage the events. I tend to do more in the way of physical challenges as I can't sing a note or play an instrument, but I can run and walk!

Kate Hall, Events manager at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said, ‘Mandy has led her teams through Brecon Beacons and the Peak District already, so we’re thrilled she’s making the journey North so take on Great Strides Yorkshire Dales this year. People like Mandy are vital to what we do in the fight for a life unlimited by cystic fibrosis, nor would we be able to offer the level of support we currently offer to those with CF and their families.”

Great Strides events consist of 4 treks, 3 peaks and 1 ultra-marathon.  Challenges include the Peak District, 1 June 2019; Surrey Hills, 8 June 2019; Brecon Beacons, 29 June 2019; Yorkshire Dales, 6 July 2019; Snowden 10-12 May 2019; Scafell Pike, 2-4 August 2019; Ben Nevis 28-30, September 2019; Triple Challenge, 2019 and the extreme Ultra Marathon.

A seriously ill mum-of-two has launched a “goody bag” for cancer and end-of-life patients treated at a West Midlands healthcare Trust.Sally Gutteridge, 44, of Tipton, thought of the idea after she underwent treatment for cancer at City Hospital, in Birmingham.

Now the mum-of-two has been working with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust’s Your Trust Charity to put together the bag which contains items such as puzzle books, a patient journal, sweets, non-fragrance wet-wipes, shampoo and tissues.

‘Sally’s Sunshine Packs’ have been funded by money raised by the mum through various events she has held over the last year.

She said: “These goody bags will mean so much to cancer patients. I remember seeing others undergoing treatment who were there by themselves. I just thought it would have been so nice for them to have something that they could take home, that was useful.

“These bags will put a smile on the faces of the patients - and let’s face it everyone likes a freebie. I decided to join forces with Your Trust Charity because it meant I could really give something back to the people who have been caring for me.”

She added: “By working with the charity, I can see where this money is going and how it is helping patients. It is more personal to me.”

Current chemotherapy patient Linda Smith, on receiving the bag, said: “I think it’s a very good idea – there’s a good selection of stuff in here. It’ll keep me quite busy. Even the bag is very useful.”

Jenny Donovan, Cancer Services Manager, added: “Chemotherapy treatment can be overwhelming and may affect you physically and emotionally. The bags will provide a range of genuinely useful and thoughtful products to make it easier to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.

“Sally is an inspirational lady who through her own health challenges had dedicated her time in raising funds and developing the contents with Your Trust Charity. The brilliant bags will provide comfort and support to our patients to our patients and we see this project as something that could eventually be rolled out nationwide.”

Joy Thornley, 56 from Cannock, in the West Midlands, knew she had to do something about her weight and after some thought in January 2018; she re-joined her local WW (the new Weight Watchers) workshop on a Saturday morning.

She was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 27 and for years ignored the facts around the disease which lead to further health problems. It took years of illness for Joy to eventually consider that losing weight could help reduce the pain she was suffering.

Joy's WW weight loss coach, Nicky Orton, encouraged Joy on her journey and kept Joy positive with every lb lost. Joy now sees that those little losses all add up to the bigger ones.

“I knew I needed to lose quite a bit of weight,” she said, “so after a few weeks thinking about the reasons why I wanted to lose the weight I joined WW in January 2018.

I had been to WW before so I sort of knew what to expect but I was still nervous walking in to the workshop, but there was no need to be nervous as it was a friendly group headed by my lovely wellness coach Nicky.

After her last diabetic check-up she was amazed when her diabetic nurse congratulated her and told her the fantastic results that not only had her blood sugars lowered but her blood pressure, cholesterol levels and kidney functions were all normal.

Joys start weight was 15st 6lbs and although she’s still on her journey to a healthy BMI her current weight is 11st 8lbs, 54lbs lost in total; “The WW freestyle plan is very easy to follow and with over 200 zero pointed foods, I have food that is very flexible to still enjoy meals out and enjoy the food I love. “

Her starting weight was 15st 6lb; her current weight is 11st 8lb - an amount 54ib lost.

A 21-year-old apprentice from the Black Country, who works in Birmingham, has scooped a top national award as part of celebrations to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2019.

As part of Public Health England’s (PHE) second annual Apprenticeship Celebration Event, the very first Apprentice Awards were held in London. PHE’s apprentices and fellow colleagues from across the country came together to celebrate those who had completed their apprenticeships and congratulate award winners. With PHE’s Chief People Officer, Deb McKenzie presenting awards to winners and medals for completed apprenticeships.

Awards were in three categories:

Rising Star of the Year – which celebrates someone who has progressed rapidly since starting their apprenticeship at PHE, awarded to Jasmine Oloya, an apprentice with the national communications team based in London

Mature Learner of the Year – for the apprentice who has invested in learning further on in their career, while still committing to their full-time role, awarded to Chenchal Dhami, a National Infection Service Lab Technician, based in London

Young Apprentice of the Year – awarded to an apprentice who has recently joined the organisation, but has made fantastic progress so far on their apprenticeship journey and adapted well to their first role at PHE

The Young Apprentice of the Year award was won by Omar Francis (21) from Oldbury, who works as a Public Health Support Officer in the PHE West Midlands Centre, based in Birmingham. Omar joined PHE West Midlands in May 2018, for an apprenticeship based in the Health and Wellbeing Team, which concludes in August 2019.

Dr Lola Abudu, Director for Health and Wellbeing at PHE West Midlands, said: “Omar is a confident, hardworking colleague who is able to manage a busy workload, has a flair for organisation, an eye for detail, patience and tenacity. Always polite, Omar has the ability to anticipate complications and explain difficulties. He has been able to employ some great negotiation skills to find a compromise and agree the best options for a situation. He is able to adapt to the unexpected while remaining calm and professional. An all-round excellent team member – we are all incredibly proud Omar has won the award for Young Apprentice of the Year, it is well deserved.”

Born in Oldbury, Omar gained a Diploma in Music Production and Performance from Matthew Boulton College in Birmingham in 2016. A keen musician, Omar and some school friends had started a band for fun in 2011, but while at college he put together another band - playing drums, guitar and singing backing vocals – and has regularly played gigs around the West Midlands. While enjoying using his creative talents, Omar wanted a career path that would help people in some way, so applied for a 15-month apprenticeship at Public Health England in February 2018.

Award winner, Omar Francis said: “I’ve been very fortunate and had a loving family who supported me to pursue my goals, but I know there are many people who lead very different lives, and working in the public sector is a great way to try to help people. Since joining PHE, I’ve been impressed by the work ethic of colleagues and the breadth of topics covered by public health; the experience has really inspired me to make a difference. I have particularly enjoyed working with Health and Wellbeing colleagues to support people with addiction problems and in recovery, and work done with the prison population and former offenders. I am looking forward to working to help people experiencing homelessness and I’m also passionate about mental health.

“I am absolutely delighted and extremely surprised to have won the Public Health England Young Apprentice of the Year Award. I only found out I had been nominated a few days before I was told I had won, so I’m still in shock. It is a great honour and a testament to the professional and personal support I’ve received from my fabulous colleagues. After my apprenticeship ends, I really hope to stay with PHE West Midlands as a permanent member of the team.”

Young women are putting off smear tests due to feelings of embarrassment, a new survey suggests.

Around 220,000 British women are diagnosed with cervical abnormalities every year and there were 854 deaths from cervical cancer in England in 2016.

But, despite the fact that cervical screening can help detect changes to cells that could eventually lead to cancer, smear test attendance is plummeting, as low as one in two among young women in some areas of the UK.

Concerned about the issues which are contributing to the decline, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust surveyed more than 2,000 women aged 25 to 35 about their experiences.

It found that of 915 women who delayed a test or had never gone for screening, 71 per cent felt scared while 75 per cent felt vulnerable.

Eight out of 10 (81 per cent) also admitted to feeling embarrassed, while 67 per cent said they would not feel in control.

When asked what had caused them to delay or miss a test, 72 per cent said embarrassment, while 69 per cent said they felt uncomfortable with a stranger examining the genital area.

Almost six in 10 (58 per cent) were scared it would hurt, while 37 per cent did not know what would happen during the test.

Of all women surveyed, 68 per cent said they would not tell their nurse about their worries, with almost half saying they regularly delayed or did not go for tests.

Other concerns among all women were a fear of being judged (18 per cent) or thinking their concerns were too silly or small (16 per cent). 

As a result of the findings, the charity launched its #SmearForSmear campaign just before the recent Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

It tackled the decline in the number of women attending smear tests by highlighting the support available to women and providing tips on how to cope if you're feeling anxious.

Robert Music, chief executive at Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “Smear tests provide the best protection against cervical cancer yet we know they aren’t always easy. 

“We want women to feel comfortable talking to their nurse and asking questions. It’s not making a fuss and there are many ways to make the test easier. Please don’t let your fears stop you booking a test.”

Dr Philippa Kaye, author, GP and ambassador of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust added: “Across the UK nurses and doctors take millions of smear tests every year. 

“We honestly don’t think about what you’re wearing, what you look like, whether or not you’ve shaved - we just want to offer the best test we can to as many women as possible. 

“We’ve seen and heard it all before and want to put your mind at ease if you have questions or concerns. Ask the things you want to know and remember you can say stop any time - it’s your test."

The NHS in Birmingham will be visiting local mosques and gurdwaras to screen eligible people, who may be carrying tuberculosis (TB) without realizing it.

If you are aged 16-35, were born in one of the 70 at-risk countries, including Thailand, India and the Philippines (or have spent more than six months in one of these countries) and have entered the UK within the last five years, you could be carrying TB.  This is known as latent, or ‘sleeping’, TB. Latent TB can be detected by a simple blood test.

Latent TB has no symptoms and can remain dormant for years in the person’s lungs, without them knowing that they have the bacteria. The bacteria remain inactive and non-infectious, until triggered. Triggering effects can include dramatic lifestyle changes, or other illnesses, that can weaken the immune system. Once active, TB becomes contagious and, if left untreated, can be fatal.

The test will be carried out by specialist nurses and will be carried out in a private and sterile environment.

The following event is taking place:

• Screening event: 8 March 2019, 11am-3pm at Birmingham Central Mosque, Belgrave Middleway, Birmingham, B12 0XS

Dr Raj Ramachandram, GP and clinical lead for the local TB programme, said: “Testing for latent TB is easy, and can be done at one of the screening events or at a person’s GP practice. We are hoping by going into the local community, this will help build awareness of TB and latent TB and will also educate local people about this condition, how it can easily be tested and treated.”

Diabetes UK is looking for healthcare professionals from the Midlands to lead improvements in diabetes care. The charity is searching for consultants, nurses, GPs, dieticians, podiatrists, pharmacists and psychologists to take part in its Clinical Champions programme.

The award-winning initiative launched in 2014, in partnership with Novo Nordisk, to address the significant variation in patient care and treatment for people living with diabetes in the UK.

Since the programme began, 85 clinicians have been recruited to develop their leadership skills and become champions for improving diabetes care. Between them they have trained thousands of other healthcare professionals, developed innovative new clinics, reduced medication errors and increased the number of people getting the appropriate treatment for their diabetes.

The new champions will be selected based on their leadership potential, clinical expertise and a demonstrable passion for transforming care for people with diabetes. They will be supported with two years of training alongside their clinical work, to help them become strong leaders, identify improvements and drive vital change in diabetes services in their local areas.

Peter Shorrick, Midlands and East of England Regional Head for Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes is the most devastating and fastest growing health crisis of our time, affecting 4.6 million people. That’s more than any other serious health condition in the UK. When diabetes is not well managed, it is associated with serious complications including amputation, sight loss, stroke and kidney failure.

“Clinical Champions help transform diabetes care and support and provide clinical leadership, which in turn reduces the risk of devastating complications and makes a meaningful difference to the lives of people with diabetes.”

A researcher at Birmingham City University is aiming to boost staff physical activity levels, health and wellbeing by implementing interventions to encourage staff to exercise at work.

As part of his PhD research in the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Ayazullah Safi has developed five interventions following from his earlier research to encourage colleagues to get active.

These include placing exercise bikes and rowing machines in staff offices, challenging colleagues to complete the 10,000 step challenge and encouraging walking meetings, as well as placing signs promoting health messages by stairs and providing height-adjustable work stations for employees.

Current guidelines state that adults should complete 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, per week as well as strength exercises twice per week to benefit from a reduced risk of a number of health conditions and boosts to mental wellbeing.

However, it is estimated that one third of UK adults are not getting enough exercise.

Ayazullah explained: “Often people say that they don’t have enough time to exercise when they already have busy schedules involving work, family or personal life commitments.

But we know how important exercising is: it can reduce your chance of major illness such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer by up to 50 per cent as well as being beneficial for mental wellbeing and daily productivity.

If people don’t have time to exercise outside of work, then we need to bring exercise into the workplace. Providing opportunities for staff to step away from their desks for 15 to 30 minutes and get active in the workplace will leave them refreshed and more productive.

There are relatively simple ways businesses can encourage their staff to be more active. Using the stairs instead of the lift or having walking meetings, for example, are easy to implement and cost effective methods.

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact that lack of exercise and poor fitness levels can have on their physical and mental health both within and outside of the workplace. I hope to provide evidence through my research that these interventions are effective in increasing staff’s physical activity levels, in turn improving their health and wellbeing, and that encouraging exercising at work could be rolled out more widely.”

Ayazullah will monitor and assess the physical activity levels of staff with using a mixture of research methods including questionnaires, focus groups, and ActiGraph - a physical activity monitor.

Ayazullah is one of 50 STEAM Scholars  at Birmingham City University whose research is funded as part of the University’s £3 million initiative to create new subject knowledge and to power cultural, societal and economic improvements in the West Midlands.

Responding to NHS England’s latest winter situation reports, Nick Ville, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation said: “These figures show how vital NHS frontline services are being stretched as hospitals struggle more than ever to see patients within four hours of going into A&E. All parts of the NHS are under intense pressure and this is set to continue.

There is, however, some good news. Fewer patients than last year occupy beds long-term – and this number continues to drop.

Frontline staff can be proud of battling the odds to care for growing numbers of patients across the country, every minute, hour and day.

But we know this isn’t sustainable and we need to find better ways of delivering care to an aging population with ever-more complex needs.

Patients should see some of this intense pressure ease if the new NHS Long Term Plan, with its emphasis on joined-up community care, is implemented well.”