Last year saw an increase in measles cases, taking the number of cases to the highest it has been in decades. Vaccination is important to ensure the long-term health of your child, and of the nation as a whole.

From 1 January 2026, all children will be offered the combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccine at 12 and 18 months of age. This adds protection against chickenpox to the existing provision of protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

This guidance for healthcare professionals describes eligibility, administration and safety, and answers frequently asked questions about the new vaccination programme.

To learn more about the MMRV vaccine vist the NHS webpage https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/mmrv-vaccine/ 

Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious illnesses, with potentially life-changing complications, that can easily spread between unvaccinated people. Mumps outbreaks are currently occurring across England. Children need two doses of the safe and effective MMR vaccine. Both doses are needed to ensure full and lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

If your child has missed either of these two doses, please contact us for an appointment with Nurse Jo. It’s never too late to catch up and protect those around you.

Stroke can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time. The faster you call 999 and get treatment, the better the chances of survival and recovery, so it's vital to know how to spot the signs of a stroke.

The FAST acronym (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is a test to quickly identify the three most common signs of stroke:

• Face weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms fully and keep them there?
• Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
• Time to call 999: If you see any one of these signs

A stroke can change a life in seconds, leaving survivors unable to walk, speak, or live independently. Stroke Awareness Month aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact of stroke and highlights the importance of support for stroke survivors and those who care for them.

This May, Stroke Association is asking everyone to ‘Make May Purple’, so they can fund research and support more people affected by stroke. You can organise a ‘purple event’, or join their ‘31 Minutes in May’ campaign and pledge to run, walk, dance or swim for 31 minutes a day during May. Find more fundraising ideas, resources and stroke information on their website: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke-awareness-month

Walking is an easy way to increase the amount of exercise you are getting, and all you need is a pair of shoes! National Walking Month encourages people to walk more throughout May, and includes Walk to School Week.

Short, 20 minute walks are a perfect way to start, and can fit around your day as part of your journey to work or school, during lunch breaks, or at evenings or weekends. You can walk alone, or with family and friends, or even join a walking group!

Living Streets are running the #Try20 challenge, and have 20 fun and easy ways to fit 20 minutes' walking into your day. Visit their #Try20 page, https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/national-walking-month/try20-tips/ to download a free challenge checklist. Why not challenge your friends, family and colleagues to get involved and see who can tick off the most tips during May?

Find out more at https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/national-walking-month

Simply Walk is a Buckinghamshire scheme who offer over 70 walks across Buckinghamshire.

Trained volunteer walk leaders and backmarkers are there to help you walk at your own pace, with no need to worry about being left behind. However, try and attend the level of walk you feel you can do.

Hospice UK’s Dying Matters campaign is intended to create an open culture in which we’re comfortable talking about death, dying and grief. They work with organisations, decision makers and the public to make things better for people who are dying or grieving, and aim for a world where people can live well until the very end.

In the UK, we don’t have the right language to talk about death, so not everyone gets the right support for them as they approach the end of life. This year's theme is 'Let’s talk about Death and Dying', and communities are encouraged to get talking in whatever way, shape or form works for them.

You can join the ‘Dying Matters community, share your story, find resources and learn about your compassionate superpowers on Hospice UK’s website: https://www.hospiceuk.org/our-campaigns/dying-matters

Mental Health Awareness Week is a great opportunity for the whole of the UK to come together to:

• Focus on getting good mental health
• Tackle stigma
• Understand and prioritise our own and others' mental health

It also makes sure that mental health stays at the centre of the public conversation, contributes to government policy changes and provides a special day for mental health charities to promote fundraising activities to support their work.

This year’s theme is ‘Action’. Raising awareness is vital, but real change comes when we take action too. You can take action yourself! See the many ways you can get involved at https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week

Dementia is the UK's biggest killer and is caused by different diseases that damage the brain.

The symptoms include:

• memory loss
• confusion and needing help with daily tasks
• problems with language and understanding
• changes in behaviour

Dementia is progressive, which means symptoms get worse over time. Sometimes it is not diagnosed for a long time, but 91% of people affected by dementia say there are benefits to getting a diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Action Week is an awareness campaign which brings people and organisations together to act on dementia. Everyone is encouraged to join the Forget Me Not Appeal, to wear the forget-me-not badge and share the stories that lie behind the flower badge, of lives devastated by dementia.

We can all wear the badge to raise awareness and hope for quicker diagnosis and better treatments in the future. Visit https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/dementia-action-week to find out more and get involved.

National Patient Participation Week raises awareness of the value of patients being actively involved and engaged in healthcare decision-making that relates to them. It provides an opportunity for patients, healthcare professionals, and organisations to come together, share experiences, and discuss how to enhance delivery of patient-centred care.

You can get involved by:

• Communicating: Ask questions, seek clarification, and actively participate in discussions about your health so that you can make informed decisions about your care.
• Sharing your story: You can share your healthcare experiences and insights with others to inspire others and raise awareness of the importance of patient participation.
• Joining patient support groups: Seek out online or real-world patient support groups to engage with people experiencing similar conditions. Participating in these groups, lets you learn from others, share your own experiences, and advocate for patient-centred care.
• Volunteering or Advocating: Consider volunteering or advocating for patient participation initiatives in your local healthcare settings or community organisations.

If you’re caring for someone at risk of going missing, you might want to have a look at the Herbert Protocol. Named after a war veteran called George Herbert, the Herbert Protocol helps you to establish information about someone who’s at risk before they go missing.

In the event that they later do go missing, you’re able to quickly share the information with the police force.

We’ve linked some national information below, but you’ll be able to find the information for your local police force and their forms by carrying out an internet search. The police will ask additional questions about what happened if/when the individual goes missing, but having the protocol ready helps you to think about important information beforehand when you’re not in a moment of intense stress.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-s...gether-magazine/scheme-support-missing-people

The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ has being rolled out to bars, clubs and other licensed businesses across England. 

People who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them to a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police. 

Venues that support ‘Ask for Angela’ have been given Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training. Delivered by the Met’s licensing officers and Safer Sounds partnership, it gives staff the ability to help customers who may be in a situation that makes them vulnerable or unsafe.

For more information about the scheme, visit: https://askforangela.co.uk/

Aged 17 to 65?

Generally fit and well?

Weigh more than 7st 12lbs (50kg) and less than 25st (158kg)?

You could help by donating blood as stocks are critically low.

Giving blood

You can give blood at thousands of donation venues across England, from permanent donor centres to pop-up community venues.

More about giving blood

Giving plasma

You can give plasma (part of your blood that can make life-saving medicines) at 3 donation venues in England:

• Birmingham
• Reading
• Twickenham

More about giving plasma

Information: 

Note that you can't donate blood and plasma at the same appointment.

If you have a baby under six months of age, it can be really difficult to know whether you need to make a medical appointment, or whether you can safely look after your baby at home.

The Lullaby Trust have built an app to help parents of young babies to know the difference:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/

But don't forget we are here for you if you have any doubts, worries or concerns. 

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Babies are usually ready to start trying their first solid foods when they reach six months of age.

Giving your baby a wide variety of normal family foods can encourage habits for life, but we do need to make sure we’re careful as some foods such as salt and honey aren’t suitable for very young children.
https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/weaning/how-to-start-weaning-your-baby/