Somerset’s public health leaders and family doctors are advising the elderly and people living with long-term conditions in Somerset to keep warm in order to keep well this winter. Cold weather can make some health problems worse and even lead to serious complications, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a…

Over the past two years, health and care services in Somerset have been reviewing adult mental health services in Somerset. As part of Fit for My Future, Somerset’s health and care strategy, regular conversations have been taking place between staff, patients, carers and colleagues in the voluntary sector about how people use services, what they…

Health leaders in Somerset would like you to reconsider your relationship with alcohol this January. Christmas and New Year can be a very joyous time, with plenty of parties and celebrations happening across the world and with these celebrations there is often a common accompaniment, alcohol! However, whilst a few drinks here and there can…

This New Year, our health leaders would like you to consider your health and wellbeing when making your resolutions. For many people, January can be a challenging time of year; Christmas has been and gone, many mince pies, Christmas dinners and sweets have been eaten (perhaps some alcohol has been drunk as well) and we…

Adult mental health services in Somerset will receive more than £13 million of funding over the next three years – it has been announced. The money will be used to bring services closer to communities across the county, giving them quicker and easier access to local services. Plans for the service have been developed in…

For the past two years Home First in Somerset have been helping people get home from hospital faster, thanks to short term support either at home or in specialist unit, care home or community hospital. This fantastic initiative brings together several teams from across Somerset health and care including community health; social care, and the voluntary…

The Intensive Dementia Support Service (IDSS) has received over 582 referrals since the service was set up in Autumn 2017, helping more people with dementia to stay in their own homes, and ensuring that carers get support and advice. Much of the feedback from our recent Fit for my Future engagement has shown that Somerset…

Hospices are charitable organisations, most of which formed in the 1970s and 1980s to serve their local population needs. Hospices are not part of the NHS but they are regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Hospice care is provided in England through charities and the Government. Nationally, about a third of hospice funding comes from…

The work of Fit for my Future, Somerset’s integrated health and care strategy, is already paying dividends. Health, care and education services in Somerset have worked together with partners, schools, young people and parents to secure £400k of trailblazer funding, it was announced today.  The funding will help to create two pilot mental health support…