Health News

Midwives at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (which includes both Bedford and the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital) were delighted to welcome the arrival of 38 babies born on Christmas and New Year’s Day across both maternity units.

Local authorities, Bedfordshire Police and health bosses in Bedfordshire have joined up to urge residents to ‘play their part’ and abide by Tier 4 restrictions over the Christmas period, following a steep rise in new COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions in the area.

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes entered Tier 4 Stay at Home alert restrictions on 20 December 2020 but the NHS is encouraging anyone who has health concerns to contact their local NHS if they need to.

Bedford Borough Council, working alongside local voluntary sector partners, are launching a package of support for families and households in the run up to Christmas as part of a campaign to say ‘No To Hunger in Bedford Borough’.

The campaign and support is to help those in need get access to food so that every child in the borough will be warm and well fed this winter.

The first vaccination centres, run by family doctors and their teams will open in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes this week, as the roll out of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history gains further momentum.

Six Primary Care Networks (PCN) in this area have taken delivery of the vaccine and will start to deliver the vaccine to registered patients over 80.

The NHS will contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine.

The University of Bedfordshire’s Beds Talks series returns in virtual form with an event hosted by the Institute for Health Research that will focus on the role of carers in our community.

Led by Senior Research Fellow, Dr Emma Wilkinson, this free public event will feature academics, practitioners and the public, discussing amongst other things, how COVID-19 may have changed how people think about family or informal carers and their role in society.

Adults over the age of 50 will be able to get their free flu vaccine from 1 December in the next phase of this year’s expanded flu vaccination programme.

Health bosses in Bedford have joined up with leaders from Bedford Borough Council to urge residents to ‘play their part’ and abide by new lockdown rules, following a steep rise in new COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions in the town.

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Groups (BLMK CCGs) are urging residents in high risk groups to get their flu vaccination.

Flu can cause severe illness, especially for people with underlying health conditions. The CCGs say this is why it is important for people in at risk groups to get vaccinated.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of a nationwide lockdown in England, Bedford Borough Council is reminding everyone of the support and advice available to look after your mind and body.

In April, the council created a webpage offering advice to Bedford Borough residents on how to look after themselves whilst at home during the coronavirus outbreak and beyond.

With regular updates, the site offers advice and signposting to help residents stay healthy in what continues to be an extremely difficult and uncertain year.