With all the evidence indicating that the NHS is facing yet another bleak winter with significant (an understatement) pressure across the health and care system including waiting list challenges, A and E waits and increased pressure on General Practice to name a few, my thoughts turned to the ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme) roles and the impact they are making.

I was very privileged recently, to be asked to speak at the Healthcare Excellence Through Technology (HETT) conference back in September, where I joined James Freed (Chief Digital and Information Officer at Health Education England) on the Culture Excellence panel. This also included fellow speakers Anne Marie Cunningham (Associate Medical Director for Primary Care, Digital Health and Care Wales) and Joanna Fox (Managing Director at Medi-hr Ltd).

November is Men’s Health Awareness month and to raise awareness of prostate cancer men are encouraged to grow moustaches for a global event titled ‘Movember’. Prostate cancer is extremely common and is the most prevalent cancer in men with 1 in 8 men being diagnosed in their lifetime. 

Using the 'Fika' concept, our podcast series seeks to engage with people carrying out interesting and innovative work within the health and care ecosystem, through a relaxed informal chat. This week John O'Connell is joined by Andy Kinnear, Former Director of Digital Transformation, NHS South, Central and West.

Less than three months since they came into being formally, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are facing huge challenges. Across the south of England and the country, there are record waiting times for emergency and elective care and major difficulties with access to primary care and mental health services.

Leukaemia claims more lives than breast and prostate cancer every year, and blood cancers have a higher rate of emergency diagnosis than other cancer types, but the awareness of its symptoms amongst the public and community pharmacy teams remains low. 

Tamer Latif, Clinical Services Programme Lead, Medicines Optimisation at NHS South, Central and West (SCW), shares why he decided to bring his pharmacy experience to SCW.

More than ever, there is a greater emphasis on the ‘equivalence’ of care for detained individuals in secure environments. This includes the need for detained individuals to have access to community-equivalent healthcare services. One of these is the pharmacy service. 

Ayo Barley, Programme Director, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing at NHS South, Central and West (SCW), was recently invited to speak on the Evolution Exchange NHS Podcast which brings together NHS leaders in the technology space to discuss the challenges they’re facing and the solutions they’re delivering.