The North East and North Cumbria Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub has published its August 2026 briefing, highlighting the free, confidential support available to anyone working in health or social care across the region. Demand for the service continues to grow. Between May and July, 755 staff contacted the Hub, including a record 288 referrals in July. The Hub still has capacity to support more people, with 99% of those providing feedback saying they felt listened to and supported, and 92% reporting that the service helped them remain in or return to work. Support when you need it The Hub offers timely appointments with experienced NHS clinicians, followed by […]

People living with serious mental illness often experience poorer physical health outcomes and face significant barriers to accessing the care and support they need. Addressing these inequalities requires innovative, person-centred approaches that bring together physical and mental health services to deliver more coordinated care. A new case study in the Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC) Innovation Library highlights an initiative focused on improving physical health outcomes for people with serious mental illness. The resource explores how services worked collaboratively to identify health needs, improve access to care, and support individuals to manage their overall wellbeing more effectively. The case study provides valuable insights for healthcare professionals, […]

Social prescribing for North East and North Cumbria offers personalised wellbeing support for NHS staff, helping colleagues access practical support to stay well, feel more connected, and manage challenges that may affect their health, wellbeing or work. The service is designed for colleagues who may be experiencing difficulties such as stress, isolation, financial worries, housing concerns, confidence issues, or challenges linked to work or ill health. Support is tailored to individual needs and can help colleagues connect with local services, community resources and wider wellbeing support. Taking a holistic approach to wellbeing can make a positive difference for both individuals and organisations. Social prescribing recognises that health and work can […]

Funded places for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism are available for health and social care staff across the North East and North Cumbria until the end of October 2026.   What is this training? Named after Oliver McGowan, whose preventable death highlighted the need for better training, it equips staff with practical skills to meet people’s needs and reduce health inequalities. It is mandated by NHS England and helps meet the statutory requirement for learning disability and autism training. It has been co-produced by people with lived experience and helps staff provide safe, kind and inclusive care.   Why does it matter? Autistic people and […]

The Northern Cancer Alliance is asking cancer patients to share their experiences of how a cancer diagnosis has affected their work life, and what information or support was available to them. The feedback will help build a better understanding of the support patients may need at diagnosis, during treatment, when returning to work, and while managing the ongoing impact of cancer in the workplace. Individuals are encouraged to complete the anonymous survey and share their views. Complete the survey here: Work and Cancer Survey – Patient The survey is anonymous and will remain open until Friday 28 August.  

We’re asking for your help to share the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism with NHS colleagues, teams and networks across the North East and North Cumbria. Funded places are available until the end of October 2026. Please encourage staff to book and complete the training before then.   What is the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training? The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government’s preferred training for health and social care staff. It helps meet the statutory requirement for learning disability and autism training and is mandated by NHS England. The training was developed following the preventable death of Oliver McGowan. Oliver’s […]

Health and care professionals from across North East and North Cumbria recently came together for the relaunch of Deciding Right and the introduction of new digital palliative and end of life care planning templates. The event highlighted the continued commitment to ensuring people’s wishes, values and priorities remain at the centre of care. The refreshed Deciding Right suite includes updated advance care planning documentation, the introduction of a Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP), and new unified digital templates for palliative and end of life care planning within EMIS and SystmOne. Attendees heard about the history of Deciding Right, changes to DNACPR processes, developments in community care and new educational resources to […]

Colleagues across North East and North Cumbria are being invited to get involved in a new medicines safety programme focused on reducing harm for people with a learning disability. Delivered by the Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) at Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, this programme aims to support people who may be at risk of behaviours that challenge, and who are prescribed psychotropic medicines in the absence of a serious mental illness. Following a system-wide scoping exercise in summer 2025, partners have now developed a draft action plan and are seeking organisations and teams to help bring this work to life through local projects.   About the programme The […]

Colleagues across the North East and North Cumbria are invited to take part in an important research project exploring the use of touch in deafblind practice. Led by Birmingham City University, the study ‘Navigating touch in deafblind practice: From complexity to professional guidance’ aims to bring together professional insight and lived experience to co‑create clear, practical guidance for those working with people who are deafblind.   Shaping future guidance through collaboration The research will engage professionals through a series of activities, including focus groups and a collaborative ‘World Café’ event. These sessions will explore current perspectives and experiences of using touch in practice, before bringing together practitioners and academics to […]

Leaving Intensive Care (ICU) is a significant milestone, but for many patients, recovery is far from straightforward. The transition from ICU to the ward, and then back home, is often described as the most challenging part of the journey. Many people experience a range of physical and emotional challenges during this time, including feeling “dropped” after leaving ICU, struggling to understand what happened during their stay, and a loss of confidence and independence. Emotional distress and ongoing fatigue are also common. Research from ICUsteps highlights that survivors can feel abandoned after discharge and often struggle to access coordinated support in the community. This free online forum, hosted by VONNE (Voluntary […]