Don’t brush it under the carpet

This winter we’re urging older people who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing not to brush it under the carpet, and instead to talk to someone you trust.

We know that many older people struggle alone with their emotional wellbeing. If you are feeling anxious, sad, lonely, helpless, depressed, or you are grieving, help is out there. The first step to feeling better is to talk to someone. It could be a loved one, a friend, a health professional or a neighbour.

People want to help and you’re not alone if you’re struggling. Here are some of the things you can do to help improve how you are feeling:

• Talk to someone – tell someone you trust how you’re feeling or contact your GP surgery
• Text the word SUSSEX to 85258
• Call the Silver Line Helpline for free on 0800 4 70 80 90

Find out more on the Don’t brush it under the carpet webpage.

Have your say on the East Sussex funding gap consultations

The Local Government Association (LGA) have reported that UK local authorities face a collective funding gap of £2.3bn for the 2025-26 financial year. East Sussex County Council is facing a funding gap of £55 million. As local authorities have a legal responsibility to set a balanced budget, this means making some difficult decisions about how the Council spends its money in future.

It’s important to say that East Sussex County Council will still have a net revenue budget of £538.1 million next year, but every department at the Council will need to find savings to close the funding gap. Some of the savings proposals were considered by the Council’s Cabinet in September and more savings proposals will be discussed at a future meeting.

There are 11 savings proposals for Adult Social Care and Health that the Council is currently running public consultations on: eastsussex.gov.uk/funding-gap-asch.

The consultations started on 3 October and close on 28 November 2024. Decisions are expected to be made about all of these proposals by councillors in February 2025. Continue reading →

Join the People Bank and help to shape adult social care services

What is the People Bank?

The People Bank is a group of volunteers working with East Sussex County Council. Members share their knowledge and lived experience to help influence the way that social care for adults is provided in East Sussex.

Being a People Bank volunteer makes a difference to others but also offers opportunities to connect with new people, develop new skills and grow your confidence.

The People Bank is made up of a diverse range of members, each with their own experiences and knowledge when it comes to volunteering.

Sarah’s story of joining the People Bank

We’d like to share the story of one long-standing member who has been volunteering in various ways since childhood and joined the People Bank in 2012. Continue reading →

Free electric blanket safety testing in October

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging people to put dates in their diaries for this year’s electric blanket testing events.

Last year over 30% of the blankets tested failed the safety checks, which could have resulted in serious incidents or even house fires.

Testing centres will be operating in fire stations and halls across East Sussex, Brighton & Hove.

It’s a free service, and anyone with an electric blanket or heat pad is advised to bring it, with the controls, for a safety check. If you can’t attend, you can ask a friend or neighbour to bring your blanket for you.

The project is also being supported by partners from the Warm Home Check Service and One You East Sussex.

Take a look at the list of dates and venues below. You can get more advice on electric blankets on the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service website.

Continue reading →

Think Pharmacy First for earaches, bug bites and more

The NHS in Sussex is reminding parents they can get help from local pharmacies for five common minor conditions in children. You can have a consultation with a trained clinical professional and receive advice and medication for earache (children aged 1-17), sore throat (over 5s), infected insect bites (over 1s), impetigo (over 1s), and sinusitis (over 12’s). This can save you time and may avoid the need to see a GP.

Adults can also get help from pharmacies for these conditions, as well as with shingles and contraception.

Visit the NHS website for more information about how pharmacies can help, or watch a short video.

Online HIV prevention service pilots in East Sussex

East Sussex is the first county to pilot an online service allowing people at risk of HIV to better access PrEP, a HIV preventative treatment.

The service has been launched by East Sussex Public Health, in partnership with Preventx, The Love Tank CIC and LLoydsPharmacy Online Doctor.

More than 330 people in East Sussex currently get the HIV PrEP pill from the county’s face-to-face service, but local research suggests more than 1,100 people could be eligible and benefit from the treatment. If taken as instructed, the PrEP pill is nearly 100 percent effective.

Find out more about the online HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) service.

Want to know more about your local NHS trust? 

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is holding their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday 10 September in Bexhill. It’s your chance to find out more about your local NHS trust, ask any questions, and hear about future plans.

Steve Phoenix, Chairman of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said:

“We would always encourage people to come along to the AGM and hear what we are doing as a trust. We want to know patients’ and residents’ opinions on our services and hopefully answer any questions they may have. Improving the trust’s healthcare provision is always our number one priority.”

The AGM is being held at The Relais Cooden Beach, Cooden Sea Road, Bexhill, TN39 4TT. Arrivals are from 1pm with the event taking place from 2-4pm.

Everyone is welcome, please reserve your space.

Free and confidential test at home service for hepatitis C

Anyone over 18 who’s worried they may be at risk of hepatitis C can do a free, confidential test at home by ordering a kit from the NHS website. You prick your finger to get some blood and then send the blood to get tested.

The NHS estimates that over 60,000 people in England don’t know that they have hepatitis. Even if you don’t know you have it, it can damage your liver and can sometimes lead to life-threatening conditions like liver cancer or liver failure.

Hepatitis C can be treated with a free course of tablets from the NHS. For most people, hepatitis C is cured after taking the tablets for 8 to 12 weeks.

Find out more about the test at home service.

 

Help for people living in cold homes during winter

It may be summer, but it’s never too soon to start planning ahead for your winter health and wellbeing. In East Sussex there are services thinking ahead about our winter health all year round.

One very important factor for health and wellbeing in winter is the temperature of our homes. Living in a cold home can make a range of health conditions worse, such as breathing and heart problems, and asthma in children. It can also impact on your mental wellbeing.

That’s why Citizens Advice and NHS Sussex are working together to help identify people whose health is impacted by a cold home, and to help them get the financial and practical support they need ready for winter. Continue reading →

Free NHS Lung Health Checks get off to a flying start in Hastings and St Leonards with over 400 scans completed

More than 400 people from the Hastings and St Leonards area have already taken up the offer to have a free NHS lung health check.

Local GP practices have been contacting registered patients aged 55-74 by text about the checks, which take a look at the person’s lung health. This is followed by a letter, which arrives in a yellow envelope from the NHS and InHealth, who are supporting the NHS to deliver the checks. The checks are only for people who currently smoke or have smoked in the past, so people can let InHealth know using the contact details in the letter if this does not apply to them.

People are offered a telephone conversation and may then be invited to see a nurse and have a lung scan. The scanner is based in the Asda car park in St Leonards, so many people may have seen it there recently. The first batch of scans took place from 10-18 July, and the scanner unit will return to do more from 1-17 August.

Taking checks like these out to our communities brings care closer to home for local people, helping them to be seen and diagnosed more quickly, which is a priority for NHS Sussex and its health and care partners across the county.

While most people will find that their lungs are working fine, the scans can pick up where others may benefit from further tests and treatment, either from their GP or hospital doctors. When it comes to lung health, spotting problems early can make a huge difference because it widens treatment options and improves outcomes.

Further information is available on the Sussex NHS Lung Health Checks website.