A new organisation has been appointed to run the integrated urgent care service in Devon.
And local people in Devon played a vital role in the process, helping shape the design of the service and choose the successful bidder.
From later this year, NHS 111, out-of-hours GP services and the Clinical Assessment Services (CAS) will be run by Practice Plus Group Urgent Care (formerly known as Care UK Health Care).
The group currently answers 1.5million calls a year to NHS 111, and runs out of hours services, urgent treatment centres, minor injuries units, hospitals...
The NHS in Devon has announced the launch of a new health and wellbeing app library for local people, powered by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA).
Effectively a comparison website, the localised site for Devon allows patients and healthcare professionals to search and download from a wide range of apps, making it quicker and easier for people across Devon to access safe and accredited health and wellbeing applications on their computer or smart phone.
Founded by NHS clinicians, ORCHA is used widely for health application evaluation and...
An innovative clinical trial will investigate how drinking beetroot juice impacts brain function in older adults, via the bacteria that live in our mouths.
A donation from University of Exeter alumnus Tom Morgan (Business Economics 1999) is supporting the new research. It seeks to investigate how the hundreds of species of bacteria and other organisms that colonise our mouths – known as the oral microbiome - impact on processes key to the development of major diseases, including brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
New year…New You: Lose weight, do more exercise and cut back on spending, are three of the top New Year resolutions.
But with most falling by the wayside within seven weeks, a Devon college is hoping it can help buck the trend well into 2022.
South Devon College has hundreds of health courses on offer to lure people away from the biscuit tin and swap chocolates for chin ups.
“We have a course to suit anyone who wants to teach fitness, get fitter, or work in the industry,” said Daniel Gaze, Head of Sport, Adventure and Protective Services at South Devon College....
The Christmas rush is over, the flurry of updated news is constant so it’s no wonder that things may be feeling somewhat stressful in what's supposed to be a relaxing time of year. But fear not, this live webcam of furry friends may be the perfect distraction.
The past few years have showcased the endless benefits of animal therapy* such as lowered blood pressure and the ability to boost your mood, but the reality of incorporating this into your routine regularly may be somewhat of a struggle. So, with this in mind, you can now watch the perfect online equivalent from the comfort...
Skateboarding in middle age helps people navigate depression, bond with their children and cope with personal trials, a new study shows.
Older people who take part in the sport say it has a “spiritual meaning” in their lives and boosts their wellbeing and happiness. Physical benefits are a by-product.
Skateboarding allows them access to a community and gives them an identity separate from other parts of their lives.
One reason could be because the measure of success in skateboarding is more fluid compared to other sports, and failure is seen as part of the...
Patients across Devon are being reminded that most GP practices will be closed over the festive and New Year period and that if they need medical advice to make use of alternative services such as 111.
Most GP practices will close at the end of the day on Friday 24 December and will re-open again on Wednesday 29 December until Friday 31 December. They will then be closed again from Saturday 1 January until Monday 3 January due the New Year bank holiday.
The NHS in Devon is asking people to do what they can to prevent themselves becoming unwell and to choose the right NHS...
Following the Government’s call to accelerate the Covid-19 booster vaccination programme, Devon’s GP practices have, at very short notice, reallocated much of their workforce to delivering Covid-19 vaccines over the next two weeks.
This means that GP practices will focus on urgent clinical need and vaccines, and some non-urgent appointments may be postponed until the New Year.
The Prime Minister, together with the NHS, has launched an urgent national appeal calling for people to get jabbed. It comes as the UK Chief Medical Officers have increased the UK Covid Alert Level...
Local GPs and healthcare professionals have begun enrolling participants across Cornwall to a first-of-its-kind clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of new oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 - which can be safely taken at home.
People from across other areas of the South West, including Devon and Somerset, will be invited to take part in the coming weeks.
The Platform Adaptive trial of NOvel antiviRals for eArly treatMent of covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) trial will rapidly assess a range of purpose-designed antiviral treatments which could help...
Poor sleep in the over 50s is linked to more negative perceptions of ageing, which in turn can impact physical, mental and cognitive health, new research has revealed.
A study led by the University of Exeter and found that people who rated their sleep the worst also felt older, and perceived their own physical and mental ageing more negatively.
Lead author Serena Sabatini, of the University of Exeter, said: “As we age, we all experience both positive and negative changes in many areas of our lives. However, some people perceive more negative changes than others. As we...
