Department of Health and Social Care

Baroness Gillian Merron visited Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital to see how Tommy's and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust are working together to make pregnancy and birth safer. We’re improving maternity and neonatal services to make sure all women and babies receive excellent care like this. #BabyLossAwarenessWeek

"What should have been a moment of joy became a terrifying ordeal." The Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP reflects on the experiences of families who lost babies after failures in NHS maternity care. #BabyLossAwarenessWeek

🧡 Health and Social Care Secretary The Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP visited Saint Francis Hospice to see the vital palliative and end of life care they provide for patients and their loved ones. Our £100 million funding boost will help hospices enhance their facilities so that everyone receives high-quality, compassionate care.

To close #SASWeek25, SoS Health & Care asked us to share his message to the SAS workforce. "We're coming to the end of the fourth official SAS Week. As someone who believes deeply in the values and future potential of our NHS, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to every specialty, associate specialist and specialist (SAS) doctor and dentist working across our health services. SAS doctors and dentists are the engines of delivery in hospitals, clinics and community settings throughout the country. Whether that’s exceptional frontline care in emergency departments, supporting specialist clinics, leading education and innovation, or stepping forward to plug rota gaps when the going gets tough, your skills and experience are indispensable. One of your greatest strengths is your diversity. SAS doctors come from a wide range of backgrounds, countries and clinical specialisms, mirroring the complex needs of the communities you serve. You bring expertise developed here in the NHS and around the world. You expand health service capabilities and help wider clinical teams better meet the needs of patients of all walks of life. That diversity is not incidental. In fact, it is fundamental to the excellence of British healthcare. That’s why recognition of your incredible clinical contribution must not be confined to a single week in the calendar – a fact brought into even clearer focus at my recent meeting with the BMA. If we truly value SAS doctors, then support, respect and visibility must be consistent all year round, which is why this government is backing this essential group of clinicians, not just in words, but in action. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are committed to building a more sustainable workforce. SAS doctors are central to that ambition. Too often your insights and experience have been overlooked in national strategies. That ends now. We have set out clear ambitions to modernise career development, improve progression pathways, and make sure SAS roles are not seen as a “second tier” but as purposeful and fulfilling career choices. This includes implementation of recent contract improvements and listening carefully to SAS doctors about further reforms needed. You deserve clarity, autonomy and opportunities, not constantly having to shout to be heard. So, as SAS Week draws to a close, I strongly encourage every NHS Trust, Health Board and Integrated Care System across England to keep the conversations going. Not because it’s good PR, but because it’s the right thing to do. Trusts can also apply for the SAS Excellence in Development (SEiD) Award in autumn to show how they are supporting SAS doctors.  To every SAS doctor reading this: thank you. This week is yours, but your impact lasts far beyond it. This government sees you and values the amazing contribution you make to the health of this nation, each and every day. We stand ready to work with you to help you thrive in a rebuilt and responsive NHS, fit for the future."

Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed MP welcomed Alexandre Padilha to DHSC as we celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations and sign a UK-Brazil MOU to deepen cooperation on health. They discussed how we continue working together on issues such as climate and health, the shift from analogue to digital and tackling racial inequalities.

Baroness Gillian Merron visited St Charles Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service to see first-hand how we're revolutionising mental health care. This 24/7 service has been supporting adults in North West London since January, offering walk-in access with no referral required for anyone over 18 experiencing a mental health crisis. The centre provides comprehensive emergency mental health assessments and care planning, delivered by a team of mental health nurses, doctors, support workers and specialists. We're investing up to £120 million to open more mental health emergency departments like this nationally, reducing pressure on A&E and ensuring people get the right support when they need it most. If you need mental health support or are worried about someone you know, visit: https://lnkd.in/gKc-pTQ4 Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust #WorldMentalHealthDay

💚 Our 10 Year Health Plan is transforming mental health care for patients. From self-referral for talking therapies through the NHS App, to mental health support teams in schools, we’re making sure everyone gets the right support when they need it most. #WorldMentalHealthDay

No one likes their time wasted, especially when it comes to health. We're supporting GPs and specialists to team up so you can get care closer to home and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital. Here's how this has now helped 500,000 patients avoid waiting lists.

It's Baby Loss Awareness Week and many bereaved families are remembering babies they've lost 💖💙 The baby loss certificate is also available to officially acknowledge the impact of pregnancy loss, no matter how long ago. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e9BPf9A4 You can request a certificate if all the following apply: 🔹 you’ve lost a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy (or 28 weeks before 1 October 1992) 🔹 you’re one of the baby’s parents or surrogate 🔹 you’re at least 16 years old 🔹 you live in England