News and reports

What's New Near You - November. Here is an update of local events, activities and groups in Sandwell, Oldbury, Smethwick and surrounding areas!

Edward’s Trust is a specialist bereavement charity based in Birmingham, providing counselling and holistic support to families in the West Midlands.

Edward’s Trust is a specialist bereavement charity based in Birmingham, providing counselling and holistic support to families in the West Midlands.

The Trust aims to discharge patients from hospital in a safe and effective manner to return home/community bed/care facility.
The Discharge Lounge frees up hospital beds as early as possible, thus reducing the length of time that patients in the Emergency Department and coming in for surgery must wait for a bed to become available.

Discharge planning is co-ordinated by members of the nursing and medical team. They plan for a patient’s discharge from the time they are admitted into hospital to help ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. The Discharge Lounge is a comfortable
environment for patients who have been discharged from the ward areas by a doctor and are awaiting medication, discharge documents and transport.
The lounge offers a relaxing environment which is quieter than a ward where patients’ needs can continue to be met.

Cervical screening, previously known as a smear test, saves over 4,000 lives every year in the UK. However, some women find it uncomfortable, so it's important to know what support is available and what adjustments you can request.

Healthwatch Sandwell published a report Diabetes in Sandwell in March 2024. 10.1% of Sandwell adult patients are recorded as having diabetes, exceeding West Midlands National average figures, projection are that it diabetes in Sandwell will continue to rise. The report highlighted that raising awareness of diabetes in communities and prevention work with patients diagnosed as prediabetic is key to minimising risk of development of type 2 diabetes and reducing the percentage of patients with diabetes in Sandwell and consequent demand on diabetes health care services.

The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital opened on 6 October. On the same day Sandwell Hospital's accident and emergency department closed.

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As winter approaches and viruses spread, flu and COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinics are being set up to encourage people to get winter strong. The community pop-up clinics are being hosted at a range of locations in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell, with no appointment necessary. Anyone aged 18 and over who is eligible for an autumn COVID-19 or flu vaccine is encouraged to come forward as soon as possible.

Those eligible for a COVID-19 and flu vaccine include:
• all adults aged 65 years and over
• people who live in a care home for older adults
• people aged 6 months to 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
• frontline health and social care staff, including in care homes for older adults
• pregnant women

Healthwatch Sandwell collaborated with the NHS Youth Worker Team Manager in Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to create a report to spotlight a youth worker pilot project for young people with long term conditions. The short funding timelines for the pilot project were highlighted alongside the impacts. The spotlight report called for consideration of extension and time and funding for the pilot project work.

Buses will stop outside the The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

A&E (Emergency Department)

From the 6th October, Sandwell A&E is relocating to a new purpose-built A&E at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital to better serve you and the residents of your local area.

Where is the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital A&E?
Grove Lane, Smethwick, B66 2QT