News and reports

On 5 July 2023, the NHS will turn 75 years old. This significant milestone is an opportunity to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future.

The NHS Assembly is now drawing together collective insights on the NHS today, taking stock of recent learnings and highlighting future opportunities and challenges.

A new report has found a worrying pattern of lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and worse health and wellbeing in the North of England.

Health Equity North: 2023 provides a snapshot of the health issues facing the North and adds to a growing body of evidence highlighting the urgent need to address regional health inequalities and improve productivity in the North.

Workforce is a key area for development, as part of the Governments 10 year plan.

A new survey has been devised to capture input towards the development of a care workforce pathway.

The Department of Health and Social care would like to encourage a Halton voice in shaping this piece of work.

Healthwatch researched maternity issues through a national survey of 2,693 people, 42 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHS trusts and GP surgeries, and 20 interviews with new mothers. 
Your experiences of maternal mental health care continue to shape NHS services, with NHS England recently announcing improvements to maternity and neo-natal services.

This year’s Deaf Awareness Week runs from the 1st-7th May 2023, with the theme Access to Communication.

The aim of this year’s Deaf Awareness Week is to promote greater awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by the deaf community in accessing communication. The theme highlights the need for breaking down the communication barriers that prevent deaf people from fully participating in society.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, a fantastic annual opportunity to raise awareness of bowel cancer.

Someone dies of bowel cancer every 30 minutes in the UK. Awareness and seeking help early can help to change this.

Find out what was included in the recent urgent and emergency care recovery plan, and how this will affect services next winter.

Halton Borough Council has commissioned The University of Chester's Department of Public Health and Wellbeing to conduct a health and wellbeing survey. By understanding what residents feel is important to them in their health and wellbeing, Halton Borough Council can better shape their health and wellbeing support services in future.

This report highlights the public feedback received during our outreach sessions at Halton Hospital in February and March 2023

This project assessed how young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) their families or carers and SEND professionals of Halton felt about the SEND Local Offer, referrals and assessments, and any additional support available.

Stress awareness month has been held every April since 1992 to increase public awareness about the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.

According to the Mental Health Foundation in 2021 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. There is no health without mental health and stress can lead to numerous health problems. From physical problems, like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc to more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

The latest research from Healthwatch England follows people's experiences of getting a GP referral.
The process for many is long and often confusing. There is a need to address issues around people's GP referral journey so that it works for everyone.