News and reports

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month aims to generate awareness and support for children suffering from cancer.
It happens every September across the world. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month started in 1990, and 2024 marks its 34th anniversary.

This year, the theme of Know Your Numbers Week is ‘You Have the Power.’ It is so important to 'Know Your Numbers' as nearly four million adults could be living with undiagnosed high blood pressure. High blood pressure has no obvious signs or symptoms. The only way to find out if you have the condition is to have a blood pressure check. Untreated high blood pressure is the major risk factor for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. It is also a major risk factor for kidney disease and dementia.

Local mental health organisation, Mind Halton has sadly announced its closure. The charity is unable to accept any new referrals and the office closed on Friday 30 August.

The latest report from Healthwatch unpacks people's experiences of using Community Diagnostic Centres across England and lessons for expanding community-based care.

The NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside has started vaccinating people against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), for the first time in its history.

A new survey (YouGov) from leading gynaecological cancer charity, The Eve Appeal, for Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month shows that that only 4 in every 100 women regularly (at least once a month) check their vulva for symptoms of vulval cancer - compared to 37 in every 100 who have regularly (at least once a month) checked their breasts. 79% of women had never checked their vulva for changes or signs of cancer, and amongst those who have heard of vulval cancer before, almost half (48%) have never checked.

Vision problems often go undiagnosed. But many children won’t tell you something is wrong because they don’t know they have a problem. They don’t have anything to compare it to, they think everybody sees like they do.

Halton libraries are now consulting on the library service opening hours to provide a more consistent offer across the library sites. Information, along with data on local needs, will be used as the basis for a review by the council.

The latest report from Healthwatch unpacks people's experiences of using Community Diagnostic Centres across England and lessons for expanding community-based care.

Changing Places are toilets designed to provide extra facilities for people with severe or multiple disabilities.

Suicide Bereavement UK have developed a series of At Your Side guides for those bereaved by suicide in the Armed Forces community.

With the August bank holiday fast approaching, people in Cheshire and Merseyside are reminded to plan ahead by ordering any repeat prescriptions they may need and know what to do if they or a family member becomes unwell.