A parent’s guide to croup: what are the symptoms and when to seek medical advice

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Croup is a common childhood condition that affects the windpipe, the airways to the lungs, and the voice box. It mainly affects babies and young children, typically those aged between 6 months and 3 years, though most cases occur in 1-year-olds. Read the new post: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/21/a-parents-guide-to-croup-what-are-the-symptoms-and-when-to-seek-medical-advice/

An update from SWF Health & Social Care Group

Posted on by swfhealthsocial

New and updated items follow first. Flu activity has decreased. The NHS said that Christmas gatherings may have caused a resurgence in flu and other winter viruses. But the week to 11 January 2026 has seen a 1.8% fall in hospital admissions. The cold snap has ended, but people are still struggling with respiratory conditions, … Continue reading An update from SWF Health & Social Care Group

Reminder: share your experience of using health and care services – survey closing soon

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Do you, or someone you care for, use more than one health or care service? If so, we would really value your feedback. Our survey is designed to capture the lived experiences of people and carers who access multiple health and social care services across mid and south Essex. Your views will help us better … Continue reading Reminder: share your experience of using health and care services – survey closing soon

What is measles and why is it so important we’re up to date with our vaccines to protect against it?

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Measles is highly contagious so even a small decline in vaccine uptake can lead to a rise in cases. There has been a resurgence of measles in England and around the world in recent years. In 2024 there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number of cases recorded annually in decades. Read … Continue reading What is measles and why is it so important we’re up to date with our vaccines to protect against it?

What are the symptoms of shingles and what is the connection to chickenpox?

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Shingles, known medically as herpes zoster, is an infection that causes a painful rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella). Once someone has recovered from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body and then can reactivate later in life and present as shingles because of decreased immunity... Read the … Continue reading What are the symptoms of shingles and what is the connection to chickenpox?

Don’t start the new year with dental pain 🦷

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If you need urgent dental care, appointments are now available in dental practices across mid and south Essex. You can access these appointments by calling NHS111 – and you don’t need to be registered with an NHS dentist to access them. The appointments are for urgent conditions like severe toothache, abscesses or swellings, severe bleeding … Continue reading Don’t start the new year with dental pain 🦷

Share your experience of community mental health services

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We're reaching out to ask for your help in shaping the future of community mental health services in mid and south Essex. Your experience will help us to ensure that our services truly reflect what matters to you and your loved ones. Have you used community mental health services in our area? Have you supported … Continue reading Share your experience of community mental health services