News

This is for the attention of anyone travelling to Asia and the risk is low if travellers focus on avoiding exposure.

Welcome to our NHS Mid and South Essex news round up. This regular email series brings you the latest local news on innovations in healthcare, changes and improvements to services and how the NHS is helping local people in need. This news update includes: Two new Essex Mental Health Urgent Care Units announced Pioneering Project … Continue reading Palliative care register for children and new urgent mental health units

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/

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

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

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?

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?

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 🦷