NHS News Hampshire and Isle of Wight | February 2025
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight
The statutory organisation responsible for setting the strategic plan for the NHS in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
Your monthly round up of the top news stories from across the NHS in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight includes:
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AI is helping to reduce the waiting list for cataract surgeries across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Thanks to the help of Dora, an artificial intelligence telephone assistant, average waiting times for low complexity cataract surgery for patients in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has reduced from 35 weeks at the beginning of January 2024, to 10 weeks or less now.
Dora calls patients waiting for cataract surgery, speaks to them in a natural voice and gathers medical history. Dora is also capable of offering patients a choice of treatment locations based on waiting times and distance from their home.
Aris Konstantopoulos, Consultant Ophthalmologist at University Hospital Southampton and Ophthalmology Clinical Lead for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said:?
"All hospitals in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have made massive strides in reducing the waits for cataract surgery in the area. Dora has enabled this by allowing us to develop a single point of access for referrals, reducing the burden of administrative processes and providing clear options to patients. Using Dora has also allowed us to free-up time for our nursing teams to concentrate on more surgical work while Dora makes the phone calls and completes the administration duty.
“We have had some great feedback from patients who have said that Dora is very clear and easy to understand. She also engages and interacts with patients and can understand what they are saying and asking.”
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight celebrates the first anniversary of a successful partnership with the dental charity, Dentaid
More than 5,100 people experiencing health inequalities have been seen onboard mobile dental units in the first year of a dental partnership between NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Dentaid The Dental Charity.
The scheme – which launched last February – aims to increase access to dental care for Hampshire and Isle of Wight residents who haven’t been able to access dental care and are exempt from NHS charges. Dentaid’s mobile dental surgeries on wheels have been?used to provide dental treatments and oral health programmes at foodbanks, places of worship, community centres and public buildings across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Most clinics have taken place in Southampton, Portsmouth and the surrounding towns of Fareham, Gosport, Cosham and Havant, and on the Isle of Wight.? However, people in Andover, parts of the New Forest and Basingstoke can also benefit from the outreach dental service thanks to the expansion of the project this year.
Join our Empowering Women’s Health event
Join us at our Empowering Women’s Health event, taking place on the 10th and 11th of March 2025 at Portsmouth Guildhall. This two-day event will focus on advancing women’s health by sharing best practices, fostering connections, and empowering women and girls. It will bring together partners from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to highlight progress in women’s health and launch the next phase of the Women’s Health Strategy.
Day one will showcase partnership work, advocate for women and girls, and build a strong network of health champions, while exploring ongoing transformation and identifying areas for further collaboration.
Day two will focus on building knowledge, skills, and confidence in supporting women and girls across the health agenda, addressing concerns from the Women’s Health Survey, and strengthening the community of practice in women’s health in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
New project aims to boost bowel cancer screening uptake
A new ￡84,000 pilot project has launched on the Isle of Wight, including all 12 GP practices, to improve bowel cancer screening rates and increase awareness within the local community. This will help to detect cancer earlier and save lives.
The initiative, running for nine months, aims to boost participation in bowel cancer screening by enhancing confidence in completing and returning FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Tests) kits, a crucial step in early detection.
Dr Michele Legg, Local Island GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, says: “Screening can detect early signs of cancer before symptoms appear. Early detection saves lives, and this project is about ensuring people feel comfortable and informed taking part in bowel cancer screening.
“Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. It is also one of the most treatable if caught early, yet screening uptake remains lower than we would like. By increasing awareness and providing the right support, we can encourage more people on the Island to take this simple but vital step for their health.”
Older people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are being encouraged to have their free RSV vaccination
Invitations have been sent out to thousands of older people living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight encouraging them to take up the offer of a free Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine.
RSV spreads all year round and affects the airways and lungs, and for older adults it can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia or other life-threatening conditions.
Invites will be sent to anyone aged 75-79 or those who turned 80 after 1 September 2024, urging them to book a vaccination appointment with their GP.
Since the end of August 2024, more than 61,000 people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been vaccinated again RSV, this is 51 per cent of those eligible. However, that means nearly half of those eligible are yet to get protected.
Pregnant women are also eligible for the vaccine from 28 weeks onwards. RSV is a leading cause of infant mortality, with more than 5,000 women being vaccinated across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since August 2024. Women can speak to their maternity service or GP practice to book their vaccination in.
Living Well Partnership confirmed as new GP services provider for the Welborne Garden Village
The Living Well Partnership has been appointed by NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight to provide GP services from a new surgery to be built within Welborne’s village centre, ensuring seamless and sustainable healthcare provision for the growing community.?
The GP surgery will be delivered as part of the first construction phase at Welborne, reflecting Buckland Development and Fareham Borough Council’s shared commitment to delivering infrastructure and early healthcare services. This will create the foundation for long-term sustainability and wellbeing at Welborne.
Before the Welborne GP surgery is constructed and available, nearby Wickham Surgery has agreed to provide GP services for the residents of the first homes, ensuring the availability of primary healthcare from the outset.
James Roach, Director of Primary and Local Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said: “The combination of Wickham Surgery caring for initial residents and the appointment of the Living Well Partnership underscores our commitment to delivering the right healthcare solutions at the right time for the new Welborne community. We are confident in a seamless provision of healthcare services as the village grows.”
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1 周The NHS stated it needs to do more for Altzimer , can we see Hampshire an Iof W be one o f the first to deliver Eric Compton