Last year saw an increase in measles cases, taking the number of cases to the highest it has been in decades. Vaccination is important to ensure the long-term health of your child, and of the nation as a whole.

From 1 January 2026, all children will be offered the combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccine at 12 and 18 months of age. This adds protection against chickenpox to the existing provision of protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

This guidance for healthcare professionals describes eligibility, administration and safety, and answers frequently asked questions about the new vaccination programme.

To learn more about the MMRV vaccine vist the NHS webpage https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/mmrv-vaccine/ 

Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious illnesses, with potentially life-changing complications, that can easily spread between unvaccinated people. Mumps outbreaks are currently occurring across England. Children need two doses of the safe and effective MMR vaccine. Both doses are needed to ensure full and lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

If your child has missed either of these two doses, please contact us for an appointment with Nurse Jo. It’s never too late to catch up and protect those around you.

Each year in the UK, over 4,000 babies are stillborn or die within the first four weeks of life.

SANDS was founded in 1978 by bereaved parents who had experienced a lack of support after the loss of a baby, and it has grown into a leading UK charity. It provides vital services, such as a free national helpline, local support groups, and online resources for anyone affected by baby loss. It also advocates for improved maternity care and works closely with healthcare professionals to improve training and support best practices.

SANDS Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for national conversation, remembrance, and action, helping to reduce stigma and promote understanding. There are lots of ways to get involved:

·         Take part in fundraising events such as sponsored activities or community gatherings

• Share stories and resources on social media to help break the silence and spread awareness
• Wear the SANDS Awareness ribbon or other merchandise to show your support
• Attend remembrance services to honour babies who have died and support grieving families
• Donate to SANDS to help fund research, support services, and educational programmes
• Use these hashtags to help share the message on social media: #SANDAwarenessMonth #BabylossAwareness #RememberingOurBabies #SANDSUK #BreakTheSilence #SupportSANDS

Find out more about SANDS and what you can do to support the cause at https://www.sands.org.uk.

Volunteers’ week is a UK-wide celebration and recognition of the contribution of volunteers across all sectors. It was launched in 1884 to provide organisations and communities with a platform to thank volunteers for their invaluable efforts. Volunteering has an enormously positive impact on communities and is a huge part of our society.

• 14.2 million people in the UK have formally volunteered at least once a month
• Volunteering added £4.6 billion in productivity gains to the UK economy in 2024
• 25 million people in the UK volunteered informally at least once in the year

Volunteers’ Week focuses on thanking volunteers who make an incredible difference to the local communities, causes, charities and individuals that they support. You can use the hashtag #VolunteersWeek and/or #WythnosGwirfoddolwyr to share your own stories of amazing volunteers, and find resources and more at https://volunteersweek.org.

A carer is anyone who looks after a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. Many people feel that caring is very important and rewarding, but it can be difficult, isolating and financially demanding, and often has a huge impact on the carer’s own work and personal life. Caring without the right information and support can be tough.

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support. Carers Week 2026 calls on individuals and organisations to help to build carer-friendly communities.

You can find resources and help to understand more about caring and contribute to a carer-friendly society at https://www.carersweek.org/building-carer-friendly-communities/.

Diabetes is a chronic condition causing high blood sugar due to a lack of, or difficulty using insulin in the body. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, and is often diagnosed in childhood. Type 2 is the most common, and is often driven by obesity and lifestyle choices.

Symptoms include:

• Extreme thirst
• Fatigue
• Frequent urination

Diabetes is serious, but can be managed by monitoring blood glucose levels, taking medication (such as insulin injections), and maintaining a healthy diet. If it is not well managed, it can lead to severe issues like kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, and sight loss.

Diabetes Week shines a light on what it’s like to live with diabetes. This Diabetes Week continues Diabetes UK’s campaign to Strike Out Stigma. Stigma causes harm, because blame and judgement can stop people getting the support they deserve, and the care they need. In a recent survey,

• More than 50% said that stigma or shame sometimes made them avoid medical appointments
• More than 70% said they experience blame and judgement for their condition
• People from ethnic minority communities are more likely to experience diabetes stigma
• 60% of people said stigma impacted their own self-confidence
• 1 in 5 experience stigma in the workplace every few weeks
• Stigma is most commonly experienced close to home, from friends and family members

Find out more and get involved at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/support-us/diabetes-week.

Learning Disability Week is designed to celebrate what people with a learning disability bring to society, and to share what life is like for people with a learning disability. The theme for 2026 is ‘Do you see me?’ and focuses on people with learning disabilities being seen, heard and valued.

Mencap campaigns all year to raise awareness, challenge the barriers that people with learning disabilities face, and champion ways for them to live life to the full.

This week is a great time to get involved. You can join Mencap’s ‘One Big Walk’ to raise funds and awareness, share your own story, or talk about the great things people with learning disabilities are doing in your community.

You can find information, videos and resources, and sign up for the walk and other events at https://www.mencap.org.uk/what-we-do/mencap-shops

On average, 4,300 blood donations are needed every day in the UK.

In 2022, a major UK survey found that:

• Only 7% of adults are regular donors
• 58% of adults had never donated blood before
• The number of individuals aged 18-24 who had never donated blood was 70%
• Only 11% of this age group were regular donors

This picture is not unique to the UK, blood donations are needed in higher numbers throughout the world. World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is celebrated every year to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

A blood service that gives patients good access to safe blood and blood products is a key component of an effective health system. The global theme of World Blood Donor Day changes each year in recognition of the selfless individuals who donate their blood for people unknown to them.

Every year’s World Blood Donor Day has its own theme – you can see all the themes and find out more about how to join in at https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day. You can also find out more about donating blood in the UK at https://www.blood.co.uk.

If you’re caring for someone at risk of going missing, you might want to have a look at the Herbert Protocol. Named after a war veteran called George Herbert, the Herbert Protocol helps you to establish information about someone who’s at risk before they go missing.

In the event that they later do go missing, you’re able to quickly share the information with the police force.

We’ve linked some national information below, but you’ll be able to find the information for your local police force and their forms by carrying out an internet search. The police will ask additional questions about what happened if/when the individual goes missing, but having the protocol ready helps you to think about important information beforehand when you’re not in a moment of intense stress.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-s...gether-magazine/scheme-support-missing-people

The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ has being rolled out to bars, clubs and other licensed businesses across England. 

People who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them to a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police. 

Venues that support ‘Ask for Angela’ have been given Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training. Delivered by the Met’s licensing officers and Safer Sounds partnership, it gives staff the ability to help customers who may be in a situation that makes them vulnerable or unsafe.

For more information about the scheme, visit: https://askforangela.co.uk/

Aged 17 to 65?

Generally fit and well?

Weigh more than 7st 12lbs (50kg) and less than 25st (158kg)?

You could help by donating blood as stocks are critically low.

Giving blood

You can give blood at thousands of donation venues across England, from permanent donor centres to pop-up community venues.

More about giving blood

Giving plasma

You can give plasma (part of your blood that can make life-saving medicines) at 3 donation venues in England:

• Birmingham
• Reading
• Twickenham

More about giving plasma

Information: 

Note that you can't donate blood and plasma at the same appointment.

If you have a baby under six months of age, it can be really difficult to know whether you need to make a medical appointment, or whether you can safely look after your baby at home.

The Lullaby Trust have built an app to help parents of young babies to know the difference:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/

But don't forget we are here for you if you have any doubts, worries or concerns. 

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Babies are usually ready to start trying their first solid foods when they reach six months of age.

Giving your baby a wide variety of normal family foods can encourage habits for life, but we do need to make sure we’re careful as some foods such as salt and honey aren’t suitable for very young children.
https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/weaning/how-to-start-weaning-your-baby/