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I'm Mark Yates, Chair of Herefordshire and 
Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust. Each quarter we produce 'Connect', a newsletter sharing exciting news and updates from our services across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
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Alternatively, browse previous editions by clicking the links below.
Useful contacts
Available 24/7 our urgent helpline supports people of all ages experiencing a mental health crisis/emergency.
Provides a range of help, support and treatment for those of use experiencing things like stress, worry, anxiety or low mood.
If you live in Worcestershire and think you need physio support you can use our self-referral form on our website.
Our CAMHS website has lots of information and links to a range of teams and resources which support a child/family experiencing mental health difficulties.
June 2025
Hello and welcome to the June edition of our Connect newsletter.
I’d like to start by extending a very warm welcome to our new Chief Executive, Ellen Rule. As I shared in my last update, we are delighted that she has joined us, bringing a wealth of experience to our Trust. I’m pleased to say that Ellen has settled in quickly and is already making great strides in meeting staff, patients and partners. In this document, you can read about her plans for her first 100 days. She is eager to meet with as many patients, carers, staff, and partners as possible to shape her future plans, so if you feel a conversation with Ellen would be beneficial, she would welcome you reaching out.
Ellen’s insights from this important induction period, alongside the much anticipated 10-year NHS plan, will inform our new organisational strategy. Due to delays in the plan’s publication and new national guidance from the Government we now expect to share our strategy in November, a little later than originally planned but it’s important that all relevant information is available and analysed before we commit to our future plans and activities.
We are also keeping a close eye on national announcements regarding the future of NHS England and proposed changes for ICBs. As this period of change unfolds, we continue working closely with our partners to ensure we support the system in the best possible way.
On a local level, progress continues on the new Minor Injuries Unit in Bromsgrove, and we hope to welcome the public through its doors in the coming weeks. With a £1.6 million investment, this major redesign will provide a larger improved unit to better serve our communities and to improve the working environment for our staff.
I am also pleased to share that we have successfully launched our new electronic patient record system which is known in the Trust as Rio. This transition has been a significant achievement, only made possible by the dedication of colleagues across the Trust. Their hard work ensured minimal disruption—a remarkable feat for a change of this scale.
As always, I hope you find this newsletter informative. Please do reach out if you would like further details or wish to share your feedback—we welcome your thoughts.
Best wishes,
Mark Yates,
Chair, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
Investment in our services
Work starts on Bromsgrove MIU expansion
Work to construct a new minor injury unit (MIU) at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove is well underway.
We have committed £1.6 million to redesign and construct a new, larger minor injury unit. Once complete, the new unit will boast five treatment rooms, a dedicated resuscitation bay, specialist eye injury facilities, and a plaster room - all aimed at improving patient experience and streamlining care.
Located on the ground floor of the main hospital building, the new unit will be conveniently located next to the existing X-ray department, streamlining the patient journey and enhancing diagnostic efficiency.
Demand for Bromsgrove MIU has grown significantly in recent years, so this investment ensures we can continue to provide high-quality care in a facility fit for the future.
New electronic patient record system launched
A new electronic patient record (EPR) system called Rio has successfully launched at the Trust.
The ambitious project aims to transform care delivery across our sites. The EPR system connects multiple systems into one, where staff can access patients’ health and care information quickly and securely. The new system is part of a plan to streamline workflows across the organisation, reducing the administrative burden for staff and enhancing patient experiences.
We are so proud of our teams who helped make it a reality and would like to thank patients for their support and understanding as we continue to navigate through this transition period.
Supporting people’s health and wellbeing
Children’s Mental Health Week: Lumi Nova launched in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
For this year's Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, we locally launched Lumi Nova. It’s a groundbreaking new app designed to support young people’s mental wellbeing. Lumi Nova offers a fresh, interactive approach to help children aged 7-12 understand and manage their worries, fears, and anxieties. The NICE-approved app transforms mental health support into a fun, game-like experience, equipping children with evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to build resilience, develop coping skills, and gain confidence.
Families in Herefordshire and Worcestershire can access Lumi Nova free of charge, without the need for a prescription or referral. Getting started is simple, the app is available to download and can be accessed straight away.
Mental health ward recognised for dementia friendly environment
Cantilupe Ward has achieved gold status through the Tier 2 Environments for Ageing and Dementia Design Assessment Tool (EADDAT) by the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at the University of Stirling.
This success follows Cantilupe’s multi-million-pound transformation in 2024. The ward was the second of three mental health wards at the Stonebow Unit to undergo redevelopment as part of the Eliminating Dormitories project; a national scheme to eradicate dormitory style accommodation from mental health facilities across the country.
To meet the requirements for this certification, environments must have dementia-friendly features. Recently opened, a new sensory room enhances the ward further, offering scenic artwork, soft furnishings, and sensory lighting. It also serves as an activity hub with books, music, and a projector, supporting therapies like meditation and reminiscence to enhance patient wellbeing.
Marking Mental Health Awareness Week
May marked Mental Health Awareness Week, an important opportunity to recognise the value in supporting our mental health and wellbeing.
We know community can mean different things - from the neighbourhood where you live, to a group of like-minded people who share your interests or hobbies. This year, we wanted to focus on the power of connection and community in supporting good mental wellbeing. Whether it’s a chat with a neighbour, a shared laugh with a colleague, or checking in with a friend, it can all make a difference to someone.
We also have workplace communities, made up of our colleagues, teams, and the people we work alongside every day. That’s why we loved seeing our teams get involved in ‘Wear it Green’ day! This was a campaign we supported from the Mental Health Foundation - a way to play our part in raising awareness and challenging the stigma which still surrounds mental health.
If you’re looking for support or resources, please visit our Talking Therapies website.
Meadow Green finalists in the ‘People’s Choice’ category at the 2025 Design in Mental Health Awards
Ward manager Sarah Taylor, Occupational Therapist Clare McFadyen and their colleagues on Meadow Ward have been named as finalists in the ‘People’s Choice’ category at the 2025 Design in Mental Health Awards.
The nomination recognises their work on Meadow Green—an innovative therapeutic garden designed for patients living with dementia.
Located at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital, Meadow Green has already won ‘Best Outdoor Space’ in 2024 and continues to transform patient care and staff wellbeing.
Unlike traditional dementia-friendly spaces that use false building façades, Meadow Green offers real, functional environments. Growing evidence shows that these active spaces can be far more effective in supporting care goals and improving patient outcomes.
While voting has now closed, the winners will be announced at a ceremony in June.
Art for Health campaign launched
This April we launched our new Art for Health campaign to help brighten our hospital and healthcare spaces. It aims to improve the wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors by encouraging people to contribute artwork that celebrates the beauty of the local landscapes and areas.
Anyone can submit high quality digital pictures of their artwork in any form showing landscapes from both counties. Whether you paint, draw, take photos, or enjoy crafts – we'd love you to get involved!
Chosen artwork will be placed across our sites. Some pieces may also be displayed in specialised areas, such as dementia wards, where art can have a particularly calming and positive impact on patient experiences.
To take part, email a photo of your artwork to the community engagement team or share your painted rock on social media using #HWHCT. For more details, please visit our website.
New sexual health website section launched
We’re excited to announce that our Worcestershire Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) Service website pages have been revamped! The updated pages offer a more user-friendly experience, clearer information, and easier access to the support and services you need.
WISH provides free, friendly, and non-judgmental sexual health services across Worcestershire.
Help us improve our website(s) for children, young people and families in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
We are asking children, young people, parents, carers, and professionals to share their feedback on our websites.
We want to understand:
- How you find out about our services
- How you access support
- What information and content you would like to see more of
Your feedback will help us make our website more useful and accessible to the young people and families we support.
Have your say by completing our survey:
Survey for NHS Children, Young People, Families Website
(Full link: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CYPFWebsite/)
Addressing health inequalities
Hereford event highlights breast health for people with learning disabilities
In February, Herefordshire’s Community Learning Disabilities team hosted a fantastic event focused on raising awareness about breast health and self care for people with learning disabilities.
The event featured a range of engaging activities such as a talk to raise awareness of routine breast screening, free bra fitting, and a breast-checking demonstration. There was also a chance to socialise over a cuppa and cake.
Breast health is important to everyone, but we know that people with a learning disability are less likely to access early identification services for conditions such as breast cancer, which is why events like these are so important.
The event was well attended, and feedback has been extremely positive, with Lyndsay who attended the event saying: “It has been a great day. I enjoyed the bra fitting. I was a bit shy, but I did it and now I know what my correct bra size is. It's amazing work that the Learning Disability Team are doing.”
Celebrating our workforce
Recognising our fantastic nurses
During May we proudly celebrated both Mental Health Nurses Day and International Nurses Day. These days provide important opportunities to recognise the incredible dedication, compassion, and skill of our nursing teams.
Nurses make up a quarter of the NHS workforce in England. They are there with people through some of their most vulnerable moments and the job they do is no small feat.
We’d like to take this chance to say thank you to the incredible nurses who work here and across our neighbouring areas.