News

First Community Health and Care has pledged to support carer colleagues and patients to ensure they know how to access any information or support they need.

The public pledge was made to mark the start of Carers Week 2021, which takes place from 7 to 13 June. The annual, national campaign to raise awareness of caring, aims to highlight the challenge unpaid carers face and to recognise the contribution they make to families and communities across the UK.

A team of experts are hoping to support members of the public who are hesitant about having a Covid-19 vaccination, and have developed an innovative new website to answer people’s questions and concerns.

Members of the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) and Showmen communities are being encouraged to ‘Give Covid the Jab’ in a new NHS video released today.

Produced by the GRT and Inclusion Health team at First Community Health and Care in partnership with Surrey Heartlands CCG, the video aims to educate, inform and answer common questions about the Covid-19 vaccine to boost vaccine confidence within Traveller communities.

We are pleased to be able to welcome visitors back to our ward at Caterham Dene Hospital.

In order to continue to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe we have a process in place for managing this and all visits must be booked in advance by telephoning the ward on 01883 837517.

The ward staff will ask screening questions before any visitor is permitted to enter the ward.

Our Caterham Dene Minor Injury Unit will remain open every day over the Easter holidays for those aged 18 plus from 8am to 8pm.

NHS 111 will remain available 7 days per week 24 hours per day for non-urgent medical help.  In the event of an emergency please call 999.

A very special thank you to our staff and all those working over the Easter holidays to keep essential services available.

More than 30,000 falls prevention guides have been distributed to healthcare practices across east Surrey to support the older population who have either had a fall or are at risk of falling.

The national lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic have seen many people cooped up at home for long periods, which may have led to muscle weakness and sometimes a reduced sense of balance, increasing the risk of falls.

First Community Health and Care has joined other NHS organisations across Surrey in using technology which will see patients benefit from improved record sharing.

The Surrey Care Record is a digital, locally shared record enabling the secure sharing of patients’ health and care data between authorised health and care professionals across the Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership, of which First Community is a part.

First Community Health and Care have donated 120 laptops to a local appeal which provides refurbished laptops and internet access to disadvantaged children.

The Level Up project run by Raven Housing Trust, with support from Voluntary Action Reigate & Banstead was set up to address the urgent need for IT equipment for some local children to enable them to study at home during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

First Community is proud to release the results of their 2020 NHS staff survey. The feedback in the annual survey is extremely positive with the majority of staff indicating First Community really is an outstanding health care provider and employer.

Over 330 staff took part in the survey with a response rate of 75%, compared with 62% for similar organisations. 

Staff feedback includes: