Your Health
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust want to help improve the health and wellbeing of our local community.
We will do this by:
- Making every contact count. We will promote health and wellbeing during appointments and hospital stays.
- Providing information and support. We will signpost patients, carers and visitors to find support that works for them.
- Leading by example. We will work together and encourage each other.
Find the help you need
A directory of services, groups and organisations
Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing. There are vast benefits including:
- Lung capacity will increase, helping you to breathe more easily;
- Improved oxygen levels, meaning reduced tiredness and less chance of headaches;
- Less stress – people who stop smoking experience less stress than people who continue to smoke;
- Improved chances of getting pregnant and giving birth to a healthy baby;
- More money – people who quit smoking can save up to £250 a month!
Our Smoke Free Policy
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is a ‘no smoking’ organisation.
Support to Stop Smoking in Our Hospitals
The Trust provides a Hospital Stop Smoking Service (HSSS) which can be accessed by patients, staff, relatives and visitors. For further information call the HSSS Specialist Nurse on 01743 261000 ext: 4464 / 01952 641222 ext: 4464.
Community Services
- Powys Community Pharmacy Stop Smoking Service. For further information, visit their website
- Smokefree National Helpline – 0300 123 1044 (England)
- Help Me Quit Helpline – 0800 085 2219 (Wales)
- Social Prescribing Support Service from Healthy Shropshire – patients can self refer by calling 0345 6789 028 or emailing healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk. More information can be found here.
Eat Well
Eating well does not mean counting calories or cutting out your favourite foods; it means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions to help you feel your best.
Top Tips for eating well:
- Have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
- Swap white starchy food (e.g. rice, pasta and bread) for the wholegrain or wholemeal alternative.
- Choose semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead of full-fat.
- Try to eat 2 portions of fish a week – fresh, frozen or canned!
Have at least 6 to 8 drinks a day – this can include water, tea and coffee (without added sugar), milk and juice (in moderation).
Mealtimes
All our patient meals are designed to provide the nutrients needed to recover and feel your best. We can cater for any specific dietary needs due to religious or cultural reasons, food allergies and intolerances. Both hospitals participate in protected mealtimes to support patients who may need additional help with eating and drinking.
Support in Our Hospitals
The Trust Nutrition Support Team can assist patients with complex nutrition requirements. Referrals can be made by staff.
Community Services
- Healthy Shropshire – visit the website here.
- Social Prescribing Support Service from Healthy Shropshire – patients can self refer by calling 0345 6789 028 or emailing healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk. More information can be found here.
- Healthy Lifestyle Service, Telford & Wrekin. Call 01952 382582, email healthylifestyles@telford.gov.uk or visit the Healthy Lifestyle website
- Powys Teaching Health Board. Visit the PTHB website for more information.
Stay Active
Getting, and staying, active has a huge number of benefits. Exercise can reduce your risk of life-limiting illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50%. It’s free, easy, and has an immediate effect.
The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity 0r 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week.
Get Involved!
An outdoor gym is available at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to support the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the local community.
Support in Our Hospitals
As part of ‘End PJ Paralysis’, patients at SaTH are encouraged to get up, get dressed and get moving to reduce immobility, muscle deconditioning and dependency and protect cognitive function, social interaction and dignity. Patients living with cancer can also benefit from the ‘Get Active, Feel Good’ programme, which provides one-to-one support to help start or maintain sustainable physical activity. Call 07543827531 or email getactivefeelgood@gmail.com for further information.
Community Services
- Healthy Shropshire – visit the website here.
- Social Prescribing Support Service from Healthy Shropshire – patients can self refer by calling 0345 6789 028 or emailing healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk. More information can be found here.
- Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin. Email info@energizestw.org.uk or visit the Energize website
- Powys Teaching Health Board. Visit the PTHB website for more information.
Drink Less
Men and women are advised not to exceed more than 14 units of alcohol per week – this is equivalent to 9 small glasses of wine or 7 cans of cider or 6 pints of beer.
If you regularly drink more than this, or just feel like cutting down a bit, the following tips may help:
- Opt for a lighter version of your drink of choice or try alcohol-free.
- Add a mixer to reduce the alcohol content (and the calories!).
- Swap a pint for a bottle, or alternate between an alcoholic drink and a soft drink.
- Cut down at home – just have one with your meal.
- Try having one or two more alcohol-free days each week.
Some of the immediate benefits you will notice after cutting down include: feeling less tired and low, better looking skin and better weight management.
Support in Our Hospitals
Staff who are concerned a patient is displaying signs of alcohol or substance misuse or withdrawal can refer to the Trust Alcohol Liaison Team. Patients can also self-refer by telephoning 01743 261000 ext. 2431 or 01952 641222 ext. 4562.
Community Services
If you are looking to cut down or drink less, NHS One You can provide practical advice.
If you are concerned you, or someone you know, has a problem with alcohol (and/or drugs) the following services can help:
- Shropshire Recovery Partnership. Call 01743 294700 or email shropshireinfo@addaction.org
- Telford STaRS. Call 0300 456 4291 or visit the Telford STaRS website
- Kaleidoscope Powys. Call 01686 207111 or email powysinfo@kaleidoscopeproject.org.uk
Mental Wellbeing
Stress is a natural reaction to life factors such as school, work, family and other responsibilities; and whilst we all experience stress, sometimes our problems can lead to low mood or something more serious.
The following steps have been shown to improve mental health and wellbeing.
- Connect with others.
- Arrange a fixed time to eat dinner with your family.
- Have lunch with a colleague.
- Visit or video chat with a friend or family member.
- Get active.
- There are plenty of ways to exercise without going to the gym.
- Learn new skills.
- Cook something you haven’t tried before.
- Try a DIY project.
- Try a new hobby or sign up for a course.
- Give to others.
- Thank someone for something they have done for you or compliment someone.
- Volunteer your time to support others.
- Pay more attention to the present.
- Meditate or practice yoga.
Support in Our Hospitals
Mental Health First Aiders and Mental Health Champions exist within the Trust to act as a point of contact, provide initial support and signpost to appropriate help if required. A mental health practitioner works alongside our ward teams to support the care of patients who are experiencing mental health issues or emotional distress.
Community Services
- Shropshire/Telford & Wrekin ACCESS service. Call 0300 124 0365 or email shropshire@mpft.nhs.uk
- Social Prescribing Support Service from Healthy Shropshire – patients can self refer by calling 0345 6789 028 or emailing healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk. More information can be found here.
- Telford Primary Care Wellbeing Service. Call 01952 457415 or email telford@mpft.nhs.uk
- Powys Mental Health Information Service. Call 01686 628300 / 01597 822191 or visit the Powys Mental Health website
Sepsis Awareness
Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It leads to shock, multiple organ failure and death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly. There are around 150,000 cases of Sepsis in the UK every year and approximately 44,000 deaths.
Sepsis Symptoms
- Slurred Speech
- Shivering/Muscle pain
- Not passing urine
- Breathlessness
- Mottled skin
If in doubt, just ask.. could it be sepsis?
Organ Donation
Signing Up
Signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register is quick and easy – just visit the Organ Donation website, call 0300 123 2323 or text DONATE to 62323.
Every year about 1,000 people die waiting for a transplant in the UK because of a shortage of organs. As you are reading this article there are thousands of people waiting desperately on the transplant list for an organ that could save their lives. While many people may be aware of statistics like this, I see this problem first hand every time I come to work.
A big part of the problem is that when people sign up to become an organ donor they assume that is the end of it, but it isn’t. I cannot stress just how important it is for people to make sure they let their loved ones know that they want to be an organ donor as well. Statistics show that while 95% of families agree to donation if a loved one is registered and has discussed their wishes, this drops to only 46% when donation wishes aren’t known.
The Trust is now working hard to promote this campaign and make a difference to people’s lives. Most of the people I speak to say they wouldn’t hesitate to say “yes” if someone they loved needed an organ. It is a completely different scenario though when relatives are faced with the question of would they consent for a loved one to become a donor when the circumstances sadly arise. At a time like that the family shouldn’t have to, or may not be able to, make such a difficult choice. This is why it is crucial for people who wish to be organ donors to let their families know their wishes.
The choice to become a donor is a very personal one and we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about these things with our families, in fact we need to make sure we do. This will make a very difficult decision much easier for them, and also help to give the gift of life to others.
The Law around Organ Donation is changing
Max and Keira’s Law – the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act – came into effect on the 20 May 2020.
This means all adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate, what’s known as ‘opt out’, or are in one of the excluded groups.
Those excluded will be people under 18, those who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action; and people who have lived in England for less than 12 months or who are not living here voluntarily.
Even with the change in law, families will still be involved before any organ or tissue donation goes ahead and NHS Blood and Transplant Specialist Nurses will continue to speak with families about their loved one’s decision.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, said:
“We hope that the new law encourages more people to record their donation decision and talk about organ donation with their families. It is important for people to know that they can do this at any time before or after the law comes into effect, there is no deadline for making your donation decision.
“We are encouraged that almost two thirds of people in England are now aware that the law is changing, but we would like this figure to be even higher by the time the law changes.
“The majority of people tell us that they support organ donation in principle, yet only around 4 in 10 have actually registered their decision.
“For those who have not thought about organ donation before, or who still have questions, we have lots of information available on our website and our team of helpline advisors are available to answer any queries.
“Organ donation is and always will be a precious gift and if more people are inspired to support and agree to donation, then many more lives can be saved.”
You can read more about the change in law around organ donation via the NHS Blood and Transplant Website.
Thank you.
Fiona Deakin
Specialist Nurse – Organ Donation.
Sexual Health
Sexual health is an important part of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. It’s important to take care of your sexual health and to talk about sex and relationships with the people who are important to you.
- Get consent. No one should feel pressured into having sex if they don’t want to.
- Use condoms to help protect yourself from catching or passing on a sexually-transmitted infection (STI).
- If you think you might have an STI, even if you don’t have any symptoms – get tested. Tests are free and can prevent long-term damage to your health.
The following symptoms may indicate a sexual-health issue:
- Pain when you pass urine (pee),
- Itching, burning or tingling around the genitals,
- Blisters, sores, spots or lumps around the genitals or anus,
- Black powder or tiny white dots in your underwear – this could be droppings or eggs from pubic lice.
In women:
- Yellow or green vaginal discharge,
- Discharge that smells,
- Bleeding between periods or after sex,
- Pain during sex,
- Lower abdominal pain.
In men:
- Discharge from the penis,
- Irritation of the urethra (the tube urine comes out of).
Community Services
Sexual Health Services are now provided through a range of walk-in clinics, and by appointment across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Powys. They are no longer provided at the Princess Royal Hospital or Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
For more information about the clinics, including services and locations, please visit the Open Clinic website.
National Services
The National Sexual Health Helpline can provide free confidential information and advice on sexual health. Call 0300 1237123 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
Health Screening
Screening is a way to find out if people are at higher risk of a health problem, and can prevent more serious conditions, such as cancer, developing. Screening helps people to make informed decisions and treatment can be offered at an earlier stage to reduce the risk or severity. For a summary of what screening you should attend please see our screening timeline.
Women:
- Cervical screening is offered to women and people with a cervix aged from 25 to 49 every 3 years, and aged 50 to 64 every 5 years. For further information, speak to your GP or visit the NHS Website
- Government guidance on cervical screening for lesbian and bisexual women
- Government guidance on cervical screening for transgender people
- Breast screening is offered to women and people who have breasts (due to either naturally-occurring oestrogen or oestrogen hormone therapy) aged from 50 to 71. For more information on the Breast Screening Service at SaTH, visit our Breast Screening Service Page
Women and Men:
- Bowel cancer screening is offered to everyone aged 60 to 74 every 2 years. For further information, speak to your GP or visit the NHS Website
Men:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is offered to men aged 65. For more information on the AAA Screening Service at SaTH, visit our AAA Screening Page
If you are trans or non-binary, you are still be eligible for screening. Please visit the Cancer Research website for further details.
Menopause
The menopause is when you stop having periods and are no longer able to naturally conceive (get pregnant). It is caused by a decline in oestrogen levels and can cause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, and mood changes. You might experience some of these symptoms for some time before and after your period stops. This is known as perimenopause (before) and postmenopause (after).
The menopause is a natural part of ageing and usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55.
How can I control my symptoms?
The following lifestyle changes have been shown to reduce menopausal symptoms in some people and will keep you healthy whilst your body undergoes hormonal changes:
- Participating in regular exercise,
- Eating a healthy balanced diet,
- Stopping smoking,
- Limiting alcohol intake, and
- Losing excess weight.
You should visit your GP if you are finding the symptoms of menopause difficult to cope with, or if you are experiencing symptoms before the age of 45. The GP may be able to offer treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to relieve symptoms.
Staff Training in Our Hospitals
Menopause Awareness Sessions are available to staff. The sessions cover what menopause is, its symptoms and ways of managing them, long-term health and what support and help is out there and where to find it.
Support Services
Menopause Support is a not-for-profit organisation which can provide information and support for people experiencing the menopause.
Women’s Health Concern is the patient arm of The British Menopause Society.
Information on the menopause is available in a range of languages on the following link
Ramadan
Staying Healthy During Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
Ramadan in 2021 is between 12 April 2021 and 12 May 2021.
At The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, we want to support our patients and colleagues in staying healthy during Ramadan.
Fasting (or “Sawm”)
Fasting (or “Sawm”) is one of the 5 pillars or obligations of Islam. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are obligated to fast everyday between sunrise and sunset. It’s also a time for helping others, self-reflection and evaluation.
However, it is important to remember that some people are not obligated to fast, including:
- Children (under the age of puberty).
- Older people.
- If you are sick.
- If you have a learning disability.
- If you have a mental health problem.
- If you are putting your health at risk by fasting (people with diabetes can fall into this category).
People who cannot fast can contribute by providing food for others or by making donations to people less fortunate. Some people can postpone their fasting until a later date for the following reasons:
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you are menstruating.
- If you are travelling more than 57.5 miles each day where fasting is difficult.
Ramadan and Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic will mean what is traditionally a time when people come together as a community will, again, be different this year, with congregational acts of worship again limited to combat the spread of the virus.
The safest and most effective way to protect yourself, your family and those around you is by having a vaccine when you are offered it by the NHS.
The British Islamic Medical Association has confirmed that having the Covid-19 vaccine does not invalidate the fast. In addition, the vaccine does not contain pork or other animal, foetal or alcohol products. You should not to delay having your first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, if you are offered it during the holy month of Ramadan.
People are also being reminded to continue taking their prescribed medicines during Ramadan, but to check with their GP if adjustments need to be made.
Further information on staying healthy during Ramadan can be found here:
- Diabetes UK – Ramadan and Diabetes
- Muslim Council of Britain – Ramadan Safety Guidance
- Muslim Council of Britain – Celebrating Eid Al-Fitr in Lockdown Guidance
- NHS Live Well
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice
- Ramadan Timetable 2021
Finally we want to wish a Ramadan Mubarak to all our Muslim patients and colleagues!
Sleep
Tips for a good night’s sleep
- Keep a regular routine: try to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day.
- Create a restful environment: temperature, lighting and noise can all impact your quality of sleep. An ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18°C. Turn the lights off and turn devices off or on silent one hour before you plan to fall asleep.
- Exercise regularly: Moderate exercise (e.g. walking and swimming) and activities, such as gardening, can help burn off energy to prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Try not to do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as it may keep you awake.
- Be wary of stimulants: Stimulants raise blood pressure, heart rate and breathing and can make you feel more alert and focused. Caffeine (found in tea, coffee, cola etc.) and nicotine (contained in cigarettes) are both stimulants that can interrupt your sleeping pattern. Consider stopping, or cutting down, smoking; and try a warm, milky drink or herbal tea before bed.
- Relax your mind: If you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, set aside time before bed to make plans for the next day. Write these plans down, so you don’t need to worry about forgetting anything and keep a notepad and pen by your bed so you can add to the list if anything pops into your head. This will help you clear your mind and relax so you are ready for the next day.
- Relax your body: Do some gentle yoga or meditation – there are plenty of apps and videos available to guide you through it. Having a warm bath in the evening can also help you relax and prepare for bedtime.
- If you can’t sleep, get up: Don’t lie in bed worrying about how many hours sleep you’ll get. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed.
Supporting you to have a good night’s sleep in hospital:
The ‘Good Night Charter’ has been introduced to demonstrate the Trust’s commitment to providing a restful environment for patients during the Protected Sleep Time. You can find out more here:
- ‘Good Night Charter’
- ‘Good Night Charter Poster’
- ‘Tips to help you rest and sleep in hospital – in support of the Good Night Charter’
Apps for relaxation and sleep:
- Headspace offers guided meditation, mindfulness and ‘sleepcasts’. You can download the app for free (with the option to pay to upgrade).
- Calm includes meditations made specifically for sleep and bedtime stories (for kids and adults). You can download the app for free (with the option to pay to upgrade).
- Use Spotify or YouTube for free access to relaxing music and podcasts.
Don’t have access to an app? Try this breathing exercise:
Life flat on your back with your arms by your sides and your palms facing up. Breathe in gently, through your nose, for 5 seconds. Then breathe out, through your mouth, for 5 seconds. It may help to count from 1 to 5 while you are doing this. Do this for 3 to 5 minutes.
Further information and support
- The Sleep Charity offer advice, education and support for children, teenagers, and adults. Call 01302 751416 or email info@thesleepcharity.org.uk
- NHS One You has information and videos on sleep, health and wellbeing.
- If lack of sleep is persistent and affecting your daily life, see your GP.