Health

Two South Holland care workers have been rewarded for their dedication, hard work and exceptional achievements. Elaine Whittle – home manager at Southfield House in Spalding – and Sarah Johnson – a senior carer from Patchett Lodge in Holbeach – were recognised by the Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT). They were presented with the Chairman’s Commendation award for ...

A RAF veteran being forced to fight for disability benefits for a second time has described the assessment system as “monstrous”. John McGeorge-Oanta (51) was invalided following almost 20 years service and, after winning a tribunal to retain Government financial support in 2008, has now been told again his benefits are to be cut. He is now planning to pursue ...

The winner of a competition which involved suggesting play areas to be signed up to South Holland District Council’s smokefree code has been presented with her prize. Diane Voss, of Holbeach St Marks, won the Medion tablet, supplied by the Spalding branch of Hughes. The competition, run in The Voice, invited readers to spot the council’s Big Cig mascot in ...

Ella Berry’s body cannot cope with gravity – what she calls “Spaceman Syndrome” has devastated her life and destroyed her nursing career. Yet she is determined to make the most of every day and use her experiences to raise awareness of ‘invisible illnesses’ like hers. Ella had only been out of university a year and was on the path to ...

A new volunteer mentoring project aims to help both individuals who have experienced mental ill health and community groups that need more support. The Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS) Guiding Lights project sets out to train a team of mentors to support individuals who have experienced mental ill health or distress to take their first steps into volunteering. Ruth ...

Spalding business owner Michael Morris has been named FHT Complementary Therapist of the Year at a national awards ceremony. Organised by the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT), the event recognises high-calibre practitioners, students and tutors working in the complementary, holistic beauty and sports therapy industries. Michael, of Tonic Health, said: “I’m really thrilled to receive this award as it celebrates ...

This pile of medication – worth hundreds of pounds and returned to a South Holland GPs’ surgery – demonstrates a big financial problem facing the NHS. We reported on October 20 about Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s plan to save £13.5million a year by stopping prescriptions for minor ailments for medicines which are available over the counter, such as painkillers and ...

As Breast Cancer Awareness month draws to a close, sufferer Claire White, of Gosberton Risegate, has told her story. One of the less than two per cent of people aged 34 or under to be diagnosed with breast cancer, Claire is a reminder that – whatever your age – you must know how to look for lumps and consult your ...

Parents and patients will have to buy certain medicines rather than having them on prescription, if money-saving proposals are approved. Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) say up to £13.5million per year could be saved if it ends prescriptions for drugs available over the counter, including painkillers and antihistamine. They are also consulting on a plan to restrict the prescription of ...

People involved in a new Macmillan Volunteer Hub at The Market House in Long Sutton have been learning more about the role. Macmillan Cancer Support is gradually opening hubs throughout Lincolnshire. The hub will provide practical and emotional support for people affected by cancer. Last week an induction day was held at The Market House for the volunteers. There will ...

From transferring patients’ paper records onto one of the first computerised systems, to playing a part in the building of a brand new surgery, Dr Charles Lennon has been part of the fabric of Munro Medical Centre in Spalding for 28 years. But he will make out his final prescription on Monday, October 31 – his final day before retirement. ...

A renewed bid is being made to gain planning permission for a care home on the former Goodfellows School site in Spalding. Country Court Care homes says around 80 jobs will be created if it is allowed to redevelop the site with a 60-bedroom care home. A document supporting the application said: “The business will create new full time and ...

Support for people with mental health issues while they are out and about in Spalding is now available. The local Safe Places Scheme launched on World Mental Health Awareness Day. The Safe Places Network aims to train representatives from local businesses and organisations to support people with mental health. Businesses get free promotion as a local safe place and free ...

Two nurses based in Spalding are among the latest seven Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) staff members to be awarded the honour of Queen’s Nurse. Case managers Suzanne Wells and Pippa O’Connor received the coveted title along with Rosemary Royce, Mandy Harsley, Valerie Ronis, Debbie Boulton, and Kathy Karruthers who all work at LCHS across the county. Suzanne, who ...

Twin sisters who fought in vain to save their father’s life have today launched a campaign aimed at celebrating the work of Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service’s (LIVES) First Responders. Nicola and Louise O’Connor, from Gosberton, performed CPR on their dad last year after he was found unresponsive. Sadly, their efforts were not enough to save him. Nicola said: “I ...

Lincolnshire fire crews were called in to help in the movement of obese people trapped in their homes or beds 37 times last year, new figures show. The number of ‘bariatric incidents’ – those involving obese patients – attended has been increasing steadily, from four in 2011/12, rising each year to 16 in 2014/15, then leaping to 37 in the ...

The Stroke Association completed its 15,000th blood pressure check for Royal Mail staff at the Spalding delivery office. Local charity health and wellbeing co-ordinators have been visiting Royal Mail sites up and down the county since February 2015, carrying out blood pressure checks and raising awareness of the link between high blood pressure and stroke. The work is part of the Stroke ...

Headteacher Will Scott has left his position at Spalding Academy with immediate effect. Mr Scott resigned and has been replaced by the executive headteacher of South Lincolnshire Academies Trust, Laurence Reilly, who is also headteacher at Bourne Academy. Mr Scott – whose official title was principal – has not given a reason for his decision, but told parents and carers ...

People living with the respiratory condition COPD can access a new style of community clinic in Spalding as part of a pilot project. The project is designed to improve the wellbeing of people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and their carers by reducing social isolation and providing a range of care and support in a non-clinical community setting. ...

A trial version of a new mental health support scheme in Spalding is under way. Community Mind Matters group and Tonic Health Centre jointly applied for £10,000 NHS funding for the scheme which offers local businesses free training in dealing with mental health issues and encourages them to pass it on to others within the organisation. The premises with trained ...