News and reports

High blood pressure is the largest known single modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and dementia. CVD causes 1 in 4 deaths in England - around one death every four minutes and is a leading cause of disability.

As the condition usually has no symptoms, it is estimated that 4.2 million people in England have undiagnosed high blood pressure. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a blood pressure test, which is a free, simple, non-invasive procedure.

If you're aged 40 and over, you can get a free blood pressure check at your local participating pharmacy, without needing to book in advance.

Dry skin can occur at any time of the year, but it can become more common as the weather becomes colder. It can appear at any age and, while it usually doesn’t present any serious problems, it can be associated with other medical conditions such as eczema, contact dermatitis and psoriasis.

The skin is made up of many different layers and it forms a natural barrier to protect our body from the outside environment. To help protect the outer layer of the skin from losing water, the skin produces an oily substance called sebum. If the skin does not have enough sebum, it loses water which causes dry skin.

Common causes of dry skin include:
 Excessive bathing
 Showering, scrubbing the skin while washing, or harsh soaps that dissolve the protective layer of sebum
 Environmental conditions that increase water loss, such as very hot, dry weather or central heating
 Frequent exposure to wind and sun can evaporate water from the skin, making the surface feel itchy and dry.
 Decreased production of sebum, which is often a factor in the elderly.

To help reduce symptoms, emollients can be used to moisture the skin. Emollients are moisturising treatments that are applied directly to the skin to soothe and hydrate it. There are various types of emollients that can be bought over the counter at your local pharmacy to help reduce dryness, relieve itching and soften cracks.

Your local pharmacy should always be your first choice for help with dry skin. Pharmacists are highly trained experts in medicines, and they can offer you advice and treatments without you needing to see a GP.

Women across the Black Country can now get their supply of oral contraception at a local pharmacy, without the need to see a GP.  More than 200 pharmacies in the Black Country are participating in this new service, aiming to increase choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception.   Oral contraception, known as ‘the pill’, can now be accessed at a pharmacy without a referral from a GP.

Women can also be referred to their pharmacy by their GP practice or a sexual health clinic. 

The pharmacist will offer a confidential consultation and will offer the first supply of the pill, or the ongoing supply of their current oral contraception. This is an NHS service and so the supply of oral contraception will be exempt from any prescription charges. 

Sukhy Somal, Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “This new service is another great milestone in showing how much of an important role community pharmacists are improving wider access to healthcare services.  

“This is a safe and confidential service for women across the Black Country and allows general practice and sexual health services to free up appointments for more complex assessments. 

“Women will still receive their yearly pill check-up, like they would with their GP, which they will have when requesting their next supply of contraception. It is still encouraged to seek medical advice from a pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects continue after three months.” 

Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP to access this service. Pharmacies will only inform the GP practice that individuals have accessed the service, with their consent. 

Business cards are being rolled out for patients across the Black Country enabling pharmacists to write down the date of the next supply of contraception and the name of the pharmacy. 

Contraception is free and confidential, including for young people under the age of 16. The doctor or nurse will not tell anyone, including parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm. 

For further information, visit the NHS Black Country ICB website. 

More than 200 pharmacies in the Black Country are participating in this new service, aiming to increase choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception.   Oral contraception, known as ‘the pill’, can now be accessed at a pharmacy without a referral from a GP.

Women can also be referred to their pharmacy by their GP practice or a sexual health clinic. The pharmacist will offer a confidential consultation and will offer the first supply of the pill, or the ongoing supply of their current oral contraception. This is an NHS service and so the supply of oral contraception will be exempt from any prescription charges. 

Sukhy Somal, Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “This new service is another great milestone in showing how much of an important role community pharmacists are improving wider access to healthcare services.  

“This is a safe and confidential service for women across the Black Country and allows general practice and sexual health services to free up appointments for more complex assessments. 

“Women will still receive their yearly pill check-up, like they would with their GP, which they will have when requesting their next supply of contraception. It is still encouraged to seek medical advice from a pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects continue after three months.” 
 
Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP to access this service. Pharmacies will only inform the GP practice that individuals have accessed the service, with their consent.  Business cards are being rolled out for patients across the Black Country enabling pharmacists to write down the date of the next supply of contraception and the name of the pharmacy. Contraception is free and confidential, including for young people under the age of 16. The doctor or nurse will not tell anyone, including parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm. 

You can now get your contraceptive pill directly from your local pharmacist in confidence.

No appointments are necessary, allowing you to be seen quickly and conveniently.

Walsall Council are looking for local people in Walsall to help shape adult social care services. Want to create better experiences for people who access our services. Involving people who use adult social care services ensures the needs of our community are met.

The input of local people, partners and local organisations is invaluable to us in shaping healthcare services.

We often have involvement exercises running, and the details of any that are currently active will be available below,

Current ICB involvement opportunities

BBC News article 17th April 2025

A scheme to help GPs provide care and advice to patients without them joining long NHS hospital waiting lists is being expanded in England, the government has said.

GPs will work more closely with specialists to access expert advice quickly for patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, menopause symptoms and ear infections.

Backed by £80m of funding, its ambition is to help two million people receive faster and more convenient care in their local community by the end of 2025/26.

We have just realised our latest report. It's worth a read!

If you have any comments about the report, then please share them, email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk

If you or your family become unwell, you may not always need to see a doctor or get a prescription. Your local pharmacists are clinically trained experts in medicines, managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice.

Pharmacists can help you with common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains. They alsomay offer medication advice and free consultations,perform health checks, and treat minor injuries and ailments.

Somepharmacies offer extended opening hours in the evenings and at weekends, and there is no need to book an appointment –just walk in.

As we move into the winter months, your local pharmacy can help you to get the help you need.

Current involvement opportunities with the Black Country Integrated Care Board.

Below text from a letter from the BCICB.

We are recruiting a small co-design expert advisory group focused on improving interpretation and translation services, to better meet the language and communication needs of people when accessing NHS primary care services in the Black Country. We are seeking applications from experts with lived and learned experience, to review and shape a new specification as part of a re-procurement of the service, with people and communities at its heart, through their insights, experiences and ideas. Applicants will be local organisations, community groups, or leaders who are trusted voices in the community, who work closely with people experiencing language and communication barriers, or who have good knowledge of the needs and challenges experienced by the community, when accessing primary care.

Successful candidates will be expected to take part in up to 4 x half day advisory group meetings. Successful applicants will be compensated for their involvement at the rate of £75 per half day meeting. We will also explore the scope of other opportunities with advisory group members, to potentially deliver community conversations (in late-May/ early-July) on behalf of the ICB, if the need arises due to gaps in our insight and intelligence. Furthermore, there may be an opportunity to nominate one member of the advisory group to join the procurement panel as a lay representative. You should complete and return the below EOI form by no later than 11.59pm on- Thursday 8 May 2025, though we would encourage you to complete at your earliest convenience as applications could be closed early if there are a high number of responses.

If you want to discuss your EOI during the application process or if you need any support, you can: · Contact kathryn.meredith@nhs.net or · Register to attend our virtual briefing session on 30 April 2025.

Please also get in touch if you would like this form in another language or format.

Yes, it's full of information, advice, and support. There are things you can get involved in to.