North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

29/10/2026

Is your child aged 2 or 3?

Help protect them from flu this winter with a free NHS flu vaccine. Book through your GP, online or at a participating pharmacy. No invitation needed.

Find out more: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/

29/10/2026

Chat to a mental health professional, at any time of the day or night, by sending a text to 07312 263117 📞

This free text messaging service can provide text-based crisis intervention, emotional support, and signposting to appropriate resources or services, discretely and privately.

Find out more: https://www.combined.nhs.uk/news/latest-updates/combined-healthcares-crisis-mental-health-text-service-offers-24-7-mental-health-support-via-text-message/?fbclid=IwY2xjawVO3k1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMEl5YTZkd0NLWGdreHdiRDhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeYhfiw1PjfQd4xi4Z6wYpetmFwTE4NYQ4OvswNDeGj5j7riCzVYR83AIPb7M_aem_YUZzM7n91Tl1YTDj61PnAw

Please note, this is not for emergency or urgent situations. If it is an emergency, dial 999 or visit A&E.

29/10/2026

Congratulations to our new cohort of preceptees, who have now completed the NHS England recommended preceptorship programme! 🎉

Preceptorship is a period of structured support provided to health and care workers at key moments of career transition, such as entering the workforce for the first time, returning to work after a long period away, working in the UK for the first time, taking up a new role, or moving to a new organisation.

Colleagues gathered recently for a celebration event to mark the milestone with the preceptees. A huge well done to everyone who has completed the programme, wishing you success in the next stage of your careers as you inspire the next generation of newly qualified practitioners on their preceptorship journeys.

28/10/2026

Hear from Combined Healthcare's Chief Executive, Buki Adeyemo, who is encouraging staff to complete their National NHS Survey. The survey results help the trust to shape improvements so that we can be outstanding in all we do and how we do it.

All staff will have been sent their unique survey link via email, so please sit down with a cuppa and share your thoughts today. More info can be found on CAT.

Combined Healthcare's Chief Executive, Buki Adeyemo, urges staff to...

28/10/2026

We all know someone who's experienced addiction, from substance misuse to gambling or gaming addiction. Together, we need to encourage others to

Visit the NHS APA website to find out more: www.nhsapa.org/stigma

27/10/2026

A huge thank you to the organisers of the ST9 Ball, who have raised an amazing £10,000 for Combined Charity! 💜✨

The annual ST9 Ball is organised by local volunteers and has become a much-anticipated annual event with a simple ambition: to bring the community together and raise meaningful funds for causes that make a genuine difference to local lives.

Funds raised for Combined Charity will go directly towards improving the care and experience of people who use Combined Healthcare services.

Read more: https://www.combined.nhs.uk/news/latest-updates/local-charity-ball-raises-10000-for-combined-charity/

27/10/2026

A service that has helped dozens of people in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent with employment support as part of their mental health recovery is expanding its offer to even more individuals.

Step On offers Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services to those of a working age across the county who are experiencing severe mental illness or have complex mental health needs. IPS is evidence-based employment support that helps people with severe mental health conditions, addictions, or other disabilities find and keep competitive paid jobs.

Previously open only to people accessing specialist or hospital-based mental health services, known as secondary care, the new Step On IPS Primary Care service is now seeing Employment Specialists work alongside Mental Health Practitioners based in local GP practices.

This means the service is able to provide personalised, practical, and recovery-focused employment support to more people, in particular those who have previously been supported by secondary care services and are now receiving help at primary care level via a Mental Health Practitioner.

Step On is delivered in partnership between Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and North Staffordshire Combined Health NHS Trust.

The team offers support to people in whichever way feels most meaningful to them, whether through entering work, returning after a break, disclosing their mental health to employers, or taking those initial steps to looking to gain paid employment.

Alongside primary care, the service is also strengthening its established links with local job centres, food banks and family hubs.

Beth Holmes, Step On Primary Care Supervisor said: “The team have worked really hard to integrate themselves into primary care practices and the local community in reaching out to individuals to promote the caring and compassionate work they do in being a holistic part of a person’s mental health recovery.

“We’re already enjoying success in supporting our clients into paid employment and continue to support them and their employers in their journey to sustainable employment.”

26/10/2026

Ward 6 at Harplands Hospital recently received this feedback from a student nurse...

"I would like to thank you for all the support, guidance and encouragement you have given me during my placement. Your professionalism, patience and commitment to high-quality care have made me more confident, more skilled and helped me grow both personally and professionally.
Thank you for investing time in my development and building such a welcoming environment where I felt supported, challenged and inspired to grow. I am so thankful for all I have learned from each of you. You are the best team I have ever worked with."

A huge well done and thank you to every member of the Ward 6 team.

23/10/2026

Living with a long-term health condition?

Flu can increase your risk of serious illness. If eligible, book your free NHS flu vaccine online, through the NHS App, at your GP surgery or a participating pharmacy.

Find out more: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/

21/10/2026

Colleagues marked Black History Month today, with a special event hosted by the trust's Equality Network for Race, Inclusion and Cultural Heritage. 🔴🟠🟢

Guided by the 2026 theme, ‘Honouring our Communities’, the event was an opportunity to celebrate, connect and recognise the contribution of individuals who make a lasting difference and inspire possibilities in everyone they meet.