A report presented to Sunderland’s Health and Wellbeing Board outlined measures for the 2025/26 winter period, focusing on vaccination programmes, community-based care, and improved hospital flow.
00:00A report presented to Sunderland's Health and Wellbeing Board outlined measures for the 2025 to 2026 winter period,
00:08focusing on vaccination programmes, community-based care and improved hospital flow.
00:14Three key priorities have been identified, which are enhancing the respiratory pathway, maximising preventative and home-based care and improving hospital discharge.
00:24Plans include increased vaccination against flu, COVID and RSV, targeting the elderly, vulnerable groups and healthcare workers,
00:34as well as expanding respiratory care for people with COPD and asthma.
00:39The NHS also aims to build capacity and community services, including urgent care response teams, hospital at-home initiatives, acute respiratory hubs and better care coordination.
00:50These measures are designed to reduce pressure on emergency departments and support patients closer to home.
00:58The region faced significant challenges last winter with high levels of respiratory illness, workforce pressures, temporary bed closures and rising mental health demand linked to the cost of living.
01:09For 2025 to 2026, new step-down re-ablement beds will help patients recover at home sooner,
01:15while better hospital-to-home transitions aim to keep occupancy levels lower during the crucial Christmas period.
01:22Graeme King from Sunderland City Council praised the commendable partnership effort and said the aim is to keep hospital occupancy around 80% before Christmas to provide crucial resilience.
01:33With vaccination drives and strengthened community services at the heart of the strategy,
01:38health leaders hope this winter will be less chaotic, though they admit pressures will remain high.
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