NHS Cheshire and Merseyside December 2023 Blog
Friday, 8 December 2023
With just over two weeks to go until Christmas, we hope that many of you are looking forward to the festivities.
This time of year is always a particularly busy time for the NHS, and we are seeing the pressures build on our services, especially with the cold weather.
At our Board meeting last week, Anthony Middleton, our Director of Performance and Planning, summed it up by saying: "It is December now and the pressures are already here. What we need to do now is deliver our winter plan. A safer winter will make a better winter.”
We are doing all we can to support our frontline services to maintain quality and safety standards, amid additional seasonal pressures.
We are asking you all to play your part to help too. If you are eligible for flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, please come forward when invited. Vaccinations not only help to protect you, but those around you too.
Today we mark the third anniversary of the historic NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme, and to date, over seven million people have been vaccinated across Cheshire and Merseyside. We want to thank everyone who has been part of this enormous undertaking across our region.
Reflecting on the past year, we have come a long way since becoming NHS Cheshire and Merseyside in July 2022. One thing we have built on is our collaborative working with our trusts and providers, something we look forward to building on even more in 2024.
Finally, and most importantly, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas. Please do look after yourself and those around you.
Graham Urwin - Chief Executive