News

We are appealing to Island residents for help in easing the ongoing pressure on our services.

Following a review carried out in 2020, Isle of Wight NHS Trust has introduced new parking charges for patients and visitors from 3 October 2022.

This Organ Donation Week (26th September to 2nd October) Isle of Wight NHS Trust and NHS Blood and Transplant and are calling on people to register their donation decision and talk to their families about organ donation as more than 6,500 people are actively waiting for a transplant across the UK.

If you would you like to be part of a vital expanding team, ensuring high standards of cleanliness are achieved for our patients, visitors, and staff then we would love to see you at our recruitment open day on Saturday 1 October 2022, from 10am to 2pm.

We remain under significant pressure despite calling an end to a critical incident caused by high levels of demand for emergency care.

In response to sustained demand for our services, we have declared a Critical Incident today (Wednesday 21 September 2022).

We are working towards achieving national Veteran Aware status to ensure the best possible NHS care is provided for veterans, their families, and to those who are still serving in the UK’s armed forces. We will be holding a drop in event on Thursday 29 September 2022, from 10am to 2pm, for members of the public to come along and meet representatives from a range of veteran support services.

From Thursday 1 September 2022, visitors to St Mary’s Hospital and other Trust sites are once again no longer required to wear face masks, unless it is their personal preference to do so.

Biomedical Scientist, Jussna Mateen and Indian restaurant, Eastern Eye, in Sandown have raised an incredible £1,200 for The Friends of St Mary’s Hospital by organising a tasty takeaway meal for some hungry pathologists at Isle of Wight NHS Trust.

Our Ambulance Service has awarded the Ryde Beach Lifegaurd team with an Ambulance Service Commendation Award for their outstanding contribution and support.

If you are looking to start your career in healthcare then come along to our recruitment open day for healthcare support workers on Saturday 20 August 2022 from 10am to 2pm at St Mary’s Hospital.

The Wight Strollers have made their 10^th Public Access Defibrillator donation following the enormous success of their most recent pantomime, Dick Whittington.

We are thrilled to announce that we have been shortlisted in three categories for this year’s Health Service Journal Awards (HSJ):

• Primary and Community Care Provider of the Year
• Provider Collaboration of the Year - Hampshire and Isle of Wight People and OD Collaborative
• HSJ Partnership Award - Clinically assessing and mitigating risk for outpatient backlogs - proactive Covid recovery initiatives

We have taken the decision to stand down the critical incident that was called last week in response to sustained pressure on its services.

We have declared a critical incident in response to sustained pressure on our services.

High levels of demand and difficulties in discharging people into social care means that St Mary’s Hospital is close to capacity.

Our senior doctors and nurses are appealing to residents to support St Mary’s Hospital as it deals with increasing demand for services.

With Cowes Week underway, we are urging residents and visitors to to take extra care to stay safe outside.

A new service to provide year-round mental health crisis support to adults across the Isle of Wight has gone live in Ryde.

Ryde Safe Haven offers any over 18s on the Island a ‘safe space’ out of hours on Fridays, weekends and bank holidays.

It follows the success of Newport Safe Haven, which opened three years ago and has, in the past year, supported more than 650 people, who live across the Island.

To support the needs of our Island patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer we have a dedicated multi-professional clinic, based in our ear nose and throat department, in place for those who have to travel to the mainland for treatment.

One of our student nurses, Jade Wareham, has been shortlisted for a Royal College of Nursing Award after sending off her submission the day before the deadline.

We have had to make the difficult decision to postpone our Summer Fete due to take place on Saturday 23 July due to the potential fire risk caused by the recent heatwave.

We are delighted to announce that its Community Continence Team has been shortlisted for a Nursing Times Award 2022. 

Our Executive Team are warning of the impact of unprecedented pressure on local health services and are appealing to local residents for help.

We are reintroducing mask wearing at St Mary’s Hospital and other Trust buildings following a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Our cancer patients will be the first in the world to benefit from chemotherapy delivered by drone as part of a new trial. 

We are inviting the Island community to our annual summer fete on Saturday 23 July 2022 at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, after a 2 year hiatus.

As the UK marks Cervical Screening Awareness Week, women on the Island are being reminded of the importance of booking their cervical screening appointments. Figures show nearly a third of those eligible are not coming forward for their appointments.

Our End of Life Care Service has received national recognition for its services to support people, and their families, who are receiving end of life care.

From Monday 20 June 2022, visitors to St Mary’s Hospital and other Trust sites are no longer required to wear face masks, unless it is their personal preference to do so

The IOW NHS Trust is proud to have launched the IOW NHS Trust Careers for Young People Programme this week with colleagues from HTP Apprenticeship College.

Our Research Team have supported the world’s largest study of the genetics of critical COVID-19.

The study involving more than 57,000 people worldwide, has revealed fresh details about some of the biological mechanisms behind the severe form of the dis

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has launched a Dementia Navigators service to help support people who are living with the effects of dementia or awaiting a dementia assessment.

The Isle of Wight’s mental health wellbeing organisation, Isorropia Foundation, is now open to self-referrals.

People struggling with their mental health and wellbeing can now directly access help from Isorropia Foundation without needing to be referred there by a professional.

Isle of Wight NHS Trust is hosting an outdoor public event to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 202 on Thursday 12 May 2022.

In July last year the Trust's Mental Health Charitable Fund awarded Bodster Equine Assisted Learning £10k for their Horses Opening Doors programme.

Health leaders today issue a fresh appeal to communities as figures reveal more than 8,500 people attended an Emergency Department (ED) in Hampshire and Isle of Wight in the last week alone.

On just one day more than 1,460 people attended a local ED – one every single minute.

Health leaders today issue an urgent plea to communities amid a “perfect storm” of rising pressure on services and rocketing COVID-19 rates.

Remember hands, face and space, to keep safe and well.

In partnership with Medefer, our Trust has won an award for Best Elective Care Recovery Initiative at the at this year’s HSJ Partnership Awards 2022. 

Working in partnership with Island based design and manufacture company Inflight Peripherals Limited (IFPL), our Trust has designed a new innovative compact personal protective equipment (PPE) station to help support our busy staff to meet important infection prevention and control measures.

Our Trust is the first NHS Trust in England to sign up to the Employee Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC) to support and empower survivors of domestic abuse to enter or re-enter the workplace.

Positive changes continue this LGBT History Month as our LGBT+ Equality Staff Network appoint an executive sponsor to help champion and support changes to improve equality, diversity and inclusion at our Trust.

The UK Government announced that England will remove all remaining domestic COVID-19 restrictions in law from Thursday 24 February.

We want to hear what you think about local healthcare

Staff member Daisy reflects on the recent improvements at our Trust to mark LGBT+ History Month

National Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity to celebrate the many NHS apprentices that are well on their way to exciting careers in the National Health Service

Junior doctors Dr Azra Khatun and her colleague Dr Suga Roy have founded and implemented the Surgical Scarf Project at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust to support Muslim women looking to build a career in theatres.

An outdoor area that is calm and relaxing for families to enjoy will be made possible with thanks to a generous donation in memory of baby Lola Rose

Richard Harding (79), from Yarmouth was the first person who has had a successful awake complex shoulder operation at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust which took place at the end of 2021.

Following a successful bid the Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been awarded £10,000 from NHS England and Improvement to support staff and their mental health after they experience traumatic events in the workplace.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is currently facing increased demand for its services, with additional pressure expected over the New Year’s Bank Holiday weekend.

The continuing threat posed by COVID-19 and the usual winter pressures including staff sickness, means that it’s important that local people are using the right services for healthcare support, so that frontline staff can focus on those most in need.

A new Rapid Response Vehicle service has been launched this month by the Isle of Wight NHS Trust as part of a pilot project to support people in mental health crisis in the community.

The specifically allocated rapid response vehicle will be jointly crewed by a paramedic and a registered Senior Mental Health Practitioner from the Isle of Wight NHS Trust Mental Health Liaison Team.

Simple things you can do to keep yourself well and help frontline health and care workers this winter

As part of Disability History Month we have been sharing a number of staff stories to highlight their personal experiences of the support they have received in their personal and professional lives. In our final installment, that marks the end of Disability History Month, we share staff member Neil Fradgley's story

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service (IWAS) carries out an ambitious large-scale night exercise

IOW NHS Trust have a great opportunity for exercise providers to make a big difference to our Island community

The End of Life Care Ward, Wellow Unit have launched a new Bereavement Follow Up Call Service for family members that have been bereaved after their loved ones have died.

The IOW NHS Trust’s Pathology service now have a new sensory room which is designed to relax and distract patients who struggle to have their bloods taken.

We are celebrating our first cohort of international nurses as they mark their 20 year anniversary since joining the Trust this week.

 This week marks 20 years since the Trust welcomed over 40 nurses from the Philippines to help boost nursing levels.

Stress Awareness Day (Wednesday 3 November) is an ideal opportunity to highlight the effect of stress in people’s daily lives and to share information about where to get support when feeling overwhelmed.

Isle of Wight NHS Trust has scooped one of this year’s prestigious Nursing Times Awards after being short-listed in two categories, including ‘Care of Older People’ and ‘Nurse Leader of the Year’.

Our Community Rapid Response Team won the ‘Care of Older People’ category at an awards ceremony held in London last week (Wednesday 27 October). The team was recognised for their compassionate approach and rapid response to meet the needs of older patients in crisis during the pandemic.

Now in its 8^th year, Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service continues its momentum in support of Restart a Heart Day, which takes place on Saturday 16 October.

A new maternity app has launched which offers women online access to their maternity records

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Apian have begun a three month drone trial to optimise the delivery and access to chemotherapy for their cancer patients.

“Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care.”

Jamie Hindson, from Ryde, who ran a solo half-marathon on the 18 April, 2021 raised £1000 and has kindly donated £500 to the NHS Charitable Fund to be used for mental health community services. 

Enhanced visiting restrictions are now in place across all inpatient wards at St Mary’s Hospital.

Due to a rise in positive COVID-19 patients being treated at St Mary’s Hospital, further safety measures have been introduced to help protect patients, staff and the public.

A pilot service that currently supports the wellbeing of young people aged 5 to 19 in eight Island schools, will expand to all schools from next year.

 The Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Barnardo’s and the Isle of Wight Youth Trust have been working in partnership to deliver the new UK Government initiative in England, Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in schools and colleges across the Island.

Asthma affects people of all ages. The UK has one of the highest rates of asthma in Europe, with 5.4 million people currently receiving treatment, more than a million of whom are children and teenagers.

We are urgently seeking accommodation for NHS professionals working on the Island. Can you help?

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service has recently contacted all their known Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) guardians asking them to register their devices onto the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) National Defibrillator Network, ‘The Circuit’.

The vaccination programme is going extremely well – across Hampshire and Isle of Wight we have delivered more than two million vaccinations.

Isle Talk Wellbeing for Mums is there for new and expectant mothers who need support for their mental health and wellbeing

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is pleased to announce it has been awarded full accreditation by the ECT Accreditation Service (ECTAS) of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for its Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) services. A service that provides effective treatment for those with severe mental illness.

A new service to support the wellbeing of our young people across Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight.

 Kooth, a service delivered by Kooth Plc, is a free online counselling and emotional wellbeing support service providing young people aged 11 - 25 years (up to their 26th birthday) with a safe and secure means of accessing support with their emotional health and wellbeing needs from a professional team of qualified counsellors.

This clever duo are improving the quality of service we provide for Island patients

‘Time to shake’ is a helpful reminder for everyone who takes medication on a regular basis to check their supply now and before the Bank Holiday weekend

As part of marking this year’s Dementia Action Week (17 to 23 May), the Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s Speech and Language Therapy team are sharing helpful guidance on communicating with people with dementia and feeding tips for those with swallowing difficulties.  

This month is National Walking Month. Walking is a fantastic way to keep active and maintain a healthy heart and it's fun, flexible and free. But it can take its toll on your feet!

IW Ambulance Service has paid tribute to the incredible support they have received from partner agencies over the past year

Dealing with the reality of being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness can be devastating. You may react by feeling angry, sad or guilty. It can affect your memory, concentration, motivation, thoughts and beliefs.

With Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May) around the corner and at a time when everyone is feeling the impact of the challenges over this past year, many people are reconsidering what role they play to support the wider community.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust are hosting a virtual Mental Health Recruitment Event on Thursday, 14 May, 12.30pm to 3.30pm to enable anyone interested in a career in mental health to find out more about the day-to-day experience of those who work in different roles at the Trust and to get more information about current vacancies.

Isorropia Foundation, the Isle of Wight’s mental health wellbeing organisation, celebrates its second birthday on 1 May 2021.

The Isorropia team, a blend of professionals and people with lived experience, delivers a wide range of bespoke wellbeing programmes designed to empower people to take control of their wellbeing, develop resilience and live their best possible life. 

Over 100 clinicians, vaccinators, administrative staff and volunteers have worked 7 days a week to ensure all groups are vaccinated

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has taken another step forward in delivering its mental health transformation plans, with the acquisition of two new buildings to be used as Integrated Mental Health hubs in Newport and Sandown.

Every year on April 16 the Trust celebrates World Voice Day.

Four Isle of Wight Ambulance Service (IWAS) Emergency Vehicle Operatives (EVOs), Adam, Lynsey, Kenny and Steve, join a cohort of twenty-four South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) Emergency Care Assistants next week to embark on the Paramedic Apprenticeship.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s mental health transformation plans are moving ahead, in partnership with Southern Housing Group, with the development of a community-based mental health recovery service for people with complex mental health needs. 

 Woodlands, a ten-bed rehabilitation ward based in Wootton, is being converted into a supported community housing scheme to provide wraparound support to help residents to move towards independent living.