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Join us for our sixth annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference and networking event on 26 June. It brings together HIT members, stakeholders, commissioners and other interested people and organisations. Last year's conference was attended by more

Safer 20mph speed limits are here to stay in Bristol, with the results of Bristol City Council’s review leaving the limits in place across the city.

Professor Adam Finn, Dr Julie Yates and Dr Marion Roderick, Directors of the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team (BIG HIT), give an update on the HIT's progress in 2018-19.​...

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have attracted nearly £2.9 million in research funding to Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire during 2018-19, for nearly 40 different projects.

Dr Jonathan Evans, Director of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), gives an update on progress in 2018-19.

Sue Dursley, Nik Munien and Lucy Biddell, Co-Directors of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) give an update on the HIT's activities in 2018-19.

Zoe Trinder-Widdess and Zoe Banks Gross on the results of the Council's recent Quality of Life report, and what it tells us about the priorities of Bristolians.

Professor Selena Gray and Karen Lloyd-Pyrke, Directors of the Active Older People Health Integration Team, give an update on their work in 2018-19.

Co-Directors of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments HIT (SHINE), Dr Adrian Davis and Dr Suzanne Audrey, reflects on their progress over the past 12 months.​...

Directors Dr Emma Clark, Associate Professor Emma Dures and Mr Sanchit Mehendale give an update on the 2018-19 activity of the Bristol Bones and Joints Health Integration Team (HIT).​...

Surgeons from the National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR Bristol BRC) will be challenging passers-by to a giant game of Operation in the Clifton Down Shopping Centre from 9am-4pm on 20 May.

‘Overcoming Barriers: Autism in the Somali community’ is a short film telling the stories of Bristol-based Somali families affected by autism, and the professionals who support them.

A new list of the data sources in NHS, local authority and academic organisations that could be used for research and service planning has been published by Bristol Health Partners and the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute at the University of Bristol.

The Chronic Kidney Disease HIT has published its proof of concept study for tele-clinics for kidney transplant patients in BMJ Open. The study found that the tele-clinics were well received by patients, increased attendance rates and saved money.

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)’s Health Tech Hub has printed three 3D brain models that show the effects of dementia on the organ, printed for Bristol based dementia charity BRACE.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) ran an event in April for ‘informal’ carers who provide substantial, unpaid care and support for family members or friends.

Health Integration Teams (HITs) are set to benefit from £176k of investment from Bristol Health Partners in 2019-20. HITs requested funding from the partnership for a wide variety of projects, with the majority receiving funding.

The University of Bristol in partnership with the Universities of Bath, West of England, Manchester, Reading and Cardiff and Bristol City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been awarded £6.6m by the UK Prevention Research Partnership.

The first training session for patient and public contributors on digital health and use of data ran on 28 March, organised by Bristol Health Partners and People in Health West of England​. As far as we know, it's the first training of its kind in the UK...

ReMemBr Group, a joint University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust research group based at Southmead Hospital, is one of 250 study sites around the world taking part in the Generation Program, a multinational trial of two new drugs which may be abl...

Professor Sarah Purdy and Dr Peter Goyder, Directors of the Integration to Avoid Hospital Admissions Health Integration Team (ITHAcA HIT), give an update on the HIT's activities in 2018-19.

Dr Katy Turner, Dr Paddy Horner, Dr Jo Copping and Dr Emma Harding-Esch look back over the work of the Sexual Health Improvement for Population and Patients Health Integration Team during 2018-19.

Dr David Kessler and Rick Cooper, Directors of the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT), give an update on the HIT's work in 2018-19.

Helen Malson and Sanni Norweg, Directors of the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT), reflect on the team's work and achievements over the last year.

Kyla Thomas, Thara Raj and Tim Williams, Directors of the Drug and Alcohol Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on their team’s work in 2018-19.​...

Dr Phil Clatworthy, Sara Blackmore, Chris Priestman, Stephen Hill, Dr Phil Simons and Emily Dodd give an update on what the Stroke Health Integration Team got up to in 2018-19.​...

Professor Julie Mytton, out-going Director, and Dr Toity Deave, in-coming Director of the Child Injury Health Integration Team (CIPIC HIT) give an update of the HIT's activities in 2018-19.​...

Dr Maria-Paloma Sequeiros Camarinha and Dr Hilary Archer Directors of the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on the team's work and successes in 2018-19.

Dr Fergus Caskey gives an update on the work of the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team (CKD HIT) over the last year.​...

Healthwatch Bristol and South Gloucestershire want to know #WhatWouldYouDo to improve care in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Dr Kyla Thomas has been jointly awarded the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) Fred Yates prize for researcher of the year 2019.

Dr Alan Whone and Lucy Mooney, Director and Deputy-Director of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT), give an update on the HIT's progress in 2018-19.

A £1.1 million project to develop biodegradable stents for patients with severe vascular disease, which affects around one million people in the UK, has started thanks to Innovate UK funding.

Stepping up efforts to prevent transmission of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs, could reduce future infections by 43 per cent globally, according to a study by researchers at the University of Bristol.

Professor David Wynick and Lisa Buckle give an update on the work of the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team (IPM HIT) in 2018-19.

Sara Blackmore, Director of Public Health at South Gloucestershire Council, has joined the Stroke Health Integration Team as a Director.

Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) Project Manager Julie Clayton on how attitudes to dementia are being challenged by projects like the Restaurant that Makes Mistakes.

How walkable is Bristol? This is the question at the centre of Bristol Walking Alliance (BWA) events for 2019’s Bristol Walk Fest, which runs throughout May.

New research led by the University of Bristol has found some evidence that children and adolescents with higher levels of anxiety may be at greater risk of developing alcohol problems.

‘Overcoming Barriers: Autism in the Somali community’ is a short film telling the stories of Bristol-based Somali families affected by autism, and the professionals who support them. It is being premiered on 3 April at the Watershed.

Viewing social media content aimed at challenging mainstream beauty ideals can boost body confidence among young women, a new study has revealed.

Bristol Health Partners and People in Health West of England are running an innovative pilot training session on digital health and use of data.

Mental health amongst university students could be improved by introducing mindfulness training. These are the findings from the first UK study to measure the efficacy of mindfulness based cognitive therapy on students.

A large breakthrough has been made in the genetic understanding of mouth ulcers which could provide potential for a new drug to prevent or heal the painful lesions.

One of the government's top scientific advisors visited South Gloucestershire Council, to understand the public health challenges of South Gloucestershire, and how research can help address them.

New research led by the University of Bristol has found children whose mothers drink during pregnancy could be at greater risk of mental health problems, particularly anxiety, depression and conduct disorder.

North Bristol Trust has taken part in a pioneering trial programme by offering patients with Parkinson’s an experimental treatment directly to the brain to see if it is possible to restore the cells damaged by the disease.

The groundbreaking work of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT) is the focus of a two-part BBC documentary airing on 28 February and 7 March.

Dr Myles Linton, a health economist in NIHR CLAHRC West’s efficiency team, has been on secondment to mental health charity Second Step for one day a week since September 2018. Here he gives tips on how researchers can make a difference with a secondment.

Health and social care commissioners came together at City Hall for a special seminar to hear about the work of Health Integration Teams, attended by over 60 people.

Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) The Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) is a team of professionals who are all working together to transform care for people affected by dementia through comprehensive research, integrating and improving care ser...

After reviewing thousands of case studies going back 25 years across six countries, generalisable survival data is now available for the first time to estimate how long hip and knee replacements are likely to last.

With young people’s mental health hitting the headlines, a Bristol-developed free app giving people easy, quick and discreet access to reliable information and advice about self-harm and suicidal thoughts is now included on the NHS Apps Library.

Your attitude during pregnancy could have an effect on your child’s ability in maths and science, according to a new study published by Frontiers in Psychology today (Friday 8 February). Using data from Bristol’s Children of the 90s study the re...

A Bristol Community Health grant has opened the door to enabling members of Sikh and Hindu communities in Bristol to improve their understanding of dementia.

More than 70 people gathered to hear about a project to produce materials to promote the use of safer low dead space injecting equipment on Thursday 24 January.

A study commissioned by the Active Older People Health Integration Team (APPHLE HIT) has found that community-based physical activities for older people are suitable for those who've had a joint replacement.

The Movement Disorders Health Integration Team has published its first interactive pathway which describes the services and support patients can expect when they are being considered for treatment with Duodopa.

More than 100 people with movement disorders, those close to them, health professionals and researchers came to an event on 22 January to discuss hot topics in research.

Providing clean injecting equipment through needle and syringe programmes is a highly cost-effective way of preventing hepatitis C (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs and could save millions of pounds in infection treatment costs in the UK.

Scientists have identified an enzyme that is a “master regulator” of kidney function that if excessively suppressed, can trigger renal failure. Their findings have implications for the use of existing drugs and the development of new pharmaceuticals.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) is inviting organisations from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to submit proposals for funding between £500 and £10,000, to encourage innovation using 'hyvr'.

A fresh look by the University of Bristol at how teenagers are affected by their asthma, eczema or obesity has some reassuring findings published in BMJ Open.

Research led by NIHR CLAHRC West and CAPC at the University of Bristol found that unless GP online consultation systems are carefully implemented, they won’t yield the benefits policymakers hope for in the NHS 10 year plan.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network's Health Innovation Programme is open for healthcare innovators who want practical support to navigate the NHS business landscape.

Gareth Hooper, Health and Social Care Commissioning Manager, NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, writes about how to come up with good hypotheses at the start of an intervention.

Dr Sophie Taysom is an independent policy analyst at Keyah Consulting. Here she reflects on the discussions at the Bristol Health Partners AI in Health and Care: How do we get it right? event that took place on 28 November.

A new study from the University of Bristol supports body mass index (BMI) as a useful tool for assessing obesity and health.

Our funding partner organisations have signed a new Bristol Health Partners collaboration agreement for the next three years. This agreement secures our funding until 2021, allowing the vital work of the HITs and partnership to continue.

Applicants to the September 2019 intake of the University of Bristol’s groundbreaking LLM in Health, Law, and Society are invited to apply to a scholarship scheme that is generously funded by the Wellcome Trust.

The British Heart Foundation has announced two new fellowship schemes for nurses and allied health professionals.

The Bristol Health Partners Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) held a special launch event on 16 November, bringing together more than 80 people, including those who have experienced stroke, their friends and family, professionals who support them, res...

Our Health Integration Teams (HITs) are benefitting from some extra project management support thanks to Rhiannon Wilson and John Halliwell joining the team on secondment.

A University of Bristol study which showed lives could be saved if babies were placed on their backs - and not their fronts - to sleep, has today been named as one of the UK’s 100 best breakthroughs by Universities UK for its significant impact on peop...

A song celebrating the NHS in its 70th year has been released in the charts by a Bristol choir to raise money for their local hospital this Christmas.

Associate Professor in Continence Care Dr Nikki Cotterill has been awarded a prestigious Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarship to develop her work in bladder and bowel continence care.

New research led by the Hip Implant Prosthesis Study team at the University of Bristol Medical School has shown that small-head cemented metal-on-plastic hip replacements are the most cost-effective in men and women older than 65 years.

Professor Sarah Purdy, Head of the University of Bristol’s Medical School, is the new Director of NIHR CLAHRC West.

Women who experience domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are more than twice as likely to seek emergency contraception as other women, according to a study by NIHR-funded researchers at the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London.

New posters, a booklet and an animation, co-designed by service users from Bristol Drugs Project, are being launched on 24 January to promote the benefits of low dead space injecting equipment for people who inject drugs, alongside broader harm reduction...

Up to 17 per cent of children could have symptoms consistent with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) according to new research published on 30 November in Preventative Medicine.

Healthwatch Bristol​ is inviting members of the public to take part in a GP survey called Your GP is Changing.

The Sexual Health Improvement Programme (SHIP) Health Integration Team (HIT) has submitted written evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into sexual health​​.

Training domestic violence and abuse (DVA) advocates to deliver psychological support to women experiencing DVA could significantly improve the health of those affected, a randomised controlled trial led by the University of Bristol has shown.

Today Bristol Health Partners publishes a briefing on ‘AI in health and care’. This is ahead of our event taking place on Wednesday 28 November 2018, which will be a discussion about this important topic.

Researchers at the University of Bristol have established greater evidence for a causal link between trauma in childhood and psychotic experiences at 18 years old.

More than a third (36 per cent) of all deaths and serious injuries on roads in the South West, in 2017, were bike riders (cyclists and motorcyclists). On average, a cyclist or motorcyclist is killed or seriously injured every hour, on British roads.

Bristol’s medics, including doctors from the children’s hospital and the city’s emergency departments, are showing their support for the city’s safer 20mph speed limits during Road Safety Week 19-25 November.

Use of practitioner-led complementary and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, massage, osteopathy and chiropractic treatment, rose from 12 per cent of the population in 2005 to 16 per cent of the population in 2015, according to a CAPC survey.

A large clinical trial led by the University of Bristol and published in the British Medical Journal, looked at the effectiveness of adding mirtazapine to an SSRI or SNRI in patients who remain depressed after at least six weeks of conventional treatment...

New research led by the University of Bristol has found among people who inject drugs, that recent incarceration was associated with an 81 per cent and 62 per cent increase in HIV and HCV acquisition risk, respectively.

Dr Suzanne Audrey is senior research fellow in public health at the University of Bristol with an interest in the health benefits of walking. She is co-director of the SHINE HIT.

As part of the Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) launch on 15 November, we're running a photo exhibition on the themes of ‘What makes me smile’ and ‘What helps my recovery’.

Every year, 1,300 people in the Bristol area have a stroke, and half of those people will have a lasting disability. World Stroke Day is on 29 October 2018, so the Stroke HIT is marking the day with the stories of local people with experience of stroke.

The 2018 Bristol and Bath Health and Care Awards ceremony gave thanks to all those who make up the sector - from receptionists to researchers. Find out who the winners were in the ten award categories.

Elevated body mass index (BMI) – a measure of weight accounting for a person’s height - has been shown to be a likely causal contributor to population patterns in mortality, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol.

The number of people with multiple long-term conditions, known as multimorbidity, is rising internationally, putting increased pressure on health care systems, including the NHS. Researchers from the 3D Study are hosting a conference with RCGP.

Do you have experience of dementia or memory problems? Researchers from the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust are looking for patients or carers over the age of 45 to join a memory patient group to help further research into the disease.

New Wellcome Trust funding means researchers from the University of Bristol can undertake a new study exploring fathers' early parenting experiences.

On Wednesday 3 October, Health Integration Teams (HITs) with a focus on healthy, safe environments got together for a networking breakfast at Lifeskills at the CREATE Centre in South Bristol.

An event on Tuesday 16 October, 6.45-8.30pm at the Watershed, Harbourside offers an opportunity to share ideas and opinions about the best ways to ensure people in Bristol can cross the road safely and conveniently.

On Friday 21 September, the Sexual Health Improvement Programme (SHIP) Health Integration Team (HIT) and BASHH (British Association of Sexual Health and HIV) hosted an open event focused on antimicrobial resistance in sexual health.

Michelle Farr, Senior Research Associate at NIHR CLAHRC West, on her research on how advice services offer a lifeline for people who have health conditions or disabilities. These services are under threat after years of austerity.

GPs and other staff from six Bristol surgeries had a real eye-opener on the varying ways in which patients from different ethnic minorities may talk about dementia, in a series of information sessions led by the University of the West of England.

There is an increasing need to prevent obesity because of the consequences for mental as well as physical health, new research by academics at the University of Bristol has found.

Mental health inpatient wards can be traumatising for people with psychosis. Bristol Health Partners and CLAHRC West want to co-design peer support to address the root causes of this and help rewrite the psychosis narrative.

Bristol Health Integration Teams (HITs) have secured £1,438,000 of funding in the first quarter of 2018/19. This impressive contribution to the local health and care system is the result of efforts from a range of HITs.

On 6 September, some of the Healthier Together team met up with intrepid colleagues from BNSSG CCG, UHBristol, Sirona Care and Health and Bristol Community Health for a spot of Partnerology.

Bristol City Council has launched the Bristol Transport Consultation, which is open until 2 November. Transport plays a big part in all of our daily lives. The draft Bristol Transport Strategy sets out the Council's vision and ambition for transport.

The Care Forum has set up the Voice and Influence Partnership to support individuals, groups and communities whose voices are not always heard to have their say in shaping Bristol’s future.

Doctors and nurses often prescribe antibiotics for children with cough and respiratory infection to avoid return visits, symptoms getting worse or hospitalisation.

The Universities of Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter have launched their clinical primer scheme. Applications are welcome from medical, veterinary and dental graduates for six month biomedical / health research “primer” projects.

The finalists for the 2018 Bristol and Bath Health and Care Awards have been announced. The Bristol Post and Bath Chronicle were inundated with stories of incredible care and treatment across our two cities.​...

Bristol Health Partners has a strategic programme called ‘Using Data Better’. Part of the work promotes the use of data to improve health and care outcomes through research and service planning. The local Think Family Database shows how this can happen...

Edinburgh Napier University has appointed Adrian Davis to the groundbreaking position of Professor of Transport & Health. Adrian is a Director of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments (SHINE) ​Health Integration Team (HIT).

Researchers are calling for more innovative studies into the link between changes to urban neighbourhoods and their impact on residents’ mental health and wellbeing. The research team at the University of Bristol and NIHR CLAHRC West reviewed existing st...

A new research survey has been launched that will take a snapshot of public attitudes to dementia. Led by researchers at the University of West of England, the survey is supported by the Dementia Health Integration Team.

Almost every issue 20mph raises is energy related and the answer to each, along with many of our urban challenges, can be found by looking for the lowest energy solution.

Since closing in April 2017, members of the Respiratory Infections HIT have continued to do work that seeks to provide advice and support for parents and patients, and to reduce antibiotic use in the treatment of respiratory infections.

Full or partial bans on GPs prescribing gluten-free (GF) foods to people with coeliac disease save the NHS money in the short-term. But the impact on patients is unknown, NIHR-funded researchers at the University of Bristol have warned.

Increased weight in young adults is likely to cause higher blood pressure and a thickening of the heart muscle, according to findings by the University of Bristol published in the American Heart Association’s journal on 30 July...

Researchers from the Musculoskeletal Research Unit at the University of Bristol have identified the most important risk factors for developing severe infection after hip replacement.

In the first review of its kind, new research has found that depression and the use of antidepressants are each associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Bristol City Council is consulting on 20mph speed limits in Bristol, with 83 20mph roads and six 30mph roads up for review.​ If you're concerned that a move back to 30mph is not the direction the city should be travelling in, here's what you can do.

Who’s involved The SHIP leadership team is made up of: Director: Thara Raj, Consultant in Public Health, Bristol City Council and Public Health England Director: Paddy Horner, Consultant Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol and GUM Consultant...

Researchers from the University of Bristol have highlighted the potentially negative impact the deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital may have on end-of-life care delivered at home.

Anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy have risen by 51 per cent within a generation according to findings from a major study by the University of Bristol published last week...

Bristol's 20mph limits are under threat, as Bristol City Council is consulting on increasing the speed limit from 20mph on 83 roads, with only six 30mph roads up for review. We want the health community in Bristol to voice their support for 20mph.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams had their annual opportunity to network, share ideas and hear from key speakers from the local health and care system, at the annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 15 June.

Pregnant women who develop high blood pressure, or have small babies, may have hearts that pump less blood with each beat.

Professor Gene Feder at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care has been awarded £1.7 million by the National Institute for Health Research to fund a Global Health Group for research into health systems responses to violence against...

Today we celebrate 70 years of the NHS - the first universal health care system to be established anywhere in the world...

Rachael Gooberman-Hill, Director of Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol, describes the Institute's innovative approach to global health challenges. Another Bristol Firsts blog to mark NHS70.

Rife Magazine has produced a film exploring the stark inequalities between neighbouring suburbs in North Bristol. If you live in Southmead, you can expect to die nine and half years before your neighbours in Henleaze.

Supporters of 20mph limits – which research has shown is seven out of 10 adults surveyed – need to make their voices heard. Bristol City Council’s consultation on the safer speed limits includes 83 20mph roads and six 30mph roads up for review.

A new study by the University of Bristol will test whether teenage girls’ activity levels can be increased through deliberate intervention from their peers, rather than their families or teachers.

In the largest ever trial of an intervention to treat people with multiple long-term conditions in primary care, researchers found that the patient-centred approach taken improved patients’ experience of their care but not quality of life.

Professor Marianne Thoresen describes her groundbreaking work to prevent brain injuries in new-born babies who have been starved of oxygen by cooling them.

Anne Frampton, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, and Andrew Hollowood, Clinical Chair, both at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, describe the development of the SPEaC Happy App.

The Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) has appointed Stephen Hill and Chris Priestman as co-Directors and joint patient and public involvement (PPI) leads​. Both Stephen and Chris are stroke survivors.

A new comic exploring how our culture stigmatises larger body sizes is launching in Bristol on 19 July, as part of an exhibition running from 17 to 21 July.

Peter Wilkinson, a Bristol parks manager and member of the Healthy Neighbourhood Environments (SHINE) HIT, has died aged 57.

The Movement Disorders Health Integration Team ran the country’s first Duodopa support group meeting this month.

Bristol City Council is consulting on 20mph limits in Bristol. If you are one of the seven out of 10 who supports 20mph, then the consultation is your chance to show your support, both where you live and in other areas of the city.

Our 2017-18 annual review highlights the milestones and achievements of our strategic partnership, which works to improve the health of people living in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and the services on which they rely.

David Relph, who has been Director of Bristol Health Partners since 2014, left the role in April 2018. Here he pays tribute to the people he's worked with, as well as the power of the partnership and the Health Integration Team model.

In this blog post, originally published as the foreword of our 2017-18 annual review, Bristol Health Partners Chair Andrea Young reflects on the ups and downs of our partnership over the last year.

Professor Jean Golding, who has been announced as one of the National Institute for Health Research's seven NHS70 research legends, tells the story of developing Children of the 90s, a unique cohort study spanning three generations in the Bristol area.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have attracted nearly £4.7 million in funding to the local health system in 2017-18.

From reporting the findings of the largest ever prostate cancer trial to causing a media stir with a review of research on the effects of low alcohol consumption during pregnancy, Bristol-based research has made a big impression again this year.

Professor Peter Mathieson, who is now Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, was the first Director of Bristol Health Partners. Here he talks about the early days of the partnership. This blog is part of the Bristol Firsts series.

Lisa King, who has recently taken on the role of Bristol Health Partners Chief Operating Officer, on the challenges and rewards of working in partnership in the complex world of health and care.

David Wynick, Chair of the Bristol Health Partners Executive Group and one of the architects of the partnership, reflects on his time working with Bristol Health Partners and looks ahead to the local bid to become an Academic Health Science Centre.

The University of Bristol's Professor Peter Fleming describes the work that led to the Back to Sleep campaign, which advised parents to put their babies to sleep on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, saving 25,000 babies' lives.

Salena Williams, Senior Nurse in the Psychiatric Liaison team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, writes about the creation and development of the Bristol Self-Harm Surveillance Register. Salena is also a Director of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health In...

Two local teams were winners at the 2018 BMJ Awards on 10 May. North Bristol NHS Trust and the West of England Academic Health Science Network both came away with coveted awards at the glittering ceremony held in London.

A newly re-designed app is now available to empower university students to take better care of their health. Providing relevant and reliable information on over 150 mental and physical health issues, the Student Health App is free to download.

Dr Emma Redfern, ED consultant at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, writes about the creation and development of their Emergency Department (ED) safety checklist which is now being rolled out nationally, as part of our Bristol Firsts blog series.

Sue Wensley, Elizabeth Coulthard and Emma Moody, outgoing Directors of the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on the team's work and successes in 2017-18.

Directors Dr Emma Clark, Associate Professor Emma Dures and Mr Sanchit Mehendale give an update on the 2017-18 activity of the Bristol Bones and Joints Health Integration Team (HIT).

Dr Patricia Lucas and Dr Jo Williams, Directors of the Bristol Network for Equality in Early Years Health and Wellbeing (BoNEE), look back on the team's highlights for 2017-18.

Olly Watson, Senior Project Manager at Bristol Health Partners, on the impact of Megan Davies's work with us. Megan has been working with Bristol Health Partners on an internship for the past three months.​...

Megan Davies, who has been working with Bristol Health Partners on an internship for the past three months, reflects on what she's learned during her time in Bristol.

Julie Coulthard, Public Health Principal in Bristol City Council’s Young People’s Public Health Team, describes the development of the Big Book of Bristol Healthy Schools, an A2 book of photos and illustrations made by local school children.

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), give an update on progress in 2017-18.

Professor Sarah Purdy and Dr Peter Goyder, Directors of the Integration to Avoid Hospital Admissions Health Integration Team (ITHAcA HIT), give an update on the HIT's activities in 2017-18.

Hugh Herzig, Helen Malson and Sanni Norweg, Directors of the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT), reflect on the team's work and achievements over the last year.

Dr Nicola Wiles and Dr David Kessler, Directors of the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT), give an update on the HIT's work in 2016-17.

Dr Katy Turner, Dr Paddy Horner and Thara Raj look back over the work of the Sexual Health Improvement for Population and Patients Health Integration Team during 2017-18.

Professor Adam Finn, Dr Julie Yates and Dr Marion Roderick, Directors of the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team (BIG HIT) give an update on the HIT's progress in 2017-18.

This timeline from April 2017 to March 2018 showcases some of the key moments in the year for Bristol Health Partners.

Martin Gregg, one of two public contributors on the Bristol Health Partners Executive Group, reflects on his time in this key leadership role, which he leaves this summer.

The Bristol Post and Bath Chronicle Health and Care Awards are back for a third year, and this time round the event is being extended to Bath, to shine a light on even more healthcare heroes across the two cities.

Professor Selena Gray, Director of the Active Older People Health Integration Team (APPHLE HIT), gives an update on their work in 2017-18.

The Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) brings together clinicians, commissioners, academics, care and support providers and other experts, as well as people who have had strokes and their families and carers. We are committed to preventing strokes and i...

Co-Director of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments HIT (SHINE), Dr Adrian Davis, reflects on progress over the past 12 months.

Dr Phil Clatworthy, Dr Ann Sephton, Professor Mark Pietroni and Emily Dodd give an update on what the Stroke Health Integration Team - our newest HIT - has done so far and their hopes for the year ahead.

Synthetic biologists at the University of Bristol have succeeded in generating laboratory-made red blood cells with rare blood group types that could one day be used to help patients who cannot be matched with donor blood.

If you are interested in the relationships between health and law, and want a degree that gives you diverse career opportunities, then the University of Bristol Law School's LLM in Health, Law, and Society provides the answer.

Dr Julie Mytton, Director of the Child Injury Health Integration Team (CIPIC HIT) gives an update of the HIT's activities in 2017-18.

Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) Directors Dr Sarah Sullivan, Dr Simon Downer, James Robinson and Martha Sneyd give an update on the team's activities in 2017-18.

Dr Alan Whone, Director of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT), gives an update on the HIT's progress in 2017-18.​...

Kyla Thomas, Leonie Roberts, Katherine Williams and Tim Williams, Directors of the Drug and Alcohol Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on their team’s work in 2017-18.

Dr Udaya Udayaraj and Dr Fergus Caskey give an update on the work of the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team (CKD HIT) over the last year.

Dr Adrian Davis, Director of SHINE HIT, is among a group of public health experts, clinicians and transport specialists making a call on government to improve active travel infrastructure so children can lead active lives.

The less commonly prescribed opioid substitute buprenorphine may be safer than methadone for problem opioid users, especially if used during the first month of treatment, according to a study by researchers from the University of Bristol, King’s College...

Sleep and dementia, emergency care, and notions of citizenship were among the highlights of the Dementia HIT Research Showcase 2018 held at BAWA on 19 April 2018.

Zoe Trinder-Widdess, Communications Manager for Bristol Health Partners and NIHR CLAHRC West, talks about taking on UWE's Postgraduate Certificate in Science Communication. This blog was originally published on UWE's Science Communication Unit blog.

The Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) presented their work to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention on 13 March.

Salena Williams and Sue Dursley, Co-Directors of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) give an update on the HIT's activities in 2017-18.​...

NIHR CLAHRC West's popular free training programme includes a range of courses for people working in health, public health, research and commissioning, as well as patients and members of the public. Here are the latest courses available to book.

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG Research and Evidence Team have launched the spring Research Capability Funding (RCF) call. The deadline for applications is 11 June. They are launching a themed call alongside their open call.

David Relph, Bristol Health Partners Director of four years, leaves his role on 24 April 2018. Here are his reflections on his time leading the partnership.

Our Chair Andrea Young gives an update on changes to the leadership of the partnership, and some of the tough decisions our Board has had to wrestle with recently.

Have you or a loved one experienced stroke? The Stroke Health Integration Team is looking for a Peer Director to join their leadership team.

Professor David Wynick and Lisa Buckle give an update on the work of the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team (IPM HIT) in 2017-18.

A new game has been launched, and it’s all about Bristol. The ClairCity Skylines game from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and Bristol City Council, enables people in the city to shape how they want their city to look in the future.

The Respiratory Infections Health Integration Team (HIT) has achieved several key successes since its inception in 2012, and officially closed as a HIT in 2017. Its work continues to have impact today.

Following the merger of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups (BNSSG CCG) on 1 April, the Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) is now known as the BNSSG CCG Research & Evidence Team.

Better timing for cortisol replacement therapies, to more closely replicate the secretion patterns of people with normal levels of the hormone, has shown a significant improvement in patients' cognitive function.

New research has found treating an infected hip replacement in a single stage procedure may be as effective or better than the widely used two-stage procedure. To date no well-designed study has compared these procedures head-to-head to decide if one is...

Around 50 people gathered to view photos by people with lived experience of eating disorders at the Arnolfini on 27 February. The exhibition, which was organised by the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team, showcased photos on 'what recovery means to...

A new £147,000 research project funded by Heart Research UK aims to help 50 per cent of patients who suffer from failed heart bypass surgery, saving them from further invasive surgery and potentially fatal heart attacks.

A novel approach to treating fluid build-up around the lungs of cancer patients could deliver a more effective home-based treatment for thousands of people who might be approaching the end of their lives, according to a new study led by the University of...

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) launched on 1 April, following the merger of the three local CCGs.

A new University of Bristol study, which identifies how acetylcholine impacts learning and memory by acting at different receptors, could prove significant in the drive to develop more targeted and effective therapies for dementia.

Scientists at the University of Bristol are to study how stopping Porcupine – a protein named after the spiky rodent - could improve heart surgery. Professor Sarah George has been awarded £140,000 to investigate if blocking the protein could help people...

The first NHS-led clinical trial for thyroid eye disease (TED) - also called Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) – a disfiguring condition causing protruding eyes, double vision and swelling around the eyes affecting mostly women – has shown that currently widely u...

Stephen Hill, a patient representative on the Stroke Care Pathway Review, talks about his hopes for the Stroke Health Integration Team.

GP surgeries with doctors who also have training in complementary and alternative medicines appear to be less likely to prescribe antibiotics to patients and may hold the key to reducing over-prescribing of these drugs, suggests the study led by Universi...

A new report has revealed that the number of people affected by tooth decay and gum disease is having a widespread and devastating impact not only on patients mouths but also on their general health and wellbeing, particularly in the older population.

The widely adopted practice of issuing 28-day rather than longer duration prescriptions for people with long-term conditions lacks a robust evidence base and should be reconsidered, according to a study published in the British Journal of General Practic...

Jenny Donovan, Professor of Social Medicine, University of Bristol and Director of the NIHR CLAHRC West on the recent findings from two large prostate cancer trials that she has led.

The Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (also known as STITCH) has scooped the Hearing the Patient Voice award as part of Health Education England’s Star Awards programme in the South West.

Inviting men with no symptoms to a one-off PSA test for prostate cancer does not save lives according to results from the largest ever trial conducted by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists based at the University of Bristol.

On 1 February over 200 delegates gathered at We The Curious in central Bristol to listen, debate, network, learn and collaborate at the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre Launch Symposium.

Cllr Mark Bradshaw is Labour Co-op member for Bedminster, Bristol and served as Cabinet Member for Transport under Mayor Marvin Rees until April 2017, and as Deputy Mayor for Place under Mayor George Ferguson from 2013 to 2015.

Two teams have won £8,000 funding each to take their data visualisation projects to the next level and work with leading creative companies in Bristol.

Research by the University of Bristol has shed light on the way our clotting cells and immune cells control their interactions with each other.

The 20mph speed limits in residential areas in Bristol have prevented more than four fatal casualties a year, as well as 11 serious and 159 slight injuries, an evaluation by UWE Bristol has found, estimated to have saved the NHS £15 million a year.

How the size, shape and structure of bones and joints contribute towards the development of common age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis will be investigated by an international research team thanks to a £1.6 million Wellcome Trust...

A new study that will explore the healthcare decisions made in the “best interests” of patients who are unable to make decisions for themselves because they lack mental capacity or competence has been awarded £1.5 million by the Wellcome Trust.

2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the NHS. To mark the occasion, we are looking for anyone who has their 70th birthday this year and has participated in health research, who would be willing to share their story with the media.

The council has launched plans to encourage older people to be more active as part of its plans to roll out Staying Steady classes across the city.

Five Health Integration Teams (HITs) presented their work aimed at keeping people out of hospital at a special lunchtime seminar on 5 February, to commissioners, project managers, researchers and people from the voluntary sector.

Channel 4’s documentary, Can You Rebuild My Brain? gave an insight into how the pioneering Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) procedure can improve people’s lives, and featured a nurse from MOVE HIT.

The Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (also known as STITCH) has been shortlisted in the Hearing the Patient Voice award as part of Health Education England’s Star Awards programme in the South West.

Antibiotic resistance in children’s E. coli, a bacteria that is the most common cause of urinary tract infection, is high against many antibiotics commonly prescribed in primary care and could make them ineffective as first-line treatments, warns a study...

How can people who experience psychosis, those close to them, health professionals, activists and researchers build a new story about psychosis where thriving and resilience are a potential outcome, rather than hopelessness and stigma?...

NIHR CLAHRC West's popular free training programme includes a range of courses for people working in health, public health, research and commissioning, as well as patients and members of the public.

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team are holding an exhibition of photographs by people with experience of eating disorders on 27 February.

Expecting GPs to use medical records to identify individual patients who are most vulnerable to cold weather is unrealistic, according to a study by researchers at the University of Bristol, UCL and the University of Birmingham.

The realities of implementing alternatives to face-to-face GP consultations, such as online and video consultations, mean that hoped-for reductions in GP workload and increases in available appointments for patients might not be realised.

A new video from the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) showcases opportunities for people to get involved in dementia research, both locally and nationally.

Adrian Davis on the Government's 'deplorable' roads programme, which, he argues, runs counter to the evidence, doesn't represent efficient use of funds and will lead to untold ecological damage.

Innovative surgical procedures are continually being developed but how are they tested to ensure safety? Two of the UK’s leading academic surgeons will answer these questions on 1 February to mark the launch of the Bristol Biomedical Research Centre.

A new study by the University of Bristol that assessed data on the drinking patterns of nearly 3,000 drinkers who reported that they were planning to reduce their alcohol consumption found that very few managed it when followed up six months later.

As part of a research project exploring breathing and breathlessness, a new singing group has been set up in Bristol for anyone who is living with a lung condition and their families and carers.

The Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) is a rare opportunity to plan for a healthier future for the West of England, but Bristol Health Partners believes that the latest version of the plan doesn’t address public health issues strongly enough.

CLAHRC West and the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) have developed a suite of training resources to accompany the Evaluation Works and Evidence Works toolkits.

Bristol is celebrating the successes of its year as a European City of Sport as it launches its rebranded website as a one-stop-shop for sport and physical activity in Bristol. The website, now known as Bristol Active City, aims to pull together opp...

Bristol City Council has published a new report about the health of women in Bristol as part of a wider project to assess the health needs of the city.

Stroke HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) has achieved so far.

Dr Phil Clatworthy, director of the Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) and stroke survivor Chris Priestman were guests on Dr Phil Hammond's BBC Bristol show on 30 December.

Pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants in Bristol have been pledging support for Dry January next month by offering appealing alcohol-free alternatives.

Community screening for osteoporosis could prevent more than a quarter of hip fractures in older women – according to new research involving researchers from the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol and local hospitals, and led by...

New research has found teenagers with incontinence are at greater risk of underachieving academically, and need more support to remove barriers so they can reach their academic potential.

A new way of triggering nerve regeneration to help repair spinal cord injury and in the longer-term potentially paralysis has successfully been demonstrated by University of Bristol scientists.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from the University of Bristol have analysed mood indicators in text from 800 million anonymous messages posted on Twitter.

A dementia training course for carers in South Gloucestershire, known as Real Life with Dementia, has won the National Dementia Care Award 2017 for Best Dementia Training Initiative.

Researchers from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care have developed an eczema written action plan (the eWAP) to help parents manage their child’s eczema at home. The plan, completed by parents with their GP, will help parents...

A new app to help people who are considering self-harm or having suicidal thoughts launched in Bristol on 30 November. The distrACT app is designed to give easy, quick and discreet access to general health information and advice about self-harm.

The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) will be extending support into health and social care research taking place in non-NHS settings.

Online GP consultation systems may not be the silver bullet for reducing GP workload and patient waiting times that government policymakers are hoping for, NIHR-funded research from the University of Bristol has found.

A highly successful, evidence-based domestic violence and abuse identification and referral programme (IRIS – Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) developed by researchers at the University of Bristol has launched as a social enterprise.

Research for the RAC Foundation has added weight to the argument that scrapping the oldest cars owned by people living in towns and cities would have negligible effect on air quality.

Older patients who do not see the same GP over a period of time are at higher risk of emergency hospital admission than those who see the same or a small number of GPs, according to new research.

Balancing improvements in health against the cost of such improvements in primary care is vital to achieve a cost-effective and efficient healthcare system, finds a new report by University of Bristol researchers and published in the BMJ.

Babies whose mothers had received support to breastfeed exclusively for a sustained period from birth have a 54 per cent lower risk of eczema at the age of 16, a new study shows.

Creating a Bristol that works for people of all ages and abilities was at the core of Health Integration Team (HIT) events during Healthy City Week this year. Healthy City Week ran from 7-14 October, and included ‘HIT Monday’, as well as other HIT events...

Bristol Health Partners took part in two events as part of Digital Bristol Week 2017. The week, which was organised by the BBC Academy, brought together people working in digitally creative industries across a range of sectors.

Online GP consultation systems as they currently stand are unlikely to take the pressure off GPs and practices, despite NHS England’s drive to promote them through a £45 million fund.

The Centre for Appearance Research at UWE Bristol has partnered with educational games specialists Focus Games Ltd to launch an exciting new resource to help children understand and respect the differences in people’s appearance.

Telephone clinics for kidney transplant patients are an effective alternative to face-to-face consultations, the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team (CKD HIT) has found.

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT) are running two events this November, giving you the opportunity to hear about their projects and shape their work.

Researchers from the Bristol Medical School at the University of Bristol have found that there is no evidence that any of the newer hip implant combinations are better than the widely used small head metal-on-plastic cemented hip combination.

Eye injection drugs recommended by NICE cost the NHS up to £447 million annually, but could be replaced by an unlicensed drug, bevacizumab, costing as much as ten times less.

The city’s heroes of healthcare were recognised at a sparkling event hosted by the Bristol Post on Wednesday 25 October 2017.

A major international study has pinpointed more than 100 genetic risk factors that explain why some people suffer from asthma, hay fever and eczema.

Around 1,000 children are born with cleft lip and/or palate in the UK each year, with many children requiring long-term multi-disciplinary care.

An additional 20 minutes of commuting each working day is equivalent to a 19% annual pay cut when it comes to measuring how satisfied people say they are with their jobs, a new study has found.

Two recent studies led by the University of Bristol provide significant new hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Kidney failure is associated with lower quality of life in young people and limited employment, independence, and relationships compared with healthy peers.

Hospital trusts across the country are being urged to use an initiative developed in Bristol to improve patient safety in emergency departments.

Developed in maternity units across the West of England, the ‘PReCePT’ project has been selected by the Health Foundation to be part of an ambitious £3.5 million improvement programme.

A new Health Integration Team (HIT) focused on stroke has been given the go-ahead by the Bristol Health Partners executive group. Stroke HIT aims to advance and improve the prevention of strokes and care for stroke patients.

Adrian Davis describes Sustrans' new Active Travel Toolbox, which gives policy makers the evidence they need to support walking and cycling as a health intervention. Adrian is a co-Director of SHINE.

Seven in every 10 adults in Great Britain support the introduction of 20mph speed limits in busy streets, according to a major new survey.

The truths about the brain and its perceptions will be explored by neuroscientist and founder of Lab of Misfits Studio at a free University of Bristol public lecture in November.

After hours of deliberation considering some really strong entries, the Bristol Health and Care Awards judges, made up of representatives from the sponsors and the Bristol Post, are pleased to announce the shorlist for the awards.

Teaching on domestic violence and abuse (DVA) should be mandatory in medical education according to a new University of Bristol study that highlights current levels as inadequate.

Cooling babies deprived of oxygen at birth (perinatal asphyxia) can reduce the number of children who develop epilepsy later in childhood, according to a new study published in the journal Epilepsia.

NIHR CLAHRC West offers free training courses for those working in the health and care sector in the West. Their latest courses available to book include project evaluation for the voluntary sector and the basics of health economics.

Zoe Trinder-Widdess, Bristol Health Partners Communications Manager, on some of the Health Integration Team highlights from this year's Healthy City Week, which takes place 7-14 October 2017.

In response to the urgent and global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Medical Research Foundation (MRF), the charitable foundation of the Medical Research Council, has invested £2.85M in delivering the UK’s first nationwide PhD training prog...

The first global review to quantify the impact of needle syringe programmes (NSP) and opioid substitution treatment (OST) in reducing the risk of becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus is published in Cochrane Library Drug and Alcohol Review Group...

Researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Nottingham and Southampton have been awarded £1.4 million by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme to discover which is the best emollient (moisturiser) for treating childhood eczema.

The first trial of The Lightning Process® has published its results. It looked at the effectiveness of LP in addition to specialist medical care was compared to specialist medical care alone in children with mild or moderate chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dr Danya Bakhbakhi, Academic Clinical Fellow in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Bristol and Southmead Hospital, has been awarded £367,000 for an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship to investigate outcomes after stillbirth.

New research from the University of Bristol suggests that consuming even small amounts of alcohol in pregnancy may be linked with higher chances of having a small baby and delivering prematurely, though evidence was surprisingly lacking.

Children with greater access to fast food outlets are more likely to gain weight compared to those living further away, new research suggests. Academics from UWE Bristol tracked the weight of more than 1,500 primary school children in South Gloucestershi...

Healthy City Week returns from 7 to 14 October with a unique programme of events exploring the health and sustainability of our city, creating and deepening conversations around some of the major health and sustainability challenges we face...

The Bristol Post are continuing their search for the city’s top heroes of healthcare. The Bristol Health and Care Awards are back for a second year and they want to shine a light on the people who are literally saving lives every day.

New research commissioned by British Red Cross and led by Dr Julie Mytton at UWE Bristol shows that over a third of people who attend accident and emergency departments were seeking help because they were 'worried and didn't know what to do'.

Extending the operating hours of the liaison psychiatry service at the Bristol Royal Infirmary’s (BRI) Emergency Department has led to improved care and outcomes for patients who have self-harmed, NIHR-funded research has found.

Oral steroids should not be used for treating acute lower respiratory tract infection (or ‘chest infections’) in adults who don’t have asthma or other chronic lung disease, as they do not reduce the duration or severity of symptoms.

Trish Harding and Olly Watson of Bristol Health Partners reflect on the networking session they ran at this year’s Health Integration Team conference.

Talking about the highs, and understanding the lows, of being a dad is the theme of a new project led by an inter-disciplinary team of academics from the University of Bristol.

Global policies on access to highly hazardous pesticides – commonly ingested in acts of self-poisoning and suicide in rural Asia – should focus on national bans, rather than safe storage, according to two studies in The Lancet and The Lancet Global Healt...

Alternatives to acute hospital admissions for older people appear safe and could reduce use of acute hospital care and length of time receiving care, a new study from the University of Bristol published in BMJ Open ​has found.

Sexual health professionals feel that it is appropriate and valuable to ask their patients about domestic violence and abuse, NIHR-funded research has found. But time, workload and finding the right moment during consultations can be barriers to doing so...

A Bristol-based partnership has launched an innovative series of short films in six different languages giving information about dementia and relevant support services in the city.

Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative have announced their autumn call for Research Capability Funding (RCF) applications. The deadline for applications is 3 October.

A research team at the University of Bristol, including researchers from ITHAcA HIT and NIHR CLAHRC West, has won a prestigious international award for a technology that could help in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups are consulting on the future of local NHS services. This consultation forms part of the work of the local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.

A best practice guide on the ethics and governance of service evaluation has been launched on the CLAHRC West website. These guidelines are for evaluators and commissioners of evaluation in health and social care.

A new quick guide to patient and public involvement (PPI) in evaluation has been launched on the CLAHRC West website. The leaflet is for evaluators and commissioners of evaluation in health and social care.

A member of the MOVE-HIT Patient and Public Involvement Group has written a series of books to help those affected by Parkinson’s to begin a dialogue with the children whom they care about.

The University of Bristol launched the Bristol Medical School on Tuesday 1 August, comprising around 1,330 students and 900 staff. This marks a new era for medical research and education in the West of England.

New research from the University of Bristol shows that playing outside, aided by regular road closures, helps to increase children’s physical activity.

Bristol researcher Dr Emma Vincent, whose own family has been affected by diabetes, has been awarded £587,237 from Diabetes UK to find out why people with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop some cancers.

A new discovery by University of Bristol scientists helps to explain how cells which surround blood vessels, called pericytes, stimulate new blood vessels to grow with the hormone ‘leptin’ playing a key role.

Health complications caused by nutritional deficiencies in homeless problem-drinkers can be avoided if they are addressed early, write Dr Sharea Ijaz and Zoe Trinder-Widdess, NIHR CLAHRC West, Bristol.

Training clinicians to proactively ask patients about domestic violence is feasible for sexual health clinics to implement and could increase referrals to specialist services, according to a study by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the Univers...

The government has announced a major initiative to drive the rapid uptake of health innovation. The AHSNs will co-ordinate the initiative so that innovative new diagnostic tools, treatments and medical technologies reach patients faster.

To respond to stress optimally, the body needs to produce glucocorticoid hormones, such as cortisol, extremely quickly. New research by scientists from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter has revealed the molecular network that enables rapid glucocort...

Bristol City Council has joined authorities across the South West in supporting a new campaign to raise the profile of care in a drive to recruit the right people to the sector.

People with Alzheimer’s disease are already helping with a ground-breaking government-funded trial led by academics from the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Queen’s University Belfast and University College London, and hosted by North Bristol NHS Tru...

The PROactive research collaboration has been awarded funding for two large-scale studies, contributing to a total of more than £1 million in research grants that they have received during 2016-17.

A project to explore whether brain injuries in children could be prevented through examining and understanding local cases has been awarded £10,000 by the NIHR Brain Injury Healthcare Technology Cooperative. The project is being led by CIPIC HIT.

Bristol Green Capital Partnership is pleased to announce that Healthy City Week 2017 will take place from 7–14 October, with the support of Bristol Health Partners.

There is a wealth of opportunities available this autumn from the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West (NIHR CLAHRC West) free training course programme.

The NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) call is now open with a closing date of 26 July 2017. The call aims to seek local, national and international innovations that address NHS priorities.

A Government initiative to make it easier for people to locate and access greenspaces has launched today with the release of a new database and interactive digital map identifying accessible recreational and leisure greenspace in Great Britain.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams had their annual opportunity to network and hear from key speakers from the local health system, at the annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 13 June.

A poster showcasing the Active Older People (APPHLE) Health Integration Team (HIT) project evaluating the South Gloucestershire diabetes prevention pilot won best poster at the Faculty of Public Health annual conference and expo on 21-22 June 2017.

A new resource designed to support women experiencing domestic violence and abuse has been launched on the HealthTalk charity website today, developed by researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Oxford.

Were you, your partner, your child or another relative born between April 1991 and December 1992? In Bristol or the surrounding area? If you answered ‘yes’ to both questions, you could be part of Children of the 90s and they would like to hear from you.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network initiative to support the adoption and spread of the emergency department safety checklist across all trusts in the West won the HSJ Patient Safety Award for ‘Best Patient Safety Initiative in A&E’.

To test SPHERE (Sensor Platform for HEalthcare in a Residential Environment) technology successfully, they need more homes to take part in the project. Finding out more about having a 21st century home health sensor system in your home.

New research led by the University of Bristol has found clear evidence that school-based sex and relationship education (SRE) and school-linked sexual health services can be effective at improving sexual health.

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT) are looking to hear from children and young people with an eating disorder, and their parents, to understand their experience of primary care services.

Janice St. John-Matthews, Associate Head of the Department for Allied Health Professions (AHP) at UWE Bristol, has won a national award celebrating rising stars in education and academia.

The VTCT Foundation has announced a donation of £1 million to the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) at the University of the West of England. This commitment will enable CAR to expand the support it provides to charities.

Neuroscientists at the University of Bristol have been awarded a prestigious £2 million Wellcome Trust Investigator Award for a five-year study to investigate the neuronal circuits that drive our recognition memory.

Community activist Ben Barker, who is on the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments (SHINE) leadership team, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours. Ben is a member of the Greater Bedminster Community Partnership.

As part of a joint project with Playing Out and Knightstone Housing, children from Room 13 Hareclive in Hartcliffe, South Bristol, are calling for safer streets from speeding traffic so they can play out more where they live.

An NIHR CLAHRC West review has found that heavy drinking homeless people may experience a range of nutrient deficiencies, including vitamin B1, but the amount and quality of research on this issue is low.

Debbie Lawlor, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Bristol, has been awarded a CBE for her services to social and community medicine research.

The £825k Urban-ID project has launched its website, which highlights the themes and case studies that they will focus on.

Cleft lip and palate are common birth defects and affect around 15 in every 10,000 births in Europe. New research by the University of Bristol from the the Cleft Collective has found epigenetics could help diagnose different types of cleft...

Our 2016-17 annual review was launched at our annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 13 June. The Bristol Health Partners annual review showcases the work of the partnership and includes updates from our 19 HITs.

The first ever randomised trial to investigate why some patients develop infections after their hip or knee replacement surgery, and which type of surgical revision treatment is best is being run by the University of Bristol and members of the public are...

Do your teeth need some routine dental treatment? Student dentists, therapists and hygienists from the University of Bristol’s School of Oral and Dental Sciences are offering dental treatment for members of the public who do not have a dentist.

A scientific breakthrough has taken an emerging biotechnology a step closer to being used to treat waste water in the developing world.

In this blog post, originally published as the foreword of our 2016-17 annual review, Bristol Health Partners Director David Relph reflects on what the partnership has achieved not just in the last year, but over the last five years since its inception.

In this blog post, originally published as part of our 2016-17 annual review, Bristol Health Partners Chair Andrea Young reflects on the partnership's achievements over the last year, and what the future holds.

A group of UK scientists involving researchers from the University of Bristol have demonstrated how aggregating image data from laboratories all around the world has the potential to revolutionise scientific research.

Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill has been appointed to Director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research at the University of Bristol and will take up the role on 1 August 2017.

2016-17 saw Bristol awarded £21 million for a new NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and the opening of the West of England NHS Genomic Medicine Centre. The UK’s largest trial looking at prostate cancer treatments published its first results.

Health organisations, local authorities and researchers in the Bristol region are teaming up to explore how data could be used to improve health, care and services.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have found regular and occasional cannabis use as a teen is associated with a greater risk of other illicit drug taking in early adulthood.

A diagnosis of autism alone does not increase the risk of violent offending suggests a study published in the June 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

Researchers at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care are looking for men who are concerned that they are, or have been, abusive in their relationships with women to take part in a new study that will help improve how we support men...

This timeline from April 2016 to March 2017 showcases some of the key moments in the year for Bristol Health Partners, from October's Healthy City Week Bristol, to prioritising our Health Integration Teams' work streams.

The first Bristol Health Partners partnership agreement was signed in April 2012, with a lifespan of five years. It’s been extended for another year while our future direction is mapped out, but it’s a good moment to reflect on what we've achieved so far...

Helen Malson and Hugh Herzig, Directors of the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT), reflect on the team's work and achievements over the last year, including an art exhibition of work by people with experience of eating disorders.

What do Dr Phil Hammond, apple juice pressing and social prescribing have in common? They were all part of Healthy City Week Bristol 2016. Read the round-up of what went on during the week.

Directors Adrian Davis and Suzanne Audrey, together with Marcus Grant, reflect on their work to promote the importance of healthy urban environments through the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT).

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team, give an update on progress in 2016-17, including the successful application for a new specialist community perinatal mental health service.

A new award scheme encouraging local food businesses to make their catering healthier and more sustainable is launching on 23 May in a bid to help tackle the city’s obesity crisis.

Leonie Roberts, Matthew Hickman, Katherine Williams and Tim Williams, Directors of the Drug and Alcohol Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on their team’s work in 2016-17.

How parents and clinicians make life or death medical decisions involving very young children is the focus of a new study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. The findings may offer insight into how the ‘best interests’ of a child are decid...

Directors Dr Emma Clark, Professor Ashley Blom and Professor Sarah Hewlett give an update on the 2016-17 activity of the Bristol Bones and Joints HIT which focuses on osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and inflammatory rheumatological disorders.

Researchers studying the root cause of cystic fibrosis have made a major advance in our understanding of silent gene changes with implications for the complexity of cystic fibrosis. The findings were published on 16 May in PLoS Biology.

Dr Patricia Lucas and Dr Jo Williams, Directors of the Bristol Network for Equality in Early Years Health and Wellbeing (BoNEE), look back on 2016-17. BoNEE aims to tackle the health inequalities that result from poverty and disadvantage.

RuBICoN HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Respiratory Infections (RuBICoN) Health Integration Team has achieved from its inception in December 2012 until its closure in April 2017.

RENOIR HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Retinal Conditions (RENOIR) Health Integration Team achieved during the time it was running, from December 2012 until May 2016.

Professor Sarah Purdy and Dr Peter Goyder, Directors of the Integration to Avoid Hospital Admissions Health Integration Team (ITHAcA HIT), give an update on the HIT's activities in 2016-17.

Professor Adam Finn, Dr Julie Yates and Dr Marion Roderick, Directors of the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team (BIG HIT) update on progress in 2016-17. BIG HIT aims to improve local performance of national immunisation programmes.

Dr Julie Mytton, Director of the Child Injury (CIPIC) Health Integration Team gives an update of the HIT's activities in 2016-17. CIPIC aims to support the commissioning and delivery of activities to reduce injuries, and their consequences, in children.

Professor John Macleod and Thara Raj look back over the work of the Sexual Health Improvement for Population and Patients (SHIPP) HIT during 2016-17. SHIPP works to promote evidence based sexual health improvement.

A multi-disciplinary study has shown that the recent substantial increase in prescriptions for two drugs, pregabalin and gabapentin, used widely for a range of neurological disorders is closely correlated with a rise in the number of overdose deaths in E...

An update on the work of the Respiratory Infections Health Integration Team during 2016-17 from Professor Alastair Hay. The team has been working to improve advice and support for parents and patients and to reduce antibiotic use since December 2012.

Life expectancy of 20-year-olds starting treatment for HIV has increased by around a decade in the EU and North America since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy in the mid-1990s, according to a study published in The Lancet HIV.

Dr Udaya Udayaraj gives an update on the work of the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team (CKD HIT) over the last year. The CKD HIT aims to improve patient outcomes and care pathways for patients with kidney disease.

Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) Directors Dr Sarah Sullivan, Dr Simon Downer, James Robinson and Martha Sneyd on the team's activities in 2016-17. The team aims to improve the support, treatment, services and lives of people with psychosis.

Salena Williams and Sue Dursley, Co- Directors of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) give an update on the HIT's activities in 2016-17. STITCH HIT is working to reduce the number of suicides in the Bristol area.

Bristol City Council is asking for the public’s views on proposals to simplify the way people in the city can access information and advice on achieving healthy lifestyles.

Dr Nicola Wiles and Dr David Kessler, Directors of the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT), give an update on the HIT's work in 2016-17.

Dr Alan Whone, Director of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT), gives an update on the HIT's progress in 2016-17.

Professor David Wynick gives an update on the work of the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team in 2016-17. The team focuses on improvements in performance, productivity and efficiency within local and regional chronic pain services.

Professor Selena Gray and Dr Afroditi Stathi, Directors of the Active Older People Health Integration Team give an update on their work in 2016-2017.

Sue Wensley, Elizabeth Coulthard and Emma Moody, Directors of the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT), reflect on the team's work and successes in 2016-17.

The NHS is frequently in the news about its ongoing funding crisis. New research suggests demand for health services is set to continue to grow faster than GDP per head in all developed countries around the world.

From 8–12 May Bristol will be marking Mental Health Awareness Week with Five Days of Wellbeing. The week will raise awareness about the little things that we can do every day to improve our mental and emotional health.

A staff engagement app developed by a team at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UH Bristol) has led to improved staff engagement and service delivery at the trust’s central Bristol hospitals.

There is an age-related decline in children’s physical activity levels as they progress through primary school, according to a British Heart Foundation-funded study.

The University of Bristol Law School has launched a new course for anyone interested in healthcare. The LLM in Health, Law and Society, is a distinctive, master’s level degree that goes beyond traditional courses on healthcare law to look at the relatio...

The University of Bristol is involved in teaching the next generation of doctors and has launched a new campaign to get practising GPs to ‘step up and teach’.

Magnesium could hold the key to preventing one of the most preventable causes of disability in middle-aged to elderly people, according to new research led by academics at the Universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland.

The world's largest festival of science is returning to Bristol’s watering holes next month. From 15–17 May punters will be able to raise a glass (as well as their IQ) with a series of easy-going sessions, which bring ground-breaking research from the...

NHS England has awarded University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust £750k to extend psychiatric liaison services in the emergency department at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. This means they will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A £21 million National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) in Bristol will launch this week. The research centre will conduct cutting-edge research to develop new, ground-breaking treatments, diagnostics, prevention and...

The value of 8,000 Bristol students working with 250 city partners on sustainability engagement has been recognised by a prestigious International Green Gown award.

Dr Trevor Thompson, GP and Head of Teaching at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, has won the Royal College of General Practitioners' 2016 Kieran Sweeney Prize for medical writing by GPs.

Young people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) have difficulties recognising and distinguishing between different facial expressions, according to research from one of the largest studies to look at emotion recognition in children and adolescents wit...

A hard hitting campaign, Be ManKind, launched this week to address the stigma surrounding male mental health and suicide through the medium of photography.

NIHR CLAHRC West runs free courses for people working in the health and social care sector. Their training programme aims to promote the development of skills in understanding, using and producing evidence for the health, public health and commissioning...

We have been working to confirm the scope and shape of the partnership as we move into the next financial year. With many of our partner organisations experiencing fresh financial constraints in the coming year, this has led to a reduction in our budget.

Targeting dementia in the earlier stages of the condition could be critical for the success of future therapies, say researchers from the University of Bristol, who have found that the very earliest symptoms of dementia might be due to abnormal stability...

Neuro-physiotherapist Melanie Falk has been elected to the board of the Association for Chartered Physiotherapists on Neurology (ACPIN). Mel is a member of MOVE HIT's executive team.

Two Health Integration Teams (HITs), Bristol Bones and Joints and STITCH, are responsible for £340,000 annual savings in the city’s two acute trusts, through changes to services and care pathways.

Health Integration Teams (HITs) have brought £3,988,121 of funding to the region since July 2016. Some of these awards are for research, while others are for service innovation.

New research has found NHS patients admitted to hospital at the weekend with a hip fracture are at no greater risk of death compared to weekdays. In fact, the risk of death during the hospital stay was lower at the weekend than in the week.

A new Evaluation Online Network, open to anyone in the West of England and beyond, launched on 7 March. So far the network includes 64 staff working in a variety organisations and settings with an interest in evaluation.

Fifteen students from Redland Green School's post 16 centre presented their research findings to a group of senior health researchers on Wednesday 22 March. This was the culmination of two terms' work during which the students explored the world of healt...

Researchers have generated the first immortalised cell lines which allow more efficient manufacture of red blood cells. The team, from the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant, were able to manufacture red blood cells in a more efficient sc...

The Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT) at North Bristol NHS Trust hosted the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Nurse Association Annual Conference on 16-17 March 2017.

Telomeres are regions of repetitive DNA at the end of human chromosomes, which protect the end of the chromosome from damage. Whilst shorter telomeres are hypothesized biological markers of older age and have been linked to many diseases, including cancer...

Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and former President of the Royal Society, was installed as Chancellor of the University of Bristol on 22 March.

Researchers have shown stem cells from the umbilical cord may hold the key to a new generation of graft and could reduce the number of surgeries required to treat young children born with certain types of congenital heart disease.

The University of Bristol has launched seven new research institutes reflecting the University’s strength and depth in key specialisms. The Specialist Research Institutes (SRIs) encompass areas where the University is already internationally-leading and...

A new patient safety film tells the story of Paul from North Somerset, who made a quick and full recovery from sepsis as a result of NEWS (the National Early Warning Score) being communicated at every handover of care.

The best pictures from the University of Bristol's 'A Picture of Health' project have been announced. The project aims to encourage communication between researchers, foster new collaborations and showcase their research to the public.

The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute's Research for Health scheme encourages healthcare practitioners and University of Bristol researchers to work together to develop innovative thinking around clinical problems.

Estimates suggest that 40 per cent of eczema flares are treated with topical antibiotics, but findings from a study involving academics from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care, suggest there is no meaningful benefit from the use...

A team of researchers led by UWE Bristol is to develop a wearable robotic system for minimally invasive surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, that will offer surgeons natural and dexterous movement and the ability to ‘sense’, ‘see’, control and safely...

A study published in the British Journal of General Practice today found that around 1 in 20 people waiting to see their GP in surgeries in Bristol reported having a gambling problem.

Young males and people who use drink or drugs are at greater risk of developing a gambling habit, according to new research published today. Experts say it is an indication of an area that needs more attention if primary care services are to help those i...

A range of people with a stake or an interest in city development came together at the Architecture Centre in the centre of Bristol for an event held as part of Bristol Healthy City Week.

About a quarter of girls in care have low well-being and feel the stigma of care more deeply than do boys according to a new study, announced today, which set out to understand what well-being means to looked after children.

Dr Dawn Harper of ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ fame will join health specialists from around the city on International Women’s Day on 8 March to plan how the city can work together to tackle issues around women’s health in Bristol.

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust has been announced as one of the highest-rated NHS trusts in the country by the Care Quality Commission.

The University of Bristol has been awarded a grant of £46,938 for a 15-month study to investigate domestic violence and abuse (DVA) in UK military families. The research will investigate what criteria might constitute specialist DVA provision for this gr...

A Bristol team has used a deep brain stimulation technique to dramatically reduce a woman’s high blood pressure – the first time in the world the procedure has been carried out for hypertension. The discovery raises hopes for patients with drug-resistant...

The West of England NHS Genomic Medicine Centre (WEGMC) and the University of the West of England (UWE) have partnered to develop an outreach activity on genomics for schools in Bristol, Bath, Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

It's Eating Disorders Awareness Week from 27 February to 1 March. Its special theme this year is the vital role GPs play in getting people into treatment as quickly as possible.

Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative have announced their spring call for Research Capability Funding (RCF) applications. The deadline for applications is 3 May.

Research funded by Bristol City Council and carried out by UWE Bristol in collaboration with local groups found that black and other minority ethnic community leaders are increasingly aware of how dementia affects many people from BME communities.

The discovery of a new mechanism that controls the way nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other to regulate our learning and long-term memory could have major benefits to understanding how the brain works and what goes wrong in neurodegenerat...

Eating Disorders HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Psychosis HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) has achieved so far.

SHINE HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Healthy Neighbourhood Environments (SHINE) Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Sexual Health Improvement HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Sexual Health Improvement (SHIPP) Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Psychological Therapies in Primary Care HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Integrated Pain Management HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT has achieved so far.

STITCH HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Improving Care in Self-Harm (STITCH) Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Chronic Kidney Disease HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team has achieved so far.

Child Injury HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what CIPIC have achieved so far.

Early Years Health Wellbeing (BoNEE) achievements Here are some of the highlights of what BoNEE have achieved so far.

Bristol Immunisation Group achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

Bristol Bones and Joints HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Bristol Bones and Joints Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

ITHAcA HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Avoiding Hospital Admissions Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

The Boards of Weston Area Health NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have agreed to establish a formal partnership arrangement, increasing the level of joint working between the two Trusts.

Bristol Health Partners and Bristol City Council brought together more than 90 policy makers, service providers, decision takers and people with long term conditions and disabilities, for a work and health think tank event on Monday 30 January.

NIHR CLAHRC West continues to run free courses. Their training programme aims to promote the development of skills in understanding, using and producing evidence for the health, public health and commissioning workforce.

Common Purpose ran an ‘exploring leadership immersion experience’ on behalf of Bristol Health Partners on 17 and 18 January, for Health Integration Teams.

The Accessible Information Standard sets out requirements for NHS and adult social care providers to identify, record, flag, share and meet the information and communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

The human mouth can harbour more than 700 different species of bacteria. Under normal circumstances these microbes co-exist with us as part of our resident oral microbiota. But when bacteria spread to other tissues via the blood stream, the results can b...

Researchers from the University of Bristol are part of a major pan European €28.9 million initiative that aims to improve the prevention and management of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is the leading cause of kidney failure in the world.

The West of England Genomic Medicine Centre wants your feedback on what education and training is needed for genomic medicine to be mainstreamed into NHS practice.

APPHLE HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Active Older People (APPHLE) Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

Dementia HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Dementia Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

Drug and alcohol HIT achievements Here are some of the highlights of what the Drug and Alcohol Health Integration Team have achieved so far.

The Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) have had some spectacular successes over the last few years. The team have been working hard to make improvements to take self-harm care towards parity of esteem with physical illness, i...

Bristol Mental Health (BMH) is setting up a new choir called Just Sing! Everyone is welcome to come along. The choir is for people of all ages, with no auditions or performances.

The Bristol Health Partners walking game Partnerology got another outing in January, when People in Health West of England (PHWE) borrowed it to play with public involvement leads and public contributors from their network.

Continuity of care – seeing the same GP – has proven benefits and could be a key line of defence against rising hospital admissions argue leading academics in an editorial published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

University Hospitals Bristol has launched a new online information platform that is accessible for nurses in the Trust, and for those considering a career there.

Many entrepreneurs find the NHS business landscape difficult to navigate, so the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) has created a training programme specifically addressing the needs of healthcare innovators.

Guidance is urgently needed to help GPs decide what information to include on electronic records of children and families experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA).

Commissioners, researchers and people from voluntary organisations heard from Bristol Health Partners HITs seminar on 23 January. The theme of the seminar was 'Improving mental health care pathways across the STP footprint.

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT) hosted its second research event on 13 January 2017. The event brought together around 30 people.

A new report published today takes the temperature of local people’s health. It shows that whilst Bristol is faring well in comparison to many other major cities, some health issues and inequalities remain entrenched.

How does heightened attention improve our mental capacity? This is the question tackled by new University of Bristol research published today in the journal Cell Reports, which reveals a chemical signal released across the brain in response to attention...

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has published the final report of a five-year research programme on the use of telehealth in primary care settings for patients with long-term conditions.

Neuroscientists at the University of Bristol are a step closer to understanding how the connections in our brain which control our episodic memory work in sync to make some memories stronger than others.

At a time when Social Care in England is at a ‘tipping point’, according to the Care Quality Commission, it is vital that local authorities find ways of working together with people who use social care services.

This year sees the beginning of what promises to be a visually and intellectually enlightening year for world-renowned installation artist Luke Jerram and University of Bristol researchers at the Bristol Vision Institute.

University Hospitals Bristol's Patient Experience at Heart workshops in maternity services have been shortlisted for the 2017 Health Services Journal Value in Healthcare Awards.

New guidelines have been developed that it is hoped will help to progress research into vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) following a study led by academics at the University of Bristol that brought together the views of over 150 researchers in 27 coun...

From Monday 16 January, in response to feedback from patients and their families, visiting hours across University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust are to be extended.

A review of studies examining perceived life expectancy among people with long term health conditions has found patients may overestimate their life expectancy.

Bristol City Council has teamed up with the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation and other local organisations, including the Bristol Sport Foundation and the University West of England (UWE Bristol), to become more Sugar Smart.

The work of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) has been recognised in the Department of Health's third National Suicide Prevention Strategy progress report.

The loss of a child can cause intense grief for parents and for many, life is never the same again. Now, for the first time, researchers have built up a comprehensive picture of the devastating social and economic impact that a child’s death can have.

North Bristol Trust have launched their draft research strategy, and they want to hear your views on it. The consultation is open until 17 February 2017.

​Healthwatch Bristol focuses on specific topics every quarter. In the first three months of 2017 they are focusing on substance misuse treatment services, which are being recommissioned by Bristol City Council.

Job clubs seem to be effective in reducing depression in people who lose their jobs, particularly those at high risk of depression, an NIHR-funded study has found. But evidence for other types of support for people during times of financial hardship, inc...

Professor Gene Feder has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for services to healthcare and victims of domestic abuse. He has worked at the University of Bristol since 2008.

A cultural shift in how patients access care through their GPs is one step closer after a university study highlighted the benefits of an emerging approach known as ‘social prescribing’.

People who have a greater risk of developing schizophrenia are more likely to try cannabis, according to new research, which also found a causal link between trying the drug and an increased risk of the condition.

The West of England Genomic Medicine Centre (GMC) needs your feedback to ensure that the most effective resources to support the learning needs and styles of the genomic medicine workforce are developed.

Thanks to the Big Lottery Fund, Avon Wildlife Trust can continue to deliver nature, health and wellbeing projects across Avon for a further four years.

Hugh Herzig has taken part in a BBC Points West focus on eating disorders in men. Hugh is a Director of the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT).

Services for children who are exposed to domestic violence and abuse are vital, but NIHR-funded researchers have found that there is little evidence for what support works best.

In this blog post, first published in the HSJ, Peter Brindle spells out three ingredients which can ensure that evidence – with all its money-saving potential – is incorporated into NHS practice.

The Department of Health have launched a ‘Dementia: care, support and awareness’ survey.

New and expectant mothers in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire will now have access to specialist mental health support, thanks to new funding from NHS England.

The team behind University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust’s Happy App won the Award for Staff Engagement at the prestigious HSJ Awards on 23 November. Over the past two years, researchers from the National Institute for Health Research Collabor...

More than 100 people gathered to view an exhibition that explodes myths around health inequality, called Equity is the Answer. The exhibition of 20 artworks explores Oli Williams's thesis, bringing its messages and themes to life for a non-...

The Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) summary for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire is now available for you to give your feedback on.

Bristol Health Partners and our Health Integration Teams will be the focus of a special edition of Healthwatch's monthly Bristol Community Radio (BCFM) wellbeing show on 13 December.

Evidence suggests that the more people who cycle, the safer cycling becomes, according to a report on data for England's major cities, including Bristol.

The cultural and societal barriers that Somali families with children with autism experience are explored in a paper published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The NIHR-funded research team, made up of University of Bristol and...

A case study showcasing Bristol's commitment to health in its neighbourhood planning formed part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) report to inform the UN's New Urban Agenda.

Bristol’s Big Drink Debate, a city-wide survey examining the public’s attitudes to alcohol, is launching at the start of Alcohol Awareness Week, on Monday 14 November.

Improve clinicians’ understanding of the online world, review web-based support services for vulnerable people and safeguard the public against pro-suicide content. Those are some of the recommendations being put to the internet industry, health provider...

Lesely Hobbs, Manager at Deerhurst care home in Soundwell, Bristol has won the Dementia Care Inspiring Leader award at the seventh National Dementia Care Awards 2016.

A team from North Bristol NHS Trust and the University of Bristol has been selected by the Health Foundation, an independent health care charity, to be part of its £1.5 million innovation programme, Innovating for Improvement.

Bristol City Council have published the draft Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) data profile for 2016. The JSNA reports on the health and wellbeing needs of the people of Bristol.

The Q initiative provides opportunities for people working in health and care who have experience and are enthusiastic about improvement work to connect, network and collaborate, so that they can accelerate their improvement activities and maximise their...

Over 700 children and young people are to take part in the largest clinical trial ever undertaken in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which affects up to two per cent of young people, most of whom do not have access to treatment.

Members of the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team (IPM HIT) have published a paper looking at 'sensorimotor dysfunction' after limb fracture. Sensorimotor dysfunction is when people feel sensations or movements in a limb that aren't actua...

Bristol is one of six universities to receive a Momentum award from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to develop the UK’s research base in dementia science.

People who inject drugs support the use of new, safer ‘low dead space’ syringes, NIHR-funded researchers from the University of Bristol have found.

Hospital admission rates are 55 per cent higher in some areas than in others because of a greater prevalence of conditions such as diabetes, alcoholism, dementia and socioeconomic deprivation.

The council has launched a new website, LiveWell Bristol, making it easier for people to access health advice and local services.

People living in Bristol will have the opportunity to debate the challenges of modern urban living and help improve the city’s health, well-being and prosperity at a free event tomorrow. The launch of the Bristol Urban ID (Integrated Diagnostics) Projec...

Although doctors and nurses are becoming more aware of patients experiencing domestic violence, the needs of children are often ignored, according to new research published today that reveals a lack of training about how to identify and support children...

The University of Bristol has launched a project called 'A Picture of Health', to encourage communication between researchers, foster new collaborations and showcase their research to the public.

Ever fancied trying out yoga or a fitness class – for free? Now’s your chance with Healthy City Week! During the week, which takes place 15-22 October, independent therapists and instructors, gyms, community organisations, Bristol City Council and many o...

Health professionals with experience of working with families affected by cleft lip and palate are being sought as part of a study for a world-leading research programme. Diagnostic sonographers, midwives, health visitors and GPs with any relevant experi...

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), with People in Health West of England, have developed an easy-to-use toolkit for health professionals on how to involve the public. It has been written with the busy, front line clinician in m...

Join Mayor Marvin Rees on Saturday 15 October to celebrate health and wellbeing in our city, at the community launch day of Bristol’s Healthy City Week 2016.

Healthy neighbourhoods are the bedrock of a healthy city. But can the market deliver the kind of places that we know support healthy lifestyles? Can we splice together health and development economics to reduce the financial and social burden arising fro...

Our bodies contain 100 trillion organisms that are essential to our health and life. So come and make friends with these unseen but vital lifeforms at ‘Bristol Loves Bugs’ on Saturday 22 October, from 2.30-5pm at City Hall.

Bristol City Council’s public health team is encouraging residents to get involved with the wide range of activities on offer during Healthy City Week, which is organised by the Bristol Green Capital Partnership with support from Bristol Health Partners.

There is no word for ‘autism’ in the Somali language, but research suggests that children whose parents have migrated from Somalia to western countries, including the UK, may be at greater risk of developing autism than children from other groups.

As world leaders grapple with the realities of implementing the historic Paris climate change deal, Bristol is taking a typically local approach to the major challenge of how a future city can tackle health and sustainability in the real world.

Updated advice on how to work with parents who have learning difficulties has been issued by the Working Together with Parents Network (WPTN), led by the University of Bristol.

A campaign to train the next generation of potential lifesavers across the West called ‘Great Western Heart Starters’ is being launched at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) on Tuesday 18 October 2016.

Wellbeing practitioners at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) have created a series of animated videos for students to help them manage some of the typical difficulties, like anxiety and exam worries, they seek help for.

Dr Gabrielle Wheway, a scientist from the Centre for Research in Biosciences at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), has been awarded The John Marshall Award for RP Scientist of the Year 2016 at the annual conference of the charity RP Fig...

The accessibility of our homes, buildings and public spaces is an issue not just for those of us with a permanent physical disability. This inquiry explores the extent to which those needs are considered and accommodated.

The public are being invited to take part in a pop-up talk show, Talkaoke, to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day, which is designed to end the stigma around mental health.

Fifteen students have become the first to join a course at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) training learners for roles in a new healthcare profession.

Have you or a loved one experienced psychosis? The Psychosis Health Integration Team is looking for a peer director to join their leadership team and help to improve services for people with psychosis in Bristol.

The work of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) was presented in a poster at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare conference in Singapore on 26-28 September.

An art exhibition at the Arnolfini featuring art by people with lived experience of eating disorders will mark the launch of a new Bristol based team, the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT).

Genetic differences could help to explain why some babies are born bigger or smaller than others, according to new research from the Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium, an international collaboration of researchers including experts from the Universit...

Failure to directly and appropriately assess language proficiency when recruiting patients to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for diabetes treatments may be leading to black and ethnic minority (BAME) patients being underrepresented or excluded, new...

Working in partnership with CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, University of Bristol Law Clinic students will help parents of children living with cancer negotiate some of the legal obstacles that come with the d...

Stress is a major problem in many people’s lives often resulting in poor health and mental disorders. It is thought that disturbances in the action of stress hormones play a key role in causing mental disorders, like major depression and post-traumatic s...

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT) hosted its first research event in July. The event brought together around 40 people, including people with lived experience of eating disorders, clinicians, NHS research and development staff, commissio...

A research network called ‘Redistributed Manufacturing in Healthcare Network’ (RiHN) led by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has won Engineering and Physical Services Research Council (EPSRC) funding to investigate how technology advan...

Obesity is responsible for the deaths of over three million people a year worldwide due to its associated diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, a subset of obese individuals seems to be protected from such diseases.

Active monitoring is as effective as surgery and radiotherapy, in terms of survival at 10 years, reports the largest study of its kind, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

An art exhibition at the Arnolfini featuring art by people with lived experience of eating disorders will mark the launch of a new Bristol based team, the Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (HIT).

This year's Healthy City Week Bristol (15-22 October) will see a strong contribution from Bristol Health Partner organisations and Health Integration Teams (HITs). Not only is Bristol Health Partners the headline supporter for the week, but we are offeri...

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UH Bristol) and the University of Bristol have been awarded more than £21 million over five years by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), to fund cutting-edge research.

Health organisations from the Bristol city region have reached the shortlist of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards in four categories this year. The 'Innovation in mental health' category can boast no fewer than three entries from the region.

The West of England Clinical Research Network (CRN) has showcased its work over the last year with a 'year in numbers' annual report summary.

The size of a grain of rice, the carotid body, located between two major arteries that feed the brain with blood, has been found to control your blood pressure. A team of clinical scientists at the University of Bristol have found a new way to treat hi...

Sex and relationship education (SRE) is in need of an overhaul, according to research by the University of Bristol. The wide-ranging study looked at how young people in 10 countries viewed their school-based SRE. It found schools appear reluctant to ackn...

NHS campaigner, broadcaster and comedian Dr Phil Hammond will be giving an evening talk on 19 October as part of Healthy City Week Bristol. Professor of Genetics and author Tim Spector will be sharing the latest research on the impact of antibiotics and...

Healthwatch Bristol has published a guide for patients and the public, to help them find out how they can make their voices heard on local mental health services.

The Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) has published its 2015-16 annual report. APCRC has been responsible for supporting primary care research across the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire area since 2003.

Budding medical, veterinary and dental researchers will soon benefit from increased and enhanced PhD training opportunities, through a new Clinical Academic Training Programme across the GW4 Alliance.

Bristol Community Health, North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have joined forces as part of a new approach to boosting the voice of local people in the way their services are planned and delivered.

New research, led by academics at the University of Bristol, has outlined the first validated set of pathological criteria for assessing the likelihood that cognitive impairment was caused by vascular disease.

Researchers at the University of Bristol and Afferent Pharmaceuticals have identified a potential new way of treating high blood pressure, or hypertension, by targeting aberrant nerve signals in the carotid bodies, which sit on the common carotid arterie...

Researchers have developed a technique that will help GPs identify which children with coughs and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are most at risk of future hospitalisation.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have called for the USA Food and Drug Administration’s ‘black box’ warning for smoking cessation drug varenicline to be lifted.

Feedback is now emerging on our Sustainability and Transformation Plans and associated Local Digital Roadmap submissions, and we now need to galvanise our teams into further action to deliver the digital future.

This is an important opportunity for West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) members and partners in the region to feed back their views on the work and impact of the West of England AHSN.

These dementia and Alzheimer's cafes in north and south Bristol provide a relaxed and safe space in which issues surrounding dementia can be aired in a friendly and informal environment.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) has been chosen as one of three AHSNs across the country to lead the next phase of the Health Foundation’s exciting Q initiative, which will create opportunities for greater collaborative working...

Healthy City Week is an eight-day programme of activities that will aim to inspire citizens of Bristol to achieve healthier lifestyles as part of a more sustainable future city, kicking off on 15 October.

Clinical decision making is complex. Tudor Beatu is a Philosopher of Science interested in developing a methodology for evaluating the validity of complex extrapolations in a clinical environment.

Scientists have taken another step towards understanding the causes of parkinsonism by identifying what’s happening at a cellular level to potentially help develop future treatments.

PROactive is a new collaborative partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH). It brings together academics and clinicians from a range of different research groups...

The Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) have launched the autumn Research Capability Funding (RCF) call, with a deadline for applications of 18 October.

The Psychosis Health Integration Team The Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) is a team of people who experience psychosis, their families and carers, academics, mental health professionals, commissioners, service providers and other experts. They...

The Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT) has published its first newsletter, aimed at people who have lived experience of eating disorders, their families and friends, researchers and clinicians, and anyone else who has an interest in eating...

Bristol’s Director of Public Health, Becky Pollard, has released her annual report on the state of the city’s health. Set against a backdrop of health inequalities, where a person’s life expectancy can vary by over 10 years depending on where they live...

People in Health West of England (PHWE) want to hear from patients and the public who are already involved in health research, or are interested in getting involved, to find out what learning and development needs they have. The PHWE team have developed a...

Healthwatch Bristol and the Care Forum have developed a new consultation website, Better Care Directory or Better Cared for short, which is now open for you to upload your consultation information.

PolicyBristol, which brings together diverse policy-relevant work from across the University of Bristol, has produced a briefing called Conflicts of interest in healthcare: NHS procurement rules must be clarified. This research takes stock of recent deve...

The Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT) have produced a video which explores patient experiences of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Bristol will be the location for the first of ten carnivals hosted by Leonard Cheshire Disability, celebrating Brazilian culture and accessible sport, to mark the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) have published their first paper as a HIT. The aim of the study was to carry out a survey of public attitudes toward people affected by dementia in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Alive!, in partnership with Bristol City Council, is pleased to announce the publication of ‘Making a Difference’, a new resource to improve the lives of older people living in care homes.

Bristol Older People’s Forum have launched Bristol’s Manifesto for Older People, which outlines how Bristol must recognise diversity and address inequality to become a great place to grow old for everyone.

A Bristol GP and lecturer has been awarded the 2017 John Fry Award by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Society of Academic Primary Care (SAPC).

At the annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference this year, HITs were challenged to find new ways to collaborate in the specially created Bristol Health Partner-opoly walking game.

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust​ (UHBristol) has achieved Workplace Wellbeing Charter accreditation. The Workplace Wellbeing Charter is a nationally recognised award open to public, private and voluntary sector organisations of any size...

A contemporary photographic and science exhibition that explores the relationship between plants and medicine by celebrating six common plants, which are the origin of five major medicinal drugs, opens at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden on Frida...

The Psychosis HIT launch, which included Psychosis on Screen, a series of three contemporary films depicting various experiences of psychosis at Watershed, brought together more than 300 people to challenge viewers’ preconceptions.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams had their annual opportunity to share progress and network with each other, at the third annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 17 June. The conference was attended by more than 140 people.

Six projects relating to the work of Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) are being taken forward by NIHR CLAHRC West from their 2016 project call.

After a three-year study involving more than 7,000 children, researchers have developed a technique to help GPs and nurses to decide from which children a urine sample should be collected if they suspect a urinary tract infection is present.

A challenge has been launched for people to predict posture and movement within a smart home from video, accelerometer and environmental sensor data. The competition is part of the University of Bristol’s SPHERE project.

People with personality disorder (PD) have enduring relationship difficulties. The condition affects about one in 20 people in the UK and up to 40 per cent of adult mental health service users.

The results of NIHR CLAHRC West's preliminary evaluation of the ‘Health Integration Team’ model have been published in BMC Health Services Research.

A project led by the University of Bristol, which helps professionals better support parents with learning disabilities, will continue and expand thanks to funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Healthy City Week is returning to Bristol for its second year this autumn, from 15-22 October, aiming to inspire the citizens of Bristol to achieve healthier lifestyles as part of a more sustainable future city. Supported by Bristol Health Partners and d...

A project to create dementia friendly swimming is available at quieter times in the Easton and Hengrove pools.

Would you like to spend time volunteering with someone with dementia who shares your interests? Walk, Swim, Dance, Chat, Watch, Listen Let's do it together!...

As part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, Children of the 90s have joined forces with the MRC National Study of Health and Development (the 1946 study), which is celebrating its 70th birthday this year, to make a film called 'Across Generations', w...

When considering admitting patients over the age of 65 for acute hospital care, alternatives such as hospital at home, admission to a local community hospital or extended stays and treatment in A&E are a viable option say NIHR-funded researchers from the...

Our 2015-16 annual review was launched at our annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 17 June. The Bristol Health Partners annual review showcases the work of the partnership and includes updates from most of our 20 HITs and a round-up of the...

Scientists at the University of Bristol have developed a new kind of bio-ink, which could eventually allow the production of complex tissues for surgical implants.

Young girls reported heightened body dissatisfaction after playing a children’s internet game for just 10 minutes, a study has found. Primary school children expressed a more pronounced desire for a slimmer figure immediately after playing a free game wh...

Researchers at the University of Bristol are looking for pregnant women to take part in a study into preventing babies developing eczema. Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention (BEEP), aims to recruit 1,300 babies.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) is working in partnership with NHS England the AHSN Network to lead a new search for the world’s best health innovators to help improve patients’ lives. The NHS Innovation Accelerator 2016 launch...

A timeline from April 2015 to March 2016 showcasing some of the key moments in the year for Bristol Health Partners.

2015-16 saw the opening of the Bristol Brain Centre, bringing Bristol’s considerable strengths in neurological disorders together under one roof, and a new personalised assisted living facility at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. A Genomic Medicine Cen...

Researchers from the University of Bristol have contributed to the development of a radical new approach to supporting parents with learning disabilities.

A UK research team has discovered that a cell's protective layer acts like a turnstile, allowing proteins to be exported while preventing them from moving back in.

A consortium of nine academics from the University of Bristol has been awarded £1.5 million to carry out research on antibiotic resistance (AMR) in animals and the risks it poses to humans.

A new national centre, unique in the UK and Europe, that will take research out of the laboratory and closer to the bedside to ensure more patients worldwide can access ground-breaking treatments as quickly as possible has opened in Bristol.

Gemma Self writes about how health care is funded - and how a future of health service providers being paid to keep people well might look. Gemma is Director at Reimagine Health, a small consultancy focused on redesigning incentives in healthcare to focu...

Three important strategies on dementia, carers and preventing falls in South Gloucestershire are open for consultation until 22 August.

Three contemporary films depicting various experiences of psychosis are being shown at Watershed as part of Psychosis on Screen, a season to mark the launch of a new team that will help improve the lives of people who experience psychosis in Bristol.

People in Bristol living with long-term health conditions are invited to take part in an exciting healthcare innovation project to test and shape two potential new products. Both have been designed by entrepreneurs in Bristol.

Following her keynote address at the NHS Research and Development (R&D) Forum at the end of May, Hannah Antoniades believes every service user has the right to decide if they want access to information about mental health and dementia research.

Cancer charity Penny Brohn UK has published the findings of a year long evaluation of their 'wellness package' of services to support people living with cancer.

More than 750 pupils from 11 local state secondary schools will take part in the annual Bristol Festival of School Sport this week. The event is made possible by the enthusiastic support from around 125 student volunteers.

Bristol residents are being asked how much they care, as part of a fresh drive to identify more families and friends who are carers in Bristol. Figures show that almost 10 per cent of Bristol’s population, over 40,000 residents, are carers and two in fi...

There is considerable optimism amongst policy-makers that telehealth could transform health care delivery, but researchers have concluded that while telehealth could provide some benefit to some patients, it is not a simple answer to a complex problem.

A scientist from the University of Bristol has won the British Biophysical Society’s (BBS) Young Investigator of the Year award and medal. Dr Adam Perriman, senior research fellow in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, will be presented with h...

Professor Selena Gray and Dr Afroditi Stathi, Directors of the Active Older People Health Integration Team (APPHLE HIT) give an update on their work in 2015-16.

Dr Suzanne Audrey, Dr Adrian Davis and Marcus Grant, the Directors of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team, give a round up of what happened in 2015-16.

Dr Liz Coulthard, Director of the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT), reflects on the team's work and successes in 2015-16.

Professor John Macleod looks back over the work of the Sexual Health Improvement for Population and Patients Health Integration Team during 2015-16.

Dr Udaya Udayaraj gives an update on the work of the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team over the last year.

An update on the work of the Respiratory Infections Health Integration Team during 2015-16 from Professor Alastair Hay.

Professor David Wynick gives an update on the work of the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team during 2015-16.

People living in the cities of Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle and Gateshead and York will benefit from a new research and innovation initiative that puts them in the driving seat to help improve their cities' health, wellbeing and prosperity as th...

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust's R&D team are celebrating mental health research during their Clinical Trials Week from 6 to 10 June, by asking people to tweet about why they're involved in research.

Following his keynote address at the NHS Research and Development (R&D) Forum on 24 May, Peter Brindle believes our NHS should stand out as the most evidence informed healthcare system in the world, with NHS R&D at the heart of making this a reality.

Dr Adrian Davis, Director of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments (SHINE) Health Integration Team, talks about the differences between Bristol and the rest of the country in terms of attitudes to cycling.

Directors Dr Emma Clark, Professor Ashley Blom and Professor Sarah Hewlett give an update on the 2014-15 activity of the Bristol Bones and Joints Health Integration Team (HIT).

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), give an update on progress in 2015-16.

Despite policy pressure on GPs to offer consultations by email or internet video programmes such as Skype, few GPs do and most have no plans to introduce them in future, according to a new study.

Dr Nicola Wiles and Dr David Kessler, Directors of the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT), give an update on the HIT's work in 2015-16.

Dr Alan Whone, Director of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT), gives an update on the HIT's progress in 2015-16.

To mark Dementia Awareness Week, Dr Jude Hancock, co-ordinator of the Dementia Health Integration Team (HIT) talks about how important relationships are for people with dementia.

Scientists at the University of Bristol have identified the trigger for immune cells' inflammatory response – a discovery that may pave the way for new treatments for many human diseases.

A new campaigning group that aims to make the walking environment in Bristol more welcoming, safe, convenient and inclusive launched at in 17 May. The Bristol Walking Alliance is a collective of organisations and individuals who believe that walking is a...

An international team of researchers has shed light on the potential impact of new drugs for hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is an important cause of liver cancer and is transmitted through blood to blood contact.

A student entrepreneur whose grandfather was debilitated by Parkinson’s disease has created a mobility aid to improve the lives of other patients with the condition.

In the last 10 years, 225,000 people in the West of England are estimated to have taken part in clinical research supported by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), the research arm of the NHS.

Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) Directors Dr Sarah Sullivan, Dr Simon Downer and Dr Martin Jones give an update on what they've achieved since being endorsed by the Bristol Health Partners Executive in October 2015.

We are looking forward to our third annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 17 June at At-Bristol Science Centre. The event is now fully booked, although we are operating a waiting list.

Professor Sarah Purdy and Dr Peter Goyder, Directors of the Integration to Avoid Hospital Admissions Health Integration Team (ITHAcA HIT), gives an update on the HIT's activities in 2015-16.

Two members of the Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders Health Integration Team (MOVE HIT) have recently been recognised for their achievements with two awards. Deputy Director Lucy Mooney has received the North Bristol NHS Trust’s annual Nursing Di...

A new mental health and wellbeing festival is coming to Bristol in the autumn, which aims to bring people together for positive conversations and to make the city happier and healthier.

Public Health England has published its first briefing for local authorities on active travel, which was co-authored by Adrian Davis, Director of the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT).

The Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) is marking its official launch with a series of film screenings at the Watershed during June called Psychosis on Screen.

David Wynick, joint Research Director at North Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trusts and Professor of Molecular Medicine at University of Bristol, has taken on the newly created role of chair of the Bristol Health Partners Executive Group.

The Retinal Outreach, Integration and Research Health Integration Team (RENOIR HIT) which started in December 2012, has achieved the objectives it set out at its inception.

Dr Patricia Lucas and Dr Jo Williams, Directors of the Early Years Health and Wellbeing Health Integration Team (BoNEE HIT), give an update on the HIT's progress in 2015-16.

Bristol City Council is shining a light on living well with dementia during the national awareness week (16 – 22 May) organised by the Alzheimer’s society.

​Salena Williams, Director of the Improving Care in Self-Harm Health Integration Team (STITCH HIT) gives an update on the HIT's activities in 2015-16.

Lottie, Rachael and Milly are part of the Bristol Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG). Here they talk about what happens when the group meets.

Two scientists at the University of Bristol have been awarded prestigious research grants to develop novel technologies that will help fight the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Bristol’s new mayor is joining young people, key organisations, professionals and community figures from across Bristol to renew calls for a zero tolerance approach to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Bristol City Council has some money to make small improvements to walking and cycling routes. Fixing small things can make a big difference - bugbears are the small irritating things that hinder your cycling and walking through Bristol.

Bristol Health Partners Director David Relph has blogged for WONKHE, the home of higher education policy makers, on how university leaders must rethink civic engagement.

The NHS should increase bariatric surgery rates to 50,000 procedures a year to bring major health benefits to patients and save money in the long run, according to a team of experts.

The Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) spring Research Capability Funding (RCF) call is now open, with a deadline of 28 June.

The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) appears to increase when infants are swaddled while sleeping on their stomachs or sides, new research has found.

New research funded by the British Red Cross and carried out by UWE Bristol (the University of the West of England) and the University of Bristol aims to discover what information will help people know what to do and where to go when a person is unwell.

Professor Adam Finn, Dr Julie Yates and Dr Marion Roderick, Directors of the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team (HIT) give an update on the HIT's progress in 2015-16.

Dr Julie Mytton, Director of the Child Injury Health Integration Team (CIPIC HIT) gives an update of the HIT's activities in 2015-16.

More people are now able to access eye treatment closer to home, with the launch of a new specialist service based outside the Morrisons supermarket in Cribbs Causeway. The Mobile Retinal Treatment Unit gives patients from north Bristol with certain ey...

How can we green our cities to make them healthier and more sustainable places to live? A substantial grant awarded to a European collaboration, including researchers at the University of Bristol, will help to develop the best, most cost effective polici...

New research has showed substantial differences in the way human heart cells respond to e-cigarette smoke and conventional cigarette smoke.

A larger placenta during pregnancy could lead to larger bones in the children, a new study has shown. Researchers from the University of Southampton, studied 518 children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

A novel way of synthesising a promising new antibiotic has been identified by scientists at the University of Bristol. By expressing the genes involved in the production of pleuromutilin in a different type of fungus, the researchers were able to increas...

New training developed by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) could help the next generation of health workers support millions of patients across Europe burdened by ‘visible differences’ and body image fears. Academics from UWE Bri...

Today is the first World Maternal Mental Health Day organised by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance. One in five mothers experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy, birth and the early months of their child's life, but women don’t have to suffer...

Happy City have launched the Happiness Pulse, a new low cost way of collecting detailed information about wellbeing which can be used to help understand the wellbeing needs and strengths of Bristol people.

A University of Bristol spin-out company working to advance the treatment and prevention of bacterial infection by developing a solution to improve the efficacy of chlorhexidine-based products has received major investment to progress the technology.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have begun a trial to find out how well a training and support package for teachers works in recognising and combatting mental health problems.

Dr Julie Mytton, Director of the Child Injury Health Integration Team (CIPIC HIT), talks about the team's 2016 conference which took place on 17 March.

Researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Keele and University College London have fed back early research findings to help shape the development of a NHS England commissioned service for GPs with mental health problems.

A domestic violence training and support programme developed by Professor Gene Feder and his colleagues at the University of Bristol's Centre for Academic Primary Care has been shortlisted for the BMJ Awards in the category Innovation into Practice.

In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers have confirmed that high levels of family stress in early life can cause children to wet the bed for prolonged and persistent periods of time.

A collaborative research team has found humanoid robotics and computer avatars could help rehabilitate people suffering from social disorders such as schizophrenia or social phobia. It is thanks to the theory of similarity, which suggests that it is easie...

A team of researchers at the University of Bristol is embarking on a study to investigate the link between high blood pressure and dementia thanks to a £388,000 funding boost from the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Stress is a major burden in many people’s lives affecting their health and wellbeing. New research led by the University of Bristol has found that genes in the brain that play a crucial role in behavioural adaptation to stressful challenges are controlle...

Factors that influence when boys go through puberty could affect a man’s future risk of developing prostate cancer, a large study funded by World Cancer Research Fund has found.

The largest analysis of GP and nurse consultations to date shows workloads in general practice have increased by 16 per cent over the past seven years, with more frequent and longer consultations.

A new study called REACT (Relatives Education And Coping Toolkit) launches in March. The study is a free online peer-supported toolkit to support relatives and friends of people with mental health problems associated with psychosis or bipolar disorder.

Researchers from the University of Bristol and Public Health England have found that, although the rates of hospital deaths in England are declining, nearly two-thirds of people aged 85 and over, and more than half of people aged 95 and over, still die i...

Researchers at the University of Bristol have received more than £2.5 million from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to carry out research that aims to increase the safety and well-being of victims of domestic violence and abuse (DVA).

NICE have produced guidance covering mid-life approaches to delay or prevent the onset of dementia, disability and frailty in later life. It aims to increase the amount of time that people can be independent, healthy and active.

New light has been shed on the genetic relationship between autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and ASD-related traits in the wider population, by a team of international researchers including academics from the University of Bristol, the Broad Institute o...

Railway suicide rates in England and Wales have risen since the year 2000 despite measures aimed at reducing them, researchers from the University of Bristol have warned.

Antibiotic resistance in children with urinary infections is high and could render some antibiotics ineffective as first-line treatments, warns a study published by The BMJ.

Being overweight or obese in pregnancy causes babies to be born larger, according to new research, led by the universities of Bristol and Exeter. The study also found that having higher blood glucose (sugar) during pregnancy causes babies to be born larg...

Some of Bristol’s most hardworking and talented health workers were honoured at a sparkling awards ceremony on Thursday 10 March. The Bristol Post’s first ever Health and Care Awards, organised in partnership with Bristol Health Partners, were hosted by...

Ellen Devine, Healthwatch Bristol Project Coordinator, writes about her experience of the Bristol Health and Care Awards 2016.

Bristol’s health and care community are showing their support for the city’s 20mph speed limits as the council debates the issue today (15 March). A public petition supporting the speed limits, which received more than 4,100 signatures from people in Bri...

The outstanding achievements of Bristol's health and care community were honoured at a glittering awards ceremony, where the winners of the first ever Bristol Health and Care Awards were announced.

Videos and other resources to help GPs and parents manage coughs and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) have been launched by the University of Bristol's Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at an antimicrobial stewardship event on 26 February in Lon...

The NIHR CLAHRC West project, in collaboration with the Addictions Health Integration Team, examining whether a new ‘low dead space’ syringe would be acceptable to people who inject drugs, has found that users support use of the new syringe.

The four local authorities for South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset are running a travel to work survey, working with local employers to reduce traffic congestion.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) are well represented in the shortlist for the inaugural Bristol Health and Care Awards. HITs are a pioneering way of working on health issues in Bristol.

The newly formed Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) are looking for a Peer Director to join their leadership team. The Psychosis HIT aims to hear the voices of people who experience psychosis, their families and carers, and those of staff in mental...

​Hildegard Dumper of People in Health West of England explains what co-production is and how it works.

To support commissioners, the West of England AHSN and Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative to have developed two online toolkits: Evidence Works – an evidence-informed commissioning toolkit; and Evaluation Works – a service evaluation toolkit...

Research has found pre-school children whose parents considered them to be ‘picky eaters’ ate less dietary fibre, and were 30 per cent more likely to be constipated than those who were ‘never choosy’.

A University of Bristol professor is one of three neuroscientists who have won the world’s most valuable prize for brain research, for their outstanding work on the mechanisms of memory.

University of Bristol researchers led by Professor Alastair Hay are inviting Bristol families to take part in a new study to find out more about how parents manage children’s coughs, colds, sore throats and ear infections in the community.

Scientists at the University of Bristol are to investigate a potential new way of treating diabetes, following funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

CLAHRC West and the West of England AHSN have jointly developed a new two-hour workshop in collaboration with Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) called Getting Started with Service Evaluation.

New research led by Bristol NHS CCG and the University of Bristol, aimed at improving the quality of primary care for children with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) has been presented in London.

The Bristol city region, including Bristol Health Partners and the West of England Academic Health Science Network, are highlighted in the University Alliance Building Healthy Cities report, exploring the role universities play in local health ecosystem.

GPs find making decisions about prescribing antibiotics in children with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) difficult - on the one hand, the over-prescription of antibiotics is recognised as a serious concern but, on the other, treating a significant in...

The University of Bristol has won two awards from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to support translational research – work that turns fundamental scientific discoveries into improvements in human health and economic benefit.

Patients could be spared the unpleasant ordeal of having blood taken in future thanks to the work of a University of the West of England academic who has devised a new breath testing device.

While the sexual abuse of children is currently an issue at the forefront of public life, concern has focused on the protection of children and the identification of perpetrators. However, a new study by the Universities of Bristol and Durham for the NSP...

Why does sleeping on it help? This is the question tackled by new research at the University of Bristol, which reveals how brain activity during sleep sorts through the huge number of experiences we encounter every day, filing only the important informat...

The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute has now funded over 100 projects, from supporting promising young researchers to interdisciplinary workshops, to health research projects including those with translational or commercial potential.

After hours of deliberation, the Bristol Health and Care Awards judges, made up of representatives from the sponsors and the Bristol Post, are pleased to announce the shorlist for the awards.

The Bristol Health Partners exhibition at the Engine Shed, 'An apple a day: exploring your health in every day data stories' is entering its final week. The exhibition encourages visitors to answer questions relating to their health.

A new Health Integration Team (HIT), focused on improving care and quality of life for people with eating disorders and enhancing prevention, has been given the green light by the Bristol Health Partners executive group.

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have made a joint response to the West of England's joint spatial plan consultation. In response to housing pressure in the Avon sub-region, the area’s four local authorities, Bristol, North Somer...

Two new Project Managers, Jan Connett and Oliver Watson, have this week joined the Bristol Health Partners core team. They will be working closely with Health Integration Team (HIT) Directors, and clinical and academic colleagues, to plan and deliver th...

The national NIHR Clinical Research Network is hosting a tweet chat on Thursday 18 February between 7-8pm, on young people's mental health and research.

Dr Phil Hammond, NHS doctor, comedian and health commentator will present the inaugural Bristol Health and Care Awards on Thursday 10 March.

Researchers at the University of Bristol are asking people for their views about ‘shared space’ in the city. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and others are often expected to share routes or public spaces in order to get around in Bristol.

The 2016 Health Integration Team conference is being held in June, and we are looking for your feedback and ideas for this year's event.

A type of study commonly used to pinpoint genetic variants associated with diseases can also be used to identify the lifestyle predictors that increase the risk of a disease – something that is often overlooked in genetic studies.

The Public Health and Wellbeing Division in South Gloucestershire Council is running a pilot project aimed at supporting people aged up to 75-years-old, at high risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

A research team from UWE Bristol and University of Liverpool has reached an important milestone towards creating a urine diagnostic test for prostate cancer that could mean invasive diagnostic procedures that men undergo become a thing of the past.

Researchers have provided new evidence that developing asthma can be linked to pregnant women and infants being exposed to paracetamol; by testing that the association was not simply due to the medical complaint for which the person is taking paracetamol...

Skills for Health and the National Skills Academy for Health have launched a new campaign to highlight the vital role support workers play within the UK’s health sector and to say 'thank you' to unsung healthcare heroes.

St Michael's Hospital maternity services at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have been ranked top in the country in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) maternity survey 2015.

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has published a briefing explaining plans to introduce electronic health records for everyone.

The first ever Bristol Health and Care Awards have attracted 191 entries across 15 categories. The awards, run by the Bristol Post with support from Bristol Health Partners, are a unique opportunity to celebrate the success and hard work of the health an...

An England-wide survey of over 7,000 people with mental health problems shows that nearly two thirds of people in the South West are left feeling isolated (62 per cent), worthless (64 per cent) and ashamed (63 per cent) because of the stigma and discrimi...

Voting is now open on our strategic programme project ideas. This is your chance to help shape our future work in three important areas: the city region’s future health and care workforce; using data better in health and care; and health and care as a le...

Time to Talk Day is taking place on 4 February, and will challenge mental health stigma, getting as many people as possible across England talking about mental health. Lots of event are taking place across Bristol as part of #BrizzleBuzz.

An emotional resilience (ER) programme launched recently at the University of the West of England that is helping students to develop ‘mental wealth’ is going from strength to strength. Students are being trained in helping others to deal with ER skills...

Scientists at the University of the West of England have discovered a new way of making titanium implants bond better with bones. Successful implant surgery is dependent on this bonding process working so that the implant integrates into the skeleton.

Decision-makers still need evidence if they are to prevent growing healthcare costs, including those relating to impacts from climate change. Daniel Black discusses systemic inertia and potentially transformative research projects.

Researchers from the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol have created a unique dataset of 300 GP / patient consultations that will soon be made available for research and educational purposes.

Patients in the West of England will be among the first to benefit from a major new drive to modernise how the NHS delivers care, NHS Chief Executive Simon Stevens announced on Friday 22 January at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

A tour bus promoting ‘Join dementia research’ proved such a hit with shoppers in the West of England before Christmas that the region has now taken the number one slot for the highest number of local registrations to the service in the country.

There are a number of health research focused courses running in Bristol over the next few months that are aimed at healthcare professionals, researchers and public health practitioners.

New mothers with learning difficulties have benefitted from a pilot programme that helped them learn to care for and interact with their babies, an evaluation by University of Bristol experts has found.

Medical researchers at the University of Bristol have uncovered a fundamental mechanism that explains the interaction between brain state and the neural triggers responsible for learning.

Scientists in Bristol have discovered that a commonly prescribed dementia drug could hold the key to helping prevent debilitating falls for people with Parkinson’s.

The petition to keep 20mph speed limits in Bristol is less than 150 signatures away from its target, which will trigger a full council debate on the issue.

The deadline for nominations in the inaugural Bristol Health and Care Awards has been extended to 29 January. The awards are a unique opportunity to celebrate the success and hard work of the health and care community in Bristol.

A major study, led by researchers from the Active Older People Health Integration Team (APPHLE HIT), has launched aiming to help older people stay fitter and live independently for longer.

NHS reorganisation, coupled with increased GP workload and reduced time for patient care, are combining to force many doctors to leave general practice early, according to a significant new study.

North Bristol NHS Trust has launched a magazine, 'Take Park, Be Involved in Research', to encourage and inspire patients and members of the public to get involved in health research.

People with depression that has not responded fully to treatment with antidepressants benefit long-term from receiving cognitive behavioural therapy, given in addition to their usual treatment that includes antidepressant medication.

CLAHRC West has announced the latest round for project proposals, which closes on 7 March. In this round, they are looking to prioritise​ projects that focus on integrated working across the health system, or effective and efficient ‘optimal care’.

People have evolved to have subconscious urges to over-eat, and limited ability to avoid becoming obese, especially in winter, a study by the Universities of Bristol and Exeter has found.

More than 30 people with an interest in evaluation came together to develop a shared vision, strategy and action plan for evaluation in the West, at a workshop on 16 December.

Mike Bell, our Patient and Public Involvement Facilitator, describes the work of the Bristol Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) which comprises young people aged between 10 and 17 who are interested in healthcare and research.

Professor Nichola Rumsey, Co-Director of the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, has been awarded an OBE for her services to people affected by an altered appearance.

Couples seeking fertility treatment should view IVF as a multiple cycle process rather than a “single shot”, according to new research. The study has found that around two thirds of patients will be successful after six or more cycles of IVF.

This is your chance to help shape our future work in three major programmes: the city region’s future health and care workforce; using data better in health and care; and health and care as a leader in sustainability.

The West of England has been awarded NHS Genomic Medicine Centre status as part of the unique, innovative and world-leading 100,000 Genomes Project. Yorkshire and the Humber have also been added to the 11 centres already up and running.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have contributed to the Chief Medical Officer’s annual report for 2015, which focuses on women’s health with a priority of preventing and overcoming health inequality in the UK.

Opposable VR are inviting healthcare professionals looking for new ways to roll out training, diagnosis or therapy, to come to their offices at the Bristol Games Hub to explore their virtual reality systems.

The new Children's Focused Nursing Simulation Suite at the Glenside Campus of the University of the West of England was officially opened by Kath Evans, Experience of Care Lead – Maternity, Newborn, Children and Young People for NHS England on Tuesday 8...

Reducing toddlers’ portion sizes or number of eating occasions could potentially help to target weight gain in later life, according to new research from the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL).

A consortium of leading researchers, care providers and robotics experts have received a major award of over £2m from Innovate UK to develop a modular robotic solution for the home to revolutionise long-term care by giving people the choice to stay indep...

Openprescribing.net, which has launched with financial and collaborative support from the West of England Academic Health Science Network (WEAHSN), is the first website of its kind to enable health professionals, patients and the public to easily explore...

Bristol Health Partners has teamed up with the Bristol Post for the first ever Bristol Health and Care Awards. Nominations are now open in 15 categories, including Health Professional of the Year.

On 17 November, 250 members of the public and 24 speakers came together to explore what makes a city healthy, as part of the health strand of the Festival of the Future City.

The new Bristol Brain Centre at Southmead Hospital brings together North Bristol Trust's considerable expertise in neurological disorders under one roof, designed with the patient at its heart.

Professor Steve West, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West of England, reflects on the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) and how this could impact on nursing and allied healthcare provision.​...

New research by academics from the University of Bristol has found women exposed to passive smoking, on average, deliver their babies earlier and with lower birth weights compared to unexposed women.

A free self-help app for anxiety (SAM app) conceived and co-designed by experts at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has been downloaded by over 500,000 users in more than 100 countries since its launch in July 2013.

A University of Bristol medical student has received a double honour from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Fourth year student Anna Taylor, from Manchester, won the College’s award for medical student of the year at a ceremony in London this month.

A new Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) has been given the green light by the Bristol Health Partners executive group, led by CLAHRC West's Dr Sarah Sullivan, Dr Simon Downer of Bristol Mental Health and Bristol CCG Chair Dr Martin Jones.

Developing effective patient and public involvement (PPI) takes time and commitment, says People in Health West of England's Hildegard Dumper.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership's (AWP) research and development team are hitting the road in December to get 1,000 Join Dementia Research volunteers signed up by Christmas.

The energy team at University Hospitals Bristol scooped the award for Improving Environmental and Social Sustainability at the 2015 HSJ Awards on 18 November.

As part of Healthy City Week, the Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT) held a workshop to contribute to the development of a healthy, inclusive neighbourhood checklist.

Will robots change the way people work, live and learn in the future? This question will be explored during European Robotics Week, which this year will be hosted by the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL).

Researchers at the University of Bristol have received £1.5 million from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for a trial looking at easing the pain of ear infections. This is part of a larger investment of over £15.8 million into research t...

Dr Peter Goyder, Urgent Care Clinical Lead at Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group, has been appointed as the new Co-Director of ITHAcA HIT. Peter will be working alongside Sarah Purdy, the current ITHAcA HIT Director.

Virtual reality technologies (VRTs) using head-mounted displays (HMDs) could help people with autism develop social skills and confidence according to a researcher from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

More than 400 people came together on 15 October to hear about collaboration to improve health and care in the West at the NIHR CLAHRC West, CRN: West of England and WEAHSN joint conference.

OneStart, the world's largest life sciences and healthcare accelerator programme launches a bio-entrepreneurship programme for students and postdocs with a grand prize of £100,000 and free lab space.

Applications are now open for the second West of England Academic Health Science Network (WEAHSN) Healthcare Innovation Programme.

Bluebell, a charity based in Bristol supporting families who are affected by antenatal or post-natal depression has been awarded £165,130 from The Big Lottery Fund to open a central Bristol hub.

New research from Children of the 90s shows that the weight gain of infants given cow’s milk as a main drink in place of breast or formula milk before 12 months of age may be greater than that of breastfed infants.

Marcus Grant, SHINE Director, rounds up the National Urban Design Group annual conference.

Use of low energy sweeteners in place of sugar, in children and adults, leads to reduced calorie intake and body weight – and possibly also when comparing these beverages to water – according to a review led by researchers at the University of Bristo...

Bristol Health Partners is part of a consortium that will investigate the potential risk from a changing climate and extreme weather to people’s health across the city. The project, funded by Innovate UK and the Natural Environment Research Council (NE...

People in Health West of England's Hildegard Dumper asks how citizens can play their part in shaping and leading the health system of the future.

Dr Suzanne Audrey, co-director of SHINE HIT, is encouraging everyone to get behind an online petition in favour of keeping and extending 20mph speed limits in Bristol.

The economic recession of 2008 – 2013 was followed by increases in rates of suicide, suicide attempts, and mental illness, a PolicyBristol report from a team led by academics at the University of Bristol has found.

Emily Rose, rheumatology pharmacist at Southmead Hospital, has won the top prize in the Royal College of Pharmacist’s I Love My Pharmacist competition.

More than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which commonly causes ‘cold sores’ and can also cause genital herpes, according to new research by the University of Bristol and WHO.

Projects on air quality and translating patient materials have been awarded development funds through the Bristol Health Partners Make It weekend on 17 and 18 October.

A major new £4.1 million cancer research programme that will focus on new ways to prevent and predict cancer development and progression is announced by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the University of Bristol.

The Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) autumn call for applications to their Research Capability Funding (RCF) responsive mode scheme is now open, with a deadline of 5pm on 18 December 2015.

Bristol Ageing Better has teamed up with Aardman Animations to create a film exploring older people's experiences of social isolation in the city. The animation uses the approach of Aardman's much loved Creature Comforts strand, using the voices of real p...

A study led by the University of Bristol, in collaboration with University of Central Lancashire, found many GPs and practice nurses are uncertain how to manage consultations involving children exposed to domestic violence.

Bristol’s inaugural Healthy City Week will take place from 10–18 October 2015, and the full programme is now available online. Over 100 events can be found across Bristol over the 10 days, each promoting the idea of wellbeing that doesn’t cost the earth...

A research paper published in 2014 by researchers from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care and colleagues from the universities of Cambridge and Exeter has won Research Paper of the Year Award 2014 from the Royal College of Gener...

Bristol Health Partners had a stand and ran a prestigious pop-up university session at this year's NHS Health and Care Innovation Expo, which took place in Manchester on 2-3 September.

David Relph, who has been working as Bristol Health Partners’ Director since April 2014, has been appointed to the post on a permanent basis. David has been working in the post on a part time basis, while continuing with his job as Head of Strategy and B...

The Big Green Walk is a virtual sponsored walk taking place over 12-18 October as part of Bristol's first ever Healthy City Week, organised by 500 more and Netwalking South West.

Patients who start treatment for dependence on opioids are five times as likely to die in the first four weeks when they are prescribed the most commonly used treatment, methadone, than with an alternative treatment, buprenorphine, a study by researchers...

Singing in a choir can improve the feelings of social isolation and low mood experienced by stroke survivors with aphasia (communication difficulties) according to new research from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and the University o...

A major new consultation on the future of children’s community health services in the region is running from 3 September and will end on 25 November 2015.

A new £3 million NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit to advance pioneering research on the manufacture of red blood cells from stem cells and their translation from the lab to human trials has been announced.

Smokers in Bristol are being encouraged to take this year’s Stoptober challenge and go smokefree during October. Stoptober, the 28 day quit challenge run by Public Health England, will help many of the 63,000 smokers in Bristol to kick their habit by...

Bristol Robotics Laboratory's new Anchor Robotics Personalised Assisted Living (ARPAL) facility enables robotics researchers, elderly people with assistive needs and those supporting them, to work together to devise and test new robotic solutions in a ho...

Mothers who took part in a study about preschool children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour do not feel that the government targets are relevant to their preschooler.

The Bristol Health Partners website has been relaunched, with a new design, improved functionality and more content about Bristol's health research. The launch follows NIHR CLAHRC West's recent relaunch of their website.

Residents in Bristol are being offered a helping hand to shape up this September with the launch of a new pharmacy weight loss campaign. In Bristol almost 58 per cent of men, and over half the population, are overweight or obese which can lead to long te...

Couples who have successfully conceived following fertility treatment need additional antenatal care and support, new research from the University of Bristol has found.

Young people who identify with the goth subculture might be at increased risk of depression and self-harm, according to new research led by academics at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

Ambition to find a cure for dementia has been boosted by the surge of people volunteering to take part in dementia research.

People in Health West of England have developed an infographic showing how they link with their partners and other local organisations.

Are you a healthcare innovator in the West of England? The West of England Academic Health Science Network (WEAHSN) invites health innovators to their second Healthcare Innovation Programme scheduled to run in 2016.

Heavy smoking may result in a relative increase in waist circumference, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol.

New research has identified the mechanisms that trigger disruption in the brain’s communication channels linked to symptoms in psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. The University of Bristol study, published on 17 August in the Proceedings of Na...

The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research (EBI), co-funded by the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol, brings together leading researchers from disparate fields to collaborate on solutions to the most pressing health problems of the 2...

BRL is a unique collaboration that harnesses the strengths of its university partners, and brings together the best expertise from industry and the academic community to spearhead Britain’s efforts to be a world leader in modern advanced robotics.

ALSPAC, or Children of the 90s, has been charting the health of 14,500 families in the Bristol area since the early 1990s in order to improve the health of future generations. ALSPAC is a world-leading birth cohort study.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments at the University of the West of England promotes healthy and sustainable settlements through research, teaching, consultancy, knowledge exchange and publications.

The Centre for Research in Biosciences at the University of the West of England brings together world class researchers working in the fields of biomedicine, bio-sensing technology, agri-food plant and environmental science.

A unique, world class facility at the University of Bristol for practically-based understanding of anatomy for clinical practice, providing the highest standards of training and development for healthcare professionals.

UWE's Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) strives to make a real difference to the lives of the many hundreds of thousands of people with appearance-related concerns both in the UK and across the world.

The University of Bristol is working with Cancer Research UK on a number of projects, including a five year programme to reduce the burden of cancer, and the colorectal tumour biology group which looks at cell survival mechanisms and chemoprevention.

Research at UWE has led to a process of measuring fatigue in people with rheumatoid arthritis which has been adopted internationally in clinical trials, and informed interventions that have improved quality of life for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Cardiovascular science in Bristol comprises more than 230 researchers and clinicians from across the University of Bristol and NHS trusts, working to translate basic scientific research into novel clinical practice, improving patient outcome and care.

The Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative (APCRC) annual report for 2014/15 has been published. It highlights their achievements against their strategic aims, as one of the most successful research active primary care research collaboratives in Englan...

NIHR CLAHRC West works with its partner organisations, including the NHS, local authorities and universities, to conduct applied health research and implement research evidence, to improve health and healthcare across the West.

In 2014-15, both universities performed strongly in health subjects in the Research Excellence Framework. The NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West and a new synthetic biology research centre, BrisSynBio, launched.

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is the first Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the UK to sign up for the very latest version of a powerful simulated Radiotherapy Treatment Planning System (RTPS), which has been futureproofed.

Guy Robertson, Director of Positive Ageing Associates, explores how negative attitudes to ageing can affect longevity and the quality of later life.

Sarah Purdy, Professor of Primary Care in the School of Social and Community Medicine at the University of Bristol, has been appointed Associate Dean of Social and Clinical Medicine.

Patients often complain that they can't see the same doctor, but does this matter? A new study from Samuel Merriel and colleagues from the University of Bristol suggests that it may where a relationship between patient and doctor has been built.

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust's clinical trials centre, the Kingshill Research Centre, has been involved in trialling a new drug which may cut the rate of progression in a third of people with early onset Alzheimer's disease.

More than £150,000 will be awarded to new ideas to address England's biggest healthcare challenges in the first wave of 2015's NHS Innovation Challenge Prizes.

Pupils from May Park Primary School have been recognised for their good work making sun safety a priority in school and raising awareness about the dangers of UV exposure ahead of the summer holidays.

A new campaign designed to raise awareness about how to spot domestic violence and abuse has launched in Bristol and the surrounding area.

Findings, published on 15 July in Nature Communications, reveal the extent a mutation associated with autism and epilepsy plays in impairing a biochemical process in the brain.

Healing times for skin ulcers and bedsores can be reduced by a third with the use of low-intensity ultrasound, scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Bristol have found.

Bristol City Council has won the CLeaR Leadership award for its continued efforts to reduce smoking and tackle tobacco in the area.

The aim of Kitchen on Prescription is to create a 'socially prescribed' healthcare intervention that enables healthcare professionals to refer people with a long term condition to a motivational healthy eating cooking course.

Bristol Health Partners held its second annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 12 June, attended by over 130 academics, clinicians, commissioners, patients and others from organisations across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset...

A ground breaking new book, the Routledge Handbook of Planning for Health and Wellbeing, is launching on 2 July. Aimed at decision-makers in control of urban planning and transport policy, this handbook is co-authored by SHINE HIT's Marcus Grant.

Becky Pollard, new Director of Public Health in Bristol, talks about her priorities for improving health in the city and the importance of partnership working.

NHS England, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and the University of Bristol have announced the world’s first national programme to review – and ultimately reduce – the premature deaths of people with learning disabilities.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (WEAHSN) is launching a 'Diabetes: mHealth - self-management in a digital world' challenge on 23 June, open to SMEs and third sector organisations.

Scientists have developed a new tissue ‘scaffold’ technology that could one day enable the engineering of large organs. Research led by the Universities of Bristol and Liverpool has shown that it is possible to combine cells with a special scaffold to pr...

Our 2014-15 annual review was launched at our annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 12 June. The Bristol Health Partners annual review showcases the work of the partnership and includes updates from our HITs and a round-up of the health rese...

A new approach to help parents quit smoking and prevent young people from picking up the habit is being trialled in Bristol. The council is supporting UK charity, QUIT, to roll out its Smoke Free Family Life campaign after a pilot scheme enjoyed signific...

Advances in stem cell transplantation and gene therapy have been pioneered in vision research. An international team of researchers from Bristol, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Montreal have identified a gene that could be responsible for some cases of...

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (WEAHSN) has published its 2014-15 annual report, showcasing their projects over the last 12 months, to enable positive change in the way the West's services operate and care is provided.

Disabled people, the parents of disabled children, older people and carers are being invited to shape a new access project at a series of consultation events being held in June.

Parents across Bristol are being encouraged to teach their children how to use garden trampolines safely in order to enjoy an injury free summer. Avonsafe Bristol, the local injury prevention organisation, has commissioned the campaign and teamed up with...

After five years of research involving cancer diagnosis experts from six UK universities, including University of Bristol, researchers have made a number of recommendations on how the UK can improve the early diagnosis of cancer.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network, in partnership with Designability, is looking for anyone in the West living with challenging health conditions, their carers, and health professionals, to share daily living experiences and ideas for n...

New community gardening clubs for older people, people with dementia and their families are starting in Barton Hill and Knowle in June.

Professor Matt Hickman, Barbara Coleman and Dr Tim Williams, Directors of the Addictions Health Integration Team (HIT), give an update on their work in 2014-15.

What if handheld tools know what needs to be done and were even able to guide and help inexperienced users to complete jobs that require skill? Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed and started studying a novel concept in robotics - int...

The government is aiming for all adults to have online access to their health and social care records by 2020, but researchers from the Institute of Child Health, QMUL and the University of Bristol are concerned about the potential for unintended harm.

Professor John Macleod, Director of the Sexual Health Improvement for Population and Patients Health Integration Team (SHIPP HIT), gives an update on their work in 2014-15.

Dr Udaya Udayaraj, Director of the Chronic Kidney Disease Health Integration Team (HIT), gives an update on their work in 2014-15.

Dr Suzanne Audrey, Dr Adrian Davis and Marcus Grant, Directors of the Healthy Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT) give an update on progress in 2014-15.

Professor Selena Gray and Dr Afroditi Stathi, Directors of the Active Older People Health Integration Team (APPHLE HIT) give an update on their work in 2014-15.

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health (IMPROVE) Health Integration Team, give an update on progress in 2014-15.

Dr Patricia Lucas and Dr Jo Williams, Directors of the Early Years Health and Wellbeing Health Integration Team (BoNEE HIT), give an update on the HIT's progress in 2014-15.

Dr Nicola Wiles and Dr David Kessler, Directors of the Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT), give an update on the HIT's work in 2014-15.

As calls to emergency services increase, there is an urgent need for a reliable and consistent method of measuring whether or not these calls are appropriate. These are the findings from a University of Bristol study, published in BMJ Open, which explore...

Professor Andrew Dick and Dr Clare Bailey, Directors of the Retinal Conditions Health Integration Team (RENOIR HIT) give an update on the HIT's work in 2014-15.

On International Clinical Trials Day (20 May), dementia researchers celebrated a surge of public support with over 6,000 members of the public signing up to Join Dementia Research to register their interest in volunteering for dementia research studies.

The research community reached out to patients and the public across England, encouraging them to ‘ask’ about research opportunities that could be available to them by celebrating International Clinical Trials Day on 20 May 2015.

A new study published in the Journal of Public Health examining changes in BMI in children aged 4-11 years, found that that the number of obese children doubles between the first and last years of primary school and that children who are obese when they...

Men visiting their GP with symptoms of anxiety or depression are more likely to have experienced or carried out some form of behaviour linked to domestic violence and abuse, according to a new University of Bristol study.

The new science quarter at Southmead Hospital launched in May, enabling scientists and clinicians to work closely together, bringing to life the clinical research that will be put into practice not just at North Bristol Trust, but potentially impacting N...

As the international research community celebrates International Clinical Trials Day on 20 May, a Bristol parent has expressed her delight and relief after making the tough decision to allow her daughter to participate in a drug trial at Bristol Eye Hosp...