University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

04/09/2025

This autumn/winter it’s essential you protect yourself and others against flu. Vaccination is the best protection - get your flu vaccination as soon as you’re offered it.

04/09/2025

Staff from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary are going the extra mile for charity – 500 miles, to be exact!

They are preparing for a gruelling 500-mile walking and running challenge to raise funds to enhance patient care.

From Monday 15 September onwards, the ICU team will be taking on the ‘Rehab 500’ challenge and will be walking or running a collective 500 miles to raise funds to buy a ‘MOTOmed’ rehabilitation bike, which could cost up to £12,000 depending on the specification. This vital piece of equipment will support early physical rehabilitation for critically ill patients, helping them begin their recovery even while still in intensive care.

The campaign with Bay Hospitals Charity at comes after the ICU team trialled the over-bed bike for several months, witnessing its positive impact on patient recovery and wellbeing.

Sarah Leadsom, an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner in the team and one of the organisers, said: “We’ve seen how effective this equipment is in promoting early rehabilitation for critically ill patients. It’s about returning people to who they were before they came into hospital.

“The bike can be used by patients at all stages of critical care, including those who are sedated and ventilated, operating in a passive mode to keep muscles moving and prevent deterioration.

“One particularly moving success story involved one of our long-stay patients who expressed his love for Grasmere in the Lake District.

“We mapped out a virtual cycling route from Lancaster to Grasmere on the rehabilitation bike and decorated his room with photographs of the village. Over several weeks, starting with just half a mile per day, our patient gradually ‘cycled’ the entire route and celebrated his achievement with Grasmere gingerbread brought in by his wife. We were all in tears at the finish.”

You can support the Rehab 500 Challenge by donating on this link: https://www.bayhospitalscharity.org/fundraisers/icu-rehab-500

The team members will be sharing their progress on their social media channels .rli on Instagram and on Twitter.

If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing the campaign with friends and family. Every step, share and donation brings the team closer to improving lives.

You can read the full story on the UHMBT website on this link: https://shorturl.at/LNn0w

Bay Hospitals Charity NHS England

04/09/2025

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. There are different types of blood cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Find out where you can get information and support if you or someone you know is affected by blood cancer: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-awareness/blood-cancer-awareness-month

03/09/2025

🌟 5 star review for RLI Ward 37 🌟

"I was amazed at how friendly all the staff were, nothing was to much trouble for them."

If you have feedback about one of our services or teams that you'd like to share, please let us know: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/get-in-touch/complaints-and-compliments

02/09/2025

We are holding our Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) on Tuesday 16 September 2025, from 1pm, hosted online via Microsoft Teams.

As well as hearing about the Trust’s performance over the past year and its plans for the future, the meeting will include presentations on the Annual Report, Annual Accounts, the external auditor’s report, and the work of the Council of Governors. You can also submit a question to be answered at the AMM.

Read more: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/uhmbt-invites-public-join-annual-members-meeting-online

02/09/2025

With children heading back to school this week, it can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child at home if they are feeling unwell.

Follow this advice on when you should keep your child at home.

➡️ https://nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school

01/09/2025

Patients and colleagues affected by sexual violence now have additional support at UHMBT thanks to a new role funded by the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner.

Chloe Haughton has been appointed as the Health Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (HISVA) at UHMBT - a role designed to provide vital emotional and practical support to patients aged 16 and over who have experienced sexual violence, either recently or in the past. HISVAs can assist with coping strategies, safety planning and guidance through the court process.

Chloe said: “Not everyone feels ready or able to go to the police. My role is to ensure that patients and staff know they can still access support, advice and care even if they don’t want to make a formal report. It’s about helping people to understand their options and feel empowered to make the decisions that are right for them.”

Patients can contact Chloe via the healthcare professional responsible for their care.

Full story on this link: https://tinyurl.com/3f9h9fhe

01/09/2025

World Alzheimer's Month takes place every September, with World Alzheimer's Day on 21 September each year. It's a global opportunity to raise dementia awareness and support people affected by the disease.

Get more information and see the support available:

We are the UK’s leading dementia charity, we tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future.

01/09/2025

By calling , and selecting the mental health option, we can help to get you the urgent support you need for your mental health.

Other mental health support options: https://orlo.uk/U2Pvr

30/08/2025

Grief is a natural response to loss, and it's a deeply personal and often challenging journey that everyone experiences at some point in their lives.

Today is Grief Awareness Day which encourages compassion and understanding for those navigating grief, recognizing that it's not a linear process with a set timeline: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org

29/08/2025

28/08/2025

Today marks the first day for students at The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine - the first graduate-entry medical school in Cumbria based at our Carlisle Fusehill Street campus. 🩺

In a ground-breaking partnership between our university, Imperial College London and the Pears Foundation, this unique collaboration brings world-class medical education to the region, helping shape the future of healthcare in Cumbria. 🏥

We are so proud of the work undertaken so far and extend a warm welcome to the first cohort to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine today. Good luck and enjoy!