21.04.2026
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The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for resident doctors working in hospitals to take part in five days of industrial action from 7am tomorrow (Friday July 25) until 7am next Wednesday (July 30).
The strike will affect NHS services across the North East and North Cumbria and patients should expect some disruption and potential long waits during the strike, and during the following immediate days when patient attendance often peaks.
Dr Neil O’Brien, chief medical officer for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, (pictured) said:
“People can expect long delays and more disruption to NHS services during this latest period of industrial action. It is even more challenging to plan for this strike action due to staff summer holiday leave, meaning there are fewer staff available to help cover essential services.
“Emergency and urgent care services will be prioritised during this time, so we really need the public’s help to only call 999 and attend emergency departments if it is a genuine life-threatening injury or illness, as our emergency departments and Urgent Treatment Centres were extremely busy last time.
“For urgent health needs that are not life threatening, please use 111 online or by phone.
“GP practices and local pharmacies will still be open as usual during the industrial action to help with advice and treatments.”
The NHS is also reminding the public to keep their appointments unless they hear otherwise.
Dr O’Brien added: “People will be contacted directly if there are any changes to their planned appointment or surgery, and there is no need to contact the NHS about this.”
The public are reminded for urgent health needs, which are not life-threatening, www.111.nhs.uk is available 24 hours a day. Its symptom checker can be used to assess symptoms, and it will direct to a health professional if people need to be seen by someone. Also, self-care advice is available on NHS online.
Parents, carers and young people can also use the Healthier Together app or website which provides NHS healthcare advice and top tips on a range of child related illnesses along with information on local services.
Anyone needing mental health crisis support can phone NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
Thieves have targeted a care home, stealing prizes gifted to raise funds used to pay for extra activities and treats for its residents.
Haven Court in McAnany Avenue, South Shields, was broken into between Thursday, July 17, and the early hours of the next morning.
The care home is in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital and provides residential and nursing care, including for people with dementia. It also offers rehabilitation, helping people regain their independence following illness, accident or a disability.
Haven Court is a wholly owned subsidiary of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
The break-in happened when a window of an office was smashed. The thieves snatched prizes which had been donated by the loved ones of residents and staff.
They were due to be put in a tombola and raffle at the home’s summer fayre, which will be held on Saturday, August 2, from 10am until noon.
Money raised at the event will be used support those who live in the home. Funds are used to pay for visits by entertainers, fish and chip Fridays, ice creams, trips out and other activities.
The home is now busy rallying to collect more items for the raffle. Those who have heard about the burglary have asked how they can help. Anyone who would like to donate items can drop them off at the home.
A donation of £100 has been made by STS Charity, the Trust’s dedicated charity, to help kick start a new collection of items. Tesco in Simonside, Jarrow, and Asda Boldon have each donated gifts too.
The office which was broken into is in part of the building which is away from where residents live. That area can only be accessed with a staff ID card or visitor let in by a member of the team. A review of security has since taken place and further measures put in place.
Sarah Sasmazer, Director of Care, Quality and Safety and the Registered Manager of Haven Court, said: “To be broken into is upsetting in its own right, but to then have items stolen which had been kindly gifted to us raise money for our residents is utterly devastating.
“We work really hard to go above and beyond to provide extras for those we look after and make their days more enjoyable. We hope the person or people who did this realises the impact it has had and thinks long and hard about their actions.
“Someone will know who did this. Northumbria Police is investigating and we would encourage anyone with information to pass this on. Whoever is responsible should face the consequences for what they have done.
“We also need to foot the bill for repairs, which is another cost to our home when we really want to focus our time and funds on caring for our residents.”
Anyone with any information should contact Northumbria Police by sending a direct message on social media or using the live chat function on its website. For those who are unable to contact via those ways, call 101. Please quote crime reference 082132Q/25.
Set to open in summer 2026, work remains on track to welcome patients from across the North East and North Cumbria.
Work began on the development in December 2023 and over the past 18 months construction has gathered pace with the internal fit out of the hospital now well underway.
The new city centre location for the Eye Hospital has been warmly welcomed by patients who travel from far and wide across the region to use services in Sunderland.
Now a prominent landmark on the city centre skyline, the new Eye Hospital will house all the current clinical services offered from Queen Alexandra Road site when it opens next year. This includes the Cataract Treatment Centre which will continue to play a pivotal role in helping to reduce waiting lists across the region.
With just one year to go until the new Eye Hospital opens, a new time lapse video of the build has now been released. The footage shows the major progress made on site since the first spade was put in the ground 18 months ago.
Dr Ajay Kotagiri is Clinical Director of Ophthalmology Services at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. He said: “It was brilliant to visit the new hospital site and amazing to see the actual space we will be working in from next summer. The clinical areas are so spacious and well designed and we can’t wait to be able to see and treat patients in this fantastic new facility.”
Ophthalmology services are some of the busiest in the NHS with many people affected by sight problems at some point in their lives.
As construction work continues on the new Eye Hospital building, the Trust’s STS Charity has also launched the ‘Vision Appeal’. The appeal, which aims to raise £1 million, will support ongoing investment into state-of-the-art technology and equipment above and beyond what is included in the build. This will help the team to continue to provide world-class treatment and research and make sure the facility stays as the front of digital innovation in eye care for years to come.
The Vision Appeal aims to fund additional pieces of technology and equipment ranging from £1,000 to £200,000 by encouraging local people and businesses to support the appeal through fundraising and its new Visionaries Programme. Details of the programme as well as how to donate and get involved with events can be found via the Vision Appeal website.
Ajay added: “Our Vision Appeal is a great way for patients and local people to get involved with the new Eye Hospital and be part of something fantastic. We want to stay at the forefront of eye research and innovation in Sunderland and the STS Charity’s support will help us do that. It will help us to fund equipment and technology, over and above what we already have.”
The region’s new Eye Hospital is part of the Riverside Sunderland development and is being built by Kier in partnership with Sunderland City Council.
Cllr Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for business, housing and regeneration, said: “It’s fantastic to see work progressing apace on the new Eye Hospital at Riverside Sunderland.
“Once complete, this world-class facility will be one of the few standalone specialist eye hospitals anywhere in the UK and the region’s only dedicated specialist centre for ophthalmology care.
“This will not only position Sunderland as a national centre for innovation in ophthalmic care but will also provide a major boost to the city economy with thousands more people every month pouring into the city centre. It\s yet another fantastic development for our ever-transforming city.”
In addition to clinical spaces, once finished the new Eye Hospital will also have rooms dedicated for wellbeing. These include a breastfeeding space, a Changing Places room, baby changing facilities and a quiet and faith room. A café will overlook the side of the hospital which faces towards the River Wear.
The new Eye Hospital will also welcome the addition of a dedicated children’s area, with young patients benefitting from their own waiting area and rooms tailored to their care.
Once open, the new Eye Hospital will cement Sunderland’s global reputation for fantastic eye services.
Watch the new time lapse video here:
Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/one-year-go-countdown-begins-regions-new-eye-hospital
Do you need to avoid gluten to stay healthy?
The NHS in the North East and North Cumbria has launched a six-week public survey asking people to share their thoughts on a proposal to stop prescribing gluten-free bread, rolls and flour mixes in our region.
These are the only gluten-free foods currently available on prescription here. No other gluten-free products are prescribed.
Why is this being looked at?
Some people, like those with coeliac disease and some other health conditions, need to avoid gluten to stay healthy. At the moment, about 4,700 people in our area get gluten-free bread, rolls and flour mix on prescription. That’s around 34,000 items a year.
But things have changed over time:
- Gluten-free foods are now easier to buy in shops and online.
- Food labels are clearer, so it’s easier to pick safe foods.
- Gluten-free foods still cost more than regular food.
- The NHS pays more for these products than the prices in shops.
Different areas prescribe different amounts, and North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board wants to make sure NHS money is spent fairly and equally across our region.
What’s happening now?
No decision has been made yet; NENC ICB wants to hear what people think through an online survey and focus groups, especially for people who may be more affected.
Take part in the survey here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/nencicb/nenc-gluten-free-2025
Other ways to take part in the survey:
• email nencicb.involve@nhs.net
• call 0191 512 8484
• write to Gluten-free survey, North East and North Cumbria ICB, Pemberton House, Colima Avenue, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 3XB.
The Government has announced that it wants to transfer the work of Healthwatch England to the Department of Health and Social Care and the work of local Healthwatch services to the NHS and local authorities.
But what does this mean for you?
While these changes will happen over time, the law has not yet been changed. This means Healthwatch South Tyneside is still here, open and working for you.
We will continue to:
- Listen to your experiences of health and social care
- Share what we hear with those in power to help improve services
- Provide advice and information to help you find the support you need
This morning we held our AGM (separate report to follow) where we outlined our plans for the year ahead, which include a review of Pharmacy First and research into mental health services for adults and young people.
Our latest annual report, published last week, reviews the past year and also looks ahead to work we have planned which will go ahead.
For more information on the rationale and future plans for the services Healthwatch provides, download the Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape published today.
In the meantime if you need to get in touch, contact us at info@healthwatchsouthtyneside.co.uk or call 0191 4897952. We’re here for you.
The treatment took place in the theatre at South Tyneside District Hospital, which is a designated national small bowel training centre.
It saw a bowel endoscopy procedure, in this case a double balloon enteroscopy (DBE), carried out in conjunction with keyhole surgery. This is an operation which has only taken place out a small number of times in a handful of locations across the UK.
An endoscopy is a medical procedure where a thin, flexible tube with a camera, called an endoscope, is inserted into the body to show the internal organs and structures.
In this case it was rare because the DBE was done in combination with keyhole surgery. Carrying it out at the hospital, which is run by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, meant the patient did not have to travel to London for their surgery.
They have a genetic syndrome called Peutz Jaeger Syndrome. It causes multiple large growths, known as polyps, to grow in the lining of the bowel. These can turn cancerous and frequently cause bowel blockages, so they need to be taken out.
The case was carried out by Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Amit Chattree, Consultant Gastroenterologist surgeon Mr Shlok Balupuri, Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Darshen Boregowda and endoscopy nurses Redwin Evangelista and Don Emerson Pasco.
Dr Chattree said: “The polyp removed in this patient was so large that it could not be removed with normal small bowel endoscopy safely. This was because there was a risk of causing a bowel tear and that can be life-threatening.
“This is why we combined it with a surgical procedure using keyhole surgery. It allowed us easier access to the polyp and for it to be removed safely without any risk of complication.
“It also meant we didn’t have to remove a section of the small bowel or cut into the small bowel. This could have resulted in complications and a long recovery period.
“This patient was able to go home without any issues the next day, which is great news for them. Because this hospital is close to home, they did not have to face any extra travel while they were recovering.
“This is a great achievement as the procedure undertaken is very complex and is only performed in very small numbers in a handful of centres in the UK. I am very proud of the team.”
Dr Chattree added that carrying out a DBE means diagnosis and treatments can be made which previously would not have been possible. They also mean that people do not need surgery as they used to before the technology was brought into use.
Dr Sean Fenwick, Director of Operations at the Trust, said: “It is outstanding news we have not only carried out this operation for the first time here in the North East, but have been able to do it closer to home for this patient. That will have made their experience and recovery all the better.
“This and the work of our endoscopy teams is one of many areas of work which makes the care we offer stand out not just regionally, but nationally. It’s also just one example of how we are leading across lots of different areas and have the expertise to carry out specialist treatment to care of our patients.”
Last year, the Endoscopy Units at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust were hailed as being exemplar in their field. The departments at South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital were inspected by the Royal College of Physicians. Its Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on GI Endoscopy said the service operates to an exceptional standard.
The results of the inspection led to them being highlighted as having some of the best standards seen in the UK.
Between them, the hospitals carry out more than 10,000 procedures each year.
For more information about the Endoscopy care offered by STSFT visit this page: Endoscopy services
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