University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

02/09/2026

The NHS National Booking System is now open for eligible people to book their flu vaccination ahead of winter.

Flu vaccination helps protect those most at risk from serious illness and helps reduce pressure on health and care services during the colder months.

• Book online via the NHS National Booking System or NHS App
• Call 119 if you need support with booking

Find out more about this year’s flu vaccination programme: https://staffsstokeics.org.uk/nhs-kicks-off-flu-vaccine-for-children-and-pregnant-women-ahead-of-winter/

02/09/2026

UHNM Maternity services in August 2026!👶👣

Have you had your baby with us in August?

Let us know in the comments below and share your pictures.

31/08/2026

Thank you to everyone working at UHNM and across the NHS this bank holiday Monday. 💙

If you need medical help, please use 111, or for a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.

28/08/2026

A consultant from UHNM has had two editorials published in The BMJ. 🏥💙📖

Professor Pensée Wu, honorary consultant obstetrician and maternal medicine subspecialist, has written editorials on the use of GLP-1 medicines in early pregnancy and improving awareness and care for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS).

Professor Wu drew on her experiences at UHNM and Keele University with the editorials exploring two important issues affecting women's health and opportunities to improve care and understanding for patients.

The publications look at the growing use of weight-loss medicines and the need for clearer guidance around their use in early pregnancy, as well as raising awareness of a condition that can affect women's health throughout their lives.

🗣 Professor Wu, who also works as a professor of obstetrics at Keele University, said: “Having two editorials published in The BMJ is a real privilege and reflects the collaborative clinical-academic work taking place across UHNM and Keele University.

“These pieces address issues that matter greatly to women and families, how we support people who become pregnant while taking increasingly common medicines and how we recognise and care for a condition that affects health far beyond fertility.

“I hope colleagues can take the importance of considering reproductive and metabolic health together, listening to women’s experiences and working across professional boundaries to provide clearer, more joined-up care.”

She added: “Women deserve clear, compassionate information that helps them make informed choices without unnecessary anxiety or blame. Earlier recognition of health risks and better support around pregnancy can create opportunities for prevention and improved wellbeing over the longer term.”

The editorials are available to read on The BMJ website.

25/08/2026

Register your attendance to our Annual General Meeting 2026. 🌟

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust's Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 16 September at the Wade Conference Centre at 12:30-3:30pm.

This is an opportunity to meet members of the Trust Board as we reflect on our key challenges and successes over 2025/26.

Register your interest here https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=3DYvxVrTjUqSkYBOtJZb1QrdMVIiomNGmdHqJN5Vn59UQUpIVjA2STY2UDVFRUQzTVJTVU9YQVo5SC4u&fbclid=IwY2xjawT6dTRwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMHlaUTlyRmg3c2xXQXY3UURzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeswNiLkjWq8P8r95xPU849hZAD46Mw4ut2DiitEY1iv1E80op7-UgOUgqvjg_aem_G8cxgGGoCa3naB6-yVZPZw

25/08/2026

Don't forget to order your repeat prescription early so it arrives in time for the Bank Holiday Monday.

Pharmacies can be busier than usual and opening times may be different over the Bank Holiday weekend.

You can order a repeat prescription from your GP surgery by:

💻 logging into the NHS App or the NHS website

📱 using other online services or apps

📞 contacting your GP surgery

💊 Find a pharmacy near you: nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy

24/08/2026

UHNM has appointed its first clinical lead for robotics and clinical lead for robotic research. 🏥🤖💙

Mr Philip Varghese, consultant colorectal surgeon, has been appointed clinical lead for robotics, while Mr Richard Laing, consultant hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon, has been appointed clinical lead for robotic research.

The two clinical leads will work with teams across UHNM to support the continued development of robotic surgery and research alongside patients and academic and industry partners.

The appointments come as UHNM looks to build on more than a decade of robotic surgery and explore how robotic technology could be used in more specialties to benefit patients across the region.

Mr Varghese joined UHNM in 2015 and established the Trust's robotic colorectal surgery programme. Since then more than 1,900 colorectal patients have benefited from robotic procedures with all 11 colorectal surgeons now trained to use the technology. Robotic surgery has become the preferred minimally invasive approach for suitable colorectal patients at UHNM.

Mr Laing joined UHNM in 2022 and has since performed around 150 robotic procedures. He has played an important role in the development of UHNM's robotic surgery strategy and brings a strong research background, having completed a PhD focused on liver transplantation and the application of novel technologies in healthcare.

🗣 Mr Varghese said: "UHNM has established itself as one of the UK's leading robotic surgery centres and is recognised for delivering high-quality, efficient, patient-centred and innovative robotic surgical care.

"Having successfully completed more than 12 years of robotic surgery within UHNM we are now looking at what comes next and how we scale these achievements further.

"Robotics is about much more than the use of advanced surgical systems in the operating theatre, there are opportunities across a wide range of specialties and my role is to help identify where robotics can deliver the greatest benefits for patients and support the strategic expansion of these technologies across the Trust."

As Clinical Lead for robotic research Mr Laing will work with clinical teams and research colleagues to develop and coordinate research activity alongside UHNM’s growing robotic surgery programme.

🗣 He said: "We are one of the highest-volume robotic surgery centres in the UK and as we continue to expand we want to ensure our research activity develops alongside our clinical work.

"There is a significant opportunity to generate evidence from the work we are already doing while also developing new studies and clinical trials."

UHNM introduced robotic surgery in 2014 through its urology service and has since grown into one of the UK's leading robotic surgery centres. More than 6,000 robotic procedures have been carried out at the Trust, with around 2,000 expected to take place each year as the programme continues to expand.

Future opportunities could include the use of robotics in orthopaedics, spinal surgery, breast surgery, ENT, ophthalmology, head and neck surgery, gastrointestinal endoscopy and vascular services.

UHNM has also been chosen to host the West Midlands Robotic Surgery Community of Practice, helping bring together experts from across the region to share knowledge and develop new ways of using robotic technology for patients.

🗣 Dr Diane Adamson, chief medical officer, said: "This is a very exciting time for surgery and for UHNM and their appointments reflect the commitment, dedication and hard work they have both consistently demonstrated.

"I look forward to seeing the impact they will have as we continue to develop robotic surgery and research across UHNM and most importantly for our patients."

24/08/2026

21/08/2026

UHNM has received more than £800,000 from the Help Appeal - County Air Ambulance Trust to support planned safety improvements to the helicopter landing site at the Royal Stoke University Hospital. 🏥🚁

The £814K contribution will help fund works identified through the Trust’s helipad upgrade programme, which is focused on enhancing safety and operational arrangements for patients, air ambulance crews and staff.

The Royal Stoke helipad plays a vital role in the rapid transfer of critically ill and injured patients around the clock, enabling specialist care to be accessed as quickly as possible when every minute counts.

It receives patients from Midlands Air Ambulance, Wales Air Ambulance, North West Air Ambulance, Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, East Midlands Air Ambulance, The Air Ambulance and Children’s Air Ambulance.

The generous donation from the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads, will contribute towards improvements designed to further strengthen the safety and effectiveness of the site.

🗣 Lorraine Whitehead, UHNM Director of Estates, and PFI said: "We are incredibly grateful to the HELP Appeal for this generous donation and their continued commitment to supporting NHS hospitals across the country.

"Our helipad is a vital part of providing emergency and specialist care, enabling patients to reach the treatments they need as quickly as possible. These improvements will help enhance safety for patients, visiting air ambulance crews and our staff, ensuring we can continue to provide the best possible care in the most critical circumstances.

"On behalf of everyone at UHNM, I would like to thank the HELP Appeal for their support and for helping us invest in the future of this important facility."

🗣 Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal added: “The HELP Appeal is proud to fund these vital improvements to the Royal Stoke Hospital helipad. The barriers, warning systems and improved lighting will enable the helipad to continue operating safely and efficiently, ensuring critically ill patients can access the urgent care they need without delay.”

One such patient to benefit from the helipad was Sue Gould from Ipstones, who was seriously injured after being accidently run over by a six tonne tractor on her farm this year. She was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Stoke for specialised treatment.

🗣 Sue said: “When I was airlifted to Royal Stoke Hospital, every second mattered so knowing that these new safety measures will help keep the area clear and secure when an air ambulance is landing or taking off is very reassuring. The upgrade will help patients just like me, to reach the hospital as safely and quickly as possible.”

In 2019, the HELP Appeal donated £51,000 to fund a weather station on the hospital helipad, the first in the country to have one, which provides certainty and real time information for emergency helicopter pilots about weather conditions, ensuring that its patients are seen quicker and with more efficiency.

The weather station, called “Skyview”, measures visibility and conditions around the Royal Stoke University Hospital site and helps ambulance crews understand the next steps for our critically injured patients, making sure they are air lifted to the most appropriate trauma centre avoiding bad weather conditions that can make flying difficult.