Healthwatch Round Up - 8 January 2026
#TeamHealthwatchStockport
We're back after the festive break and we'd like to wish each and everyone of you a Happy New Year. We hope #2026 brings good news, good health and more.
'What to Know This Winter' Booklet Available
Winter brings colder weather and comes with a higher risk of health issues, particularly for older people or those with long-term conditions and compromised immune systems.
Don't forget to pick up or download your copy of our 'What to Know this Winter' Booklet, which shares tips, tricks, advice and important information to help you and your loved ones through the Winter months.
To ask for a copy, contact the team:
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
Healthwatch Research, Articles & Advice You May Have Missed
As a reminder, please see the latest reports, news, advice and support articles from us and Healthwatch England.
How can your pharmacy help you?
Did you know that pharmacies provide advice and information on minor illnesses and ailments? Find out how they can help you.
Living With or Affected by Prostate Cancer?
Details from Healthwatch in Greater Manchester
Healthwatch across Greater Manchester want to hear your experiences of prostate cancer services. Your feedback will help to raise awareness and shape better services.
Stay Safe & Well in the Cold Weather
Details from UK Health Security Agency & MET Office
The amber cold health alert is in effect from until 12pm on 11 January across the North West (details of of 8 January)
Forecast weather is expected to have severe impacts across health and social care services, including:
- a likely increase in demand for health services particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. We may also see impacts on younger age groups
- challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C leading to more risk to vulnerable people
- staffing issues due to external factors (such as travel delays)
See weather health alerts currently in place across England on the UKHSA data dashboard.
- Met Office weather warnings: Receive updates via the Met Office app and website, social media,TV and radio.
- Flood alerts: https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/location/stockport-greater-manchester
- Power cuts: Call 105 – report a power cut and get information if there's one in your area.
Menopause & Prostate Conditions Prioritised for NHS’s New Online Hospital
Details from NHS England
The NHS has selected nine different conditions in total for the service which will be available through the NHS app in 2027.
The service, which was first announced in September, will allow patients to have assessments, check-ups and follow-up appointments online and will have its own dedicated team of doctors.
The aim is to carry out 8.5 million appointments in the first three years – four times more than the average NHS trust.
The nine conditions that will be prioritised initially are:
- glaucoma
- conditions affecting the retina at the back of the eye (including age-related macular degeneration)
- cataracts
- inflammatory bowel disease
- iron deficiency anaemia
- prostate enlargement
- raised PSA levels (not cancer diagnoses)
- menopause
- menstrual problems which may be a sign of endometriosis
The expectation is more conditions will be added to this list in the future.
NHS Online is a flagship reform programme at the heart of efforts to modernise the health service. It will harness digital technology to fundamentally change how people are able to access healthcare.
The government and NHS England believe the service will provide quicker access to care for patients and help relieve the pressure on in-person appointments, helping to cut waiting lists in the process.
Cervical Cancer Awareness
Details from NHS England
January is cervical cancer awareness month. If you've had your reminder to book your cervical screening, use this as a nudge to book your appointment. It could save your life.
There are two main types of cervical cancer.
- The most common is squamous cell carcinoma. This develops from a type of cell that covers the outside of the cervix, at the top of the vagina.
- The other type is adenocarcinoma. This develops from a different type of cell found in the cervical canal (the endocervix).
Very early-stage cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms. It is usually found and treated because of cervical screening tests (this includes a smear test)
Healthwatch Stockport Cervical Screening Fact Sheet: Don't forget to check out our fact sheet on our website. Our fact sheet is designed to give you quick access to the information you need.
Alcohol Support Available
Details from Stockport Council
Better sleep, boosted energy, fuller wallet? If cutting back on alcohol is on your New Year’s resolution list, the free Try Dry® app makes it easy to stay committed through January—and beyond. You can download this from the App Store or Google Play.
For local support to cut down on or give up alcohol, Stockport Council's supportive advisers at START can help.
0161 474 3141
Stay Warm & Well This Winter
Details from Stockport Council
The One Stockport Warm & Well initiative is all about helping you to stay safe, happy and healthy over the Winter months.
Visit the website to explore what's available – from support with the cost of living and practical advice to help you look after your home, to warm spaces for you to shake off the cold and local groups where you can connect with your community.
Get to Know Where to Go
Details from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership
A video filmed with local health services encourages people to choose the right service to help services run smoothly this Winter.
Stay Steady This Winter
Falls prevention is especially important in Winter when icy paths, wet floors, and poor lighting increase the risk of slips and trips. But falls can happen at any time of year-often in the home. For tips on how to prevent falls and a summary of local services for falls prevention.
Stay Steady pages on the Healthy Stockport
Tips for Winter Eye Health
Details from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership
As temperatures plummet and the days get shorter, it’s important to ensure your look after your eye health.
- Keep Moisture in
- Don’t forget your sunglasses
- Take a break from digital devices
- Make Smoking History
Concerned about your eye health? Visit your local optometry practice if you have any concerns about your eye health.
The Greater Manchester Urgent Eyecare Service can help if you have any of the following problems – avoiding a trip to A&E or your GP!
- A red or painful eye
- Something in your eye that won’t come out
- A sudden change in vision
- Flashes or things floating across your eyes (not provided by all opticians)
Measles Cases on the Rise
Details from NHS Greater Manchester (GM)
Health officials have confirmed measles cases in Manchester, prompting renewed calls for the public to stay alert to symptoms—such as fever, cough, and a blotchy rash—and to ensure children are fully vaccinated with the MMR jab.
Parents and carers can check their child’s vaccination status in their red book. Vaccination remains the most effective protection against measles.
Measles | Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership
In Need of Urgent Dental Care?
Details from Mastercall Healthcare
Are you worried about what to do if you need urgent dental care and you don't have a dentist or your practice is closed?
Contact the Greater Manchester Urgent Dental Care Service: 0333 332 3800
Important Deadlines for Parents and Carers
Details from Stockport Council
The deadline for primary school Reception applications for September 2026 is 15 January 2026. It’s important to submit your application on time, as late applications will only be considered after all on-time submissions have been processed.
If you need more information, you can learn more here.
CURE Stop Smoking Team - Celebration Milestone – 300 Lives Saved
Details from Stockport NHS FT
The Stockport NHS Foundation Trust CURE Stop Smoking team are celebrating another big landmark – 300 lives saved since they began their work five years ago.
The new figures come from the research which has gone into the Tobacco Dependence Treatment Services Impact Calculator from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). This analysis shows for every 1000 patients a specialist stop smoking team sees, approximately 60 lives will be saved.
The Stockport CURE team are the local branch of Greater Manchester`s `Treating Tobacco Dependency` programme, which aims to ensure all active smokers admitted to hospital are immediately offered specialist support.
For more information on CURE, visit https://thecureproject.co.uk/
Support to Stop Smoking: Many people take the opportunity of the new year to give up smoking. For more information about stopping smoking and free support visit www.makesmokinghistory.co.uk
Action for Happiness Calendar
To help incorporate wellbeing into every day, Action for Happiness produce helpful calendars every month. This time, the focus is on activities that make us happier.
Action for Happiness Calendar: January 2026
Financial Support & Advice
The Money Advice Referral Tool (MART) is a financial support finder tool available for people living in Greater Manchester. If you or someone you work with or support is struggling financially, visit this website to find appropriate advice and services. To use the tool, just enter your postcode and answer a few multiple choice questions about your circumstances.
Stockport - Cost of Living Support Service: If you're struggling with the cost of living and need a helping hand to navigate all of the support available, call the Cost of living helpline on 0161 474 2140, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4pm or visit cost-of-living support.
Useful links:
Help to challenge a benefit decision
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Have you tried the Family Hubs app yet? It offers expert advice, local information, and personalised support for parents, parents-to-be, and carers. Check out its features, including the 'Share' function with QR codes for easy sharing and downloading. Your experience with the app will help you recommend it to the families you work with. Download the app
More support from Family Hubs.
Funding: SKylight Community Fund Now Open!
Details from Stockport Homes
Apply for up to £2,000 for your community group to support Stockport Homes tenants and their neighbourhoods. The fund is available for grassroots* groups focusing on one of five aims:
- Older people
- Young people
- Community Spirit
- Health & wellbeing
- Digital Inclusion
Applications close at 5pm on Friday 23 January 2026. Early applications are encouraged. They reserve the right to close applications earlier should the funding limit be reached.
To apply, visit: www.sk-y-light.org/funding/community-fund/
Life Leisure Backs ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’, Helping Women Feel Safer Getting Active After Dark
Details from Life Leisure
Life Leisure is getting behind Let’s Lift the Curfew, a national movement from This Girl Can, calling attention to the unwanted curfew many women feel in the darker months, when safety concerns limit their freedom to get active outdoors.
In support, Life Leisure is hosting 5k run clubs at locations around Stockport between November and March. These runs aren’t just about the exercise; they’re about solidarity and highlighting the barriers many women face when exercising outside after dark.
Read the full announcement - see attached.
If you’re joining one of the runs, be sure to log your activity on Strava, label it ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’, and share it on social media using the hashtag #LetsLiftTheCurfew, tagging @thisgirlcanuk and @lifeleisureuk to help spread the message far and wide.
Event details: 5k outdoor run
1st Tuesday of each month at Life Leisure Hazel Grove, SK7 5JW
3rd Wednesday of each month at Stockport Sports Village, SK6 1QX
2nd Tuesday of each month at Life Leisure Grand Central, SK1 3TA
Anyone aged 16+ is welcome, including men who want to show their support. The sessions are included in membership packages for members and open to non-members on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Book as a class via the Life Leisure app or website: www.lifeleisure.net/
This is an independent event in support of the wider campaign.
For more information about Let’s Lift the Curfew and how to get involved, visit: www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/our-partnerships-and-projects/lets-lift-curfew
Have Your Say: SAFE PATHS
Details from National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR)
The University of Manchester’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is conducting a study SAFE PATHS Improving Access and Care for South Asians with Psychosis, exploring the views and experiences of people from South Asian backgrounds about getting help for psychosis and attending ‘talking therapies’.
More information is available via the NIHR website: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR206951.
See the attached poster.
Preparing for Adulthood Strategy
Details from PACTs
The Preparing for Adulthood Strategy consultation on open until 31 January. The strategy outlines how we’ll support young people with SEND aged 14–25 as they move into adulthood. We want to hear from parents, carers, young people, professionals, and partner organisations to ensure the plan reflects real experiences and delivers positive outcomes.
Have Your Say: Dementia &/or Psychosis Research
Details from Dementia United & Greater Manchester Integrated Care
The University of Manchester are looking for people with lived experience of Dementia and/or Psychosis to be involved in an important research project.
The research focuses on understanding the care needs and care pathways of people living with both Dementia and Psychosis. This involves:
- Attending 3–4 meetings per year (online/in person, dependant on what works for you)
- Each meeting lasting approximately one hour
- The PhD will run over four years, with an estimated total of 12–16 meetings
- There is no expectation to attend every meeting
- Payment of £25 per activity
If you're interested in taking part or you'd like to find out more, contact Kate at kate.stalker@manchester.ac.uk.
See the attached poster
Baby Village Group Starts Next Week
Details from Baby Village
The Baby Village launches on Monday 12 January with a group for parents with twins or triplets who are newborn to crawling stage, or expectant parents of twins or triplets.
The group is focused on the parents, providing a relaxing and supportive space to be with other parents who "totally get it" and their babies.
No need to book, just turn up.
Any questions, contact Vicki on 07745862557
Adoption Counts' Online Events
Details from Adoption Counts
A new year always feels like a fresh chapter and a chance to think differently about what life could be.
If you've been thinking about adoption, Adoption Counts run regular, online information events which give you a chance to find out if adoption might be right for you. You can learn more about the process, the types of children waiting and hear from other adopters.
Register online via their website: https://www.adoptioncounts.org.uk/our-virtual-information...
Werneth Carer Event
Mentell Meet-Ups
Signpost's Warm Space Continues
ND Parent Support Group
Details from Stockport Council
Join our Neurodevelopmental Team for their next Parent Support Group early 2026 - an informal session for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people (no diagnosis required).
There are different topics discussed at each session and a chance to speak with other parents and members of the Neurodevelopmental Team. This session will focus on masking.
20 January, online.
No need to book, click the link below at the start of the session
https://orlo.uk/Join_the_meeting_c9lP7
Wills & Trusts Q&A Session
Details from Stockport Advocacy
SENsitive Parents Group
Start Well Free Virtual Sessions
Details from Stockport Council
The Start Well parenting team have confirmed this year’s dates for their popular free online Emotional Regulation and Sleep sessions for parents and carers and evening sessions are available for the first time next year.
The first Emotional Regulation session will take place on 15 January and the first Sleep session on 5 February.
Please share this information with families who may benefit and encourage them to visit What's on in Stockport for further information and to book a free place.
Further Events & Community Activities across the Borough
Training: Think Carer!
Signpost for Carers have recently been awarded funding through the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Stockport VCFSE Work & Skills Fund 2025/26, a UK Government–funded initiative delivered in partnership with Sector 3, Stockport Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
This funding enables them to deliver our new, Think Carer – Carer Champion Workplace Training Programme — a CPD-accredited course designed specifically to help Stockport businesses identify and support unpaid carers within their workforce.
Running from November 2025 to March 2026, this fully funded opportunity will allow up to 300 local employers to nominate a member of staff to become a Carer Champion or for larger organisations one per department. Champions will gain the knowledge, tools, and confidence to:
- Recognise and support colleagues with caring responsibilities
- Promote carer-friendly policies and culture within their workplace
- Improve staff wellbeing, retention, and inclusion
As part of Stockport’s Live Well initiative, this project supports local employers to reduce inequalities in access to work, strengthen inclusive recruitment, and build stronger connections with the voluntary and community sector.
This is a fantastic, fully funded opportunity to take positive action for your workforce and help make Stockport a more carer-aware borough.
Places are fully funded but available only until March 2026, dates until February 2026 are available now to book.
Book your free Carer Champion place today via Eventbrite:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/signpost-for-carers-111081186161
Careers: Stockport's Job Fair
Training: Support Conversations about Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Details from Stockport Council
If you potentially come into contact with people in distress, please take some of these free online learning opportunities:
Suicide Awareness (suitable for anyone, not just professionals): Evidence-based training developed by 4MentalHealth and delivered in ½-day classroom or Zoom sessions by local Stockport trainers.
Helps delegates understand how distress develops and how people can be best supported.
Email info.wellbeing@stockport.gov.uk for more information.
Zero Suicide Alliance - short online training units on suicide awareness
The Zero Suicide Alliance - online training modules including general suicide awareness, awareness for people with autism, university students and a veteran and prison edition.
The suicide awareness training is a 30-minute online course aimed at anyone aged 16 and over. The course includes coached scenarios sharing approaches for how you can talk to someone you’re worried about.
MindEd: MindEd offers free online training around suicide and self-harm prevention for people working with adults and children.
Healthy Minds Greater Manchester online course: The Royal Society for Public Health offers an online course for anyone living or working in Greater Manchester. At the end of this one-hour course you will better understand:
- the difference between mental health and poor mental health.
- the things we can do to help us cope with our negative thoughts and feelings.
- the benefit of talking and sharing our thoughts and feelings with someone we trust.
Samaritans online advice: Not a training course, but useful reading on what anyone can do if worried about someone else, including supporting someone with suicidal thoughts, and a section on myths about suicide, and one on active listening tips.
And don’t forget to look after yourself too:
NHS Every Mind Matters provides simple tips and advice on looking after our own mental health: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
Webinar: Supporting Child Emotions
Careers: Live Well, Work Well
Training: Connect 5 Mental Health Sessions
Details from Stockport Council
Stockport Council is offering new dates for the popular Connect 5 training, which is free of charge for anyone working or volunteering in Stockport.
New Session 1 dates have been added for March, all Session 2 dates are currently fully booked but they hope to have some new dates soon.
To book a place for any of the sessions, please CTRL & click on the following link
Course Details: Delivery Time: 3 Hours (Sessions 2 and 3 are approx 3.5 Hours)
Connect 5 is a free mental health training programme that aims to change the way we have conversations about mental wellbeing across Stockport. It's designed to increase confidence and skills so that you can have better mental wellbeing conversations, whatever your role.
How it Works
Session 1: Brief wellbeing advice: Looks to increase confidence and skills to have brief conversations in which we can help a person to consider ways they can take action to improve their mental wellbeing.
Session 2: Brief mental wellbeing intervention: Builds on the skills learnt in session 1 and develops further skills to enable conversations in which we and the person we are talking with can develop a shared understanding of their mental wellbeing needs.
Session 3: Extended mental wellbeing conversation: Builds on skills learnt in sessions 1 and 2 and develops further skills to empower a person to make changes that address their mental wellbeing needs.
For further information, email info.wellbeing@stockport.gov.uk
Careers: Career Corner Drop ins
Training & Activities Courses Coming Up
There are a variety of training courses including those from from Skills For Life (SFL) and others. Please see the attachments below:
Age UK Stockport
For Men to Talk
King's Trust
Upcoming courses from The King's Trust
One Stockport SEND & Inclusion Newsletter
Starting Point
Stockport Council
Information and Advice
For up to date health and social care information, signposting and guidance, call Healthwatch Stockport on
0161 974 0753 10am - 2pm
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
Visit our Information and Signposting directory
Do you have a health or social care experience you want to share – how did your last appointment with your GP or dentist go? Are you happy or frustrated with the service you received – let us know so we can work with local services to influence better commissioners and better outcomes for you and your family.
