The REACH (Research and Engagement across Communities for Health) County Durham Community Involvement Steering Group, led by DCA and involving a range of VCSE organisations from across the County, is working closely with partner colleagues from DCC Public Health and Durham University to develop a Community Involvement Framework. 

We see Community Involvement in collaborative research as a foundation for building meaningful relationships across communities to ensure that research is shaped by and responsive to those it aims to benefit. 

This will enable us to remain on the right path to research that aligns Public Health strategic objectives with the needs and ambitions of communities across County Durham. 

The outcome of communities being meaningfully involved in collaborative research is for its impact to be relevant, acceptable, and useful to communities. 

We want it to improve quality of life and narrow inequalities by drawing on lived experience, local knowledge and place based insight. 

Crucially, we recognise that the Framework needs to be a ‘living’ resource that adapts and evolves as it is rolled out in research and engagement activities with our communities.

People across the North East and North Cumbria now have three ways to find urgent dental care. Appointments are available by:

• Contacting an NHS dentist
• Booking an appointment at an urgent dental access centre
• Contacting 111.nhs.uk or call 111

Full details about urgent dental appointments and how people can book them are available here:

NHS North East and Cumbria - NHS Dentistry

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) has developed a communications toolkit for pharmacies, GP practices, urgent dental access centres, health partners, local authorities, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to use and share on websites, social media channels, and in your settings to inform the public about how to access NHS urgent dental care:

Urgent Dental Care Toolkit

The government has launched a national campaign to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated - full details can be found here:

Parents urged to protect children through vaccination campaign

The NHS childhood vaccination schedule has recently been updated to include protecting children against some diseases earlier and adding vaccines that protect against more diseases.

More information can be found here:

Changes to the childhood vaccination schedule from January 2026

The Elephant in the Room, the new regional sexual health campaign for young people aged 15–24, was launched on 2nd March.

The campaign is led by a partnership between the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the region's thirteen local authorities. The North East continues to experience some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England, with young people aged 15–24 accounting for around half of all new diagnoses. Evidence highlights persistent barriers, including stigma, embarrassment, misinformation and uncertainty about accessing services.

The Elephant in the Room campaign aims to:
•  Help to normalise conversations about sexual health
•  Challenge myths and misinformation
•  Promote condom use and regular testing
•  Signpost to FREE, confidential local services

A dedicated campaign landing page has been established to signpost young people to information

NHS: The Elephant in the Room

Partners can access materials via the campaign's digital toolkit here:

The Elephant in the Room: Campaign Resources

The County Durham Resilience and Peer Support services are now accepting new referrals.

Whether you want to improve your personal resilience or you just need that extra bit of support to help you feel confident in looking after your own health and care, the teams are here to support you.

Find out more about the County Durham Resilience service, and how to refer yourself here:

County Durham Resilience Service

If you would like support from the Peer Support team, you can find out more here:

Pioneering Care Partnership - Peer Support

NAVCA have shared a round-up of the key policy shifts from the past year, as well as looking ahead to what is shaping up to be a pivotal period for neighbourhood health, devolution, commissioning and the role of the VCSE sector. 

NHS No Smoking Day 2026 will take place on Wednesday 11th March, encouraging smokers across the UK to quit and access support.

No Smoking Day is an annual UK health campaign aimed at inspiring and supporting smokers to quit for good.  

The campaign highlights the health risks of smoking and provides practical support to help individuals stop, emphasising the immediate and long-term benefits of quitting. Beyond individual health benefits, the day emphasises the broader positive impacts on families, communities, and the environment.

In County Durham, around 1 in 10 adults still smoke. Smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness in England.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.

If you would like support to quit, Smokefree County Durham provides a free, flexible stop smoking service to people who live or work in County Durham.

Visit the Smokefree County Durham website

Telephone 0800 772 0565 or email  smokefreelife.countydurham@nhs.net

You can also visit the Better Health Quit Smoking website to find out more about what support is available.

Buddy_Cups was launched in 2019 as a coffee club for anyone who has been affected by a breast cancer diagnosis, directly or indirectly. 

They build friendships with a range of different activities, workshops, and guest speakers. It's somewhere to connect with people who are going through or have been through similar journeys. This group is open to anyone - for more information, visit the Buddy_Cups Facebook page or view their Spring/Summer programme here

Healthwatch County Durham has published a new report bringing together experiences from people using services and those delivering community mental health support across County Durham.

The findings show that while progress has been made (including better collaboration between services, improved awareness and a growing sense of shared purpose), the system is not yet working consistently or in a fully joined-up, person-centred way.

The report sets out clear recommendations to improve access, strengthen communication, simplify referrals, embed person-centred practice and ensure lived experience continues to shape future services.

A new toolkit to support personalised safety planning for adults at risk of self-harm or suicide is set to be launched through a series of events this spring, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)'s Applied Research Collaboration for the North East and North Cumbria.

‘Jay’s Personalised Safety Planning Toolkit’ has been designed to support the embedding of a more personalised approach to safety planning within health and care settings. It can also be used by individuals themselves, their families, friends, and wider support networks.

The roadshows are taking place across our region from the 13th March launch event through to May, and are open to anyone with an interest in safety planning. They will introduce the toolkit, explore how it can be implemented and used in practice, and provide space for discussion.

Ooops (IleOstomy, ColOstomy and UrOstomy Patient Support group), based in Shotton Colliery, is delighted to have secured a £15,047 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, just as they celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the organisation.

The funding will cover two years of running costs for its main hub in Shotton Colliery and support the launch of the new ReachOut project, aimed at expanding stoma support services across County Durham.

Ooops welcomes input and attendance from the wider community, healthcare professionals, and those affected by related conditions such as IBD, IBS, or bowel and bladder cancers.

Jim Wilson, secretary and co-founder, said:

"We understand how daunting this journey can be, but we are here to show there is light at the end of the tunnel. This funding is a game-changer for stoma support in County Durham. It provides us with the vital security to continue our work from our Shotton Colliery hub for the next two years and, crucially, allows us to launch the 'ReachOut' project, expanding our services across the North, South, and West of the county."

The group has also received a further £900 from collection boxes in local branches of Lloyds Bank.

The group is one of only two stoma support organisations in County Durham and focuses on helping people return to active, everyday living through improved stoma management and community connection.

Find out more about Durham Ooops

she thrives is a campaign run by Durham County Council celebrating women across County Durham who are involved in physical activity in all its forms. . It is running throughout March, and aligns with International Women’s Day on 8th.

Working in partnership with local clubs, national governing bodies and a range of organisations, the campaign supports women’s health and wellbeing by creating welcoming opportunities to get active, build confidence and connect with others. Alongside Durham County Council's regular activities, the campaign will feature a range of taster sessions, events, and opportunities designed to support women’s health and wellbeing across the county.

By sharing real stories and offering inclusive activities, she thrives highlights the positive impact movement can have on both physical and mental wellbeing, while encouraging more women to take part – whatever their age, background or experience.

You can find out about activities, challenges and events taking place throughout March here: thrive leisure - she thrives and on the Move County Durham Facebook page through March.

Employability Durham has an online timetable of events for their Elevate Hubs, which are weekly drop-in sessions offering personalised support to help people move closer to work or training. No appointment is needed — just come along and speak to the team. 

Elevate Hubs - Access to Support Services https://padlet.com/employabilitydurhamelevate

They are bringing together employment support services with skills, health and wellbeing to ensure they have a broad offer and will be including volunteering and employment opportunities where possible. 

They would love to hear from any partners who would like to learn more or be part of a hub; please email  carolyn.trainor@durham.gov.uk 

Rethink Mental Illness have introduced their brand‑new Individual Placement and Support (IPS) programme in County Durham - a service designed to help people take positive. practical steps towards meaningful employment. 

IPS is all about momentum; they focus on what people can do, not what's holding them back. When someone feels ready - even if they're taking just the first small step - they provide personalised, one‑to‑one employment support,  partner with local employers and stay by each person's side as they move towards roles that bring purpose, stability and pride.

If you're working with someone who could benefit from exploring work, building confidence and moving towards paid employment. they'd love to hear from you.

They would also be delighted to visit your team in person to deliver an information‑sharing session.

For more information please email DurhamCtW.IPS@rethink.org or telephone 0191 3237832.

Heartburn Health, a national research programme to find ways to improve care for people with heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux, is live in North East locations including Durham and Stanley, and is looking for volunteers with these symptoms, aged 55-79 to take part.

Supported by the NHS and Cancer Research UK, Heartburn Health is creating a community of at least 120,000 people who experience heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux.

Taking part will help create a dedicated national bioresource on heartburn and acid reflux that will speed up research that aims to improve care, manage symptoms and improve the overall health and well-being of people with these symptoms.   

The Heartburn Health research team is asking men aged 55 to 79 and women aged 65 to 79 who have acid reflux, indigestion or heartburn or take medication for these symptoms, to spare a few minutes to self- enrol now, through the Heartburn Health website, by clicking this this link. 

Volunteers who enrol may also have the opportunity to take part in the BEST4 Screening Trial, which is looking to find out if a new ‘pill-on-a-thread’ test could be used to screen people with heartburn for Barrett’s oesophagus – a condition that can lead to oesophageal cancer. BEST4 aims to detect more serious conditions or diseases, including cancer, early on, when they are easier to treat.

The research programme is being supported by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and is visiting County Durham and Stanley between now and March.

BEST4 mobile screening vans will visit Tesco on Dragon Lane in Durham between 16th and 25th March and ASDA in Stanley between 9th and 13th  March.

Visit www.heartburnhealth.org for more information about the programme, including details of how to take part.

One to One has secured £152,325 in National Lottery funding to continue supporting adults with learning disabilities across County Durham over the next three years.

Based in Spennymoor, the charity enables adults to take part in activities of their choice within the community, promoting independence, inclusion, and wellbeing.

One to One employs trained outreach workers to provide regular, professional befriending sessions, usually at the same time each week. 

Befriending can be a cost-effective way to maintain support when circumstances change. For example, when one client’s day care hours were reduced, a befriender enabled him to continue tending his allotment weekly.

The service benefits both clients and their families, offering carers valuable respite while individuals enjoy meaningful activities; ranging from walking, swimming, gym sessions, and horse riding to shopping, gardening, visiting attractions, dining out, training, or volunteering.

Please visit their website www.onetoone.org.uk for more details or telephone 07561 498105 or email info@onetoone.org.uk

In a world where "man up" is finally being replaced by "speak up," one local group is making sure no one has to find their voice alone. 

From primary school playgrounds to ‘Dadminton’ courts across County Durham, Brothers CIC is normalising the need for emotional connection and support across different ages.

Starting at an early age, Brothers has found a way to make the "scary" topic of mental health accessible to the youngest through the Pirate Rob and Heads Up! initiatives, with local schools seeing a transformation in how children understand and manage their feelings and emotions.

The Reboot Men’s Network creates a dedicated safe space for what can often be difficult discussions for young men trying to understand their place in the world. Produced in collaboration with East Durham College, this group gives young men a voice and permission to drop the mask. It’s about normalising the struggles and providing a peer-led environment where "social health" is treated with as much importance as a GP appointment.

The Busy Dads Club is a community group for men which uses the universal language of sport and activity as a gateway to meaningful conversation and support.  In areas where financial constraints often act as a barrier to wellbeing services, these clubs provide a dual solution: physical activity and meaningful connection.

The support doesn't end when the whistle blows. The hybrid approach ensures help is always at hand through “TeamTalk”, in-person check-ins for those who would rather spectate than partake and The Sunday Social, a brand-new weekly online group designed to help people get together over the weekend to help foster genuine friendship.

To find out more information about Brothers CIC and for discussions about working with them, please email busydadsclub@outlook.com or visit the Brothers CIC Facebook page

Durham County Carers Support has funding available to support unpaid carers across County Durham to take a break.

There are two funding pots available:

The first offers support with

• A short UK break away
• Training courses
• Driving lessons
• A laptop

This funding is means-tested (available to those on certain benefit income only), and carers have to have been registered with Durham County Carers Support for 6 months before they can apply.

The second is ‘Time for You’ funding, which helps carers to access an activity or do something for themselves that promotes their own health and wellbeing, such as:

• Spa day
• Therapy vouchers
• gym membership
• craft materials
• exercise classes,
• Cinema tickets, etc.

This funding is not means-tested and is awarded on the carer's need to have a break, identified during their informal assessment.   

Both funding pots can be used to provide meaningful support that helps carers sustain their caring role and improve their wellbeing. They are keen to ensure that carers who would benefit are identified early and encouraged to apply.

Carers can submit an initial application quickly and easily by registering with the Virtual Carers Centre, which can be accessed online via phone, tablet or computer. Alternatively, they can provide a paper application form if preferred.

Please share this opportunity with carers you are working with and contact them if you would like further information or wish to discuss a potential application.

Please continue to refer carers via their online referral form: Make a referral - Durham County Carers Support or by calling 0300 0051213.

The government is consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

The consultation document explains the changes they plan to make and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.

The changes aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND across the 0 to 25 years system.

They would like to hear from everyone who has an interest in the reforms, including:

• children, young people and families
• teachers and leaders
• schools and trusts

The proposals may also be of interest to:

• early years providers
• post-16 providers
• local authorities
• experts and academic organisations
• representative groups

The consultation can be viewed here:

SEND reform: putting children and young people first

The deadline for responses is 18th May.

The Pioneering Care Partnership want to hear from refugees, asylum seekers, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

In partnership with Northumbria University, they are seeking volunteers for a study on digital mental health access within the North East and North Cumbria.

They would like to know about your experiences using digital mental health services. Your insights will help make future mental health care more inclusive and accessible.

What’s involved?

A one-to-one interview lasting thirty to sixty minutes, taking place between Monday 9th and Thursday 12th March, at a location that suits you. Translation support will be available.

For more information and to show your interest, please email communityhub-support@pcp.uk.net or text/call 07857651075 or 07541643284