Spotlight newsletter 15 October 2026
Surrey and Sussex fifth in England for flu vaccinations
More than 363,000 people in Surrey and Sussex have had their flu jab so far. That makes us the fifth-highest area in England, and the highest in the South East, based on figures up to 11 October.
This is a fantastic system-wide achievement, reflecting the collective efforts of NHS Surrey and Sussex teams, GP practices, pharmacies, NHS providers and partners to make vaccination accessible and encourage eligible people to get protected.
If you’re eligible, you can get your flu vaccine at lots of places in your community, including your GP practice and participating high street pharmacies. Find out more on the NHS website.
Multi - million boost for primary care to help more patients get urgent help this winter
Thousands of additional GP appointments are being funded this winter to ensure people can get the help and support they need in Surrey and Sussex.
People will benefit from up to £7 million targeted investment in primary care this winter, following agreement of the NHS Surrey and Sussex Winter Plan.
The specific funding will create more than 200,000 more same day appointments for patients requiring support from their GP practice for respiratory conditions and other common seasonal conditions.
The aim is that this will support people to receive the help they need at their GP practice, helping conditions from getting worse and escalating over the winter months, meaning that they may have otherwise required hospital care.
Further to this, the ICB will also commission additional capacity from community pharmacies for key conditions such as asthma; and targeted outreach work to improve seasonal vaccination uptake.
Lung Cancer Screening helps find over 500 cancers across Surrey and Sussex
More than 500 people across Surrey and Sussex have been diagnosed with lung cancer through the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, with more than three quarters of cancers found at an early stage.
Since the programme began rolling out across the region four years ago, 513 people have been diagnosed with lung cancer following screening. Of these, over three-quarters were diagnosed at stage one or two, when lung cancer can be easier to treat and there are more treatment options available.
More than 171,000 invitations have been sent to people across the region who are eligible for the programme. Following those invites, more than 100,000 lung health checks were carried out. More than 45,000 people who were found to be at higher risk were then offered a low-dose CT scan, a type of X-ray that takes detailed pictures of the lungs.
Lung cancer can have few or no symptoms in its early stages, meaning it is often diagnosed when the disease is more advanced. Lung Cancer Screening aims to change this by offering checks to people at higher risk, helping to identify lung cancer before symptoms develop.
NHS Surrey and Sussex selected for national Steps to Safety programme
NHS Surrey and Sussex has been selected as one of the first areas in England to take part in the national Steps to Safety programme, helping improve support for people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Steps to Safety is a nationally funded programme that aims to create stronger referral pathways between GP practices and specialist support services. The programme is designed to help more victims and survivors access support, improve safety and reduce the health impacts of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
NHS Surrey and Sussex is one of twelve pilot areas in the country selected to take part in the programme's initial phase. Work will now begin with local partners to develop and implement the service, with delivery expected to begin from early 2027.
SECAmb continues to drive up cardiac arrest survival - NHS South East Coast Ambulance Service
Today is Restart a Heart Day (Friday 16 October), and latest figures reveal people in SECAmb’s region are more likely to survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than the average for England.
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is leading the way nationally in achieving a 30-day cardiac arrest survival rate of 17.2 per cent.
A new approach to community health services in Surrey and Sussex
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is starting work to redesign and recommission adult community health services across Surrey and Sussex.
Whilst we are at the beginning of the process, we wanted to be clear that this activity is underway and aims to develop a new service model that reflects local needs and supports more joined-up, preventative and accessible care closer to home.
App for visually impaired bus users expands to 13 Surrey hospitals
Surrey County Council is now providing access to the Aira Explorer app which helps blind and partially sighted Surrey residents to travel independently, at major hospitals and healthcare sites across the county.
The app allows customers to place a video call with a trained visual interpreter on speakerphone, who looks through the person’s smartphone camera to guide them from the nearest bus stops to the hospital entrance.
Partnership shortlisted for national award
A partnership between Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and NHS Surrey and Sussex has been shortlisted for Collaboration of the Year at the Excellence in Fire & Emergency Awards.
The Surrey Fire and Rescue Service Home Safety and Falls Prevention Programme is a first-of-its-kind partnership with NHS Surrey and Sussex, delivering targeted, person-centred support to some of the county’s most vulnerable residents.
Launched in February 2025, the programme enables fire and rescue service specialists to visit patients recently discharged from hospital or receiving care at home. By combining fire safety, health and social support into a single intervention, the collaboration addresses multiple risks in one visit - reducing harm, improving wellbeing and preventing future demand on emergency services.
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