2 November 2026

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Health

Health and wellbeing

20 stories
Health · 2 min

Flu jab clinics extend evening hours after record first-week demand

Wrenhaven's health service is adding late sessions at three community clinics after appointments for the first week of the autumn vaccination programme were fully booked within days.

Text: Niamh Gallagher
Health · 12 photos Seasonal kitchen: fresh and colourful from stall to plate From market vegetables to fruit platters, the colours of eating with the seasons. Jamal Carter · 1 min Health Blood donation drive aims for 3,000 new donors before winter Extra sessions at Kestrel Park, the university and Old Quay are being added as the regional blood service tries to build up stocks ahead of the colder months. Elena Sokolova · 2 min Health Mobile dental clinic begins touring Asher Valley villages A converted coach fitted with a full dental surgery will visit eleven villages on a rota, aiming to reach families who have struggled to find a local dentist. Liam Brennan · 2 min

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Health · 2 min Wrenhaven General installs a second MRI scanner to cut waiting lists The new scanner, housed in a purpose-built extension, will allow the hospital to carry out around 7,000 extra scans a year. Aisha Rahman · Health · 1 min A day in the lab: samples examined with care Technicians in white coats work on blood and tissue samples inside biosafety cabinets. Grace Mwangi · Health · 2 min Pharmacists to treat seven common ailments without a GP appointment From next month, community pharmacies in Wrenhaven will be able to assess and treat conditions such as earache, sore throats and minor skin infections. Sofia Marchetti · Health · 1 min Hiking the ridge trail: health one step at a time Walkers on a path between rocky hills made their way past bright orange poppies. Leo Novak · Health · 12 photos · 1 min A walk in the autumn forest: colours that soothe the mind Frames to accompany a slow walk through woods where the leaves have turned gold, copper and crimson. Ingrid Halvorsen · Health · 2 min Walk-in mental health centre opens in Harbourside with evening sessions The Harbour Room offers free, confidential support without an appointment or referral, and stays open until 10pm on weekdays. Jamal Carter · Health · 2 min Gentle swimming programme for back pain shows promising early results Most people who completed a twelve-week pool course at the Bayside Leisure Centre said their pain had eased, though organisers caution that a proper trial is still needed. Diego Fernández · Health · 2 min Teenagers who keep phones out of the bedroom sleep longer, local study finds Pupils in a University of Wrenhaven study slept around 40 minutes more on school nights when their phones charged elsewhere, though the researchers stress the findings are preliminary. Isabel Duarte · Health · 2 min New patient guidance system at Wrenhaven General shortens outpatient waits Coloured floor routes, text-message check-in and screens that show real-time queue positions have reduced average waiting times in outpatient clinics, early figures from the hospital suggest. Ruth Abernathy · Health · 2 min Free hearing checks offered to over-60s in community centres Audiologists will run drop-in sessions in eight community centres this winter, with the aim of spotting hearing loss earlier. Amara Nwosu · Health · 2 min Family doctors urge residents to book routine check-ups before the winter rush Practices across Wrenhaven say appointment demand typically climbs sharply in the colder months, and they are encouraging people to arrange non-urgent reviews and screening now. Ana Sousa · Health · 2 min Regular pulse eaters tend to have more varied diets, Wrenhaven study finds Researchers at the University of Wrenhaven found that people who ate beans, lentils or chickpeas several times a week reported a wider range of foods overall, though the study cannot show cause and effect. Viktor Lind · Health · 2 min Walking every day matters more than walking fast, local study suggests A year-long study of more than 900 adults found that those who walked most days, even at a gentle pace, reported better fitness and sleep than those who walked briskly but irregularly. Ruth Abernathy · Health · 2 min Dietitians urge a more colourful plate as seasonal produce fills market stalls With squash, apples, beetroot and leafy greens piled high at Old Quay, local dietitians say a little variety in colour is a simple, affordable way to eat a wider range of nutrients. Ana Sousa · Health · 2 min Keep drinking water as the weather cools, health experts remind residents Thirst can be easier to miss in colder weather, especially for older people, and local health professionals are encouraging regular drinks through the day rather than waiting until feeling parched. Viktor Lind · Health · 3 min Movement starts in daily life, not in the gym Inactivity is not only a personal failing; it is shaped by how our cities, workplaces and buildings are designed. Jonas Lindqvist ·