WIRRAL NHS Community Foundation Trust chief executive Karen Howell writes for the Globe ...

YOU may have recently read about the outbreak of measles across Wirral, one of several outbreaks throughout England.

It's possible for anyone at any age to get measles and the illness can be more severe in teenagers and adults than in young children.

With cases continuing to rise it's important that all un-immunised children and young adults are vaccinated against this infectious viral illness especially anyone travelling and attending festivals and other summer events.

Measles can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications including infections of the lungs (pneumonia) and brain (encephalitis).

So, what are the symptoms of measles?

  • high fever
  • sore, red, watery eyes
  • coughing
  • aching and feeling generally unwell
  • a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears 3-5 days after the initial symptoms

People with symptoms are being advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS -111 for advice, rather than visiting their GP or A&E, to prevent the illness spreading further.

It's never too late to have the MMR vaccine. Protect your children, yourself and those around you from measles, mumps and rubella.

You need two doses of MMR one month apart to be fully protected against measles, mumps and rubella.

If your child is aged 11-19 and hasn’t had their MMR vaccine, don’t worry!

Our 0-19 Health and Wellbeing Teams are running a free MMR vaccine drop-in clinic this Thursday (July 26) from 4-7pm on the First floor, Wing A (main building), Victoria Central Health Centre, Mill Lane, Wallasey CH44 5UF

GP surgeries are also offering the MMR vaccinations for children and young people of all ages.

For more information call the 0-19 Health and Wellbeing Team on 0151 514 0219 or visit wirralct.nhs.uk

On a more positive note, I was delighted to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, Councillor Geoffrey Watt and Mrs Ann Watt to visit our 0-19 Health and Wellbeing Team in Prenton this week to find out about the amazing work the team does to support local children, young people and their families.

The Mayor was particularly interested in hearing about our award winning Fit Club and how it helps families to live healthier lifestyles by making small and meaningful changes to their daily lives.

Fit Club offers 1-1 support for children on or above the 98th percentile for BMI

and covers healthy eating, portion size and increasing activity levels. After three months on the programme 63% of children have reduced or maintained their BMI.

And finally, Wirral’s care leavers now have their very own Health Passport - an easy-to-reference record of their medical and healthcare history, designed to help them keep track and take control of their health into adulthood.

A partnership between Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral Council, the Health Passport is designed like a real passport. It records all health contacts, past health history and healthy living advice, giving easy access to information that can make a huge difference to their health and wellbeing.