People are being asked to protect themselves and others by wearing a mask in Sussex healthcare settings to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

As cases increase across the country and in our communities, all NHS organisations in Sussex have agreed to reintroduce mask wearing for staff, patients and visitors. This applies to all clinical settings – including consulting rooms, hospital wards and outpatient departments.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has now published its final recommendations for this autumn’s programme for Covid-19 vaccination boosters.

Click on the link below to find out who will be eligible.

Work is now underway in West Sussex to plan where and how people will be able to receive their booster. We will share this information from the NHS with residents in the coming weeks.

Those who were previously eligible continue to remain so and are encouraged to come forward for their vaccinations.

Over 5,000 illicit cigarettes were seized from four West Sussex shops with illegal disposable vapes also removed by officers from one of the stores.

In a planned operation our West Sussex Trading Standards team and HMRC Enforcement Officers were accompanied by three specialist tobacco detection dogs and their handler.

The cigarettes were all concealed in hidden parts of the four shops and had clearly been placed so they would not have been found without the specialist Cocker Spaniel detection dogs.

If you have information about the sale of illegal cigarettes or other illicit tobacco products in West Sussex report it directly to Trading Standards via www.westsussex.gov.uk/TSreport

We hope the summer holidays will be a time to relax.

If anyone needs extra help, support is available and there are people you can talk to.

It’s a good time to check in with how you’re feeling as well as talk about our children’s wellbeing and mental health.

Find advice and support at Your Mind Matters on the link below.

Not all children and young people get the start in life they deserve.

Here in West Sussex we have 41 children and young people who we need to find a loving foster family.

Each summer our fire and rescue service attends numerous bin fires where the cause is attributed to disposable barbecues being thrown away before they have fully cooled down.

The Has It Bin Long Enough? campaign has vital tips for ensuring barbecue safety.

The way health and care works across Sussex is changing.

We have joined with partners across Sussex to form a new Integrated Care System, which launched this month.

While the county council retains its existing statutory responsibilities for social care and public health, the changes will strengthen our commitment to working closely across organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of people in our communities here in West Sussex.

Watch the YouTube animation.

We need volunteers for our Home Library Direct service which delivers books and other items to people who are unable to go to their local library.