Welcome to our 50 steps newsletter for November and December 2025.

Having marked World AIDS Day on the 1st December, we would like to highlight the incredible work of our local Sexual Health Services and their partners in promoting good sexual health. This is delivering against Step 14 of our 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham strategy.

Taking care of your sexual health is crucial for your overall well-being, and we're here to help you do just that all year round! We aim to continue raising awareness about AIDS and HIV; celebrating progress in prevention, treatment and care. 

Our local specialist sexual health service, All East, offers a fantastic range of services, including free STI testing and treatment, contraception fitting and advice, as well as HIV and other blood-borne viruses prevention. These services are free, confidential, and accessible to everyone. Whether you're looking for advice, testing, or treatment, we've got you covered.

Don't miss out! Visit our Sexual Health Services page for more information and to book an appointment. Let's make this winter a season of health and happiness. 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance! 

Aneta Hutek, 

Commissioner leading on Sexual health

Updated 5 Ways to a healthier Life booklet

The London borough of Newham Public Health Team are delighted to share our newly updated 2025 ‘5 Ways to a Healthier Life’ information booklet from Well Newham, in partnership with the NHS. 

The 5 Ways to a Healthier Life booklet contains lots of useful health and wellbeing information, as well as details of over 100 support services in Newham many are free! 

Topics include:

• Well Newham – where to get support and advice in the community. Healthy body - including keeping active, weight management, diabetes and more.
• Healthy mind – including support for anxiety, loneliness, bereavement and more. Healthy money – including financial support, help to get a job, fill in forms and more. 
• Healthy home – including support to stay independent, get online and housing support. 

Residents can pick up printed copies at various locations including the libraries.

If you would like to request printed copies for your organisation or service, please fill in this form.

To view the online copy, the dyslexia-friendly copy or for more information visit the Well Newham website

Flu Vaccination

Flu cases are at a record high. Three times as many Londoners have been hospitalised by the flu virus compared to the same time last year. Getting the flu vaccine can protect you and your loved ones from becoming very poorly or having to go to hospital. This in turn will ease pressure on NHS services this winter. 

The flu is more dangerous for older people, pregnant women, young children and people with a long-term condition. They are at higher risk of developing more serious illness, like pneumonia or making your existing health condition worse. People in groups at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu are eligible for the free flu vaccine. 

For people with heart disease, evidence shows that the flu vaccine can protect your heart by reducing the risk of a cardiac event such as heart attack. So, getting the annual flu vaccine is more important than ever! 

Carers, children aged 2-3 years old and all school-age children are also eligible for the free flu vaccine. This helps protect them from flu and prevent it spreading among vulnerable family and friends. 

Residents can have the flu vaccine at their GP practice or at a participating pharmacy. Walk in clinics are available across East London. A list of walk-in clinics is available here (this list will continue to be updated as more clinics are added).

Please share across your networks and you can read more about the flu vaccine including flu vaccine ingredients, how to book and side effects here

Nutrition support for Newham families

The Early Start Nutrition Team delivers FREE online nutrition support to Newham families, including webinars and online course. 

Weaning your baby webinar and Toddler Meals and Snacks webinar will be hosted 17th and 18th December respectively providing families with information, tips and recipe ideas, plus a chance to ask questions. 

• Weaning your baby webinar will cover what foods to offer, mealtime routine and recipe ideas, examples of food textures – from purees to lumpy and finger foods and many more.
• Toddler Meals and Snacks webinar will cover meal planning advice, what foods to offer, creating a positive mealtime environment and many more. 

Please share across your networks and read more here

Well Newham Challenge

As the Well Newham Challenge comes to an end, we celebrate this innovative and transformative partnership between Newham Council Public Health and Newham University Hospital’s QI team. 

This has reshaped how hospital teams think about and address health inequalities in our borough. 

The projects included:

• Providing peer support for people with diabetes in pregnancy 
• Improving equitable access to bowel cancer screening 
• Bilingual and accessible medicines information

Though the challenge is ending, the insights and project reports, through this initiative will be hosted on the Newham Centre for Health and Care Equity website. The Newham Health Equity programme team will continue to work with all partners in Newham to shape how we deliver fairer, more inclusive care across Newham. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed, you work has made a lasting difference.