Month: November 2020

Department of health and social care

Report of the independent review of NHS hospital food

This review, advised by chef and restaurateur Prue Leith, highlights the main challenges for NHS catering and makes recommendations on how NHS trusts can prioritise food safety and provide more nutritious meals to both staff and patients. The review covers: workforce; nutrition and hydration; food safety; facilities; technology; sustainability; enforcing standards; and the way forward to improving hospital food for patients, staff and visitors.

To find out more click here.

Mental Health

Impact on children and young people in England

Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2020: Wave 1 follow up to the 2017 survey.
NHS Digital; 2020.
[This is the first in a series of follow up reports to the Mental Health and Young People Survey (MHCYP) 2017, exploring the mental health of children and young people in July 2020, during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and changes since 2017. Experiences of family life, education and services, and worries and anxieties during the COVID-19 pandemic are also examined.]

Peer support models for children and young people with mental health problems.
Centre for Mental Health; 2020.
[Centre for Mental Health was commissioned by Health Education England to explore the implications of expanding mental health peer support for specific groups of people. Peer support offers the potential for children and young people to develop the resilience needed to reduce mental health needs and to recognise their wellbeing needs at an early stage.]

Building good working relationships

Making work enjoyable and productive

Mind Tools; 2020.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/good-relationships.htm
In this article, you’ll learn why it’s important to have good working relationships, how to build and maintain them, and even find ways to work with people that you don’t get on with.

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Vital to cut COVID-19 transmission to avoid more loss of life NHS Confederation (The NHS Confederation has responded to reports that a new national lockdown could be imposed.)

NHS response to the Prime Minister’s announcement NHS England 31 October 2020

HSIB report illustrates challenges of COVID-19 spread in hospitals NHS Confederation

Investigation into COVID-19 transmission in hospitals Kings Fund (This report charts a four-month patient safety investigation that was launched following concern that patients were contracting COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital. It presents the voices of those working across the health service, from strategic national planners to hospital porters. It also captured experiences of patients and families, providing further insight into the challenges of managing the transmission of COVID-19.)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey: characteristics of people testing positive for COVID-19 in England, October 2020 – Office for National Statistics Office for National Statistics

(Data about the characteristics of people testing positive for COVID-19 from the COVID-19 Infection Survey. This survey is being delivered in partnership with University of Oxford, University of Manchester, Public Health England and Wellcome Trust.)

How coronavirus has affected equality and human rights.
Equality and Human Rights Commission; 2020.

(This report summarises evidence that helps in understanding the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic on different groups in society. It highlights potential long-term risks to equality and human rights covering key issues in the areas of: work; poverty; education; social care; and justice and personal security. It makes targeted recommendations for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments.)

Generation COVID: Emerging work and education inequalities.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); 2020.

(The study found, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, young workers to be twice as likely to have lost their jobs compared to older employees and that employment and earnings losses are more pronounced for women, the self-employed and those who grew up in a poor family. The survey provides further evidence that young people are suffering substantial and sustained losses, not only to their employment, but also their education.)

Country reports: COVID-19 and Long-Term Care.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); 2020.

(These reports aim to document the impact of COVID-19 on people who use and provide Long-Term Care and the measures adopted by different countries to contain and mitigate the impact of the virus. They are updated regularly as new information becomes available.)

Access to new medicines in the English NHS

A briefing to describe the process

Source – The King’s Fund

All health systems must find ways to ration limited resources. The question is whether they do so with their eyes closed or with their eyes open. In 2018/19, the English NHS spent almost £19 billion on drugs, almost 15 per cent of total public spending on health. Should the NHS increase drugs spending to pay for the latest drugs for hepatitis or cancer, drugs that might prolong life for some patients but cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds per course of treatment? Or should it spend the money in other areas, for example, ensuring that people can see a GP when they need one, ensuring that vulnerable people get basic treatment for long term-conditions or tackling health inequalities? How health systems make these decisions determines, in large part, their effectiveness. The choices determine the quality of people’s lives and, in some cases, who lives or dies.

To find out more and understand the process click here.

Healthwatch

590 people’s stories of hospital during Covid-19

In partnership with British Red Cross, this report reviews the experiences of 590 people after being discharged from hospital. The research shows significant numbers of people are not receiving follow-up support under the new policy to switch to a ‘discharge to assess’ model introduced in March 2020 to cope with demand at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic), leading to unmet needs. It calls on the NHS to address these issues coming into the busy winter period amid growing pressures of a second Covid-19 wave.

To find out more click here.