Category: Health Care

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.)

Improving health and wellbeing

The role of arts

This evidence summary draws together literature on the role of arts in improving health and wellbeing.

It focuses on how arts engagement can impact on 1) social outcomes, 2) youth development and 3) the prevention of mental and physical illness. It also considers how Social Prescribing programmes that have used arts interventions can impact on the above three outcomes. The evidence summary assesses the type and quality of evidence available for each outcome.

Health and Social Care Select Committee

Delivering core NHS services during the pandemic and beyond

This report aims to catalogue the impact and unprecedented challenge caused by Covid-19 to the provision of essential services. It calls for urgent action to assess and tackle a backlog of appointments and an unknown patient demand for all health services, specifically across cancer treatments, mental health services, dentistry services, GP services and elective surgery. It also looks at the case made for routine testing of all NHS staff.

For more information click here.

NHS Confederation

Covid 19 and the health and care workforce

This report includes key findings from a member survey of more than 250 health care leaders, which revealed that nine out of ten respondents are concerned about the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the well-being of their staff. It also raises concerns about workforce shortages.

To find out more click here.

Overwhelmed at work?

Try the Control Influence Accept Model

Many of us have busy lives and with the rise of pressures from the Covid pandemic, tasks and worries can start to build up; leading to a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Ultimately, this can have an adverse effect on our health and well-being.

The Control Influence Accept Model (CIA model) was developed by HR specialist Neil Thompson and social-work lecturer Sue Thompson in their 2008 book, “The Critically Reflective Practitioner” and identifies 3 ways to respond to challenges (as seen in the diagram below):

The Control Influence Accept Model: from ‘The Critically Reflective Practitioner’ by Thompson, S. and Thompson, N. (2008) © Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

This model aims to help put things into perspective and clearly identify what is achievable compared to those challenges or tasks which aren’t.

Mindtools.com describe 4 simple steps to use when you’re feeling overwhelmed with a situation:

  1. Describe the situation. What has happened and why has it become difficult? List every aspect of it that makes it overwhelming. An Elephant List   exercise might be useful here. This encourages people to be candid about the problems that they are facing – in other words, to name the “elephant in the room.”
  2. Sort and place items on the diagram. Once you’ve completed your list, write each item down on a separate sticky note and place it on the area of the diagram that it belongs in – control, influence, or accept/adapt. You can also use their interactive diagram to do this.
  3. Consider each item in turn. Ask yourself or discuss with your team whether it is something that you could realistically control. Can you solve the problem using existing resources? Or will you need outside help? If you believe you can realistically control even part of the problem, place it in the Control section of the diagram. If you think the situation is beyond your control, consider whether it’s something you can influence. Do you, for example, have useful skills or knowledge that you can provide to someone else to solve the problem? If so, add it to the Influence section of the diagram. Place the remaining problems in the Accept/Adapt part of the diagram.
  4. Take action. When you’re done sorting through the problems, address each section of your diagram in turn, starting with the things that you can control.

To find out more or to identify other tools to combat stress and anxiety click here.

Health Literacy E-Learning

Health Education England and NHS Education for Scotland have produced joint e-learning on Health Literacy

This Health Literacy e-learning takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. It introduces the importance of health literacy and covers teach back, chunk and check, using simple language, using pictures and routinely offering help. The content relates to both clinical and non-clinical settings and may be used as a refresher for team members or as an introduction for colleagues who are interested in health literacy.

Register for the e-learning here

Homelessness

Case study of ‘My Right to Healthcare’ cards which explain the rights of homeless people to accessing GPs

The cards were given to people experiencing homelessness for them to show when registering at a GP surgery. They emphasise that no identification or proof of address or immigration status is needed to register with a GP.

Read more about the case study here