Lancashire & South Cumbria Library Blog

Step Into National Walking Month

May is National Walking Month, a great reminder to make time for daily walks and enjoy the many benefits of moving more. Walking is one of the simplest ways to improve physical and mental well-being — it helps clear the mind, boosts mood, and supports a healthier body.

Whether you take a stroll through your local park, walk part of your commute, or explore new places on foot, every step counts. Walking also connects us with our surroundings, giving us a chance to slow down and appreciate the world around us.

This month, why not combine your walks with a good book or podcast, or challenge yourself to add a few extra steps each day? Let’s celebrate the small, steady power of walking.

Strengthening Suicide Prevention: From Policy to Practice

The Suicide Prevention Consortium’s 2025 report, Suicide Prevention Principles: From Policy to Practice, outlines two fundamental principles for effective suicide prevention: ensuring ‘no wrong door’ to accessing support and providing person-centred care. The report emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts, inclusive practices, increased staff awareness, and robust workforce support to translate these principles into actionable strategies.

Read the full report: NSPA – Suicide Prevention Principles: From Policy to Practice

The King’s Fund: New Report Highlights Mental Health Challenges Faced by Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the UK

The Mental Health Foundation’s 2025 report sheds light on the significant mental health challenges experienced by asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. It emphasizes the need for trauma-informed policies and better support systems to address these issues.

Read the full report: The Mental Health of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the UK – 2025 Edition

Library Newsletter May 2025

May 2025 Download

The Role of Social Prescribing Interventions in Addressing Health Inequalities in the United Kingdom: A Narrative Review.

SP is important in addressing health inequalities, particularly by targeting sociopsychological factors and managing long-term conditions. However, the complexity of these inequalities requires more tailored models and research. None of the studies examined SP within NHS National Health Inequalities framework such as Core20PLUS5. Overcoming barriers such as resource limitations, training gaps and accessibility challenges, while strengthening link-worker relationships, is essential.

Health Social Care in the Community – 2025 – Melam – The Role of Social Prescribing Interventions in Addressing Health Download

A Roadmap to a Smokefree Country: New Report Calls for Bold Action

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has released its 2025 report, A Roadmap to a Smokefree Country, outlining urgent steps to end smoking in the UK within a generation. Central to the plan is a proposed ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco companies, aiming to raise £700 million annually to fund cessation programs and reduce health inequalities. The report also recommends stricter regulations on youth vaping and a cap on tobacco industry profits. With smoking remaining a leading cause of preventable illness and death, the report urges all political parties to commit to a fully funded, long-term strategy to make smoking obsolete.

Read the full report: A Roadmap to a Smokefree Country – APPG on Smoking and Health

The Kings Fund: Public Satisfaction with NHS and Social Care Hits Record Lows

The latest British Social Attitudes survey reveals that public satisfaction with both the NHS and social care services in the UK has reached unprecedented lows.

NHS Satisfaction: Only 21% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the NHS, marking the lowest level since the survey began in 1983. Key concerns include long waiting times, staffing shortages, and difficulties accessing services like A&E and dentistry.
Social Care Satisfaction: Satisfaction with social care services remains at a mere 13%, the lowest ever recorded. Major reasons for dissatisfaction include inadequate pay and working conditions for care workers, insufficient support for unpaid carers, and many individuals not receiving the care they need.

These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and increased investment in both sectors to address the growing concerns of the public.

Read the full report: The King’s Fund