Booker Prize

2020 Winner

Douglas Stuart was crowned the winner of the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel, Shuggie Bain. 

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Courtesy of The Booker Prize

1981. Glasgow. The city is dying. Poverty is on the rise. People watch the lives they had hoped for disappear from view. Agnes Bain had always expected more. She dreamed of greater things: a house with its own front door, a life bought and paid for outright (like her perfect – but false – teeth). When her philandering husband leaves, she and her three children find themselves trapped in a mining town decimated by Thatcherism. As Agnes increasingly turns to alcohol for comfort, her children try their best to save her. Yet one by one they have to abandon her in order to save themselves.

Laying bare the ruthlessness of poverty, the limits of love, and the hollowness of pride, Shuggie Bain is a blistering and heartbreaking debut, and an exploration of the unsinkable love that only children can have for their damaged parents. (The Booker Prize)

To find out more about the book or the author click here.

Meet the Author

Coming soon: a library project to say thankyou to our hard working front line staff

Our clinical and support staff are working tirelessly to look after an increasing number of patients with serious mental health issues as well as supporting other patients and staff with anxiety and depression brought on or exacerbated by the current Covid-19 pandemic.

As librarians we are helping our staff to find valuable research in order to help them treat patients but also to help clinical leaders to try and predict the increased resources for mental health treatment which will be needed as the pandemic continues through the winter.

We are looking at ways to try to reward and motivate our valuable and brave front line staff, and we are inviting authors to send a message of support, thanks or encouragement, or just to raise a laugh or smile.

If you have a suggestion for an author you would like us to interview please email us at academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk

Public Health

Current Awareness

Total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) .
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; 2020.
[Open consultation. They want your views on their proposal for a total online advertising restriction for HFSS products to reduce the amount of HFSS advertising children are exposed to online. This consultation closes at
11:59pm on 22 December 2020.]

Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England April 2019 to March 2020.
NHS Digital; 2020.
[Data show of 221,678 people setting a quit date, 114,153 were successful. Quitting success increased with age; 41% under 18 and up to 56% aged 60 and over. Also 45% of 13,779 pregnant women who set a quit date successfully quit.]

Online bullying in England and Wales: year ending March 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.
[Estimates of the prevalence and nature of online bullying among children using data from the 10- to 15-year-olds’ Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).]

COVID-19: deaths of people with learning disabilities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[Review of available data on the deaths of people identified as having learning disabilities in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.]

COVID-19: mental health and wellbeing surveillance report.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[This is a routinely updated report about population mental health and wellbeing in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. 12 November 2020: All relevant chapters updated. Academic studies included up to 4 September 2020; weekly data may be more recent.]

People with learning disabilities had higher death rate from COVID-19.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[England death rate up to 6 times higher from coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic than the general population, Public Health England study finds.]

Covid 19

The impact of health for NHS Staff

Source: King’s Fund- Health Management and Policy Alert

This report reveals the extensive mental and physical health impact on the NHS, and health and care professionals across the UK, as a result of working and living through Covid-19. It also identifies organisational priorities for recovery, both as the country enters the next phase of the pandemic and for the longer term.

Doctor, Nurse, Nhs, Medical, Health, Hospital

To find out more click here.

Mental health for all

Commission for equality in mental health

Source: King’s Fund- Health Management and Policy Alert

This final report of the Commission finds that mental health inequalities mirror wider economic and social inequalities. Wealth and power inequalities put at risk the mental health of people experiencing poverty, racial injustice and discrimination. This creates sharp social divisions, meaning that many groups of people face two or three times the risk of mental ill health. Yet the same groups of people find it harder to get help for their mental health, and in some cases also get poorer outcomes when they do. This report highlights, however, that effective action is possible. It sets out what a system designed for equality would look like, and how communities, local organisations, public services and national government can work together to generate change at scale.

Key contributors to mental health equality

© Centre for Mental Health, 2020

For more information click here.

Tackling Loneliness

Useful resources

With the support of Library Service from across the country, we have compiled a list of resources to provide support or advice for anyone who is suffering from loneliness during the pandemic. The initiatives aim to reduce loneliness and help people stay connected during this unprecedented time.

Tackling loneliness Research briefing, 16 June 2020 This briefing looks at research into the causes and impact of loneliness and possible interventions

Loneliness: a reading list Research briefing, 18 February 2020

This reading list provides links to various publications considering the causes and impact of loneliness, as well as possible interventions to deal with the issue in society. (Section 17 is Loneliness interventions)

Loneliness: Care Homes Research briefing, 17 March 2020 This briefing examines recent Government policy to tackle loneliness in care homes in the UK.

How has Covid-19 affected loneliness?
What Works Centre for Wellbeing, August 2020
https://whatworkswellbeing.org/resources/loneliness-lockdown-and-covid/ This briefing highlights findings from the Covid Social Study, as part of ongoing data analysis work with University College London. The study has surveyed more than 70,000 people since March 2020, asking different questions about their experiences and wellbeing over the past few months, including asking people about loneliness.

Life after lockdown: tackling loneliness
British Red Cross, June 2020
https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/we-speak-up-for-change/life-after-lockdown-tackling-loneliness The Covid-19 crisis has made loneliness worse, with some people more affected than others. This report shows that although social distancing and lockdown measures will continue to be eased, loneliness will remain. And for those most left behind, it may continue to grow. The research draws on findings from a collection of national-level polling, interviews and evaluations from British Red Cross services during Covid-19. Quick overview of key findings and recommendations, as well as the full report, from the link above.

Loneliness, social isolation and COVID-19: practical advice
Local Government Association / Association of Directors of Public Health, 21 May 2020
https://www.local.gov.uk/loneliness-social-isolation-and-covid-19-practical-advice “The LGA and ADPH have jointly produced this practical advice for Directors of Public Health and others leading the response to the loneliness and social isolation issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

What you can do if you feel lonely during the coronavirus outbreak: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coping-loneliness-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

Campaign to end loneliness https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/helpful-links/

We hope that none of our friends, family or colleagues have to face the feeling of loneliness. If you do, we hope that these resources may bring a sense of hope or enlighten you to try something new.

Wellbeing

Supporting mental health in the UK

How has Covid-19 and the associated lockdown measures affected mental health and wellbeing in the UK?

This briefing provides insights into how mental health conditions have changed and which risk factors need to be recognised when supporting people’s mental health.

To find out more click here.