Social return on investment analysis of the health and wellbeing impacts of Wildlife Trust programmes

The Wildlife Trust, October 2019

This report finds that prescribing contact with nature for people who have low levels of mental wellbeing is excellent value for money by improving people’s health and wellbeing. Researchers at Leeds Beckett University analysed the social value of Wildlife Trusts’ nature conservation projects which offer outdoor volunteering opportunities and programmes that support people experiencing problems such as anxiety, stress or mild depression. The report draws on the conclusions of three years research which found that people participating in both sorts of outdoor nature conservation activities felt significantly better, both emotionally and physically, as a result.

Click here to view the full report.

Looking after your self-ie: A guide to finding your balance on and offline

Royal Society for Public Health, October 2019

The Royal Society for Public Health has developed a free online course which aims to help social media users to build a meaningful, more balanced relationship with platforms. The course focusses on awareness-raising; encouraging meaningful use by educating users on the potential harms and benefits of social media. It provides practical guidance and useful tips to support users to practice self-care on and offline.

Click here to access the resource.

Steps to expand placement capacity

NHS Employers, October 2019

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out ambitions to increase the number of people in learning placements across the NHS. To meet these ambitions, employers will have to scale up the ability to offer a safe and high-quality learning environment that supports workforce development. Based on conversations with those organisations which have already grown their capacity, this briefing sets out a series questions and actions, under six key areas to help employers reflect on what more they can do to increase placement capacity in a way that is sustainable for their organisation.

Click here to view the full report.

The state of medical education and practice in the UK: The workforce report 2019

General Medical Council, October 2019

This report draws on the GMC’s medical register data and findings from a new survey on doctors’ workplace experiences. It sets out recommendations to help inform emerging workforce strategies and people plans across the UK. The data shows that the UK’s medical register continues to grow, with many overseas doctors joining our workforce. However, the GMC states that health services must prioritise strategies to retain UK and non-UK trained doctors, and develop supportive workplace cultures with compassionate leaders.

Click here to view the full report.

Health and social care and LGBT Communities: First Report of Session 2019–20: Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report

House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee, October 2019

This report finds that too often LGBT people are expected to fit into systems that assume they are straight and cisgender. But the Committee has found that deep inequalities exist in health outcomes for these communities and that treating them “the same” as non-LGBT people will not address these poor outcomes. The report finds that too few health and social care providers are actively thinking about LGBT people when they plan their services and that senior leaders are not doing enough to ensure that LGBT-inclusion is hardwired into commissioning strategies. This problem filters all the way down to training, where medics of the future are not taught how to provide LGBT-inclusive treatment. While few people set out to discriminate, training currently sends the message that sexual orientation and gender identity are not relevant to providing “person-centred care”. This is, in fact, essential. At the moment, there seems to be neither the leadership necessary to ensure services are designed to be LGBT-inclusive nor swift enough improvements among staff on the ground.

Click here to view the full report.

Drugs policy: First Report of Session 2019–20: Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report

House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, October 2019

The United Kingdom has some of the highest drug death rates in Europe, particularly in Scotland. This Report shows how the rate of drug-related deaths has risen to the scale of a public health emergency. It recommends a radical change in approach to UK drugs policy, moving from the current criminal justice approach to a health approach, with responsibility for drugs policy moving from the Home Office to the Department of Health and Social Care suggesting a health focused and harm reduction approach would not only benefit those who are using drugs but reduce harm to and the costs for their wider communities.

Click here to view the full report.

Delivering the NHS long-term plan’s ambition of ageing well: Old age psychiatry as a vital resource

Royal College of Psychiatrists, October 2019

Guidance from the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help local areas plan and deliver specialist services, led by old age psychiatrists, to meet the needs of older people. The report brings together views from older people, service users, carers and a wide range of health and social care professionals and provides insight into:

• the essential role played by old age psychiatrists, and the Older People’s Mental Health (OPMH) services to whom they provide leadership, in delivering high quality outcomes for the health and wellbeing of the UK’s ageing population;

• the centrality of this to the Ageing Well agenda; and

• how best to support decision-makers responsible for implementing the NHS LTP as it affects older people

Click here to view the full report.

Designing digital skills interventions for older people

Good Things Foundation, October 2019

This report brings together recommendations for designing digital skills interventions for older people with care and support needs. It draws on insights from two pathfinders, which were funded by NHS Digital and supported by Good Things Foundation as part of the Widening Digital Participation programme. The pathfinders generated insights on small system-level changes that can embed digital inclusion in social care support and factors influencing digital inclusion within social housing schemes. The model developed suggests:

• Step 1: Engage people where they are

• Step 2: Needs-led learning

• Step 3: Empowerment and Ongoing Support

Click here to view the full report.

Report: South West Research and Evaluation Workshop Bristol

Public Health England, October 2019

The Research, Translation and Innovation (RTI) division has been working with PHE centres to strengthen links between public health academics and others across the public health system via research workshops to explore public health research needs and priorities in their local areas. This workshop focussed on:

• Education and Training.

• Work of the CLAHRC.

• Social Prescribing.

• Support for Research.

• Research and Innovation.

Click here to view the full report.

A consensus on healthy ageing

Public Health England and the Centre for Ageing Better, October 2019

This statement by Public Health England and the Centre for Ageing Better defines the shared commitment of the signatory organisations. It is the first time that such a wide range of organisations have come together to voice their intention to promote healthy ageing. Signatories span the areas of health, employment, housing and communities, and are from academia, local government, the NHS, and the public and voluntary sectors.

Click here to view the full report.