Guiding Principles of Deaf Awareness in Healthcare Settings for Adults

Guidance Document

British Society of Audiology; 2026.

Effective clinician-patient communication is critical for patient care. Deaf awareness ensures that healthcare providers understand the communication needs of people who are deaf or have hearing loss (PDHL), leading to improved communication and better health outcomes. This practice guidance and the underpinning research has been developed in line with the best available evidence and in consultation with PDHL.


https://www.thebsa.org.uk/guidance-and-resources/current-guidance/

Depression and Anxiety Bulletin

January 2026

The latest Depression & Anxiety Bulletin from Mersey Care Evidence and Library Service is ready for you to view at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/depression-anxiety/2026/01/20-january-2026/

In this edition:

  • Resilience and its external determinants: cross-sectional survey and network analysis of parenting, trauma and stress in college students
  • Childhood adversities and post-traumatic stress: predictive pathways through acute stress disorder
  • Mental health impacts of sexual violence in older adults: a qualitative study
  • Is depression a cause or consequence? Using genetics to untangle causal relationships
  • Plus much more
Depression and anxiety bulletin Jan 2026Download

NIHR helping health and social care delivery adapt to climate change

UK News

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded almost £700,000 to seven research projects aimed at helping UK health and social care services adapt to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. The funding supports early‑stage development work focused on strengthening climate resilience across care systems, including improving preparedness for extreme heat, floods and storm surges, which increasingly disrupt hospitals, care homes, community services and access to essential facilities.

The projects will build research capacity, develop stronger partnerships between academics and health/social care professionals, and identify evidence gaps around how extreme weather affects infrastructure, staffing and service delivery—particularly for vulnerable populations. Each project can receive up to £100,000 and may progress to larger NIHR Climate Change and Health Research Collaboration Awards, offering up to £2 million for programme‑level research.

Overall, the initiative represents a major long‑term investment by NIHR and the Department of Health and Social Care to embed climate resilience into the future of UK health and social care. [nationalhe…cutive.com]

NIHR helping health and social care delivery adapt to climate change | UK Healthcare News

NHS providing training to spot early signs of eating disorders

New guidance for professionals working with children

The NHS has launched new national guidance and training to help teachers, GPs, and school nurses identify early signs of eating disorders in children and young people. This follows a significant rise in demand for specialist eating disorder services, with cases increasing from 8,034 in 2019/20 to 11,174 in 2024/25.

A key change in the guidance is a move away from relying on BMI thresholds, which NHS England now considers outdated and potentially unsafe. Instead, professionals are advised to look at behaviour changes, eating patterns, rapid weight loss, psychological distress, and family concerns to support early intervention. [nationalhe…cutive.com]

The new online training, developed with the charity Beat and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, will help staff outside specialist services recognise warning signs and understand referral routes. Every area in England now has access to specialist children’s eating disorder services, and the average treatment wait time is around three weeks from referral.

NHS England » NHS staff to train teachers, school nurses, and GPs to spot eating disorders

Dementia Bulletin

January 2026

The latest dementia bulletin from Mersey Care Evidence and Library Service has now been published at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/dementia/2026/01/19-january-2026/

In this issue:

  • Alzheimer’s finger-prick blood test could transform diagnosis, experts say
  • Suicidal Behavior in Alzheimer’s Disease: Preliminary Study
  • Increased Dementia Risk in Higher-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights from 21,648 Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • A new psychosocial goal-setting and manualised support intervention for independence in dementia (NIDUS-Family): longer-term outcomes of a randomised controlled trial
  • Plus much more
Dementia Jan 2026Download

Evidence Informed Practice in NHS Settings

Accessing research for practitioners

Research in practice work with and for professionals within social care, health, criminal justice and higher education to offer resources, learning opportunities and expertise. Anyone with a Trust email can sign up to start accessing their resources.

Research in practice brings together: research evidence, practice wisdom, and lived experience. Turning this into practical, accessible resources and learning opportunities that fit real‑life professional needs. [researchin…ice.org.uk]

At its heart, Research in Practice is about equipping professionals with the confidence and tools to use evidence well. Take a read of how one of our colleagues reflects on the similarities and differences of working in the NHS and local authority settings:

Evidence-informed practice in NHS settings | Research in Practice

Making Every Contact Count

The most recent Make Every Contact count public heath bulletin looking at latest evidence around smoking cessation, alcohol, healthy weight, healthy eating and physical exercise is now available. The bulletin is produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT Library staff. If you cannot access any of the articles included in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

Smoking Cessation

Smoking Cessation Jan 2026Download

Alcohol

Alcohol Jan 2026Download

Healthy Weight

Healthy Weight Jan 2026Download

Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating Jan 2026Download

Physical Activity


Physical Activity Jan 2026Download

Learning Disabilities & Autism Bulletin

The latest Learning Disabilities and Autism bulletin from the Evidently Better team at Mersey Care NHS FT is now available.

In this edition:

  • Exploring recovery from anorexia in autistic adults: a qualitative study
  • Person-Centered: The Impact of People with IDD Choosing Their Goals on Their Quality of Life Outcomes
  • Increased Dementia Risk in Higher-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights from 21,648 Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Down Syndrome Act 2022 guidance: call for evidence (easy read and BSL)
  • The Mental Health Act 2025 summarised
  • Revised guidance on restrictive interventions in schools – CBF Statement

If you are unable to access any of the included articles please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

LD_14Jan26Download

Community Health Bulletin

The latest Community health Bulletin produced by the Evidently Better team at Mersey Care NHS FT is now available.

In this edition:

  • The Mental Health Act 2025: what you need to know
  • Children’s Mental Health: Listen Up! – Joint Conference Special
  • The rising rates of common mental health conditions across all ages
  • Abuse victims to get specialist NHS support
  • Patient experience: do patients feel involved in decisions about their care?
  • Menopause and Long COVID

If you are unable to access any of the included articles please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

CB-14Jan26Download