Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation

Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care and Home Office, October 2018
This amended guidance on female genital mutilation (FGM) is for all persons and bodies in England and Wales.  This guidance is a must read if you are under statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
Click here to view the guidance.

A Crying Shame: A report by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner into vulnerable babies in England

Office of the Children’s Commissioner, October 2018
This report looks at how many babies might be vulnerable in this way and presents the facts about the sort of risks even very young children are being exposed to. Much of the data is missing; however, we are publishing the best estimates we can give of the numbers of babies living in high-risk households. A more detailed technical report explains some of the factors which affect the calculations2 – namely, that very little data is collected or collated about vulnerable babies, and that the data which does exist is often reported for children in age brackets (0-4) and not broken down for babies under a year old.
Click here to view the full report.

"Just one thing after another": living with multiple conditions

Richmond Group of Charities, October 2018
This report shares learnings from ten in-depth interviews with people living with multiple long-term conditions from a wide range of demographics and locations across England. It showcases their everyday experiences and their own perceptions of their quality of life as well as the changes they’d like to see.
Click here to view the full report.

A connected society: A strategy for tackling loneliness: Laying the foundations for change

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, October 2018
This strategy sets out the approach to tackling loneliness in England. It marks a shift in the way we see and act on loneliness, both within government and in society more broadly. The strategy looks at what can be done to design in support for social relationships in this changing context. It  highlights the importance of social relationships to people’s health and wellbeing. By social wellbeing, it means our personal relationships and social support networks and the way these can bring happiness, comfort and resilience, adding to our overall wellbeing.
Click here to view the full report.

An overview of reviews: the effectiveness of interventions to address loneliness at all stages of the life-course

What Works Wellbeing, October 2018
The review sought to address the question: What is the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate loneliness in people of all ages across the lifecourse? The results from controlled study designs in community settings and care homes showed no effect of interventions on loneliness, although this does not mean that loneliness is not alleviated at all by a range of interventions. In the published literature loneliness is seldom reported as a primary outcome; it is most often reported alongside other outcomes including related concepts such as social isolation, social support, social networks, and health outcomes including anxiety and depression.
Click here to view the full report.

What could make a difference to the mental health of UK doctors?: A review of the research evidence –

Society of Occupational Medicine, October 2018
Report that finds the incidence of mental health problems among doctors is increasing alongside the growing demands and diminishing resources experienced in the healthcare sector. GPs, trainee and junior doctors appear to be particularly vulnerable, experiencing distress and burnout early in their career.  The stigma associated with disclosing mental health problems and ‘a failure to cope’ revealed in the report mean that many doctors are reluctant to seek help as they fear sanctions and even job loss.
Click here to view the full report.

Improving children and young people’s mental health services

National Audit Office, October 2018
This report forms part of The National Audit Office’s wider programme of work on mental health, following their 2016 report Mental health services: preparations for access and our 2017 report Mental health in prisons. It examines whether the government is on track to meet its ambitions for children and young people’s services, taking Future in Mind as the starting point.  It has a focus in particular on how the government decided to implement Future in Mind; whether it is on track to deliver improved mental health services to young people; and accountability for spending and outcomes.  It finds the government has not yet set out or costed what it must do to realise these aspirations in full and there remains limited visibility of activity and spending outside the health sector. While the NHS has worked to improve information on its activity and spending, significant data weaknesses are hampering its understanding of progress. Slow progress on workforce expansion to deliver NHS services is also emerging as a major risk to delivery.  It calls for the government to ensure a coherent and coordinated cross-sector response, and that the right levers are in place to ensure local actions deliver the national ambitions. It has started to tackle issues of parity of esteem between physical and mental health services for children and young people, but it still has a long way to go, particularly as demand may be higher than originally thought, and an increased focus on mental health may uncover greater demand. Given these weaknesses and uncertainties, we conclude that the government cannot demonstrate that it has yet delivered value for money.
Click here to view the full report.