Tag: NHS Confederation

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Tackling mental health disparities.
Centre for Mental Health; 2022.
(The pandemic is accompanied by a rise in demand for mental health services. Even before the pandemic, mental ill health was one of the most prevalent forms of illness. Inequalities mean that while it is true that anyone can experience mental illness, the risks are much higher for certain groups who experience structural discrimination and disadvantage. Tackling mental health disparities shares ten evidence-based actions that the Government could take in the forthcoming white paper.)

Grassroots participation in sport and physical activity.
National Audit Office (NAO); 2022.
(This report examines how far the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Sport England have achieved value for money in their spending on grassroots sport and physical activity amongst those aged 16 and over, and have supported value for money in the system-wide spending across government. We consider the decade since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with a particular focus on the period since 2015, when government launched its Sporting Future strategy.)

Menopause and the workplace: how to enable fulfilling working lives: government response Department for work and pensions; July 2022 This report lays out the government’s response to the recommendations made in the independent report Menopause and the workplace, published in November 2021. This report aimed to bring about comprehensive change and support for those experiencing the menopause, in key areas of government policy, employer practice, and wider societal and financial change.

The rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine programme in England House of Commons Comittee of Public Accounts; July 2022 This report calls for efforts to be redoubled to reach those not vaccinated or fully vaccinated as it warns that nearly three million adults in England are unvaccinated against Covid-19. It finds that comparatively low vaccination rates persist in many vulnerable groups and have even dropped further for some. It calls for NHS England and UKHSA to urgently evaluate which methods are most effective for increasing uptake, including fresh approaches to tackle the persistent low uptake observed in some ethnic groups.

Creating a smoke-free South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw integrated care system  NHS Confederation; June 2022 This case study details a smoking cessation programme in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw that aims to saves lives, decrease health inequalities and reduce hospital re-admissions by making effective treatment for tobacco addiction part of the routine care offered in hospitals.

NHS Confederation

Tackling the increase in demand for mental health support in children and young people

Recent survey results reinforce the urgent need for more funding to support the growing demand for children and young people’s mental health services.

Read more here.

Podcast

Creative thinking to improve access to healthcare – Andrea Coleman

Source: Thinking Beyond Boundaries (Making More Health) Podcast Series by the NHS Confederation

Throughout this podcast series, Michael Wood, head of health economic partnerships at the NHS Confederation, will be interviewing a number of Making More Health Fellows – celebrating their achievements, discovering what drove them personally and discussing the particular role social entrepreneurs play in fostering long-term change.

In this episode learn how one woman’s passion for motorbikes led to the transformation of health access for rural communities in Africa.

As a former motorcycle racer, Andrea Coleman, founder and chief executive of Two Wheels for Life and co-founder of Riders for Health, has dedicated her life to using motorcycles for humanitarian causes. Listen in to hear how Andrea has harnessed her passions to optimise healthcare services by providing transport logistics in low-resource settings to ensure that patients receive the care and treatment they deserve.

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates amongst vulnerable groups: summary advice for GPs.
Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP); 2021.
[GPs will be aware of the disparity in uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine between different population groups; often, the groups most at risk from infection and serious illness are those least represented at vaccination centres. We continue to collect examples, case studies or evidence on what works in addressing this issue.]

Vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[From 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19), unless exempt.]

JCVI statement, August 2021: COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people aged 12 to 17 years.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[This statement sets out JCVI’s latest considerations and advice regarding the potential extension of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to children and young people.]

JCVI issues updated advice on COVID-19 vaccination of young people aged 16 to 17.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is today advising that all 16 and 17 year olds receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.]

COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children and young people.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Information for eligible children and young people on COVID-19 vaccination.]

PHE women’s reproductive health programme 2020 to 2021.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Progress update on the PHE reproductive health programme, including a new return on investment tool and the next steps for 2021 to 2022. ‘Extending PHE’s contraception return on investment tool: maternity and primary care settings’ outlines a new return on investment (ROI) model for contraception in maternity and the provision of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) in primary care, building on the existing contraception ROI tool published in 2018.]

BHIVA guidance for virtual consultations for people with HIV: May 2021.
British HIV Association (BHIVA); 2021.
[This guidance was released in May 2021 in response to the increased proportion of consultations carried out remotely due to COVID-19. The guidance highlights issues important for safe and effective consultation, including awareness of the limitations of remote consultation.]

Expanding access to naloxone.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Naloxone is a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can help to prevent overdose deaths. We are seeking responses to this consultation to assess the viability of proposals to widen access to naloxone by expanding the list of services and individuals that can give it out without a prescription or other written instruction.]

Quality indicators in lung cancer: a review and analysis. [Abstract]
Chiew KL. BMJ Open Quality 2021;10(3):DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001268.
[Conclusions: We found a large number of published QIs in lung cancer but they focused on relatively few areas not reflective of patterns of contemporary practice. We identified gaps in lung cancer QIs especially for systemic therapies, radiotherapy, palliative care and patient-reported outcomes. In order to comprehensively assess the care of patients with lung cancer, future efforts should focus on developing readily measurable QIs in these areas…]

Now or never: A systemic investment review of mental health care in England.
Centre for Mental Health; 2021.
[This report, commissioned by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, sets out ten key areas where strategic investment could solve systemic issues in the mental health system, with significant benefits to the lives of people with mental health difficulties and their experiences of support.]

The role of epigenetics in psychological resilience. [Abstract]
Smeeth D. The Lancet Psychiatry 2021;8(7):620-629.
[In this Review, we propose a new conceptual model for the different functions of epigenetic mechanisms in psychological resilience. After reviewing empirical evidence for the various components of the model, we identify research that should be prioritised and discuss practical implications of the proposed model for epigenetic research on resilience.]

Effect of telehealth interventions on quality of life in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Li J. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2021;122:103970 .
[Telehealth interventions are effective and alternative methods for improving quality of life among cancer survivors. The most effective approach was application-based intervention, the most common approach was website-based intervention, and in terms of intervention durations, the short-term telehealth intervention was the most effective. Most telehealth interventions included breast cancer survivors.]

Covid 19 and female health and care

Workforce Survey Update

Source: The King’s Fund Health and Policy Alert

This report presents the findings of a survey commissioned by the network to find out how the impact of the pandemic on women working across health and care changed as the crisis progressed. It finds that since summer 2020, the impact of the pandemic on the female workforce has demonstrably worsened and more women are reporting an even greater negative impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing.

For more information click here.

Putting people first

Supporting NHS staff in the aftermath of Covid-19

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

Caring for patients and service users during the Covid-19 pandemic has taken an enormous toll on NHS and social care staff. This report, part of the NHS Reset campaign, considers key factors needed for the NHS to provide the most effective environment to retain – and sustain – staff over the weeks and months ahead.

The NHS Confederation report sets out a series of actions needed to protect staff health and wellbeing in the recovery phase of the pandemic, splitting the recovery into 5 aspects:

  • Rest and recovery
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Recognition and reward
  • Improving staff experience
  • Tackling vacancies

To find out more click here.

Improving Patient Care

How PCNs are working in partnership to support mental health


Source: NHS Confederation; 2021.

This briefing was developed jointly by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network and PCN Network and provides examples of three models of partnership working that are currently underway in primary care to support mental health at place level.

Key points include:

  • A seamless referral system between primary and secondary care is important for patients who have mental health needs.
  • Early interventions for young people can be very cost effective and improve access and outcomes in mental health, wellbeing, and physical health.
  • Working in partnership across the community, and pooling knowledge, resources and assets is important for improving access to services, providing cost effective interventions, and improving outcomes.
  • Joining up primary care and mental health services is essential. Primary care can help people who have milder mental health issues access support and reduce referral to secondary mental health services.

Supporting the LGBTQ+ population

Through Covid-19 and beyond

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

Leaders from across the health care system agree that for the LGBTQ+ population to recover and thrive after the pandemic, the way services are designed and delivered, and the workforce environments they are delivered in, must change. This report sets out a series of recommendations to help health care leaders, service designers and commissioners ensure their services and workplaces meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ population.

some of their recommendations include:

Mental Health Network NHS Confederation

To find out more click here.

Perspectives from the front line

The disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BME communities

Source: King’s Fund Health Management and Policy Alert

This report finds that the effects of longstanding health and socio-economic inequalities and institutional racism lie behind the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on people from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. It distils the findings of a research study into the underlying factors. It is based on interviews with BME NHS leaders, clinicians, community organisations and service users, and a survey of more than 100 members of the NHS Confederation’s BME Leadership Network.

For more information click here.