Tag: Public Health

Lunch and Learn

Long Covid

Thank-you to everyone who attended our lunch and learn session yesterday. Our guest speakers, Jane Beenstock, Alison Pye and Cath Taylor from the Public Health team, have been following the development and research relating to Long Covid and they gave us a very interesting insight into what Long Covid is and what the research around this topic is telling us.

If you missed the session, you can catch up here (please use your LSCFT email to access.)

We would really appreciate any feedback on these sessions. If you have a few spare minutes we kindly ask you to complete our survey- which should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com

Our next session will be held in June and will focus on Strategy Development . We hope to see as many of you there. Please contact carmel.smith@lscft.nhs.uk if you would like an invite to this session.

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Care homes: visiting restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic House of Commons; 2021

(This report calls on the government to make the existing requirements for individualised assessment for visits mandatory by laying its draft regulations, as soon as possible. Government guidance now makes clear that care home providers should not impose blanket bans on visiting but should instead conduct individualised risk assessments for each resident. However, without statutory force, there is no legal recourse for residents to require their providers to implement the guidance.)

Racism and discrimination: the experience of primary care professionals in the Humberside region Humberside LMC: April 2021

(This report highlights discrimination faced by staff and patients from ethnic minority backgrounds in general practice. It finds that respondents reported experiences of discrimination in a wide range of areas such as training, working patterns and complaints, and it calls for a zero-tolerance approach to tackle racism in all its forms. )

Pandemic patient experience II: from lockdown to vaccine roll-out The Patient’s Association; April 2021

(In 2020, patients told the Patients Association about their experiences of living with health and care needs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their testimony painted a bleak picture in many ways. This follow-up survey (drawing on 453 responses, submitted over February, March and early April 2021) finds that many aspects of their experiences are not much better, and some are worse. Accessing general practice services remains difficult for many, and patients overall do not regard remote consultations as an adequate replacement for in-person appointments.)

Outpatient appointments intended but not booked after inpatient stays Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB); April 2021

(This investigation explores the patient safety risk of outpatient appointments that are intended but not booked following an inpatient stay. It also considers opportunities for building resilience into the process to ensure timely appointments. It concludes with two safety recommendations that are aimed at reducing the chance that patients will be lost after an inpatient stay and supporting the staff within trusts who are responsible for arranging appointments and tracking patients.)

Unemployment and mental health The Health Foundation; April 2021

(This analysis estimates that an increase of 900,000 people in unemployment expected by the end of the year, compared with before the pandemic, will lead to 200,000 more people with poor mental health in the UK. It acknowledges that while government action to reduce a rise in unemployment by extending the furlough scheme to September will support mental health, it suggests that the benefits system and employment support programmes currently fail to properly account for the mental health needs of those who are unemployed. It concludes that there is now an opportunity to ensure that efforts to tackle unemployment in the pandemic recovery are designed to better support mental health.)

Skin cancer awareness month toolkit Skin Cancer Foundation; May 2021

(A social media toolkit giving you downloadable skin cancer images and resources to help you share the facts during Skin Cancer Awareness Month)

Lunch and Learn – May Reminder

Post (long) COVID: a lasting legacy or a passing phase?

This is just a reminder that the next Lunch and Learn session will be held via Teams on Thursday 20th May between 12pm and 1pm.

This session will discuss:

  • An overview of long-COVID
  • Current evidence on what it is, who it affects and how it affects people
  • The implications of long-COVID on health services and wider society

Teams invites have been sent to all our Library registered users. If you would like an invite to be extended to you or your team please email: carmel.smith@lscft.nhs.uk

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

COVID-19: long-term health effects.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Information and guidance on persistent health problems reported following acute COVID-19 disease. There is accumulating evidence to suggest that cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) who have experienced both mild and severe symptoms can experience long-term health effects. This document provides information on the health problems reported in COVID-19 cases following acute disease, and guidance for healthcare professionals on how to advise recovering COVID-19 patients.)

COVID-19 in schools: study shows drop in infections Public Health England (PHE); 2021

(Round 4 of the Schools Infection Survey (SIS) shows a significant drop in the number of secondary school pupils and staff testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).)

Women’s Health Strategy: Call for Evidence.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.

(DHSC are seeking your views to help inform the development of the government’s Women’s Health Strategy. The easiest way to participate in the call for evidence as an individual is by completing the public survey. They also welcome written submissions from individuals or organisations who have expertise in women’s health, such as researchers and third-sector organisations. Written submissions can include the contribution of data, research and other reports of relevance to women’s health.)

Teachers’ concerns about pupils’ mental health in a cross-sectional survey of a population sample of British schoolchildren.[Abstract]
Mathews F. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2021;26(2):99-105.

(Understanding how well a teacher concern predicts mental disorder in a child or young person is important for mental health teams who need to respond to referrals. CONCLUSION: While teacher concern does identify those with poorer mental health, it is only moderately predictive of a disorder. When concerned about a child or young person, discussions with parents or others who know them may help teachers identify those who most need support.)

The relationship between alcohol-related hospital admission and specialist alcohol treatment provision across local authorities in England since passage of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
British Journal of Psychiatry 2021;:https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2020.120.


(The results suggest that the local authority areas in England most in need of adequately funded specialist alcohol treatment are not receiving targeted increased funding, and that the national rise in alcohol-related hospital admissions may be fuelled by local authority funding cuts to specialist alcohol treatment.)

Please contact: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk for any support accessing articles.

National Centre for Social Research

Mental health: should we be worried?

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

This report provides an overview of the public’s mental health and how it is affecting people’s lives, although it does not aspire to be a comprehensive record because of the scale of research now being undertaken. It also provides new, previously unpublished, analysis by NatCen from the Understanding Society longitudinal study showing the impacts of the Covid–19 pandemic on the public’s financial and mental health.

For more information click here.

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

One dose of COVID-19 vaccine can cut household transmission by up to half Public Health England (PHE)

(A new study by Public Health England (PHE) has shown that one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine reduces household transmission by up to half.)

Track and trace: identifying corruption risks in UK public procurement for the Covid-19 pandemic

(This study of procurement during the pandemic involved a painstaking review of nearly 1,000 contracts worth a total of £18 billion. It concludes that the way the UK government handled bids for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) and other Covid-19 response contracts appears partisan and systemically biased in favour of those with political access.)

Can SMS text messages help prevent relapse in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder?
The Mental Elf; 2021.

(A group of UCL Mental Health MSc students summarise a recent pilot study, which explores the acceptability and feasibility of the Texting for Relapse Prevention (T4RP) programme for people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.)

Can we teach schools how to improve care for young people who self-harm?
The Mental Elf; 2021.

(Douglas Badenoch appraises and summarises a recent systematic review of experimental studies, which looks at whether school staff training can improve responses to pupils who self-harm.)

JCVI issues new advice on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women Public Health England (PHE)

(The JCVI has advised that pregnant women should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group.)

Neonatal infection: antibiotics for prevention and treatment.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.

[This guideline covers preventing bacterial infection in healthy babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age, treating pregnant women whose unborn baby is at risk of infection, and caring for babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age with a suspected or confirmed bacterial infection. It aims to reduce delays in recognising and treating infection and prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics. The guideline does not cover viral infections.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Reduced drinking and harm reduction in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
Bischof. Drugs and Alcohol Today 2020;21(1):31-44.
(The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the scientific evidence for reduced drinking in alcohol use disorders.)

Inequalities in oral health in England.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(The report describes the current picture of oral health inequalities and oral health service inequalities in England by socioeconomic position, geographic area, protected characteristics and vulnerable (disadvantaged) groups. Information in the report may be used to inform the equality impact assessment of proposed public health interventions and to inform the commissioning of services.)

Alcohol and drugs evidence reviews and inquiries.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Reports and reviews relating to substance misuse. Policy makers, commissioners and service providers can use the evidence presented in these reviews and reports when deciding how best to implement policies and interventions relating to drugs and alcohol.)

Case study synthesis: community hubs and green space.
What Works Centre for Wellbeing; 2021.

(This review of practice-based case studies plugs some gaps in the evidence on how community hubs and green spaces can enhance wellbeing in a place. The case study evidence provides important and rich detail on these projects and activities, and how they are delivered, which will provide policy-makers and practitioners with tangible illustrations to refer to in the design and modification of interventions.)

Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID).
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(McCance and Widdowson’s ‘composition of foods integrated dataset’ on the nutrient content of the UK food supply. Public Health England (PHE) is responsible for maintaining up-to-date data on the nutrient content of the UK food supply in order to support the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, and funds nutrient analysis of foods commonly consumed in the UK.)

Preventing and reducing drug-related harm.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Information and resources to support commissioners, service providers and others to reduce harm and prevent deaths related to substance misuse.)

Reducing harm due to alcohol: success stories from 3 countries.
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.

(The WHO-recommended “best buys” for alcohol policy can easily help countries to reduce health harms related to alcohol consumption. Experience from Lithuania, Scotland and the Russian Federation shows how effective they can be when countries choose to implement them.)

Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image.
House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee; 2021.

(This inquiry sought to determine which groups were most at risk of developing poor body image, the factors driving its increased prevalence, and the impact of poor body image on the lives of those affected by it. It considers the impact body dissatisfaction can have on physical and mental health and its relationship with advertising in traditional and social media. It also considers the role the government should play through health, education or digital policy interventions.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Misuse of illicit drugs and medicines: applying All Our Health.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Evidence and guidance to help health professionals identify, prevent or reduce drug-related harm. The information will help front-line health and care staff use their trusted relationships with patients, families and communities to promote the benefits of asking patients about drug use.)

NHS population screening: identifying and reducing inequalities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Guidance and resources to support providers and commissioners in reducing screening inequalities. Variation in participation exists both within and between national screening programmes. Barriers can result in some people being unable to maximise the benefits of screening. And people at higher risk of the conditions being screened for are generally less likely to participate.)

Alcohol dependence prevalence in England.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Estimates of the number of alcohol dependent adults in each local authority in England. The data is from national and local authorities, and is organised by age and gender.)

Children living with parents in emotional distress: March 2021 update.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(The proportion of children living with at least one parent reporting symptoms of emotional distress, by family type and work status.)

How can touch-free technology help the NHS? Open Access Government, 31 March 2021

(Videx UK aims to help the health care and business sector return to normal with hands-free door entry.)

From computers to communities: how remote technology will transform rural neighbourhoods TechRadar, 1 April 2021

(The pandemic has meant a change in the way we live and work. However, virtually all health care sectors have successfully implemented remote collaboration tools.)

Public Health

Current Awareness

Use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: JCVI statement.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.]

COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine administration.
Gordon C. British Journal of Nursing 2021;30(6):344-349.
[This article provides an overview of current COVID-19 vaccines available within the UK, including their mode of action, storage and handling. It outlines the recommendations on priority groups for vaccination and provides insight into the training recommendations for vaccinators.]


How will the public mood shape care after the pandemic?
[The Health Foundation is hosting a webinar exploring what the public thought of care during the COVID-19 pandemic and what this means for future care – being held 15th April 11:45am]

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child health and the provision of Care in Paediatric Emergency Departments: a qualitative study of frontline emergency care staff.
Conlon C. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):279.
[This qualitative study utilized insight from multidisciplinary frontline staff to understand 1) the changes in paediatric emergency healthcare utilization during COVID-19 2) the experiences of working within the restructured health system.]

A connected recovery: Findings of the APPG on Loneliness Inquiry.
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness; 2021.

[This inquiry makes the case for a ‘connected recovery’ from the pandemic. It explored four crucial policy areas, including: translating national policy into local action through local authorities; community infrastructure (including housing, transport and public spaces); how to adequately fund the voluntary and community sector upon which social prescribing depends; and designing and implementing ways to test the implications of government policies on loneliness.]

National Centre for Creative Health.
National Centre for Creative Health; 2021.

[The NCCH will advance good practice and research, inform policy and promote collaboration, helping foster the conditions for creative health to be integral to health and social care and wider systems. It was formed in response to the Creative Health report, the result of a two-year inquiry led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing.]