Tag: Smoking

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Drug users urged to be extra careful following a high number of likely heroin overdoses.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Public Health England (PHE) has issued a warning of a sharp rise in the number of overdoses linked to people using drugs in several areas across England. To date, there have been at least 46 poisonings resulting in 16 deaths but investigations are still ongoing. The areas affected include South London, the South East, South West and East of England.]

Mental Health Crisis Care Profile.
PHE Fingertips; 2021.
[The Crisis Care Profile collates and analyses a wide range of publicly available data on associated prevalence of mental health crisis. Risk factors include access to care, treatment, and outcomes. Includes risk factors around age, deprivation, illness and disabilities, crime and social isolation. Other topics – urgent and emergency care, quality of treatment, access to support. Data available by local authorities.]

Dental health: migrant health guide.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients for healthcare practitioners. 17 August 2021: New model of care to support refugees and asylum seekers to access NHS dental services.]

Cervical screening: support for people who find it hard to attend.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Guidance on support for people who find it hard to attend cervical screening due to having a mental health condition, or having experienced trauma or abuse. 16 August 2021: Clarification that this guidance is based on research conducted with users of mental health services and addition of signposting to guidance to support other underserved groups.]

Oral healthcare: model for asylum seekers and refugees.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This model of care provides professionals with guidance to support access to NHS dentists. Asylum seekers and refugees can face barriers when accessing NHS dentists. This model of care details the processes, rights and entitlements to care and includes supporting information and links to forms and guidance. It is designed for local authorities, support services and health professionals who work with asylum seekers and refugees.]

Antenatal care.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This quality standard covers care for healthy women and their babies during pregnancy (up to 42 weeks). It covers routine antenatal care in primary, community and hospital settings. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement. In August 2021, changes were made to align this quality standard with the updated NICE guideline on antenatal care.]


Service specification: Cystinosis diagnosis and co-ordination of management (all ages).
NHS England; 2021.
[This service specification covers the provision of services for patients with Cystinosis, all ages.]

Continuous positive airway pressure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[Evidence-based recommendations on continuous positive airway pressure for treating obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome in adults. August 2021: The recommendation on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for mild obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) has been updated and replaced by recommendation 1.5.2 on CPAP for mild OSAHS in the NICE guideline on obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome and obesity hypoventilation syndrome in over 16s.]

Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome and obesity hypoventilation syndrome in over 16s.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This guideline covers the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with OSAHS (COPD–OSAHS overlap syndrome) in people over 16. It aims to improve recognition, investigation and treatment of these related conditions.]

Ethnic differences in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy in United Kingdom healthcare workers: Results from the UK-REACH prospective nationwide cohort study.
Woolf K. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe 2021;8(-):100180.
[Using a nationwide prospective cohort study and qualitative study in a multi-ethnic cohort of clinical and non-clinical UK healthcare workers (HCWs) researchers analysed ethnic differences in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy. Of the 11,584 HCWs included in the cohort analysis, 23% (2704) reported vaccine hesitancy. Ethnicity was a significant predictor of hesitancy.]

Association of the COVID-19 lockdown with smoking, drinking and attempts to quit in England: an analysis of 2019–20 data.
Addiction; 2021.
[Following the March 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, smokers and high-risk drinkers in England were more likely than before lockdown to report trying to quit smoking or reduce alcohol consumption and rates of smoking cessation and use of remote cessation support were higher. However, high-risk drinking prevalence increased post-lockdown and use of evidence-based support for alcohol reduction by high-risk drinkers decreased with no compensatory increase in use of remote support.

Everybody active, every day: 5 years on.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Summary of the 5 year review to the national physical activity framework, ‘Everybody active, every day’ and the PHE response.]

Quality in Qual: a proposed framework to commission, judge and generate good qualitative evaluation in wellbeing impacts.
whatworkswellbeing; 2021.
[Based on interviews with ten leading organisations and individuals who have in-depth evaluation and methodological expertise this report sets out why work on qualitative evaluation is valuable and important, what resources already exist. The report identifies six prompts for potential uses of qualitative research in evaluations.]

Genomics nation: A benchmark of the size and strengths of the UK genomics sector.
UK Bioindustry Association; 2021.
[The NHS Long Term Plan promised greater focus on prevention to help people stay healthy and ease the burden on the health service. The early detection of disease, rather than merely the diagnosis and treatment of illness, will be critical to achieve this objective. The NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS), launched in 2018, provides a single, national coordinated approach to genomic testing and genomic research in the NHS.]

A joint thematic inspection of community-based drug treatment and recovery work with people on probation.
HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP); 2021.
[Probation services across England and Wales supervise nearly 156,000 people in the community. HM Inspectorate of Probation estimates that almost 75,000 of these individuals have a drugs problem, yet fewer than 3,000 people were referred by probation services to specialist drug misuse treatment in 2019/2020. HMIP partnered with the Care Quality Commission to examine how probation services supervise this cohort and found probation services are responding poorly to drugs misuse and addiction cases.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Low life expectancy in Glasgow, and what to do about it.
The Health Foundation; 2021.
[In this podcast Chief Executive Dr Jennifer Dixon, Dr David Walsh is Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Sir Harry Burns is the Professor of Global Public Health explore: What is fraying health to this degree in Glasgow? What is being done to help? And what can we all learn from Glasgow’s longstanding efforts to try to mend the health fabric, as we all attempt to build back better after the pandemic?]

Flu vaccination in schools.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This guidance has been produced to assist all school staff and headteachers with any questions about annual flu vaccination programme for 2021 to 2022. 28 July 2021: Updated the reason for extending the programme in secondary schools section.]

Associations between smoke-free vehicle legislation and childhood admissions to hospital for asthma in Scotland: an interrupted time-series analysis of whole-population data.
The Lancet Public Health; 2021.
[Although legislation banning smoking in vehicles did not affect hospital admissions for severe asthma among children overall or in the older age group, this legislation was associated with a reduction in severe asthma exacerbations requiring hospital admission among preschool children, over and above the underlying trend and previous interventions designed to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Preventing suicide in England: fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives Department of Health and Social Care; 27th March 2021

(This report details the steps taken to reduce deaths by suicide since 2019. It sets out the data and evidence on suicide and self-harm; the progress made against existing commitments designed to prevent suicides and self-harm; and further actions for the government and its agencies, particularly in the context of Covid-19.)

The cost of smoking to the social care system ASH; March 2021

(This report finds that on average smokers in England need care when they are 63, 10 years sooner than non-smokers. It estimates that £1.2 billion a year is spent on people who have care needs as a result of smoking. It calls for more comprehensive tobacco control strategies in order to ease the pressure on the social care system.)

Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan Department of Health and Social Care; 31 March 2021

(This action plan sets out an ambitious, cross-government, whole-person approach to promoting positive mental health and supporting people living with mental illness to recover and live well. While this plan sets out what the government will do in the coming year, it is also a call to action for the whole of society, for local communities, families and for individuals, who can take simple steps to look after their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around them – and can reach out for support, including from mental health services when necessary.)

The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days The Early Years Healthy Development Review Report

(This report sets out the findings of the Early Years’ Healthy Development Review, which was asked to review the first 1,001 critical days from pregnancy through to the age of two. The review sets out a vision for best practice across the health system to ensure babies and children can get the best possible start.)

Alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour Nuffield Trust

(Excessive alcohol consumption can have harmful health consequences in the short term but also in the long term, through conditions such as liver disease, stroke and some cancers. This indicator explores whether alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour has changed over time.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

We can’t prevent childhood obesity by education alone: lessons from the evidence base.
University of Bristol; 2021.

(This study examined the evidence included in the most recent Cochrane Review on childhood obesity prevention. The results show that most of the current evidence targets individual lifestyle behaviours (diet and physical activity) through education. This could influence the range of evidence that policymakers see, with consequences for the focus of policies they develop. A broader evidence base is needed on which to base future decisions about childhood obesity prevention. Policy briefing.)

Loneliness: a reading list.
House of Commons Library; 2021.

(Links to various publications considering the causes and impact of loneliness, as well as possible interventions to deal with the issue in society. A companion to the Library’s Tackling loneliness (CBP 8514) briefing, which sets out in greater detail the incidence and impact of loneliness and strategies adopted to tackle it across the UK. Research briefing.)

Consultation outcome: Proposed changes to how smoking-attributable risk is calculated.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Response to consultation on proposed changes to the calculation of smoking attributable mortality and hospital admissions. There was a positive response to updating the relative risks used for the calculation of smoking-related harm and all options provided through responses have been explored.)

A Snapshot of European Children’s Eating Habits: Results from the Fourth Round of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.

(Overall, the WHO findings from this study highlight that action is urgently needed to promote healthy eating habits among children in all the countries of the European Region, especially to increase daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.)

Youth Sport Trust impact report.
Youth Sport Trust; 2021.

(In this report we share data, insights and stories from some of the young people whose wellbeing we have been able to support. Working together with schools and valued partners we have improved physical and mental health, nurtured the development of character and leadership, and fostered inclusion and empathy to bring down barriers and build connections.)

Understanding and addressing inequalities in physical activity: evidence-based guidance for commissioners Public Health England (PHE); 2021

(This guidance can be used by practitioners and commissioners at a local level to begin tackling inequalities in physical activity across and within protected characteristic groups. It presents the findings of a review, analysis and research aimed at understanding the enablers, barriers and opportunities for increasing physical activity across inequality groups.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Hepatitis C in England and the UK.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.

[Latest PHE hepatitis C virus (HCV) reports and supporting documents, for England and the UK. 14 December 2020: Added Hepatitis C in the UK: 2020 report and accompanying slide set and infographic.]

Drug misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[This publication reports on trends in drug use across England and Wales for the year ending March 2020. This publication is largely unaffected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it mainly relates to the period prior to the lockdown. Overall drug use continued to remain stable, with around 1 in 11 adults aged 16 to 59 years having taken a drug in the past year.]

Whole systems approach to obesity.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.

[A guide and set of resources to support local authorities with implementing a whole systems approach to address obesity and promote a healthy weight.
14 December 2020: Added ‘Opportunities to strengthen place-based systems approaches’ report and annexes.]


Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain: 11 December 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[One in five adults in Great Britain experienced some form of depression in November. This is similar to levels reported earlier in the year, but double that reported before the pandemic. Since late October, more adults say they believe life will return to normal within six months. However, a lower proportion of adults experiencing some form of anxiety and/or depression felt this was the case.]

The government’s approach to test and trace in England – interim report.
National Audit Office (NAO); 2020.

[This interim report provides an overview of test and trace services for addressing COVID-19 in England, including how the government’s approach has developed, and how it managed performance and capacity in the period from May to October 2020.]

A ‘new normal’? How people spent their time after the March 2020 coronavirus lockdown.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[During the first national coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, many people in Great Britain were forced to make changes to their lifestyles. But it appears that some of those changes may not have lasted long. On the whole, people returned to pre-lockdown behaviour in September to October 2020.]


Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception) 2019/20.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This publication primarily covers contraceptive activity taking place at dedicated Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in England, as recorded in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Activity Dataset (SRHAD), a mandated collection for all providers of NHS SRH services. People attend SRH services for a variety of reasons, but the main focus of this report is contraception.]

National Diabetes Audit – Report 1 Care Processes and Treatment Targets 2018-19, Full Report.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This report details the findings and recommendations relating to diabetes care process completion, treatment target achievement and structured education for the 2018-19 audit.]


Statistics on Smoking, England 2020.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This report presents newly published information on smoking including:
Smoking-related hospital admissions from NHS Digital’s Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).Smoking-related deaths from Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality statistics. Prescription items used to help people stop smoking from prescribing data held by NHS Prescription Services. Affordability of tobacco and expenditure on tobacco using ONS economic data.]

Public Health

Current Awareness

Total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) .
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; 2020.
[Open consultation. They want your views on their proposal for a total online advertising restriction for HFSS products to reduce the amount of HFSS advertising children are exposed to online. This consultation closes at
11:59pm on 22 December 2020.]

Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England April 2019 to March 2020.
NHS Digital; 2020.
[Data show of 221,678 people setting a quit date, 114,153 were successful. Quitting success increased with age; 41% under 18 and up to 56% aged 60 and over. Also 45% of 13,779 pregnant women who set a quit date successfully quit.]

Online bullying in England and Wales: year ending March 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.
[Estimates of the prevalence and nature of online bullying among children using data from the 10- to 15-year-olds’ Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).]

COVID-19: deaths of people with learning disabilities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[Review of available data on the deaths of people identified as having learning disabilities in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.]

COVID-19: mental health and wellbeing surveillance report.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[This is a routinely updated report about population mental health and wellbeing in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. 12 November 2020: All relevant chapters updated. Academic studies included up to 4 September 2020; weekly data may be more recent.]

People with learning disabilities had higher death rate from COVID-19.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.
[England death rate up to 6 times higher from coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic than the general population, Public Health England study finds.]