The school nurse’s role varies across countries. In Scotland, the Chief Nursing Officer recommended that the role should be refocused. The refocused programme emphasises nine care pathways with a view to improve pupils’ health and wellbeing. Two sites were identified to test this new programme. Our aim was to assess how, for whom and under what circumstances the programme works in order to provide learning to support school nurse training and intended national roll-out.
Studies examining the next‐day cognitive effects of heavy alcohol consumption have produced mixed findings, which may reflect inconsistencies in definitions of ‘hangover’. Recent consensus has defined hangover as “mental and physical symptoms, experienced the day after a single episode of heavy drinking, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero”. In light of this, we aimed to review the literature systematically to evaluate and estimate mean effect sizes of the next‐day effects of heavy alcohol consumption on cognition.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
The Essex Lifestyle Service worked with selected e-cigarette (vape) stores in Essex, training staff to deliver stop smoking support to their customers wishing to quit smoking by using an e-cigarette. To date, it has resulted in over 900 people stopping smoking through the use of an e-cigarette.
Age‐related decline in muscle oxidative capacity reduces muscle function and physical performance, leading to disability and frailty. Whether age‐related decline in oxidative capacity is modified by exercise and other lifestyle practices is unclear. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that physical activity is associated with better oxidative capacity, independent of age.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Electronic cigarettes have been evaluated and assessed as a smoking cessation tool; however, as Graham Cope explains, a more cautious approach may be needed and users should be made aware of the potential harm of these devices. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The expense associated with using non‐combustible nicotine products as an alternative to smoking may deter smoking reduction or cessation. This study aimed to estimate (i) how much adults in England spend each week on smoking and alternative nicotine products and (ii) the potential cost saving that could be achieved by switching from smoking to using an alternative nicotine delivery product.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Active travel means making journeys by physically active means, like walking or cycling. Given active travel is a devolved policy area, this briefing relates primarily to active travel policies in England.
If we are to move to a preventative system in public services, communities need to take on more responsibility for their own health and well-being. That means handing power and resource over to communities that is held by public sector institutions.
The commissioning of public services is one of the most important functions of the public sector but also one that is deeply embedded within the institution. Community Commissioning makes a convincing case for why the process needs to be led by citizens and service users not public sector professionals. Importantly, it also explains in detail how this shift is happening in practice.
This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
There’s a lot of evidence about the relationship between alcohol consumption and harm experienced by drinkers such as ill health, disability and death. But there is less evidence to bring together what we know about the detrimental effects alcohol has on people other than drinkers, such as being a victim alcohol-related crime, family breakdown, child abuse and needing support from the police and healthcare services.
The ‘Active Ageing’ report by Anchor Hannover – England’s largest not-for-profit provider of care and homes for over 55’s – in association with Demos, highlights the costs of physical inactivity in older people to the NHS. By 2030 this could be as much as £1.3bn. The report also highlights the human cost of inactivity in later life, illustrating how inactivity not only contributes to poorer physical health, but also cognitive decline, reduced emotional wellbeing and loneliness.
Lina Gega explores a review of digital technology for health promotion, which looks at opportunities to address excess mortality in people living with SMI.
A new report from workplace experts, Acas, has revealed that two thirds of workers (66%) have felt stressed or anxious about work over the past year.Acas commissioned YouGov to ask employees in Great Britain about their experiences of stress and anxiety in the workplace. The most common reasons given for the way they felt included workloads (60%), the way that they were managed (42%) and balancing home and work lives (35%).
Low-risk limits recommended for alcohol consumption vary substantially across different national guidelines. To define thresholds associated with lowest risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, we studied individual-participant data from 599 912 current drinkers without previous cardiovascular disease.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
In response to the report from the Society of Occupational Medicine, titled ‘What could make a difference to the mental health of UK doctors?’ Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said:
“The findings in the Society of Occupational Medicine report are a reminder of the hugely stressful work all our staff undertake on behalf of society. The investment announced by the government this year helps alleviate some of the pressure on our services and people but it only part of the story.
To identify which weight loss interventions are best delivered through primary care to achieve beneficial outcomes for patients and practitioners. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The Healthy Weight Initiative for Nurses (WIN.) developed interventions that nurses can use to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Stemming from this, a new Smartphone application (app) was launched earlier in the year. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Findings Among 2243 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attack or stroke in this population-based study, extensive Face, Arm, Speech, Time (FAST)–based public education has not improved the response to transient ischemic stroke and minor stroke. The percentage of strokes preceded by a transient ischemic attack for which no attention was sought remained unchanged.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
New data published today show the rate of severe obesity among year 6 children (aged 10 to 11) has increased by more than a third since 2006 to 2007 to 4.2%, its highest rate ever.
To pilot the acceptability to practising nurses of the concept of being healthy role models as regards obesity and weight.. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Dr Bov Jani, Consultant Paediatrician and RCPCH Officer for Professional Development, talks about the latest initiatives to improve the wellbeing of doctors and the factors impacting on the success of these.
This resource is made up of briefings and practice examples to promote healthy weight for children, young people and families as part of a whole systems approach
Parents wanting to avoid "pester power" might want to think about restricting the amount of time their children spend online, as well as watching commercial TV.
But it's important to note that we don't know whether these results mean TV or internet use directly causes obesity or increased junk food consumption.
Obesity and diet are complicated, and many different factors are likely to be involved. For example, parents have a big influence on children's diets, as well as on how much TV and internet use they're allowed.
Developed to mark National Stress Awareness Day the toolkit encourages conversations between managers and employees about the causes of work related stress. Six conversation templates have been designed to support managers and employees to talk about issues which may be causing work related stress or which could have potential to become future causes if not managed properly.
The BMA began its bullying and harassment project in 2017 following SAS doctors highlighting the impact that bullying and harassment had on the working lives and well-being of members, and growing evidence of how it harms patient care and safety.
Open access. Comment. The systematic analysis of the global burden of disease attributable to alcohol and drug use from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 20161 published in The Lancet Psychiatry, is the most comprehensive and systematic global estimate to date of the adverse health effects of substance use. The GBD 2016 Alcohol and Drug Use Collaborators systematically analysed data on the epidemiology of alcohol and drug use and prevalence of these use disorders, and used disability weights to estimate disability-adjusted life-years. The estimates include the burden attributable to alcohol and drug use as risk factors for a variety of health conditions.
International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation Vol. 7, Iss. 4, (Oct 2018): 240-257.
An increasing number of scholarly works have attempted to understand the reasons for poor rates of help-seeking for symptoms of mental health disorders all around the world. One particular body of work has focused on “mental health literacy” (MHL), defined as knowledge about mental health disorders that is associated with their recognition, management, and prevention. In this article, we report a nonsystematic review of studies on MHL, to give nonexpert academics, policymakers, and practitioners an understanding of the field. . To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Lower urinary tract symptoms are common in female nurses and midwives. There is limited understanding of the relationship between urinary symptoms, bladder health practices and work.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Open access. It is useful, for theoretical and practical reasons, to be able to specify functions for continuous abstinence over time in smoking cessation attempts. This study aimed to find the best fitting models of mean proportion abstinent with different smoking cessation pharmacotherapies up to 52 weeks from the quit date.
Open access. Smoking has played a significant role in the historical culture of mental healthcare settings. Mental health professionals (MHPs) often hold dismissive attitudes regarding the importance of smoking cessation in the context of mental healthcare. In 2007, English mental health inpatient buildings were required by law to become smoke-free, and healthcare trusts have more recently begun to implement comprehensive policies (i.e. smoke-free grounds and buildings) and staff training in response to national guidance. It is therefore important to explore MHPs practice around smoking, smoking cessation, and smoke-free policy adherence. This study aimed to explore these issues by using the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, behaviour) model to systematically identify barriers to, and facilitators for, MHPs addressing smoking with their patients.
You can read the full NHS staff learners' mental wellbeing report and the executive summary on our dedicated web page, where we have collated our free tools and resources against some of the recommendations to help you implement the new advice in the report.
Today’s figures show that in 2018 life expectancy gains in England ground to a halt.
‘Life expectancy gains have been flatlining since 2011. Although a slowdown has been seen across Europe, England has been particularly badly affected.
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NHS England and NHS Improvement have published their Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) guidance for 2019/20 and there have been some changes to the payment framework for health and wellbeing.
The BMA has a well-established record of making the case for preventing physical and mental ill-health and investing in evidence-based population measures. We are now setting out our framework for a cross-government approach to prioritising population health.
This spreadsheet provides data from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset starting from 2011 to 2018. This includes inpatient care figures from National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across England.
Objectives To evaluate effects of active bike commuting or leisure-time exercise of two intensities on peripheral insulin sensitivity (primary outcome), cardiorespiratory fitness and intra-abdominal adipose tissue mass (secondary outcomes). To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Open access. Healthcare professionals are key informants to support individual behaviour change, and although there has been some progress in empowering clinicians to promote physical activity and health at work, an effective strategy overarching the whole medical educational journey is still lacking. This report provides an overview from the Moving Healthcare Professionals programme (MHPP) in the UK, a whole-system educational approach to embed prevention and physical activity promotion into clinical practice.
Report: 'Caring for the mental health of the medical workforce'
This report provides a summary of findings from a large-scale survey into doctors’ and medical students’ mental health. The survey, which was open to BMA members and non-members across the UK received over 4,300 responses.
Health Education England (HEE) has launched a new framework Workforce Stress and the Supportive Organisation.
Developed by the National Workforce Skills Development Unit, the framework, which can be used alongside NHS England’s Health and Wellbeing framework, challenges employers to evaluate the impact of their systems, processes and cultures on staff health and wellbeing, and consider how they can better support their staff.
This bulletin presents figures for avoidable mortality in 2001 to 2017 for England and Wales using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) to measure socioeconomic inequalities.
Psychological Services (Apr 22, 2019). DOI:10.1037/ser0000354
Given raised rates of patient suicide and violence in secure psychiatric facilities, staff in such settings are arguably at increased risk for burnout and reduced mental health. The present article responds to the recent U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) call to assess workforce well-being. This article held the following aims: (1) to quantify existing levels of mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, distress, and posttraumatic stress) and subjective well-being (i.e., job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and four domains of burnout) and (2) to evaluate Coping Self-Efficacy (CSE) and Need for Affect (NFA) as factors associated with staff mental health and subjective well-being.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Public Health England (PHE) has published an update to Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE).
The LAPE interactive tool presents a range of alcohol-related indicators and allows users to view and analyse data in a user-friendly format.
This release includes an update of the alcohol-related cancer and alcohol-related road traffic accident indicators.
We're expanding our Be Aware updates and want to know what physical health topics you'd like to keep updated on. Let us know your ideas by replying to this email with 'physical health topics' followed by your suggestions
This article describes the introduction of a staff health programme designed to create a shift in culture in a mental health service towards the inclusion of physical health. The 16-week programme offered staff cardiometabolic health assessments and interventions, including individual sessions with specialist staff, with goal setting around diet, exercise and sleep. Staff were reviewed after the programme and provided qualitative feedback. The article also outlines the feasibility of including a similar programme in other mental health services. You can request a copy of this article by replying to this email. Please ensure you are clear which article you are requesting.
Dietary factors are of paramount importance in the management and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Despite progress in formulating evidence based dietary guidance, controversy and confusion remain. In this article, we examine the evidence for areas of consensus as well as ongoing uncertainty or controversy about dietary guidelines for type 2 diabetes.
To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
This review examines current UK trends in cycling and the emergence of e-bikes.
It considers:
attitudes and behaviours to cycling
different users of bicycles
the rise of e-bikes globally
the implications to 2040
NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has today backed a scheme that lets overweight football fans train at their club’s stadium, encouraging them to get fit and live a healthier, more active life.
Five clubs from the English Football League Trust are already taking part in the Football Fans in Training (FFIT) programme, first run in Scotland – which sees overweight men coached for 12 weeks at their team’s home ground.
Clubs put on a three-month programme of exercise and sports and give advice on healthy eating.
The report concludes that there are reasons to be optimistic but that greater effort to improve the health environment is required – it should be easier to take the healthy option.
Implications for practice and research
> Nurses play a vital role in reducing the risk of individuals with hypertension developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese exercise intervention, appears to provide a potentially effective form of physical activity for these individuals.
> Future research of the effect of Tai Chi, a complex form of nursing intervention, should place more emphasis on objective exercise activity measures (accelerometers and pedometers). To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Open access. Anaphylaxis is a serious systemic allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. Despite numerous national and international guidelines and consensus statements, common misconceptions still persist in terms of diagnosis and appropriate management, both among healthcare professionals and patient/carers. We address some of these misconceptions and highlight the optimal approach for patients who experience potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.
Free access. To investigate the nutritional quality of foods marketed to children in the UK, to explore the use of health and nutrition claims, and to assess their healthiness.
Having a poor diet and being overweight before and during pregnancy are linked with diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) and heart disease in the mother. They may also affect the child's risk of becoming obese.
It's perhaps not surprising that low-strength e-cigarettes were found to be less satisfying than the higher-strength versions, and interesting that the low-strength vapers compensated with their puffing, potentially exposing them to more toxins.
But this was a tiny study that only looked at habitual users of high-nicotine products, who may have found it harder to adapt to low nicotine. The findings can't necessarily be applied to all vapers.
How to optimise the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in order to identify those at risk of Type 2 diabetes and help lower their risk of developing the disease.
People with mental illness are up to three times more likely to smoke and experience greater challenges and less success when trying to quit and therefore have higher risk of smoking‐related morbidity and mortality. There is a lack of evidence on successful interventions to reduce the smoking rates in people living with serve mental illness. A meta‐synthesis was undertaken to summarize the data from multiple studies to inform the development of future smoking cessation intervention studies.
Seven in ten adults in England in 2008 had two or more risk factors of poor diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking. Previously, The King’s Fund has looked at the prevalence of multiple unhealthy behaviours, and now we are revisiting this area by looking at how some services are developing a response to the reality that most people experience risk factors in combination. Developing approaches to tackling multiple risk factors is crucial for three reasons.
BPS blog post by Christian Jarrett. Perhaps the most important lesson from this review is that we need more research into how different types and intensities of exercise affect our mood.
The Science and Technology Committee’s Energy drinks and children Report has concluded that societal concerns could justify a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children. However, the Committee found that the current quantitative evidence alone is not sufficient to warrant a statutory ban.
These documents aim to:
highlight PHE’s work to address cardiovascular disease
showcase current projects and new resources
provide updates on the progress of ongoing initiatives
Roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes have become popular in the UK and reduce the cost of smoking, potentially mitigating the impact of tax increases on quitting. We examined whether RYO cigarette use was associated with reduced motivation to quit smoking, incidence of quit attempts and quit success. Open Access Article
Since 2013 Brighton & Hove City Council has targeted government grants to roll out cleaner less polluting vehicle fleets. On the busiest bus lanes, this has helped to deliver a 25% reduction in roadside nitrogen dioxide and a 3µg/m3 reduction in roadside levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5).
In this insightful blog, Leon Patrick Weathersby Patrick Jr. shares practical strategies for managing stress in today's fast-paced world. Discover effective techniques such as prioritizing self-care, practicing mindfulness, staying organized, connecting with others, setting boundaries, engaging...