Looking after your mental health
The Mental Health Foundation has published Looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak. This article sets out some tips to help you, your friends and your family to look after your mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

NICE guidance: COVID-19
NICE has published the following rapid guidelines relating to COVID-19:

COVID-19 e-learning programme
Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH) has created an e-learning programme in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic that is free to access for the UK health and care workforce, including those working in the NHS, the independent sector and social care.  The programme currently includes limited resources, but more content will be added in the coming days and weeks.

COVID-19: social distancing and protecting vulnerable people – Public Health England
Public Health England has published COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people (PHE). This is updated guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK, including children as well as guidance for protecting older and vulnerable people.  NB: translated versions of the guidance are also available.

COVID-19 publications from the Department of Health

• Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 – information for shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable
• COVID-19: guidance on vulnerable children and young people (PHE) – details of the provisions being made for vulnerable children and young people
• COVID-19 hospital discharge service requirements (DHSC) – sets out how health and care systems and providers should change their discharging arrangements and the provision of community support
• COVID-19: ethical framework for adult social care (DHSC) – supports the planning and organisation of adult social care
• Online isolation notes launched (DHSC) – notification that people can obtain an online isolation note
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) (England) Regulations 2020 – regulations requiring businesses selling food or drink to consume on the premises, and some others, to close, to protect public health
• COVID-19 essential travel guidance (DHSC) – guidance and advice to avoid non-essential travel in the UK
• COVID-19 guidance for the NHS workforce (NHS Employers) – this is the first part of new guidance dealing with the workforce and HR issues that are likely to arise
• Further COVID-19 guidance for the NHS workforce (NHS Employers) – this is the second part of new guidance dealing with workforce and HR issues

COVID-19: CCG support for primary care networks
The NHS Confederation has published How CCGs can support their primary care networks and practices in light of COVID-19. This briefing, aimed at CCGs and Primary Care Networks’ clinical directors, outlines the actions CCGs should be taking as part of their planning for primary care in the coming weeks and months, at both PCN and general practice level.

NHS Commissioning Board Directions
The Department of Health and Social Care has published The Exercise of Commissioning Functions by the NHS Commissioning Board (Coronavirus) Directions 2020.  These directions enable NHS England to commission healthcare from independent sector providers to support the provision of services by the NHS to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency.  This power will last until 31 December 2020.

Whole area approach to integrating care systems
The NHS Confederation’s ICP and STP Leader Network has published From place-based to place-led: a whole-area approach to integrating care systems.  This paper describes the essential role of place-based approaches in taking forward the NHS reform agenda. It seeks to provide further insight into how local systems can make progress in designing and delivering place-based, integrated care. In particular, it describes what system leaders can do to make this happen.

5 ways research could save the NHS money
The National Institute for Health Research has published 5 ways research could save the NHS money.  This ‘highlight’ summarises five NIHR Signals that show how research could help to save the NHS money.  It covers a range of treatments and initiatives that are cost effective for the NHS.

Parliamentary briefings
The House of Common’s Library has published the following health-related briefings:

• Coronavirus Bill: overview
• VAT on sanitary protection
• Tackling alcohol harm
• Preparing for the 2021 census (England and Wales)
• Pension tax rules – impact on NHS consultants and GPs

The House of Lord’s library has published the following health-related briefings:

• Coronavirus Bill: emergency Covid-19 legislation
• Loneliness: Care Homes

Statistics

• Coronavirus and employment for those aged 70 years and over in the UK: October 2018 to September 2019
• Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in healthcare workers – provisional monthly data for 1 September 2019 to 29 February 2020
• Spinal survey best practice tariff reports – Q1 and Q2 2019/20
• Subnational Population Projections for England: 2018-based
• Tetanus in England: 2019
• Diphtheria in England: 2019

Bulletins

• International EPI Cell Daily Evidence Briefing – 24/03/2020
• NICE Update for Primary Care – March 2020
• NICE News – March 2020
• Vaccine update – March 2020
• Centre for Health Economics newsletter – March 2020
• NHS Workforce Bulletin – 16 March 2020