Month: August 2019

RightCare: Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit

NHS RightCare, August 2019

People with progressive neurological conditions are experiencing delays in diagnosis and treatment, fragmented and uncoordinated services, limited availability of neurospecialist rehab and reablement and a lack of psycho-social support. This NHS RightCare toolkit provides expert practical advice and guidance on how to address the key challenges when commissioning services and treating people with progressive neurological conditions. This toolkit covers the following neurological conditions; multiple sclerosis (MS), motor neurone disease (MND), Parkinson’s and the atypical Parkinsonism’s of multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). It provides the opportunity to assess and benchmark current systems to find opportunities for improvement.

Click here to view the toolkit.

Bleak houses: Tackling the crisis of family homelessness in England

Children’s Commissioner, August 2019

This report shines a light on this homelessness crisis and shares the experiences of some of those children. Growing up in a stable, healthy and secure home is so important for any child. Yet we know there are thousands of children in England who are living in homeless families, stuck in poor quality temporary accommodation, often with low prospects of finding something permanent. There are many others who are at risk of ending up homeless.

Click here to view the full report.

Preventing falls in people with learning disabilities

Public Health England, August 2019

This guide contains information to help staff in public health, health services and social care to prevent falls in people with learning disabilities. It is also intended to help falls prevention services to provide support that is accessible to people with learning disabilities. The guide aims to be of use to family carers, friends and paid support staff to help them think about what risks may contribute to falls and how to reduce such risks.

Click here to view the full report.

Health inequalities in ageing in rural and coastal areas

Public Health England, August 2019

This review provides evidence on the health inequalities experienced by older populations in coastal and rural areas, together with a summary of key considerations to reduce inequalities and promote healthy ageing in these areas. It comprises a literature review supplemented with case studies, and brings together a range of information in one place with links to published research to:

•build knowledge and an evidence base within the health and care system, including local authorities and other organisations, of the key health inequality issues for older populations in rural and coastal areas

•support and promote the implementation of considerations to address health inequalities experienced by older people in rural and coastal areas

Click here to access the full report.

More harm than good: why more isn’t always better with older people’s medicines

Age UK, August 2019

Age UK report that calls for a more considered approach to prescribing medicines for our older population. It says too many older people in our society are on too many prescribed medicines, putting them at risk of side effects that in a worrying number of cases can lead to falls and a range of other serious harms. The report also provides evidence showing that prescribing more drugs isn’t always the best option, particularly when it comes to older people.

Click here to view the full report.

BJPsych Advances – September 2019

The September edition of BJPsych Advances has been published.  This issue includes a guide to e-cigarettes and vaping for mental health clinicians, articles on dissociative identity disorder, and a series of articles on the psychosis risk timeline.

Click here to view the table of contents. You will need to login with your LCFT OpenAthens account to view the full text articles.

Tackling loneliness: (Briefing Paper number 8514)

House of Commons Library, August 2019

The government’s Loneliness Strategy was published in October 2018. It set out a wide variety of cross-departmental measures that the government would take to provide ‘national leadership’ to tackle loneliness in England. This briefing: explains the Strategy; the steps taken so far by the government; looks at research into the causes and impact of loneliness and possible interventions; and briefly outlines the situation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The briefing is accompanied by a reading list. The latest official figures suggest that just under half of adults in England experience loneliness occasionally or more often. The proportion of adults reporting that they often or always feel lonely (6%) shows little variation by gender or by region, but the data does suggest that younger people are more likely to report feeling frequently lonely. Certain groups are also associated with an increased risk of loneliness, such as those with a longterm disability, widowed homeowners, unmarried middle-agers, and young renters. Studies have found links between loneliness (or social isolation) and poorer health outcomes, such as early death, higher rates of depression and cognitive decline. This may lead to higher costs in the public and private sector due to greater service usage, absences and productivity losses.

Click here to view the full report.