This guidance supports Integrated Care Systems and Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships, Primary Care Networks, training hubs and other local partners to understand and continue delivery of the General Practice Fellowship programme, supporting newly-qualified GPs and nurses working in primary care.
Fever came
And with it a sledgehammer
To my life
My life that still had
Time to run
But now there is no time to run
Instead I lie here alone,
Surrounded by an army
Of hospital staff who see me
Only through glass windows
Or the shield of PPE
Three thousand people
They say work here
But they won’t see me
Until I run once more
In the news
No longer alone,
Surrounded by other
Elderly with underlying conditions
A poem written by Shane O’Hanlon, who is a geriatrician in Dublin, Ireland.
He has a strong interest in the humanities in healthcare, and previously taught humanities at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick. He now lectures on art in medicine and curates a humanities library for students and staff at University College Dublin.
Mental health services have faced unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19. They quickly and effectively moved to different ways of working to protect service users and staff. As we move to the next phase of the pandemic, we expect demand for mental health support to increase and to remain high for some time. This will have serious implications on resourcing and staff wellbeing.
This report from the NHS Reset campaign considers what mental health services need to prepare for, for the expected surge in demand. It also highlights how the health and care system can ‘reset’ the way care and support are planned and delivered in aftermath of COVID-19.
To find out more about the campaign click here.
UK Gov have highlighted 5 top tips for getting out and about in the UK:
For more information click here.
With more people than ever working from home, it’s important we consider the benefits and challenges that come with this. Some may relish in their new way of working life, yet others may struggle to juggle family life around work or feel isolated. Communication is key – we need to cultivate a sense of belonging.
Mind tools offer some top tips to help us keep our minds healthy whilst staying productive:
To read the whole article click here.
We all know exercise is good for us but research has shown that exercise in older adults is linked to lower disease risk, reduced risks of falls and better overall health. Our bodies change as we age, but this shouldn’t change our attitudes towards exercise. We simply need to choose the type of exercise that is suitable for our ability. Whether it’s low intensity activities (walking, jogging, cycling), HITT (high intensity interval training) or resistance training- don’t let age be a limiting factor.
Exercise is also shown to improve mental health, well being, cognitive function and improve life expectancy. We should all aim to be physically active daily and get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week . Simple things like reducing the amount of time sitting or lying down can make a difference.
So not matter your age- let your ability be the factor that determines your physical health.
To read more about this topic click here.
Although we have all been enjoying the glorious sunshine, the rise in temperature not only causes sun burn to your skin, but it can also harm our mental health.
Hotter temperatures increase the level of the stress hormone- cortisol and there’s also evidence that our bodies produce more adrenaline and testosterone in warmer temperatures, which can make people more aggressive and make violent behaviour more likely.
Those with dementia or other serious mental illnesses are also more at risk due to their limited ability of elf care. Certain psychiatric medications can also inhibit temperature regulation, making dangerous heatstroke more likely.
So remember, if the temperatures continue to rise, try to make the time to reach out to the vulnerable and ill and… keep yourself cool!
To find out more or have your say click here.
The RCOT provides resources and guidelines to plan and structure appropriate therapy, particularly with people recovering from COVID 19. To access their resources and find out more click here.
The government has recently made changes to its travel policies, with the requirement to self isolate for 14 days being lifted for certain countries. Remember the current advice is to avoid all but essential international travel, however these countries are exempt from this advice.
Click here for advice and guidance about what to pack, what to do when you arrive at your destination and what you need to do on return to the UK.
The next chapter in our plan to rebuild: the UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. Cabinet Office; 2020.
This additional chapter to the recovery strategy sets out the next stages of our plan. It looks ahead to the coming months, covering the tools we will use to suppress the virus, the challenges that winter will bring and how we are preparing for these, and our ambition for continuing to reopen the economy and society when it is safe to do so. The ‘CONTAIN Framework’ sets out how local authorities and national Government will work together to manage local outbreaks.
Remodelling elective hospital services in the COVID-19 era: designing the new normal. King LA. Future Healthcare Journal 2020;7(3):1-4.
The writers suggest six major themes which could affect the design and delivery of elective clinical services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: hospital avoidance, separation of high- and low-risk groups, screening, maintenance of adequate infection control, and new ways of working.
Over-Exposed and Under-Protected: The Devastating Impact of COVID-19 on Black and Minority Ethnic Communities in Great Britain. Runnymede Trust; 2020.
Black and minority ethnic people are over-represented in COVID-19 severe illness and deaths. This is according to almost every analysis of COVID-19 hospital cases and deaths in the UK by ethnicity carried out by the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC), Office for National Statistics, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Public Health England, among others. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on ethnic minority community
