Transgender Awareness Week is a time to uplift trans voices, share stories, and work toward greater acceptance. This week highlights the resilience of transgender people while addressing the discrimination many still face. It’s an opportunity for allies to show support, educate themselves, and advocate for a more inclusive society. Let’s come together to ensure everyone feels respected and valued, regardless of gender identity.
Drawing on The King’s Fund’s five-year programme of work on health inequalities and tackling the worst health outcomes, which includes insights from stakeholders, partners and people with lived experience, this long read outlines what we think the anticipated 10-year health plan should focus on to help the NHS do more to tackle these challenges.
Tackling Health Inequalities | Seven Priorities For The NHS | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)
The King’s Fund has released their latest Health and Wellbeing bulletin, packed with essential updates on healthcare trends, policies, and research. This bulletin is a must-read for anyone interested in staying informed about the latest in health and wellbeing.
Make sure you subscribe to the blog to stay up-to-date with current awareness.
June is Pride Month, a time to honour and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and their contributions to our society. At the Gosall library, we believe in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued. This month, we’re excited to showcase a diverse collection of books and resources that highlight LGBTQ+ voices and stories. Take a look through our curated selection of LGBTQ+ literature, featuring both fiction and non-fiction works that span various genres and experiences.
Pride Month is more than just a celebration; it’s a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality and the importance of representation. By amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, we aim to create a space where everyone can see themselves reflected in the stories we share.
We invite you to visit the Gosall Library this June to explore our Pride Month offerings and join us in celebrating love, diversity, and inclusion. Happy Pride!
Source: The King’s Fund
This report has found that fewer than half (46 per cent) of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer respondents feel able to be open about their sexual orientation where they work or study. The report, based on 2,490 responses from doctors across the UK, suggests a medical workforce that still suffers from and engages in persistent negative stereotypes, derogatory language and social exclusion. It makes several recommendations around improving medical curricula, better training, increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ role models and enabling dialogue and space to learn.
To find out more click here.
The LGBTQ+ population in the UK experiences significant physical and mental health inequalities compared with the general population. These inequalities extend from increased risk factors for ill health and barriers to accessing health care and support, to discrimination against LGBTQ+ staff within the workplace. This framework comprises six key pillars of inclusivity that organisations should aim to build to create and maintain inclusive cultures: visible leadership and confident staff; a strong knowledge base; being non-heteronormative and non-cisnormative; collecting and reporting data; listening to service users; and proactively seeking out partners to co-deliver services.
Influenza season 2021–22: what healthcare managers need to know.
Clough I. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2021;27(10):1-4.
[With the influenza season approaching and COVID-19 case numbers remaining high, this article highlights key points for healthcare managers and leaders going into this potentially challenging period.]
The vicious cycle of tobacco use and mental illness – a double burden on health.
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.
[This new factsheet examines the intricate connections between tobacco use and mental illness. 2 in 3 people with severe mental health conditions are current smokers, which has an enormous impact on health. Reducing smoking among people with mental illness is identified as the single most effective action for reducing the gap in life expectancy.]
British HIV Association guidelines for the management of HIV-2 2021.
British HIV Association (BHIVA); 2021.
[The overall purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance on best clinical practice in the treatment and management of adults with HIV-2.]
Promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of people from a Black Caribbean background: an evidence-based resource.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Provides information on developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background.]
Sexually transmitted infections: promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Provides information on developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.]
Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception) 2020/21.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[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. The main focus of this report is contraception.]
Overlooked: why we should be doing more to support families and friends affected by someone else’s drinking, drug use or gambling.
Adfam; 2021.
[This report examines Adfam’s latest research with YouGov on the prevalence of people currently negatively affected by the drinking, drug use or gambling of a family member or friend in 2021, and the different challenges and impacts these families currently face. The report’s findings highlight the need for more recognition of the impacts on families and friends, and it includes recommendations on how to better support this overlooked group.]
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data tables.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Information on STI diagnoses and sexual health services provided in England by demographic characteristics and geographical region.]
Thank-you to everyone who attended our lunch and learn session yesterday. Our guest speaker, Candace Bedu-Mensah, Acting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Lead and co-chair of the Race Equality Network, gave a very informative presentation on equality, diversity and inclusion, including the BAME community and upcoming events for Black History Month.
If you missed the session, you can watch the session recording here (please use your LSCFT email to access).
We would really appreciate any feedback on these sessions. If you have a few spare minutes we kindly ask you to complete our survey- which should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com
Promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This resource provides information to support commissioners, providers and voluntary and community sector organisations in developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM).]
Promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of people from a Black Caribbean background: an evidence-based resource.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This resource provides information to support commissioners, providers and third-sector organisations in developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background.]
Mental health in prison.
House of Commons Justice Committee; 2021.
[This report finds that a disjointed and incoherent approach to care has left many prisoners suffering from mental health issues undiagnosed and unable to access care. It calls on the NHS, Ministry of Justice and the Prison and Probation Service to implement a system of integrated care that improves identification of mental health issues, provides seamless care while in prison and supports transition to care in community settings on release.]
The cost of eating disorders in the UK 2019 and 2020.
Hearts Minds and Genes Coalition for Eating Disorders; 2021.
[This report highlights the cost of eating disorders in the UK, in terms of financial costs to the NHS, the financial, social and emotional impact on individuals, families and wider society, and in terms of the ongoing loss of lives to illnesses that can be treated but that are currently subject to severe underfunding and lack of services.]
Long-term prisoners: the facts: England and Wales. October 2021.
Prison Reform Trust; 2021.
[In the last twenty years, the prison population has changed hugely. Sentences for more serious crimes have become longer and far more people will now spend 10 or more years in prison. Meeting the challenges of this change will shape the prison landscape for the foreseeable future.]
Measuring Children and Young People’s Subjective Wellbeing.
What Works Centre for Wellbeing; 2021.
[While we have very good national data on the wellbeing of adults, the national statistics on children and young people’s wellbeing in the UK, is not collected regularly, or nationally. The Measures Bank is a searchable database of measures, a resource for policy-makers and practitioners to identify appropriate measures for children’s wellbeing for use in their specific context.]
Characteristics of women who stop smoking in pregnancy.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Experimental analysis of data from the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS), April 2018 to March 2019.]
NHS population screening: identifying and reducing inequalities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Guidance and resources to support providers and commissioners in reducing screening inequalities.]
Physical activity: promotion within primary and secondary care.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Report and learning from the evidence base and local practice of physical activity promotion in the NHS. The report provides practitioners, commissioners and policy makers with the factors that influence successful integration and implementation of physical activity promotion in primary and secondary care. It focuses on understanding how to integrate physical activity promotion into preventative and treatment care and support for people living with one or more long-term conditions.]
Behaviour change: helping health professionals deliver brief interventions.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This report focuses on how we can use behavioural science to support healthcare professionals to deliver brief interventions for alcohol, smoking and Making Every Contact Count (MECC) programmes. It includes examples of the barriers and facilitators that affect whether healthcare professionals deliver brief interventions. The report also includes examples of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that could be used to support and encourage healthcare professionals to deliver brief interventions.]
Tick bite risks and prevention of Lyme disease: resources.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Toolkit and resources for local authorities and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the potential risks created by ticks and tick-borne disease in England. You can choose to co-brand leaflets and posters with PHE by adding your logo to the Word files or simply download the PDFs.]
Holiday activities and food programme 2021.
Department for Education (DfE); 2021.
[This document provides information for local authorities delivering the holiday activities and food programme in 2021. In 2020 the government announced that the holiday activities and food programme, that covers the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays, will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021. There will be up to £220 million available to local authorities to coordinate free holiday provision, including healthy food and enriching activities.]
New cross-government unit to tackle drug misuse following major independent review.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Home Office, and Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The new unit aims to end illegal drug-related illness and deaths. The rise in drug misuse poisoning deaths has been driven by increases in heroin deaths which have doubled in this time and other substances such as cocaine have seen notable recent increases. The proportion of 11 to 15-year-olds who use drugs has increased in recent years with one in three 15-year-olds saying they took drugs in the last year.]
Tackling obesity: the role of the NHS in a whole-system approach.
The King’s Fund; 2021.
[Rates of obesity in England are high and rising, with a strong systemic relationship between obesity and deprivation. Rates are also higher in women than in men, and in some ethnic minority groups compared to the white British group. This briefing explores the role of the NHS in tackling obesity, focusing on how the NHS can work with local partners and engage with communities to deliver targeted interventions to treat and prevent obesity.]
Effectiveness of complementary therapies in cancer patients: a systematic review.
Guerra-Martin MD. International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 2021;18(3):1017.
[The findings reveal some effective complementary therapies: auriculotherapy and acupuncture, laser moxibustion, hypnosis, Ayurveda, electroacupuncture, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery, yoga, phytotherapy, music therapy and traditional Chinese medicine. On the other hand, electroacupuncture, laser moxibustion and traditional Chinese medicine presented adverse effects, and kinesiology did not show effectiveness.]
Wellbeing toolkit for Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD).
Penumbra; 2021.
[As well as providing important medical information about ARBD and alcohol use, the toolkit covers key practical and holistic information on recovery – including information on reducing stress, improving memory, coping with challenging emotions without using alcohol, nutrition and exercise, connecting with others and the community, along with guidance on improving digital skills, budgeting and knowing your rights. It includes a podcast of relaxation exercises.]
What support do young people with sickle cell disease need when moving into adult services?.
NIHR Evidence; 2021.
[This research suggests that non-specialist healthcare services are failing young people with sickle cell disorder. This is a critical period in their development when they are learning to live as adults. It is difficult to manage conflicting demands, such as wanting to work hard at school but needing to rest to avoid pain. Researchers suggest healthcare professionals shouuld work with schools to create supportive services that can help young people to achieve their life goals.]
Loneliness is strongly linked to depression in older adults in a large, long-term study.
NIHR Evidence; 2021.
[Depression is a major public health problem that is growing worldwide. The causes are complex and vary from person to person. However, new research estimates that up to one in five cases of depression among older adults could be prevented by reducing loneliness. The study therefore has important public health implications, highlighting the need for comprehensive action across society to combat loneliness.]
HIV infection and AIDS.
Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS); 2021.
[This CKS topic has been updated.]
Could a decision support tool help to guide mental health treatment in primary care?
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[Linda Gask reviews a recent randomised controlled trial on the clinical efficacy of a Decision Support Tool (Link-me) to “guide the intensity of mental health care in primary practice”.]
Improving the care of patients discharged following a pulmonary embolism, in line with NICE Guidelines (NG158).
[Shared learning from Nottingham Universities Hospitals Trust. Project started out as audit looking into how to improve discharge process for patients following a PE, however upon understanding limitations of care provided on discharge, practice was changed in line with NICE guidelines to ensure safest possible discharge for these patients.]
Risk factors for LGBTQ+ youth self-harm and suicide.
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[In her debut blog, Hazel Marzetti reviews a recent systematic review and meta-analysis on victimisation and mental illness prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide.]
European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.
[The report found some differences in the use of antibiotics between two sets of countries, the ECDC’s European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net) and WHO/Europe’s Antimicrobial Medicines Consumption (AMC) Network. Findings show a significant decrease in the consumption of antibacterials in eight ESAC-Net countries including the United Kingdom. However, figures for the AMC Network were less clear, reflecting the more complicated nature of data collection.]
Transition to adulthood and transfer to adult care of adolescents with congenital heart disease: a global consensus statement.
Moons P. European Heart Journal 2021;:ehab388.
[This consensus document describes issues and practices of transition and transfer of adolescents with CHD. Transitional care ought to be provided to all adolescents with CHD, taking into consideration the available resources. When reaching adulthood, patients ought to be transferred to adult care facilities capable of managing their needs, and systems have to be in place to ensure continuity of high-quality care.]
Children and young people’s mental health – policy, CAMHS services, funding and education.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[Research briefing on children and young people’s mental health policy, June 2021.]
Community mental health and wellbeing : what does gold standard look like?
Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, Scotland; 2021.
[Following interviews and meetings with key stakeholders a range of tools were developed to support collaborative discussion around gold standard community mental health and wellbeing, key relationships and challenges to implementation. This report presents findings of the resulting workshop.]
Emerging lessons from the commissioning and delivery of a gambling treatment service.
Woodall J. Public Health 2021;196:69-73.
[This article offers a unique contribution to understanding more about the provision of gambling treatment services. This is crucial, given that a greater number of people face challenges as a consequence of gambling harms, and such services should be seen part of forming a coherent public health response.]
PHE women’s reproductive health programme 2020 to 2021.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Progress update on the PHE reproductive health programme, including a new return on investment tool and the next steps for 2021 to 2022. Use these documents and tools to understand how this programme integrates with the upcoming women’s and sexual and reproductive health strategies. Links to new tools, publications and examples of best practice can also be used as a reference point for colleagues across the healthcare system, to inform prioritisation and planning.]
National flu immunisation programme plan.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[The annual flu letter for 2021 to 2022 describes the national flu immunisation programme and outlines which groups are eligible for flu vaccination.]
Life Sciences Vision.
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy; 2021.
[This document outlines the government’s and the life science sector’s ambitions for the sector over the next decade. It sets out the government’s plans to stimulate a thriving UK life sciences sector. It also focuses on how the sector can address some of the UK’s most significant health care challenges, including cancer, dementia and obesity.]
Alcohol consumption and harm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[A report collating data on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in England during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing it to data from previous years. The report improves our understanding of how alcohol consumption and harm changed in England while physical and social restrictions to prevent and control coronavirus were in place. The findings help to understand whether pandemic-related changes have affected rates of alcohol hospital admissions and deaths as well as health inequalities.]
Early evaluation of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Trailblazer programme.
University of Birmingham; 2021.
[The programme was launched in December 2018 to improve the prevention of mental health problems and early intervention for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems. The early evaluation is following the experiences of the initial group of mental health support teams, which are based in 25 areas across England (called Trailblazers) and work with more than 1,000 schools and colleges.]
