The July edition of the LSCFT research bulletin is now available to view and download. This showcases some of the work our colleagues have been involved in.
If you are conducting your own research and would like to feature in our next bulletin please send your work or citation to: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk
This review aims to explore the prevalence and incidence rates of mental health conditions in healthcare workers during and after a pandemic outbreak and which factors influence rates.
For details of this article see here
To request the full text for this article email us at academic.library@lancashirecare.nhs.uk
The problem with ‘My Five Moments for Hand Hygiene’.[Abstract]
Gould D. BMJ Quality & Safety 2022;31(4):322-326.
[“We propose four solutions to promote hand hygiene. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought rapid change to health services delivery, including all aspects of infection prevention, and could be the catalyst to update hand hygiene programmes incorporating these solutions.”]
‘My Five Moments’: understanding a user-centred approach to hand hygiene improvement within a broader implementation strategy. [Editorial][Abstract]
Allegranzi B. BMJ Quality & Safety 2022;31(4):259-262.
[Conclusions: The Five Moments approach is being constantly tailored to meet the challenges of care locations outside the traditional hospital setting, as well as across all countries and resource levels. The main thrust of the approach remains targeted at patient and health worker safety at the point of care where the risk of acquiring infection can be at its highest. Further work to help meet the Five Moments objectives through its adaptation and adoption worldwide is to be welcomed.]
Obesity statistics.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
[28% of adults in England are obese and a further 36% are overweight. This briefing provides statistics on the obesity among adults and children in the UK, along with data on bariatric surgery and international comparisons.]
Pressure redistributing static chairs for preventing pressure ulcers.[Abstract]
Stephens M. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022;2:CD013644.[OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of pressure redistributing static chairs on the prevention of pressure ulcers in health, rehabilitation and social care settings, and places of residence in which people may spend their day.]
Culturally adapting internet- and mobile-based health promotion interventions might not be worth the effort: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Balci S. npj Digital Medicine 2022;5:34.
[Adapting health promotion IMI to the cultural context of different cultural populations seems not yet to be recommendable given the substantial adaption efforts necessary and the mostly non-significant findings. However, these findings need to be seen as preliminary given the limited number of included trials with varying methodological rigor and the partly substantial between-trial heterogeneity pointing in the direction of potentially useful culturally adapted IMI.]
Association of Music Interventions With Health-Related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
JAMA Network Open; 2022.
[This systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 studies comprising 779 individuals found that music interventions were associated with statistically and clinically significant changes in mental HRQOL, both preintervention to postintervention as well as when music interventions were added to treatment as usual vs treatment as usual control groups.]
COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2022.
[This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. In February 2022, NICE added recommendations on molnupiravir and remdesivir for people with COVID-19 who do not need supplemental oxygen.]
A systematic scoping review of research on COVID-19 impacts on eating disorders: A critical appraisal of the evidence and recommendations for the field.[Abstract]
Linardon J. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2022;55(1):3-38.
[Symptom escalation and mental health worsening during-and due to-the pandemic were commonly reported, and those most susceptible included confirmed eating disorder cases, at-risk populations, and individuals highly anxious or fearful of COVID-19. Evidence emerged for increased demand for specialist eating disorder services during the pandemic. The forced transition to online treatment was challenging for many, yet telehealth alternatives seemed feasible and effective.]
Growing problems: What has been the impact of Covid-19 on health care for children and young people in England?
Quality Watch; 2022.
[This analysis from QualityWatch (a Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation programme) shows that the pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in demand for mental health services for children and young people. Despite children and young people being 10 times less likely to be hospitalised with Covid, the period has had a heavy toll on them. The briefing explains the findings and discusses the potential implications for the younger generation.]
Beyond recovery: the case for transforming UK clinical cancer research.
Cancer Research UK (CRUK); 2022.
[This position paper finds that Covid-19 has worsened pre-existing barriers to clinical cancer research, and recovering to a pre-pandemic ‘normal’ for research won’t be enough to deliver world-class cancer outcomes. Instead, the UK government must choose to go beyond recovery by expanding clinical research capacity, transforming how research is delivered, and supporting innovative cancer research.]
Living with Covid-19.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
[This page provides an overview of the Government’s strategy on Living with Covid-19 and a summary of the relevant policy changes.]
Social care reform: an independent review by Baroness Cavendish.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2022.
[A report looking at how the government can lock in the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to build a more robust, sustainable and joined-up system of social care.]
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in England.
National Audit Office (NAO); 2022.
[According to this report, the Covid-19 vaccination programme met stretching and unprecedented targets, helping to save lives and reduce serious illness and hospitalisation. However, it concludes that there are risks to be managed as the programme continues to evolve in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and to new clinical advice and evidence about vaccines. The report concludes that the programme has provided value for money to date.]
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination uptake in school pupils, England: up to 9 January 2022.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2022.
[Figures on vaccine uptake in school pupils aged 12 to 17 attending state funded schools, broken down by demographic and geographic characteristics, using a linked schools and vaccinations dataset, up to 9 January 2022 (experimental statistics).]
The response of the scientific community to a global crisis: a systematic review of COVID-19 research in 2020.
Srivastava PR. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2022;28(2):1-7.
[This article provides a bibliometric analysis of the direction of research relating to COVID-19 during the first year after the virus was first identified as a potential threat to public health.]
Interim Clinical Commissioning Policy: Neutralising monoclonal antibodies and intravenous antivirals in the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalised patients.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[This rapid policy statement from 24th December outlines the eligibility criteria for the use of casirivimab with imdevimab or sotrovimab for patients hospitalised with COVID-19, and those with hospital onset COVID-19.]
The European clinical research response to optimise treatment of patients with COVID-19: lessons learned, future perspective, and recommendations.
Goossens H. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2021;:doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00705-2.
[We discuss how the clinical research community responded to the pandemic in Europe, what lessons were learned, and provide recommendations for future clinical research response during pandemics. We focused on two platform trials: RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP.]
Remote general practitioner consultations during COVID-19.
Green MA. The Lancet Digital Health 2022;4(1):E7.
[[Letter.] Advances in digital technology had already stimulated debate on consultation methods; despite offering convenience for some patients, there were concerns about widening inequalities for others. Given that the pandemic offered a natural experiment to assess the potential implications of remote consultations, we analysed data from NHS Digital to better understand these implications. Our analyses showed that any suggestion that GPs were not seeing patients in person was not true.]
Delivering outpatient virtual clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic: early evaluation of clinicians’ experiences.[Abstract]
Vas V. BMJ Open Quality 2022;11(1):doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001313.
[Conclusions: In response to the pandemic, outpatient services across the trust were rapidly redesigned and virtual clinics implemented. As a result, services have been able to sustain some level of service delivery. However, clinicians have identified challenges in delivering this model of care and highlighted enablers needed to sustaining the delivery of virtual clinics longer term, such as patient access to diagnostic tests and investigations closer to home.]
CG Report 6: Effects of COVID-19 In Care Homes: A Mixed Methods Review.
Collateral Global; 2021.
[The report, using national datasets for 25 countries on mortality, provides an up-to-date review of global effects of COVID-19 pandemic in care homes, assessing care home mortality by country, how the deaths compared with previous periods, and how excess deaths may be explained.]
Regulation and use of confidential patient information for genomic and medical research during and post Covid-19.
PHG Foundation; 2021.
[At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic the government in England introduced measures to enable the use of confidential patient information for Covid-19 purposes without consent or another form of approval that would normally be required. This report considers how these regulatory changes to the governance of confidential patient information have impacted genomic and medical research, and whether these changes should be integrated into the regulatory framework longer term.]
Frequently asked questions: Demonstrating Covid-19 and vaccination status.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[This briefing sets out responses to FAQs about demonstrating Covid status (otherwise called Covid status certification or vaccine passports) and use of the NHS Covid Pass in England.]
Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic: ninth report of Session 2021–22.
House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee; 2021.
[This report finds that elective recovery plans are threatened by pressure on emergency care with a record number of 999 calls and waiting times in emergency departments at record levels. It concludes that tackling the wider backlog caused by the pandemic is a major and ‘unquantifiable’ challenge. It calls for a broad national health and care recovery plan to include mental health, primary care, community care and social care as well as emergency care.]
Telephone survey two: PCNs and Covid-19.
PRUComm; 2021.
[The purpose of the telephone survey was to try to understand the role primary care networks (PCNs) had played in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on whether the pandemic had influenced and shaped the development and operation of PCNs and whether PCNs had worked collectively or as individual practices in their Covid-19 response. This short report comprises data collected between August and December 2020.]
Inequality and the Covid crisis in the United Kingdom.
Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS); 2022.
[IFS Working Paper W22/01. This report reviews the effects on the Covid-19 pandemic on inequalities in education, the labour market, household living standards, mental health and wealth in the UK.]
Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on eating disorders and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.[Abstract]
Sideli L. European Eating Disorders Review 2021;29(6):826-841.
[The majority of individuals with EDs and obesity reported symptomatic worsening during the lockdown. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to identify vulnerable groups, as well as the long-term consequences of COVID-19.]
Our ageing population: How ageing affects health and care need in England.
The Health Foundation; 2021.
[This report examines this dynamic by analysing changes in two measures of need: an estimate of social care need, drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) ; prevalence of long-term conditions, as a proxy for health and health service demand. It explores how health and care needs change with age, how the relationship between need and age has changed over time and how long-term conditions and social care needs interact.]
National Diabetes Audit, Report 1- Care Processes and Treatment Targets 2020-21.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[The National Diabetes Audit measures the effectiveness of diabetes healthcare against NICE Clinical Guidelines and NICE Quality Standards.]
Humidification of indoor air for preventing or reducing dryness symptoms or upper respiratory infections in educational settings and at the workplace. [Abstract]
Byber K. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2021;12:CD012219.
[OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of interventions that increase indoor air humidity in order to reduce or prevent dryness symptoms of the eyes, the skin and the upper respiratory tract (URT) or URT infections, at work and in educational settings.]
The Cochrane Library is a collection of high-quality independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
The Cochrane library promotes evidence-informed health decision-making by producing high-quality, relevant, accessible systematic reviews and other synthesized research evidence.
Their work is internationally recognised as the benchmark for high-quality information about the effectiveness of health care and is generally known as the ‘Gold Standard’ for systematic reviews.
Access the library here. For help with this please email the library team: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk
Please feel free to download our resource of the month poster and share with your team or within your department.
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.]
The impact of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom on the positive behavioural support of people with an intellectual disability
Murray G. British Journal of Learning Disabilities 2021;49(2):138-144.
[It has been suggested that COVID-19 and the associated restrictions are likely to have a negative impact on the provision of positive behavioural support (PBS) to people with an intellectual disability. Participants reported a neutral or somewhat positive impact on all the areas measured and the learning from their PBS programme as helping them cope with COVID-19. Many staff developed creative solutions that allowed them to provide PBS despite COVID-19 restrictions.]
VacciNation: Exploring vaccine confidence.
Healthwatch England; 2021.
[Our new research explores vaccine confidence amongst people from African, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, and Pakistani backgrounds. We want to understand these barriers to ensure key lessons are taken forward for future public health campaigns.]
Lateral flow device performance data.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Analysis confirms lateral flow devices (LFDs) are successful at identifying infectious cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and real-world data shows Innova LFDs are capable of detecting the Delta variant.]
COVID-19 surveillance and immunity studies.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Updated 01 July 21: Added link to Schools Infection Survey research findings – round 5.]
JCVI issues interim advice on COVID-19 booster vaccination.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has been asked to consider the options for a potential coronavirus (COVID-19) booster programme.]
COVID-19 and adult congenital heart disease services: impact on support and advice from nurse specialists.
Anthony J. British Journal of Nursing 2021;30(12):730-732.
[Although the focus on service provision in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has mainly been on acute and particularly intensive care, it is important to consider other services that are still needed. This is especially the case for vulnerable patients with long-term conditions, such as those under the care of an adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) service.]
Use of Telehealth in Mental Health (MH) Services During and After COVID-19.
Molfenter T. Community Mental Health Journal 2021;:Online ahead of print.
[COVID-19 social distancing guidelines caused a rapid transition to telephone and video technologies for the delivery of mental health (MH) services. The study examined: (a) adoption of these technologies across the MH service continuum; (b) acceptance of these technologies; and (c) intention of providers to use these technologies following the pandemic based on a sample of 327 MH organizations from 22 states during May-August 2020.]
Persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a random community sample of 508,707 people.
Imperial College London; 2021.
[Random samples of the population between September 2020 and February 2021 found that nearly 27,000 (around 6%) reported experiencing at least one of 29 symptoms linked with COVID-19 for 12 weeks or more.]
Potential Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms reported through NHS Pathways and 111 online (18 Mar 2020-30 Jun 2021).
NHS Digital; 2021.
[Data published on potential COVID-19 symptoms reported through NHS Pathways and 111 online Dashboard shows the total number of NHS Pathways triages through 111 and 999, and online assessments in 111 online which have received a potential COVID-19 final disposition. This data is based on potential COVID-19 symptoms reported by members of the public to NHS Pathways through NHS 111 or 999 and 111 online, and is not based on the outcomes of tests for coronavirus. This is not a count of people.]
Coronavirus Shielded Patient List Summary Totals, England – as at 01 July 2021.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[Snapshot on 22 Jun 2021 – England only.]
Primary Care Workforce in Alternative Settings – General Practitioners in the Covid Clinical Assessment Service.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[28 Mar 2020 to 31 Mar 2021.The COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Service was operative from 28 March 2020 to May 2021 and there were fluctuations in the demand for patient appointments during this period according to the COVID-19 infection rates. Recruitment to the service ceased in January 2021 and all GPs were onboarded by March this year.]
Remote home monitoring (virtual wards) for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients: a rapid systematic review.
Vindrola-Padros C. EClinicalMedicine 2021;37:Vindrola-Padros.
[A rapid systematic review on models led by primary and secondary care across seven countries (US, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, Ireland, China, UK) identified 27 articles. Monitoring was carried out via online platforms, paper-based systems with telephone calls or (less frequently) through wearable sensors. No substantive conclusions regarding patient safety and the identification of early deterioration due to lack of standardized reporting and missing data.]
Bridging the uptake gap – COVID-19 vaccination toolkit for Black African and Black African Caribbean communities.
NHS England; 2021.
[Evidence-based good practice for increasing vaccination confidence and uptake among Black African and Black African Caribbean populations.]
A Cochrane systematic review has found that, when it comes to antibody testing for covid-19, timing is everything.
Read more here
