Tag: data

Millions of people with mental health needs still not accessing services, NAO finds

Despite funding and staffing levels for mental health services increasing and more patients being treated, millions of people with mental health needs are still not accessing services, with some facing lengthy waits for treatment, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report, Progress in improving mental health services in England.

The report says it is unclear how far current government commitments take the NHS towards its end goal, and what else is needed to achieve it. While funding and the workforce for mental health services have increased and more people have been treated, many people still cannot access services or have lengthy waits for treatment. Staff shortages continue and data that would demonstrate the results of service developments are limited.

Health and Care

LGBTQ+ inclusion framework

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.

Public Health

Current awareness updates

The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health.
The Mental Elf; 2022.
(Rachel Milligan summarises the recently published Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health, which establishes a roadmap for strengthening responses across mental health services, research, and policy.)

Indicator: Hospital admissions as a result of self-harm in children and young people.
Nuffield Trust; 2022.
(Early identification, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of mental health conditions can help to prevent self-harm and suicide in children and young people. Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body, and is a common way of coping with or expressing overwhelming emotional distress. Hospital admission rates are a useful measure of intentional self-harm, and an indicator of how well we are preventing this suffering from occurring.)

Finding an NHS dentist in England.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
(This page provides information on how to find an appointment with an NHS dentist in England, including a summary of guidance from the NHS and Healthwatch websites. It also provides information on NHS dental charges. The Commons Library debate pack on NHS Dentistry in England (June 2022) – https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2022-0112/ – provides more in-depth, contextual information on Government policy, dental contracts and provision.)

Improving the way family support services work for minority ethnic families.
Early Intervention Foundation (EIF); 2020.
(This report explores the experiences of minority ethnic families in accessing and receiving family support, to better understand the challenges and opportunities in how family support services work for minority ethnic families and young people.)

Improving children and young people’s mental health services Local data insights from England, Scotland and Wales.
The Health Foundation; 2022.
(This briefing presents analysis from the Health Foundation’s Networked Data Lab (NDL) about children and young people’s mental health. The analysis highlighted three key areas for urgent investigation, to help ensure children and young people get the care they need. These are: rapid increases in mental health prescribing and support provided by GPs; the prevalence of mental health problems among adolescent girls and young women; stark socioeconomic inequalities across the UK.)

Data saves lives

Reshaping health and social care with data

Source: The King’s Fund

This strategy sets out the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s vision for how data will be used to improve the health and care of the population in a safe, trusted and transparent way. It provides an overarching narrative and action plan to address the current cultural, behavioural and structural barriers in the system, with the ultimate goal of having a health and care system that is underpinned by high-quality and readily available data. The strategy also marks the next steps of the discussion about how we can best utilise data for the benefit of patients, service users, and the health and care system.

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Latest data reinforces the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnant women.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2022.
[The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urges pregnant women to get vaccinated as latest data reinforces previous findings on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy.]

Coronavirus: adult social care key issues and sources.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
[This briefing provides an overview of key issues facing the adult social care sector during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, and provides links to some of the key official guidance for the sector. Updated 28 January 2022.]

Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review. [Abstract]
Krishnaratne S. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022;1:CD015029.
[OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of measures implemented in the school setting to safely reopen schools, or keep schools open, or both, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular focus on the different types of measures implemented in school settings and the outcomes used to measure their impacts on transmission-related outcomes, healthcare utilisation outcomes, other health outcomes as well as societal, economic, and ecological outcomes. ]


Public Health

Current awareness updates

The cost effectiveness of ecotherapy as a healthcare intervention, separating the wood from the trees.
Hinde S. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) 2021;18(-):11599.
[This paper explores the capacity for ecotherapy to be cost-effective as a healthcare intervention. We show that there is the potential for ecotherapy for people with mild to moderate common mental health problems to be cost-effective but significant further research is required.]

Community support versus health care services: time to change our definition of impact.
Evidence & Policy Blog; 2021.
[Non-profit community anchor organisations in England typically provide a range of support to local people, including wellbeing support, advocacy, social activities, and training and employment advice. This array of services takes a wider perspective on the determinants of health than the approach taken within the NHS, which generally focuses on mental and physical ill health. Despite the different approaches, the funding for organisations is often dependent on the impact on health outcomes.]

National Pregnancy in Diabetes (NPID) Audit Report 2019.
Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP); 2021.
[The National Pregnancy in Diabetes (NPID) Audit measures the quality of antenatal care and pregnancy outcomes for women with pre-gestational diabetes. Overall, there were 4,525 pregnant women with diabetes in 2020 – 325 fewer pregnancies than 2019 – of which, 54% had type 2 diabetes (44% had type 1 diabetes and 2% were recorded as having ‘other diabetes’). The audit includes analysis by age, ethnicity, social deprivation and weight.]

Better together: a public health model for mentally healthier integrated care systems.
Centre for Mental Health; 2021.
[According to this briefing paper, England’s 42 integrated care systems have an opportunity to protect and promote mental health in the communities they serve. The briefing explores how integrated care systems can address the social and environmental factors that affect people’s health in their communities.]

Saving lives, improving mothers’ care: lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2017-19.
National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU); 2021.
[This report finds that pregnancy remains safe in the UK, with the overall maternal death rate showing a slight decrease. Among 2,173,810 women who gave birth in 2017-2019, 191 died during or up to six weeks after pregnancy, and 495 during or up to one year after their pregnancy. However, the findings show a continued inequality in the mortality rates for women of different ethnic backgrounds, ages and socio-economic circumstances.]

Ethnic and socio-economic Inequalities in NHS maternity and perinatal care for women and their babies.
Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP); 2021.
[This report describes inequalities in maternity and perinatal care for women and their babies in England, Scotland and Wales during the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2018. Using routinely collected data, care and outcomes experienced by women and babies using NHS maternity services are measured and stratified by ethnicity and by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), a proxy for socio-economic deprivation.]

Fulfilling the promise: how social prescribing can most effectively tackle loneliness.
British Red Cross; 2021.
[This report draws on practical experience of delivering social prescribing services to those experiencing or at risk of loneliness through Red Cross Community Connector schemes.]

What works when evaluating social prescribing? A realist review report.
Wales School for Social Prescribing Research; 2021.
[An analysis of approaches used to evaluate social prescribing.]

Newcastle GP Services Social Prescribing Navigator Service: an independent evaluation.
North of England Commissioning Support Network; 2021.
[The aims of this evaluation were to: • Understand the update and usage of the service across Newcastle with regards population, conditions, and sites. • Analyse trends in unplanned access to secondary care. • Understand the experience and impact from the patient as end user of this service and navigators as deliverers of the service • Recommend data collection and analysis for the ongoing service to have greater comprehension of the impact of the service.]

The role of data in unlocking the potential of social prescribing.
Open Data Institute; 2021.
[A report by Frontier Economics for the ODI concludes there are a number of barriers to social prescribing reaching its full potential, including the lack of available data, and solid data infrastructure, such as statistics, maps and real-time service-use data that could help social prescribers and the providers of services to make decisions, build services and gain insight.]


Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Characterisation of in-hospital complications associated with COVID-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK: a prospective, multicentre cohort study.
Drake TM. The Lancet 2021;:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00799-6.
[Complications and worse functional outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are high, even in young, previously healthy individuals. Acute complications are associated with reduced ability to self-care at discharge, with neurological complications being associated with the worst functional outcomes. COVID-19 complications are likely to cause a substantial strain on health and social care in the coming years.]

COVID-19 and the digital divide: Supporting digital inclusion and skills during the pandemic and beyond.
Centre for Ageing Better; 2021.
[This report offers examples of good practice and recommendations for organisations that deliver services to users and help digitally excluded people with skills training. The report finds that the key to building digital inclusion isn’t only about getting more people online, but also building skills and confidence.]

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.]

COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people aged 12 to 17 years: JCVI statement.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people aged 12 to 17 years.]

NHS COVID Pass Verifier app.
NHS England; 2021.
[A fast, secure and easy way of allowing people to demonstrate their COVID pass is valid, giving staff confidence in the legitimacy of what is being presented to them. It is a fast, secure way to scan the 2D barcode on an individual’s NHS COVID Pass and verify whether or not they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, had a negative test, or have recovered from the virus – allowing staff to check the legitimacy of what is being presented to them.]

JCVI issues advice on COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is today advising that children at increased risk of serious coronavirus (COVID-19) disease are offered a vaccine.]

The impact of Brexit and COVID-19 on nursing in the UK. [Comment]
Carvalho F. British Journal of Nursing 2021;30(13):822-823.
[Over the years, many experts have stated that nursing in the UK is in crisis and nurses are struggling owing to the increasing number of older and sicker patients, staff shortages and budget cuts that have affected working conditions (Beech et al, 2019). With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented levels of pressure were placed on an already strained nursing workforce.]

A healthy recovery – Acting on findings from the COVID-19 impact inquiry
The Health Foundation; 2021.
[Launched in October 2020, the COVID-19 impact inquiry has been carefully exploring the pandemic’s broad impact on health and what this means for improving health and reducing health inequalities in the UK – now and in the future. The inquiry launched its final report on 6 July 2021. This webinar, held on the same day, discussed key issues raised in the report – the impact of the pandemic and what needs to be done in recovery to create a healthier, fairer society.]

Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery: The COVID-19 impact inquiry report.
The Health Foundation; 2021.
[By mid-March 2021 the pandemic had led to 119,000 excess deaths in the UK and in 2020 caused a 9.9% drop in GDP. Behind these overall figures lie the unequal burdens carried by different population groups and regions. Although the pandemic is still ongoing, this report explores these impacts and the range of different, intersecting factors influencing them. It provides an initial assessment of the effects of the pandemic using evidence available up to May 2021.]


Covid 19


Current awareness updates

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.]


Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Fairer foundations: How has the pandemic affected young people’s mental health? Infographic
The Health Foundation; 2021.

[This infographic highlights the unequal mental health effects of the pandemic among young people. Young people’s lives have been significantly impacted by the pandemic – disrupted schooling, lost employment and not being able to see friends. But the effects of the crisis have not been the same for everyone, including a divergence of mental health experiences.]

Coronavirus and depression in adults, Great Britain: January to March 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

[Analysis of the proportion of the British adult population experiencing some form of depression in early 2021, by age, sex and other characteristics. Includes comparisons with 2020 and pre-pandemic estimates.]

Care pathway and prioritization of rapid testing for COVID-19 in UK hospitals: a qualitative evaluation.[Abstract]
Hicks T. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):532.

[This study sought to understand the care pathways in place in UK NHS hospitals during the first wave (March-July 2020) for identification of patients with COVID-19 and to learn lessons to inform optimal testing strategies within the COVID-19 National Diagnostic Research and Evaluation Platform (CONDOR). During the winter months, priority for provision of rapid testing at admission should be given to hospitals with limited access to laboratory services and single room availability.]

Adult social care and COVID-19 after the first wave: assessing the policy response in England: Our analysis of the national government policy response for social care between June 2020 and March 2021.
The Health Foundation; 2021.

[In this briefing, the Health Foundation analyse policies to support adult social care during the height of the second wave of the pandemic in January and February 2021, and in the months leading up to it. We provide a narrative summary of central government policies related to adult social care in different areas, such as policies on testing and support for the workforce. We also provide a summary of the latest publicly available data on the impacts of COVID-19 on adult social care.]


Happy to help: the welfare effects of a nationwide micro-volunteering programme.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); 2021.

[This paper estimates the wellbeing benefits from volunteering for England’s NHS Volunteer Responders programme, which was set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It found that active volunteers report significantly higher life satisfaction, feelings of worthwhileness, social connectedness, and belonging to their local communities. A social welfare analysis shows that the benefits of the programme were at least 140 times greater than its costs.]


Coronavirus Act report: May 2021.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.

[The seventh two-monthly report on which powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020 are currently active.]


Vivaldi study: results.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.

[Results for the Vivaldi study for antibody and cellular immune responses to coronavirus (COVID-19) in approximately 340 care homes.]

Deaths involving COVID-19 in the care sector, England and Wales: deaths registered between week ending 20 March 2020 and week ending 2 April 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

[Provisional figures on deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19), an investigation into wave 1 versus wave 2 within the care sector, in England and Wales.]