Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Health on the high street: Embedding healthy living into urban regeneration after the pandemic Social Market Foundation; January 2021

(This report argues that town centres where shops and offices fall vacant should be used to establish new ‘health hubs’ combining GP surgeries, health and social care services and gyms. The report profiles examples where local authorities and health care bodies are already developing such hubs, which it suggests could be a model for other areas in future)

New Every Mind Matters campaign Public Health England; 18th January 2021

(The new campaign launches to support the nation’s mental health, as half of adults say they are more worried during this current lockdown than in March 2020.)

SACN statement on nutrition and older adults living in the community Public Health England; 20th January 2021

(This position statement by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) provides an overview of the currently available evidence on nutrition in older adults and its impact on healthy ageing. It considers evidence relating to adults aged 65 years and over living in the community.)

Memory aids in parks and gardens for people with dementia.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Brighton and Sussex on 8/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26876
(This search report contains evidence on the use of memory aids of garden flora in the outdoor setting. Results include a study on Enrico Sassi’s conception of a garden where patients can wander around safely and has memory aids in the shape of vertical structures with fragrant plants and herbs for patients to freely touch, smell and taste. Results include reviews on the effectiveness and more general benefits of gardens as memory aids for those with neurodegenerative conditions.)

National Diabetes Audit – Care Processes and Treatment Targets, Quarterly Data Release, January to September 2020.
NHS Digital; 2021.

(This is the quarterly release of data from the National Diabetes Audit (NDA). It is the mid-year data release for the second extraction of NDA 2020-21 data. It shows progress to date covering the period 1 January to 30 September 2020. It shows partial year progress against care processes and treatment targets. It also provides the latest position on structured education. It therefore can be used as an operational planning tool to assess progress to date.)

Multidisciplinary care of diabetes.
Carried out by Kevin Burgoyne from Brighton and Sussex on 9/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26607
(Some qualitative and mixed methods research is available on this question, including 3 systematic reviews looking at various aspects related to the question. Case studies from UK networks looking at aspects of wider integrated care have also been found and included in case they can be useful. Foot care seems to be a big driver in diabetes care in the UK at the moment, and there are more publications focused on multidisciplinary care around this which can be retrieved if necessary.)

Effects of Pfizer mRNA vaccine on female fertility.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Brighton and Sussex on 11/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26845
(It is early days and currently there is no evidence to suggest fertility is affected by the Pfizer vaccine (or any other COVID-19 vaccine). There is guidance and advice on being vaccinated while pregnant, but nothing on long/short term female fertility.)

Daily contact testing in schools: statement from PHE and NHS TT about next steps.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Position statement regarding daily contact testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) in schools from Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace.)

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK Household Longitudinal Study.
Robertson E. medRxiv 2020;:doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.27.20248899.
(Herd immunity may be achievable through vaccination in the UK but a focus on specific ethnic minority and socioeconomic groups is needed to ensure an equitable vaccination programme. This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.)

Learning from the first wave of COVID-19.
South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System; 2020.

(A new research-led report details how health and care partners across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw were able to continue delivering non-essential patient care and services during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic through digital innovation, reconfiguring services and enhanced partnership collaboration.)

Please contact Academic.Library@lscft.nhs.uk if you are struggling to access any research articles.

Exercise to your ability NOT your age

Don’t let age be a factor when determining what exercise you do

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.

Better health

A new national campaign has launched to support people to loose weight

With current data showing that obese people are significantly more likely to become seriously ill and be admitted to intensive care with serious illnesses including COVID-19 -compared to those with a healthy BMI- the campaign encourages adults to introduce healthier lifestyle changes to help people achieve a healthy weight. Support has been identified to eat better, drink less alcohol and get active through access to a range of apps including; Easy Meals, Food Scanner, Couch to 5k and Active 10.

The campaign has partnered up with a range of partners offering exclusive discounts including:

  • one month free membership with WW and Weight Watchers Reimagined
  • £2o discount for online memberships to Slimming World
  • 86p a week memberships at Get Slim

To find out more click here.

Type 2 Diabetes

NHS is looking for volunteers with type 2 diabetes to trial new online service

Healthy Living is a free online NHS service for people living with Type 2 diabetes, which provides knowledge and information that will support you to manage your condition. It is looking for volunteers to provide feedback on the service before it is launched nationally.

Read more here