Tag: Mental Health

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Online support for family carers of people with dementia: what works for their mental health?
The Mental Elf; 2022.
https://www.nationalelfservice.net/populations-and-settings/family-carers/online-support-family-carers-dementia/
(Clarissa Giebel reflects on a recent systematic review which investigates online support for family carers of people with dementia.)

The Khan review: making smoking obsolete.
Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID); 2022.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-khan-review-making-smoking-obsolete
(Independent review by Dr Javed Khan into the government’s ambition to make England smokefree by 2030. The review makes 15 recommendations for government to achieve a smokefree society.)

Safer by Design: How can collaboration help design safer gambling?
Demos; 2022.
https://demos.co.uk/project/safer-by-design-how-can-collaboration-help-design-safer-gambling/ (Demos and Playtech hosted two roundtables that brought together those in the industry with gambling experts from academia, charities and policy. The first looked at the role policy and regulation can play, and sought ideas and input on how the gambling sector could learn from other areas. The second looked at gambling as a health issue, and how stakeholders might draw on progress made in other areas such as digital resilience and wellbeing.)

State of the Nation: A comprehensive, retrospective view of NHS data.
Wilmington Healthcare; 2022.
https://wilmingtonhealthcare.com/state-of-the-nation/
(This report looks at key data trends over the course of the pandemic, establishing how new trends in health care activity, patient numbers, disease burden, NHS operational practice, prescribing and regional variation have emerged. The report groups the data into six key areas: hospital episode statistics; demographic segmentation; therapy area analysis; referral to treatment; prescribing insights; and regional insights.)

Mental health and loneliness: the relationship across life stages.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; 2022.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-loneliness-the-relationship-across-life-stages
(This report presents the findings from a qualitative study exploring the experiences of loneliness among those who had experienced a mental health condition. Previous research has shown there is a link between experiences of loneliness and poor mental health. The DCMS commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to explore this issue across four key life stages as part of developing the evidence base for work on tackling loneliness.)


Library Bulletin

Community mental health services

The June bulletin for Community mental health services, produced by Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust, are now available to view and download.

NCBI-community-mental-health-services-bulletin-June-2022Download

For support accessing any of the articles within the bulletins please contact: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk

Royal College of Psychiatrist

Eliminating inappropriate out of area placements in mental health

Source: Royal College of Psychiatrist

The government’s deadline to eliminate inappropriate out of area placements for adult acute patients by the end of March 2021 has now been missed by a full year. Sometimes hundreds of miles away from home, patients are unable to access their usual support networks while at their most vulnerable, often finding their care seriously disrupted, with long-term implications for their recovery. The NHS spent £102 million on inappropriate out of area placements in the 12 months up to and including March 2022 – the equivalent to the cost of the annual salary of more than 900 consultant psychiatrists. This briefing sets out the urgent action the NHS should take to ensure all patients get the care they need from properly staffed, specialist services in their local area.  

Mental health and loneliness

The relationship across life stages

Source: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

This report presents the findings from a qualitative study exploring the experiences of loneliness among those who had experienced a mental health condition. Previous research has shown there is a link between experiences of loneliness and poor mental health. The DCMS commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to explore this issue across four key life stages as part of developing the evidence base for work on tackling loneliness.

Tackling mental health disparities

Centre for Mental Health 

Source:King’s Fund

Mental health inequalities mean that while it is true that anyone can experience mental ill health, the risks are much higher for certain groups who experience structural discrimination and disadvantage. This briefing sets out 10 evidence-based actions that the government could take in the forthcoming disparities White Paper. Read the briefing here.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan

Discussion plan and call for evidence

Source: The King’s Fund

The government is committed to improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes, particularly for people who experience worse outcomes than the general population. To support this objective, it has committed to develop a new cross-government, 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England. This discussion paper and call for evidence seek views on what can be done to improve everyone’s mental health and wellbeing.

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Young Changemakers tackling mental health inequalities in racialised communities.
Centre for Mental Health; 2022.
https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/voice-change
[It is well documented that people from racialised communities face inequalities in mental health. Young Changemakers is a programme created by UK Youth, The Diana Award and Centre for Mental Health to equip young people with the tools to produce youth-led social action projects aimed at tackling these mental health inequalities. This is a three-year programme funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery and Comic Relief to support mental health in young people from racialised communities.]

Evaluating a community programme to promote young Black men’s mental health.
Centre for Mental Health; 2022.
https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/shifting-dial
[Young Black men are overrepresented in restrictive mental health settings, but are less likely to get early community-based mental health support. Shifting the Dial shares learning from a three-year project to promote the mental health and wellbeing of young Black men in Birmingham. The project built upon the findings from an earlier pilot, Up My Street. Shifting the Dial has worked with over 500 young Black men, offering peer support, mentoring, skills development and community events.]

The People and Nature Survey.
Natural England; 2022.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/people-and-nature-survey-for-england#full-publication-update-history
[The People and Nature Survey for England gathers evidence and trend data through an online survey relating to people’s enjoyment, access, understanding of and attitudes to the natural environment, and its contributions to wellbeing. 13 April 2022: New data for February 2022 added to monthly interim indicators data section. Also new data for year 2 quarter 2 (1st April 2020 – 30th September 2021) added to Adult Survey section.]

Daily Insight: Infection control calls heeded.
HSJ: Health Service Journal (Daily Insight) 2022;:7032315.
[NHS England has relaxed the isolation period for inpatients with covid-19 after the UK Health Security Agency changed its recommendations. Also: Although describing integrated care system ratings as a “bit of a distraction” in an interview with HSJ the CQC chief executive Ian Trenholm set out what systems could soon expect to see over the coming months. 20 April.]

The public’s experience of monitoring their blood pressure at home.
Healthwatch; 2022.
https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/report/2022-04-26/publics-experience-monitoring-their-blood-pressure-home
[People with high blood pressure are increasingly being asked to monitor their condition at home. The NHS programme ‘Blood Pressure @Home’ (BP@Home) enables people with high blood pressure to measure and share their blood pressure readings with their GP from home. This report evaluates that programme to see how it is working for patients and how GPs use their readings, and suggests steps the NHS can take to improve support and outcomes for people who monitor their blood pressure from home.]

Adult tier 2 weight management services provisional data for quarters 1 to 3, 2021 to 2022 (experimental statistics).
Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID); 2022.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/adult-tier-2-weight-management-services-provisional-data-for-quarters-1-to-3-2021-to-2022-experimental-statistics
[Provisional data from the adult tier 2 behavioural weight management services data collection from quarter 1 and 3 of the 2021 to 2022 financial year.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar or salt by location and by volume price.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2022.

[Outlines the provisions of the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021, and provides assistance in understanding and applying them.]

United against health inequalities: a commitment to lasting change NHS Providers, April 2022

(This survey of trust leaders shows high board-level commitment and strategic emphasis on tackling health inequalities and commitment to making action on health inequalities ‘core business’. However, they describe several barriers to progress with nearly two in three (65 per cent) saying that wider pressures on the system and operational challenges hinder their ability to progress work on reducing health inequalities. Nearly half of trust leaders expressed concerns about the lack of access to data about health inequalities within trusts (49 per cent) and across the health system (48 per cent).)

Coronavirus Act 2020 two years on.
House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee; 2022.
[This report sets out concerns about parliament’s lack of ability to scrutinise and amend emergency provisions in the Coronavirus Act over the past two years and draws out the lessons that can be learnt in legislating for future emergencies.]


Covid-19: The public inquiries.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
[The Covid-19 pandemic was a severe test of the state’s preparedness, resilience and co-ordination. The response from the UK Government and devolved administrations has raised broader questions about how effectively the challenges have been met. There have been longstanding calls for a public inquiry to be held into the UK’s pandemic response. Two public inquiries have been set up: one by the UK Government and one by the Scottish Government.]

Shifting the Dial: evaluating a community programme to promote young Black men’s mental health.
Centre for Mental Health (CMH); 2022.
https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/shifting-dial
[Young Black men are overrepresented in restrictive mental health settings, but are less likely to get early community-based mental health support. This report shares learning from a three-year project to promote the mental health and wellbeing of young Black men in Birmingham. The project built upon the findings from CMH’s evaluation of an earlier pilot, Up My Street. Shifting the Dial has worked with more than 500 young Black men.]

Can fermented foods boost mental health? Medscape: March 22, 2022

(Commentary by Dr Drew Ramsey)


Lunch and Learn – Reminder

A session around mental health for new parents

This is just a reminder that the next Lunch and Learn session will be held via Teams on Thursday 17th March between 12pm and 1pm.

This session will feature Mark Williams, fatherhood and mental health campaigner and author, talking about mental health for new parents, with a particular focus on men.

Teams invites have been sent to all our Library registered users. If you would like an invite to be extended to you or your team please email: carmel.finley@lscft.nhs.uk

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

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.]