Tag: NICE

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

WHO European regional obesity report 2022

(Overweight and obesity affect almost 60 per cent of adults and nearly one in three children in the WHO European Region. Recent estimates suggest that overweight and obesity is the fourth most common risk factor for noncommunicable diseases in the Region, after high blood pressure, dietary risks and tobacco. This report examines the growing challenge and impact of obesity in the Region and focuses on managing obesity throughout the life course and tackling obesogenic environments. It also considers more recent challenges, including problematic digital marketing to children and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on obesity prevalence.)

Doctor’s orders: Why adherence is critical to improving health outcomes across the life course

(Nearly half of all adults and approximately 8% of children worldwide have a chronic condition. Yet, studies have shown that adherence to medication is poor. This is expensive for governments, requiring three extra medical visits per year. This article from the ILC suggests some key recommendations to support adherence.)

Thousands of people with diabetes set to benefit from real time information after updated NICE recommendations

(More than 250,000 people living with type 1 diabetes are set to be offered new technology to help them manage their condition and at the same time reduce the need for finger prick testing by up to 50%, following new advice from NICE.)

Link workers for population health: it’s time to get with the (social prescribing) programme

(Embedding a population health approach into health care at the local, regional and national level in England will require slow, incremental cultural shifts over the space of years, as suggested in their report; A vision for population health.)

Closure of HDAS for Literature Searching

On 31st March 2022 the current database (HDAS) used to conduct literature searches will be switched off.

Once HDAS has closed access to bibliographic databases will be via the various providers’ websites. Please be aware that requests for literature searches will be delayed as we familiarise ourselves with the new interfaces so please allow extra time when making requests.

If you have undertaken any searches yourself and would like to be able to access these results after the end of March please have a look at the following webpage for further information:-

HDAS closure information – https://www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/evidence-services/journals-and-databases/hdas-closure-information

Training material on the new platforms is currently being designed and will be made available soon.

If you have questions please contact the Library Team: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk

Further updates on this change-over will be published here on the blog and on our Twitter feed.

Library Team

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.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Physical activity in disabled children and disabled young people: evidence review.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2022.
[Findings of a rapid evidence review into the health benefits and potential risks of physical activity for children and young people who have disabilities.]

d-Nav insulin management app for type 2 diabetes.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2022.
[d‑Nav is an app used for guiding insulin dosing for adults with type 2 diabetes. The innovative aspects are the insulin dose can be calculated and adjusted based on a person’s current and historic blood glucose levels on a weekly basis and without healthcare professional approval. The intended place in therapy would be to help optimise insulin dosage in people with type 2 diabetes.]

Is there an effective dose of aerobic exercise associated with better executive function in youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Khodaverdi Z. Child Neuropsychology 2021;:doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2021.1992378.
[Conclusion: Different dosage of aerobic exercise might differently influence aspects of executive function; however, this finding rests on preliminary evidence at this stage and thus should be treated with caution.It is necessary to establish suitable interventions with regard to the dosage of aerobic exercise types to improve executive function in young people with ADHD.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Prostate cancer.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This quality standard covers managing prostate cancer in people referred to secondary care or having follow-up for prostate cancer in primary care. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement. In December 2021, changes were made to align this quality standard with the updated NICE guideline on prostate cancer.]

Combined adult and paediatric respiratory clinical assessment service (RCAS) hubs for acute respiratory infection.
NHS England and NHS Improvement; 2021.
[This document supports systems to plan for a likely rise in respiratory infections (for example, Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza and other infections) this winter.]

Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Analysis of call for evidence consultation response has informed development of this document, which is published alongside the consultation response. This document sets out the government’s vision and the publication of the strategy will follow in 2022.]

Children and young people’s mental health:eighth Report of Session 2021–22.
House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee; 2021.
[This report calls for urgent action to prevent mental health services slipping backwards as a result of additional demand created by the pandemic and the scale of unmet need prior to it. MPs found that despite progress in numbers of young people receiving treatment, it was unacceptable that more than half with a diagnosable condition pre-pandemic do not receive the mental health support they need.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Weight management tier 2 interventions and their effectiveness.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Sussex Health on 2/12/2021
[This evidence search report looks for recent evaluations and reports on the effectiveness of weight management tier 2 interventions for families, adults and children. A starting point might be Public Health England’s 2020 summary: Weight management services during COVID-19: phase 1 insights. Another source is Heggie’s: Tackling reporting issues and variation in behavioural weight management interventions.]

Brain tumours (primary) and brain metastases in adults.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This quality standard covers diagnosing, monitoring and managing any type of primary brain tumour or brain metastases in adults (aged 16 or over). It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.]

Urinary incontinence in women.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This quality standard covers managing urinary incontinence in women (aged 18 and over). It covers assessment, care and treatment options. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.
It does not cover urinary incontinence in women with neurological disease. In December 2021, changes were made to align this quality standard with the new NICE guideline on pelvic floor dysfunction.]

Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This guideline covers the prevention, assessment and non-surgical management of pelvic floor dysfunction in women aged 12 and over. It aims to raise awareness and help women to reduce their risk of pelvic floor dysfunction. For women who have pelvic floor dysfunction, the guideline recommends interventions based on their specific symptoms]

Management of acute respiratory illness in prisons and places of detention.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[This guidance will assist in the management of outbreaks of acute respiratory illness in prisons and places of detention. The guidance covers risk assessment, testing recommendations, antiviral therapies and when an outbreak can be declared over. An associated flow chart gives information for management depending on whether COVID-19 and/or influenza have been detected.]

BCG vaccination and SCID screening: patient pathway.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[Flowchart showing the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination and SCID screening patient pathway (updated 09 December 2021)]

Optimising chronic wound care: a human and financial necessity.
Penfold J. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2021;27(11):269-271.
[Comment highlights the importance of evidence-based practice in wound care to reduce the burden on patients and healthcare services.]

Active Lives Children and Young People Survey: Academic year 2020-21.
Sport England; 2021.
[This report contains a full year of coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions, including comparisons back to summer term 2020, when school sites were closed to most pupils for much of the period. The proportion of children and young people in England who are active remains unchanged compared to 12 months ago. However, inequalities have increased and for some groups of children and young people, in particular teenage girls and Black children are the least likely to be physically active.]

What science has shown can help young people with anxiety and depression.
Wellcome; 2021.
[This report summarises what we’ve learned about the evidence for ‘active ingredients’ of effective interventions for youth anxiety and depression – these are the aspects of interventions that make a difference in preventing or managing anxiety and depression.]

Project ADDER.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Information on Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery), the government’s pathfinder programme combatting drugs misuse.]

Global Drug Survey (GDS) 2021 Global Report.
Global Drug Survey (GDS); 2021.
[The focus is on how COVID-19 changed people’s drug using behaviours especially with regard to alcohol, cannabis and cocaine, how people balance reducing harm and maximizing pleasure when using drugs, and whether microdosing has moved beyond those seeking to improve creativity and work performance to self-treatment for mental health issues.]

Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.
[Deaths caused by diseases known to be a direct consequence of alcohol misuse by sex, age, region and deprivation.]

From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives.
Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; 2021.
[This policy paper sets out the government’s 10-year plan to cut crime and save lives by reducing the supply and demand for drugs and delivering a high-quality treatment and recovery system. Commitments are made across the government to break drug supply chains while simultaneously reducing the demand for drugs by getting people suffering from addiction into treatment, and deterring recreational drug use.]

Child of the North: building a fairer future after Covid-19.
NIHR Northern Health Science Alliance; 2021.
[This report paints a stark picture of inequality for children growing up in the north of England post-pandemic compared with those in the rest of the country. It looks at a wide range of factors, from child poverty to children in care, to build up a picture of ‘The Child of the North’. It sets out 18 clear recommendations that can be put in place to tackle the widening gap between the north and the rest of England.]

Children and young people’s mental health: Eighth Report of Session 2021–22.
House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee; 2021.
[Report highlights that the problems identified can only be addressed by government departments, local government and the health system acting together to promote good mental health and prevent new crises emerging. It recommends setting up a Cabinet sub-committee.]

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures: what’s the impact on youth mental health?
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[Douglas Badenoch appraises a recent cross-sectional survey study, which looks at COVID-19 partial school closures and mental health problems.]

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[Risk assessment dated 09 December for Omicron variant added.]

Consensus statements on COVID-19.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[Updated 10 December 2021: UKHSA has added the EMRG’s consensus statement for 24 November 2021 to its website.]

Resilience and recovery following COVID-19.
McIntosh B. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2021;27(11):263-264.
[The healthcare sector has a crucial role to play in the wider economic and social recovery of society following COVID-19. Events since March 2020 have highlighted the need to see health and public services as a crucial investment, not an afterthought.]

An evaluation of a virtual COVID-19 ward to accelerate the supported discharge of patients from an acute hospital setting.
Swift J. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2021;27(12):1-9.
[The virtual ward appeared to assist with earlier discharges, had a low rate of clinically necessary re-admissions, and seemed to reduce costs without compromising patient safety. The authors believe that this intervention could be applied across other NHS trusts facing similar capacity issues as a result of COVID-19.]

Nudging healthcare professionals to improve treatment of COVID-19: a narrative review.[Abstract]
Vilhelmsson A. BMJ Open Quality 2021;10(4):doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2021-001522.
[Conclusion: Evidence suggests that different nudging techniques can be used in clinical settings as simple, cost-effective strategies to fight COVID-19, reduce complications for intubated patients, improve hand hygiene, increase vaccination rates and avoid unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. These strategies could be important in the continued handling of the pandemic, which will not be over until the whole world reaches herd immunity from vaccination…]

COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 NICE guideline.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. In December, NICE added new recommendations on COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis. NICE revised their statement about the Omicron variant in the recommendation on casirivimab and imdevimab.]

COVID-19 vaccination: resources for schools and parents.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[17 December 2021: Added version 3 of the guidance for schools and guidance for parents.]

COVID-19: guidance for first responders.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[Updated advice for first responders (as defined by the Civil Contingencies Act) and others where close contact may be required as part of their normal duties.]

COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC).
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[17 December 2021: Added UK IPC Cell consensus statement in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Added paragraph to main IPC guidance on risk assessment and use of RPE in response to Omicron variant.]

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC).
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[November 2021 Updates: 1) Guidance broadened to include seasonal respiratory infections; 3 COVID-19 specific pathways removed; section on the hierarchy of controls added; physical distancing advice updated. 2) Updated to clarify text on aerosol generating procedures. 3) Dental appendix broadened to include seasonal respiratory infections; 3 COVID-19 specific pathways removed and replaced with respiratory and non-respiratory pathways.]

COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[In November, NICE added a new recommendation on ivermectin.]

Daily Insight: Another test for NHS staff.
HSJ: Health Service Journal (Daily Insight) 2021;:7031436.
[A letter sent by Chris Whitty, Ruth May and Susan Hopkins has strengthened expectations on NHS staff who have just returned from abroad. NHS workers returning from any non red-list country must have a negative PCR test before returning to work. Also: New guidance has recommended that trusts relax the segregation of patients according to covid-19 risk. There is likely to be a developing picture on infection control guidance over the next few weeks in light of the Omicron variant. 30 November.]

Frequently asked questions: Demonstrating Covid-19 and vaccination status.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[This briefing paper provides answers to frequently asked questions about demonstrating Covid-19 status (otherwise called Covid-19 status certification) and use of the NHS Covid Pass in England.]

Covid-19 status certification.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[Covid-19 status certification (also referred to as a “vaccine passport”) has been proposed as a means of reducing the risk of transmitting the Covid-19 virus in a number of settings. This briefing explores the Government’s policy on certification. It also provides discussion on the scientific evidence and other issues associated with the use of certification.]

Responding to violence against women and children during COVID-19: impact on service provision, strategies and actions in the WHO European Region (2021).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.
[A new report published by WHO/Europe shows that helplines providing support to women and children experiencing violence saw a spike in calls during the first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data in the new report was collected between January and September 2020, a time in which millions of people in the WHO European Region were confined to their homes because of lockdowns or other restrictive measures.]

UK vaccine response to the Omicron variant: JCVI advice.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant. This statement sets out the JCVI’s advice on extending the UK COVID-19 vaccination programme to offer booster doses to adults aged 18 to 39 years, and second doses to children and young people aged 12 to 15 years.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Avian influenza: guidance for managing human cases.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA); 2021.
[Information to assist with the management of possible and confirmed human cases of avian influenza.]

Heart valve disease presenting in adults: investigation and management.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This guideline covers investigation and management of heart valve disease presenting in adults. It aims to improve quality of life and survival for people with heart valve disease through timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention.]

Acute heart failure: diagnosis and management.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[This guideline covers diagnosing and managing acute heart failure or possible acute heart failure in people aged 18 and over. Heart failure may indicate acute myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19. See the recommendations in NICE COVID-19 rapid guideline on managing COVID-19. In November 2021, NICE withdrew the recommendations on valvular surgery and percutaneous intervention because they have been replaced by the NICE guideline on heart valve disease.]

Public health commissioning in the NHS: 2021 to 2022.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Information about NHS England’s objectives and funding arrangements as it commissions public health services in the ongoing context of coronavirus (COVID-19).]

Cause for concern: Australian youth engaged with alcohol and other drug services are falling behind our community progress in reducing tobacco use.[Abstract]
Hallam KT. Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2021;15(6):1789-1792.
[Tobacco use is decreasing in the general youth population yet little evidence is tracking changes in young people who are engaged with youth alcohol and other drug (AOD) services that are often disengaged from school and work settings. Conclusion: The results highlight a need for the adoption of evidence-based tobacco early intervention programs in youth AOD services to address this significant health risk.]

Quality improvement project to decrease unnecessary investigations in infants with bronchiolitis in Cork University Hospital.[Abstract]
Jansen L. BMJ Open Quality 2021;10(4):DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2021-001428.
[Conclusion: An evidence-based protocol improved physicians’ ability in diagnosing and managing infants with bronchiolitis. This led to a reduction in unnecessary and potential harmful investigations, thereby improving patient quality of care. This improvement will contribute to decreased healthcare cost and appropriate use of resources during the high-pressured winter period.]