Tag: office for national statistics

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

A retrospective investigation of the prodromal stages of eating disorders and use of health services in young patients the year prior to the diagnosis. [Abstract]
Gómez Del Barrio A. Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2022;16(2):162-167.
[CONCLUSIONS: The majority of reasons for consultation were related to symptoms that could be prodromal symptoms, but the patients were not diagnosed with an eating disorder. These findings highlight the importance of professionals understanding how to identify the warning signs of an eating disorder, so they can refer patients to a specialized unit to establish an early treatment.]

State of the nation 2021: children and young people’s wellbeing.
Department for Education (DfE); 2022.
[This report collates and presents new analysis of published evidence on the wellbeing of children and young people over the period of August 2020 to July 2021, including a wider set of indicators on their: mental and physical health; education and skills; relationships; activities and time use; views on the self, society, and future; an analysis of Covid-19 and the psychological health of young adults; and an analysis of individual predictors of school attendance in 2020 to 2021.]

Subnational indicators explorer.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2022.
[A core set of indicators which align with some of the metrics selected to measure the progress of levelling-up, where data is available. Indicators are grouped in three broad categories: boosting living standards, spreading opportunity and improving public services, and restoring local pride. Measures include healthy life expectancy, smokers, overweight, anxiety, happiness, internet capability. Searchable by UK local authority.]

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Designated settings for people discharged to a care home.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2022.
[Guidance on the designated settings scheme for people discharged from hospital to a care home with a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test (UPDATED: 07 February 2022 The ‘designated settings’ guidance has been updated throughout in line with the latest clinical advice from UKHSA. This update reflects the change in isolation period in care settings from 14 to 10 days for cases of COVID-19. It also provides information on how individuals can end their isolation before day 10)]

Patient experience before the omicron wave: the storm before the storm.
Patients Association; 2022.
[This report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 UK patients conducted over a month just before Christmas 2021, finds the disruption to health and care services caused by the pandemic is profound and long-term.]

COVID-19 Schools Infection Survey, England: attitudes to vaccines and preventative measures, November to December 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2022.
[Initial insights from the first round of questionnaire data collected as part of the Schools Infection Survey. Questionnaires are completed by parents of participating children, secondary school aged children and headteachers. Topics cover vaccine sentiment, ventilation in schools and preventative measures implemented in schools.]

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 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.
[In October, NICE added new recommendations on casirivimab and imdevimab. New data on the use of heparins (from the REMAP-CAP trial results) does not change the current recommendations.]

The consequences of COVID-19 lockdown for formal and informal resource utilization among home-dwelling people with dementia: results from the prospective PAN.DEM study.[Abstract]
Vislapuu M. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):1003.
[The care situation for PwD changed dramatically in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those living alone who received less support from homecare services and visiting caregivers. For future crises and the forthcoming post-pandemic period, health authorities must plan better and identify and prioritize those in greatest need.]

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patterns of attendance at emergency departments in two large London hospitals: an observational study.[Abstract]
Vollmer MAC. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):1008.
[Our study findings reflect broader trends seen across England and give an indication how emergency healthcare seeking has drastically changed. At ICHNT, we find that a larger proportion arrived by ambulance and that hospitalisation outcomes of patients without COVID-19 did not differ from previous years. The extent to which these findings relate to ED avoidance behaviours compared to having sought alternative emergency health services outside of hospital remains unknown.]

Remote schooling through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, England: April 2020 to June 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.
[How remote learning has affected the amount of learning materials covered by pupils and the dependence of remote learning on parental input over the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.]

Inequalities in accessing dementia care and support during COVID-19.
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[Catherine Talbot reviews a recent qualitative study on accessing post-diagnostic dementia care before and since COVID-19, which highlights the need to reduce inequalities in dementia care.]

COVID-19: provision of immunisation sessions for outbreaks in schools.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Guidance for School Age Immunisation Services on the provision of immunisation sessions in schools where there are cases or an outbreak of COVID-19.]

UKHSA review into IPC guidance.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Recommendations for changes to COVID-19 infection prevention and control (IPC) advice to help ease pressure on the NHS.]

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health among youth with physical health challenges.[Abstract]
Hawke LD. Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2021;15(5):1146-1153.
[CONCLUSIONS: Mental health concerns are highly prevalent among youth with physical health concerns, and also appear to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical health concerns appear to constitute risk factors for heightened mental health responses to the pandemic situation. System planners striving to adapt mental health services to meet distancing recommendations are urged to consider youth with physical health conditions and ensure that integrated supports are available to them.]

NDNS: Diet and physical activity – a follow-up study during COVID-19.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[This report presents the findings from a follow-up study of National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP) participants which aimed to describe and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diet and physical activity of people in the UK in 2020.]

Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) Covid-19 vaccine: Recognition of batches manufactured in India.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[This briefing provides an overview of the regulatory concerns associated with batches of the Vaxzevria (previously called AstraZeneca) vaccine which were manufactured in India.]


Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Daily Insight: Covid can’t peak too soon.
HSJ: Health Service Journal (Daily Insight) 2021;:7030598.
[Confirmed covid cases in the community fell again on Tuesday, offering further hope that the current wave could have peaked. Most experts are highly cautious about saying so – there is likely to be further growth following ‘freedom day’. Also: In the Cheshire and Merseyside ICS, the nine local authorities have issued a series of “red lines” and pre-conditions to health service leaders. 28 July.]

Daily Insight: Covid puts one in 10 beds to sleep.
HSJ: Health Service Journal (Daily Insight) 2021;:7030631.
[A major hospital trust has made its highest number of bed closures “for many years” due to covid staffing pressures. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust lost 933 bed days in the first week of June due to staff testing positive for covid or being required to isolate. Also: Latest figures show just 3 per cent of A&E attendances nationally are ‘booked’ through the 111 First service. And Healthwatch England says the NHS has not done enough to publicise this new service. 3 August.]

New study into COVID-19 vaccine dose interval for pregnant women.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[The Preg-CoV clinical trial has been launched to help determine optimal gap between doses as well as explore potential side-effects in more detail. Research shows pregnant women more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19 and 98% of those in hospital due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated.]

Coronavirus: the consequences for mental health.
Mind; 2021.
[This research with almost 12,000 people found that those with mental health problems report an increase in the severity of challenges they’re facing now and concerns about the future. The authors call for services to be ready for the increase in severity of people’s mental health problems, and to take into account the trauma that people have experienced over the past year and how this might affect the support they need.]

Coronavirus: Adult social care key issues and sources.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[House of Commons Library research Briefing updated 23 July 2021. An overview of key issues facing the adult social care sector during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, with links to some of the key official guidance for the sector.]

Coronavirus and the social impacts of ‘long COVID’ on people’s lives in Great Britain: 7 April to 13 June 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.
[Indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey covering the period 7 April to 13 June 2021 to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people by their self-reported long COVID-19.]

Covid 19

Current awareness updates

Inequalities in healthcare disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from 12 UK population-based longitudinal studies.
medRxiv; 2021.

[The research, led by UCL and the University of Glasgow, found further evidence that minority ethnic groups were more likely to have their healthcare affected by the Covid crisis than white people, with the combined results of the 12 studies suggesting minority ethnic groups reported 19% more problems during the epidemic. This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review.]

An obesity strategy to reduce COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.
Glasper A. British Journal of Nursing 2021;30(10):612-614.

[In 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a series of policy initiatives as part of his government’s new obesity strategy. The prime minster himself was admitted to an intensive care unit after being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and succumbing to COVID-19. Following his successful treatment and discharge from hospital he acknowledged that his deterioration was probably linked to his own excess body weight.]

Importance of patient bed pathways and length of stay differences in predicting COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy in England.[Abstract]
Leclerc QJ. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):566.

[We identified five bed pathways, with substantial variation in LoS by bed type, pathway, and geography. This might be caused by local differences in patient characteristics, clinical care strategies, or resource availability, and suggests that national LoS averages may not be appropriate for local forecasts of bed occupancy for COVID-19.]

Delivering routine immunisations in London during the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for future vaccine delivery.
Skirrow H. British Journal of General Practice Open 2021;(18 May)

[Mixed-methods study of immunisation delivery in London including an online survey of GP practices and interviews were used to explore new immunisation delivery models which built on existing local knowledge, experiences and networks.]

Strategies and action points to ensure equitable uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations: A national qualitative interview study to explore the views of undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.
Deal A. Journal of Migration and Health 2021;4(-):100050.

[Report of in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=32) of recently arrived migrants (foreign-born, >18 years old; <10 years in the UK) to the UK with precarious immigration status, seeking their input into strategies to strengthen COVID-19 vaccine delivery and uptake.]

Community-based volunteering in response to COVID-19: the COV-VOL project.
NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, Kent, Surrey and Sussex; 2021.

[A study by a team from the University of Kent, Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Sussex University shows how voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations have made a significant, positive impact on the well-being of older people self-isolating at home during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of volunteers and community and the role VCSE organisations can play as key and essential partners in our health and social care systems.]

The 3 R’s of Social Care Reform: How constructive risk taking, respectful relationships and a sense of reciprocity characterised a positive response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Think Local Act Personal; 2021.

[TLAP has been talking to people across social care, and including those who draw on care and support, about their experiences during the pandemic. This paper reflects on these conversations and identifies drivers of the promising examples of practice, marked by changes in behaviour and increased levels of trust. It suggests that positive risk-taking, respectful relationships and a sense of reciprocity are key ingredients in characterising a positive response to the pandemic.]

Unlocking the digital front door – keys to inclusive healthcare.
National Voices; 2021.

[This report explores how the move to remote service models impacted people and how the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE) has led innovative ways to deliver healthcare and support to people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Also available is a literature review and insight data, personal narratives and recommendations for better practice, better policy, and better innovations.]

School closures and parents’ mental health.
Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER); 2021.

[In this study, researchers from the universities of Essex, Surrey and Birmingham, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, consider the dynamics of parents’ mental health during the pandemic. The study is the first of its kind to look specifically at the impact of having children at home as a result of school closures, separating it from other factors affecting parents’ mental health during the pandemic.]

Outsourcing as a threat to public health: the case for insourcing public sector cleaners and facilities management.
New Economics Foundation; 2021.

[The evidence cited in this report suggests that outsourced health facilities management services pose a threat to public health. This represents a major weakness in the UK’s ability to cope with subsequent waves of Covid-19. As a matter of public health, this paper recommends that the government should launch an urgent and independent inquiry into the outsourcing of key workers.]

Targeted AF detection in COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT), Oxford AHSN; 2021.

[This document brings together learning from several pilot sites which have been carrying out targeted detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) in COVID-19 vaccination clinics. The aim is to provide guidance for systems wishing to develop a standard operating procedure for offering targeted rhythm checks for AF detection in mass vaccination clinics.]

Coronavirus and vaccination rates in people aged 70 years and over by socio-demographic characteristic, England : 8 December 2020 to 9 May 202.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

[Difference in vaccination rates by sociodemographic group, sex, ethnicity, religion, main language, living in areas of deprivation, and disability.]


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.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.

(This guideline covers diagnosing, monitoring and managing asthma in adults, young people and children. It aims to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, help people to control their asthma and reduce the risk of asthma attacks. It does not cover managing severe asthma or acute asthma attacks. In March 2021, we highlighted the importance of including advice in the personalised action plan on minimising indoor air pollution and reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution.)

Support for people with a learning disability.
House of Commons Library; 2021.

(A description of recent changes to policy and services for people with a learning disability in England. Briefing paper.)

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: a year like no other.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

(Analysis of data from a variety of sources on the way life, society and the economy changed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and how the period compares with other years.)

Coronavirus and the different effects on men and women in the UK: March 2020 to February 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

(Brings together different sources to examine how men and women have been affected differently throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Includes information on physical health, mental health, paid work, unpaid work, home-schooling, and loneliness.)

Every action counts.
NHS England; 2021.

(Persuading everyone – staff, patients and visitors – to follow good practice in COVID-19 infection prevention and control is key to keeping healthcare settings as safe as possible. Every Action Counts draws on behavioural expertise to support local NHS organisations with resources on awareness, leadership, morale and wellbeing, training, and operational interventions.)

Global report on Ageism World Health Organisation (WHO); 18th March 2021

(The Global report on ageism outlines a framework for action to reduce ageism including specific recommendations for different actors (e.g. government, UN agencies, civil society organizations, private sector). It brings together the best available evidence on the nature and magnitude of ageism, its determinants and its impact. It outlines what strategies work to prevent and counter ageism, identifies gaps and proposes future lines of research to improve our understanding of ageism.)

Inclusive and sustainable economies: leaving no-one behind Public Health England (PHE); 25th March 2021

(A report and data catalogue from PHE supporting place-based action to reduce health inequalities and build back better. It addresses the social, economic and environmental determinants of health and wellbeing to help achieve healthy people, thriving communities and increased prosperity.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Hepatitis C in England and the UK.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.

[Latest PHE hepatitis C virus (HCV) reports and supporting documents, for England and the UK. 14 December 2020: Added Hepatitis C in the UK: 2020 report and accompanying slide set and infographic.]

Drug misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[This publication reports on trends in drug use across England and Wales for the year ending March 2020. This publication is largely unaffected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it mainly relates to the period prior to the lockdown. Overall drug use continued to remain stable, with around 1 in 11 adults aged 16 to 59 years having taken a drug in the past year.]

Whole systems approach to obesity.
Public Health England (PHE); 2020.

[A guide and set of resources to support local authorities with implementing a whole systems approach to address obesity and promote a healthy weight.
14 December 2020: Added ‘Opportunities to strengthen place-based systems approaches’ report and annexes.]


Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain: 11 December 2020.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[One in five adults in Great Britain experienced some form of depression in November. This is similar to levels reported earlier in the year, but double that reported before the pandemic. Since late October, more adults say they believe life will return to normal within six months. However, a lower proportion of adults experiencing some form of anxiety and/or depression felt this was the case.]

The government’s approach to test and trace in England – interim report.
National Audit Office (NAO); 2020.

[This interim report provides an overview of test and trace services for addressing COVID-19 in England, including how the government’s approach has developed, and how it managed performance and capacity in the period from May to October 2020.]

A ‘new normal’? How people spent their time after the March 2020 coronavirus lockdown.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2020.

[During the first national coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, many people in Great Britain were forced to make changes to their lifestyles. But it appears that some of those changes may not have lasted long. On the whole, people returned to pre-lockdown behaviour in September to October 2020.]


Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception) 2019/20.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This publication primarily covers contraceptive activity taking place at dedicated Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in England, as recorded in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Activity Dataset (SRHAD), a mandated collection for all providers of NHS SRH services. People attend SRH services for a variety of reasons, but the main focus of this report is contraception.]

National Diabetes Audit – Report 1 Care Processes and Treatment Targets 2018-19, Full Report.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This report details the findings and recommendations relating to diabetes care process completion, treatment target achievement and structured education for the 2018-19 audit.]


Statistics on Smoking, England 2020.
NHS Digital; 2020.

[This report presents newly published information on smoking including:
Smoking-related hospital admissions from NHS Digital’s Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).Smoking-related deaths from Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality statistics. Prescription items used to help people stop smoking from prescribing data held by NHS Prescription Services. Affordability of tobacco and expenditure on tobacco using ONS economic data.]