By NICE (August 2013)
This quality standard on smoking cessation includes five statements designed to help improve the support offered to people who want to stop smoking. It recommends that primary care professionals ask patients whether they smoke, and that those who smoke are offered advice on how to stop. It also recommends that people who smoke are offered a referral to an evidence-based smoking cessation service.
By World Health Organisation (2013)
WHO calls on all countries to invest in and produce research to develop universal health coverage tailored to their country needs. “The world health report 2013: research for universal health coverage” is launched today.
By Public Health England
This review argues that checking 40-74-year-olds’ blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and lifestyle could identify problems earlier and prevent 650 deaths, 1,600 heart attacks and 4,000 cases of diabetes a year. Before local authorities took over responsibility for commissioning health checks in April, there was considerable variation in how widely they were offered. PHE, which leads the NHS Health Check programme, has now launched a ten-point plan to help councils roll them out to 20 per cent of their eligible local population a year –15 million people by 2018/19.
By Family Fund (2013)
Many disabled children and young people say that leisure and play – after school, in the holidays and at weekends – is the most important missing element in their lives. This guide provides information about play and leisure options and where to find more information. It also has information about arranging holidays for disabled children and details of organisations which provide grants for these types of activities.
By The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (2013)
This new new e-resource aims to support CCGs and NHS England in the commissioning of women’s health services. It brings together standards for hospital-based obstetric and gynaecological care with community-based sexual and reproductive healthcare advice. It is also accompanied by a digital booklet, which provides a brief introduction to the medical specialties and highlights examples of best practice and innovation in UK health organisations.
By WHO (July 2013)
Scientific evidence shows that physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for ill health, and that these groups tend to have low levels of activity. This policy summary and full report on promoting physical activity in socially disadvantaged groups aims to provide principles for targeted intervention.
By Henry Dimbleby & John Vincent (July 2013)
Almost a fifth of UK children are obese by the time they leave primary school. Good food provision in schools has been shown to lead not only to healthier children, but to improved attainment. This report sets out a plan to transform what children eat at school, and how they learn about food. It includes clear actions for government and for head teachers. The independent school food plan website provides information and resources to support these actions.
A Cochrane Systematic Review (2012)
General health checks involve multiple tests in a person who does not feel ill with the purpose of finding disease early, preventing disease from developing, or providing reassurance. Health checks are a common element of health care in some countries. To many people health checks intuitively make sense, but experience from screening programmes for individual diseases have shown that the benefits may be smaller than expected and the harms greater. One possible harm from health checks is the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that were not destined to cause symptoms or death. Their diagnosis will, therefore, be superfluous and carry the risk of unnecessary treatment.
By The Health Foundation (2013)
This paper reports the results of a research project which critically analysed the ways that collaborative approaches are currently described; and started to examine what goes on in practice when clinicians and patients work together in ways they appreciate as meaningfully collaborative. It reflect on clinicians’ and patients’ experiences and draw on ideas from development economics and social justice.
By Centre for Mental Health (2013)
This briefing examines what the NHS Mandate means for mental health services and the people who use them. It identifies areas for improvements in mental health services and argues that a stronger focus on mental health support can improve people’s physical health. It also outlines key actions for NHS England and CCGs, including expanding IAPT services, addressing access and waiting times for mental health care and commissioning integrated support for people with co-existing physical and mental health conditions.