Self Care Week 2019
Self Care Week, an annual national awareness week focusing on providing support for self care, is back from 18-24 November.
This year's strapline is Think Self Care for Life. Organisations are being encouraged to use Self Care Week as a hook to help people 'think' self care for a happier, healthier life.
Self Care Week 2019 will launch with a Twitter chat at midday on Monday 18 November. Follow @SelfCareForum for more information.
A full list of resources is available here.
INQUIRE project publishes report
A multi-method study aiming to understand how to improve NHS quality using internet ratings and experiences has published its findings.
The INQUIRE project's aim was to provide the evidence needed to help the NHS make best use of online patient feedback.
It found that while providing and using online feedback are becoming more common for patients, there is some caution from professionals and a lack of organisational preparedness.
Health literacy – listening and speaking
In this month's how-to blog Helen Osborne shares her tips for listening and speaking to ensure effective communication of health information.
They include finding a private place to hold conversations and paying attention to tone of voice and pacing.
Guidance on patient access to records online
NHS England and the BMA General Practitioners Committee has published new guidance to help GP practices give patients access to online data.
The guidance aims to support GPs in meeting the commitment to give all patients online access to their full record, including the ability to add their own information, by April 2020.
Since April 2019 new patients should have been offered full online access to their digital records.
New resources to promote My Health Online
New resources have been published to help GPs in Wales promote the My Health Online service.
My Health Online allows patients to book or cancel appointments and request repeat prescriptions.
Available resources include easy-read leaflets, posters, FAQs and social media adverts.
Bringing the patient experience up to speed
This article discusses whether the technology patients interact with while in hospital is keeping up with wider advances in the healthcare sphere.
It says while the technology to administer patient care is coming on leaps and bounds, the technology patients interact with when they’re in hospital isn’t advancing at the same rate – nor is it given the same urgency.
The article argues new patient technology has the potential to create a better patient experience and help boost staff morale.
How augmented reality is leading to patient improvements
This article examines the role of augmented reality in providing real-world patient improvements.
It highlights some of the ways augmented reality (AR) is being used, including showing how a new medical device works, offering details about a complex disease state or demonstrating a new therapy.
It says, compared to traditional 3D modeling, AR provides a more interactive and engaging experience leading to greater retention of complex concepts.
New frameworks guided by people with autism and learning disabilities
Skills for Health has published two new freely-accessible frameworks for Supporting Autistic People and People with a Learning Disability.
Autistic people, people with autistic family members and people with a learning disability guided the development of the two new core capabilities frameworks.
They aim to ensure staff working across health, social care and other sectors have the right training to understand the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability, and make reasonable adjustments to support them.
Health and social care and LGBT communities
A new report has found too often LGBT people are expected to fit into systems that assume they are straight and cisgender.
The Women and Equalities Committee found while few people set out to discriminate, training currently sends the message that sexual orientation and gender identity are not relevant to providing 'person-centred care'.
It recommends Public Health England work with the National LGB&T Partnership to prepare a five-year plan of LGBT-specific campaigns rather than publishing materials in isolation.