Fuel poverty and health inequalities in the UK
The Institute of Health Equity has published a report into fuel poverty, cold homes and health inequality in the UK.
It says, without additional interventions, 55% of UK households are forecast to fall into fuel poverty by January 2023.
Households with children as well as those on low incomes, living with disabilities and black and minority ethnic groups are most at risk.
The report reviews the evidence on both the direct and indirect impacts of fuel poverty and cold homes on health and inequalities.
This includes who it effects the most and the relation between health inequalities and climate change.
How has patient experience changed for people who are homeless?
Groundswell has published its #HealthNow literature update which draws on the most recent evidence about patient experience for people who are homeless.
It says there is 'powerful' evidence linking homelessness to premature death. Other key findings include:
- Proof of address requirements still present a barrier to registering with GP services
- Access to dentistry is severely limited for people experiencing homelessness
- Digital exclusion continues to affect people who are homeless
- Continuity of care is extremely important
Impact of migraine on children and young people
PIF member The Migraine Trust has published a report on the impact of migraine on children and young people.
It highlights a clear need for a better understanding of how migraine impacts children and for tailored information, guidance and support for children and young people who have migraine.
When asked about how an organisation such as The Migraine Trust might support them, 53% of children and young people said they wanted more online information.
The report was based on a survey and workshops with children, young people, parents, carers and education professionals.
Study: Developing principles for health information on social media
A new study aims to develop Principles for Health-related Information on Social Media (PRHISM) which can be used to evaluate the quality of content.
Thirteen quality principles were included in the PRHISM tool, along with a scoring system and implementation tool.
The principles promote accessibility, transparency, provision of authoritative and evidence-based information and support for consumers’ relationships with health care providers.
PRHISM can be used to evaluate the quality of health-related information provided on social media.
It may also be useful for developing high-quality, health-related social media content and assist consumers in discerning high-quality information.
Carers’ experiences of remote care and support models
National Voices has published a learning pack on how the rapid shift to digital healthcare has affected carers.
The pack is informed by analysis of past work and discussions with members and people with lived experience.
It concludes with key takeaways and recommendations for government, as well as advice on setting up online peer support for carers.
Patient experience in England
The Patient Experience Library has published its annual overview of patient experience evidence.
It presents the 'top picks' from the last 12 months of evidence gathering with summaries of key points.
The overview also pulls out key learning from the evidence on topics including maternity care, mental health and patient safety.
New guideline on anaemia in the perioperative pathway
The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) has published its new Guideline for the Management of Anaemia in the Perioperative Pathway.
The guideline was drafted by a multidisciplinary working group with input from more than 20 organisations from across the perioperative pathway.
It contains recommendations for patients of all ages undergoing surgery and for healthcare professionals in both emergency and elective surgical settings and across specialties.
The aim is to ensure the patient is at the centre of the whole process and everyone involved in their care carries out their individual responsibilities to minimise the risk from anaemia.
PIF director Sophie Randall is a member of the CPOC Advisory Group.
Flu vaccination for people with a learning disability
NHS England staff are being encouraged to review their approaches to communicating with people with a learning disability about flu vaccination.
Two 'top tips' documents were produced during the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
NHS England is now asking colleagues to review them and consider similar approaches for flu vaccination.
Has the Women’s Health Strategy listened to what women really need?
In this article, Charlotte Wickens and Danielle Jefferies discuss whether the new Women's Health Strategy will change a culture of women not being listened to about their health and wellbeing.
They say, while the strategy had engaged with women as service users it has not yet engaged with healthcare professionals.
This means there are very few initiatives focusing on ensuring women are listened to.