ICS report focuses on reducing health inequalities
Integrated Social Care Systems (ICSs) need greater autonomy to promote health and address health inequalities, says a government-commissioned report.
The Hewitt Review: an independent review of integrated care systems was led by The Right Hon Patricia Hewitt, chair of the Norfolk and Waveney ICS.
Her report offers wide-ranging recommendations aimed at ICS delivery of 4 core principles:
- Improving health outcomes and services
- Reducing health inequalities
- Delivering a financially sustainable health and care system
- Supporting social and economic development of local communities.
Download the report from Gov.uk here.
How to make risk stats more meaningful
New guidance on making risk information meaningful for lay readers highlights 7 steps for risk communication.
Steps in the Science Media Centre resource include:
- Making clear what the risk is and who is affected by it
- Stating the time period during which the risk was calculated.
It says, while statistical risk is neutral, it is important to remember the word ‘risk’ has connotations of danger for many readers.
Read the guidance on the Science Media Centre website here.
PIF also has guidance on communicating benefits, risks and uncertainties.
Read and download PIF’s guidance here.
Can crowdsourcing help to halt the damage of misinformation?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted crowdsourcing as a potential way to detect and address misinformation.
In its latest Infodemic Management News Flash, the WHO highlights studies which suggest the collective wisdom of people on the internet could be leveraged to tackle misinformation.
However, more evaluation is needed to reliably harness people’s time and intellect on a large scale.
See the WHO newsflash for more details on the study.
How to get started with co-production
Let the people lead, not the professionals, is a top tip on co-production from a new report highlighting this work in the field of social prescribing.
The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) and the Co-production Collective offer more tips in the report.
The report also signposts the Co-production Collective library of resources.
Download the report via the NASP website here.
You can also read and download PIF’s co-production guide here.
Health misinformation is driving life expectancy down
The Food and Drug Administration commissioner has said health misinformation is driving life expectancy down.
Dr Robert Califf said life expectancy in the USA is between 3 and 5 years lower on average than other high-income countries with the gap coming in part from misinformation.
In particular, he highlights how authorities were unprepared for the reach the internet gives individual users.
Read the full interview with Dr Califf via the CNBC website here.
Study: Assessing risks and benefits of digital-based health information for children and young people
A scoping study offers new insights to aid risk-benefit analyses when creating digital health information for children and young people.
Its findings support the growth of such information.
However, researchers warn, to avoid potential harm, careful analysis based on ethics, regulatory frameworks, monitoring and clinical issues is essential.
Read the study via the JMIR website here.
Awards: £500 bursary for winner of 2023 Self Care Innovation Awards
PIF partner the Self Care Forum has opened nominations for its 2023 Self Care Innovation Awards.
The awards are held each year to celebrate exemplary work that helps empower people to take better care of their physical health and mental wellbeing.
A £500 bursary is awarded to the winner, with details of their work added to the forum’s website.
Find out more and enter the awards via the Self Care Forum website here.
The decline of the NHS in England and why change is possible
In a new The King’s Fund report, professor Sir Chris Ham considers what needs to be done to sustain and reform the NHS following 10 years of decline.
The rise and decline of the NHS in England 2000–20: How political failure led to the crisis in the NHS and social care suggests beneficial change is possible.
The report focuses on spending decisions, moderating demand, and sharing responsibility with patients and the public as potential ways ahead.
Read the full report via The King’s Fund website here.
Awards: Tech4Good Awards 2023
Nominations are now open for AbilityNet’s Tech4Good Awards 2023.
The awards celebrate those using technology to make the world a better place.
Categories include Accessible Education and an Inclusive Health.
Nominations close on 5 May.
Enter the awards via the AbilityNet website here.
NHS offers new drug treatment for most common cancers
A drug treatment for people with the 2 most common cancers in England has been approved for use on the NHS. Olaparib can help to:
- Reduce the risk of cancers with mutations in BRCA genes cancer coming back after treatment
- Extend life in people with advanced prostate cancer.
Around 550 men with advanced prostate cancer and 300 women with HER2-negative early breast cancer will be eligible for the new drug each year in England.
Read more about Olaparib via the NHS England website here.
Event: ALLIANCE Strengthening our Collective Voice conference
The annual ALLIANCE conference will be both face-to-face and online for the first time this year.
With the theme Strengthening our Collective Voice, it will be free to participate online.
The conference will bring together organisations working on co-produced projects seeking to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for people in Scotland.
It takes place on 31 May.
See the course agenda and find out how to join via the ALLIANCE website here.
Men’s health in a digital age
Men’s Health and the Internet is the theme of Men’s Health Week 2023.
Men’s Health Forum, which organises the event, says people born in 2007, when the first iPhone was launched, are now turning 16.
They are used to dealing with health issues through digital pathways.
Men’s Health Week includes the launch of tools, manuals, webinars and social media activity.
It runs from 12-18 June.