Call for evidence for Major Conditions Strategy
The Department for Health and Social Care is calling for evidence for its upcoming Major Conditions Strategy for England.
It wants views and ideas on how to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage 6 groups of health conditions:
- Cancers
- Cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes
- Chronic respiratory diseases
- Dementia
- Mental ill health
- Musculoskeletal disorders.
It is particularly interested in hearing from people with lived experience.
Respond to the call on the government website here.
Study: Information gap for induced labour
A new study has found there is a lack of information in UK maternity units to support choice and help women understand what to expect with induction of labour.
Researchers found such resources are often inadequate or absent.
Experience of induction of labour: a cross-sectional postnatal survey of women at UK maternity units, found people generally do not experience induced labour as benign.
The authors say there is urgent need for research to help target induction information more effectively.
Read the full study on the BMJ Open website here.
The results mirror the findings from PIF’s Maternity Decisions survey.
Read the Maternity Decisions report via the PIF website here.
How to reduce medications for people with multiple long-term conditions
The National Institute for Health and Care Research has published a new evidence alert on reducing medications for people with multiple long-term conditions.
The alert highlights the importance of discussing plans to stop a medicine when it is first prescribed and of trust between healthcare professionals and patients.
Read a summary of the original research paper via the NIHR website here.
Study: Group learning method uses the power of co-production
Researchers offering interactive learning through collaborative groups say the approach can help redesign fairer local health services.
The study aimed to support service evaluation focusing on reducing health inequalities.
The authors identify 4 factors that made the approach successful:
- Creating the setting for co-production and pooling knowledge
- Establishing a common purpose, meaning and language for reducing health inequalities
- Making connections and brokering relationships
- Challenging and transforming the role of evaluation.
The training method gives people the tools and confidence to work together across an organisation.
They can then start to reduce health inequalities by co-producing evaluations of their local services and redesigning fairer services.
Read the study from the journal Health Expectations on the Wiley Online Library site here.
NICE approves sensor-based glucose monitoring for children with type 2 diabetes
Children with type 2 diabetes may soon be able to use sensors instead of finger prick tests to monitor their glucose levels.
Doctors and nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can now prescribe one of two types of sensor under updated guidance from PIF Member NICE.
Hundreds of children with type 2 diabetes who currently monitor glucose levels using multiple finger-prick tests each day will qualify for the technology.
NICE reached its decision after hearing children found regular finger-prick testing burdensome, tiring and stressful.
The guidance appears in an update to NICE’s document Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people: diagnosis and management.
Read NICE’s updated guidance here.
Just days left to apply for £50,000 digital inclusion funding in Scotland
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is administering 2 new funds for existing digital inclusion projects.
The funding is open to applications from projects already under way in the field of mental health and housing.
Projects can apply for up to £50,000 and will be supported for 12 months.
Applications for both funds close at noon on 26 May.
Find out more on the SCVO website here.
Pharmaceutical industry reputation falls in new survey
The reputation of the pharma industry in the UK has fallen, according to an annual survey.
Overall, only 44% of patient group respondents rated its reputation as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. In the 2021 survey this figure was 52%.
107 UK patient groups answered the survey between November 2022 and February 2023. It was carried out by consultancy company PatientView.
Areas highlighted as needing improvement include pricing flexibility and reliability of drug supply.
Visit the PatientView website here to find out more.
Climate change and lungs infographic now in 10 languages
The European Lung Foundation (ELF) has produced 9 new translations of an infographic about climate change and people’s lungs.
It describes how climate change can have a significant negative impact on lung health. It also sets out some things people can do to look after their lungs.
The infographic is now available in languages including Catalan, Greek, Portuguese and Russian.
Read more and download the resources from the ELF website here.
State of the workforce survey needs participants
Healthcare improvement organisation Skills for Health is inviting UK healthcare workers to take part in a survey.
The State of the Workforce survey is carried out every other year. It aims to give evidence to healthcare decision-makers as they create new policy for the future workforce.
It also gives healthcare employers evidence for decisions on staffing levels, career development and more.
The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete.
Take part in the Skills for Health survey on the Survey Monkey website here.
Learn: Free leading with kindness course
Compassion in leadership leads to increased staff wellbeing, improved team performance and better outcomes for patients and service users, research indicates.
Building on this idea, PIF member The King’s Fund is offering a free self-guided course, An introduction to leading with kindness and compassion in health and social care.
See more details and sign up on the King’s Fund website here.
Event: Speakers highlight the joys of volunteering
People who volunteer with digital access charity AbilityNet will talk about their experiences at a free webinar.
The lunchtime session is on Tuesday 6 June at 1pm. It is part of Volunteers’ Week 2023, from 1 to 7 June.
Webinar topics include:
- How volunteering can boost your mental health
- How organisational volunteering benefits your organisation, employees and people the volunteering supports
- Best practice for engaging employees with workplace volunteering.
Find out more and register for the webinar on the AbilityNet website here.