New women's health priorities; Social media influence on vaccination; Making It Real website launch

New women's health priorities for 2024

The Health and Social Care Secretary has revealed the top priorities in the Women's Health Strategy 2024.

Priorities developed from more than 100,000 responses to the government's call for evidence include: 

• Better care for menstrual and gynaecological conditions – including improved information and support
• Expanding women’s health hubs
• Tackling disparities and improving support for vulnerable women including victims of sexual abuse and violence
• Bolstering maternity care, before during and after pregnancy
• More research to 'level up the playing field' of women's health

Read more about the Women's Health Strategy 2024 via GOV.UK here.

How does social media influence vaccination?

The BMJ has published a collection on how social media influences vaccination.

The collection brings together original research examining the diverse relationships between social media use and vaccination beliefs and behaviours. 

It was produced in collaboration with the Advancing Health Online Initiative (AHO),.

Further analysis and opinion articles, commissioned by The BMJ, explore the challenges of carrying out research in this field and drawing insights for policy action.

Access the full collection via the BMJ website here.

Making It Real website launches

Think Local Act Personal has launched a new website – Making It Real.

The website highlights a set of co-produced statements describing what good care and support look like.

One of the themes is information and advice. It includes several statements including:

• I can get information and advice that is accurate, up to date and provided in a way that I can understand
• I can get information and advice about my health and how I can be as well as possible – physically, mentally and emotionally

Explore all the themes via the Making It Real website here.

Raising awareness during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

PIF member Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust is highlighting several of its resources as part of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

The annual awareness event is on until Sunday, 28 January.

Resources shared by the charity include guides to contacting MPs and MSPs, resources to share in the workplace and facts about cervical screening.

View all the resources via the Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust website here.

Improving skills to reduce health inequalities 

A review sets out how developing skills in adulthood can improve health and reduce health inequalities.

Published by the Institute of Health Equity, the report sets out what skills programmes need to do to be effective for health equity.

It says programmes need to be accessible to people who:

• Are living in deprivation
• Are experiencing exclusion and discrimination, loneliness and isolation
• Have caring responsibilities
• Have low levels of skills, including English language
• Have poor mental or physical health

Read the full report via the Institute of Health Equity website here.

Addressing ethnic inequity in advance care planning

In this blog, Rekha Vijayshankar, deputy head of quality and clinical governance at PIF member Marie Curie, shares her views on why ethnic inequity exists in advance care planning.

The article discusses what we could do to tackle inequity and help people get the end of life care they want, regardless of their background.

Read the full blog via the Marie Curie website here.

Positive Voices survey report published

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has published results from Positive Voices – a nationally representative survey of patients attending HIV specialist care.

The survey includes patient-reported data on areas including HIV knowledge, diagnoses and treatment and satisfaction with HIV specialist services.

More than 9 in 10 people said their clinic provided enough information and they felt supported to self manage.

However the report did highlight differences in private access to the internet for remote consultations. While more than 7 in 10 had private access most of the time, this was lower for:

• Women
• People of black African ethnicity
• People aged 65 and over

Access the full report via GOV.UK here.

What does 2024 hold for the healthcare system?

In this blog Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of PIF member The King's Fund, looks ahead to a year of challenge and change for health and care.

She looks at upcoming policy, including the planned publication of a major conditions strategy, and increased support for preventative health.

Read the full blog via The King's Fund website here.