Preventing obesity and helping people to manage their weight

This briefing summarises NICEs recommendations for local authorities and partner organisations on preventing people becoming overweight and obese and helping them to manage their weight. It is particularly relevant to health and wellbeing boards.Adults with a body mass index or BMI weight in kg/height in m2 of over 30 are classified as obese and those with a BMI of 25–29.9 are classified as overweight. See Public Health Englands Measuring and interpreting BMI in children to determine when children are overweight or obese.

via Preventing obesity and helping people to manage their weight… PHB9.

NICE to develop public health standards

NICE will develop quality standards to hold the NHS to account for its public health activity for the first time, with the first to look at tobacco, harmful use of alcohol and obesity, the Government has announced.

http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/news/FirstSetNICEPublicHealthQualitStandardsRevealed.jsp

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/commissioning/commissioning-topics/ccgs/nice-to-develop-public-health-standards/20002958.article

Information Consultancy: The Health Needs of 3 Emerging Communities in Bolton (May 2013 update)

This is an update to an information consultancy originally produced in August 2011. It is recommended you read both. To view August 2011 consultancy – please click here

Health Needs of 3 Emerging Communities May 2013 Update

An evidence summary produced by Bolton’s Health Matters. Please click on the link to view. This is an original piece of work. Please contact the library if you wish to re-use in any format.

This piece of work was produced by

Boltons Health Matters Presents: Care Homes Infection Control & Reducing re-admission to Hospital – A Scoping Snapshot

Boltons Health Matters Presents Care Homes Infection Control & Reducing re-admission to Hospital –A Scoping Snapshot

An evidence summary produced by NHS Bolton Library. Please click on the link to view. This is an original piece of work. Please contact the library if you wish to re-use in any format.

Produced by Amy Faye Finnegan and Michael Cook

Government response to the Health Select Committee report on the future of NICE

In its response to the Health Select Committee’s report on the future role of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the government has confirmed NICE will:

• have a crucial role in the future value-based pricing arrangements for branded medicines.
• build on its current drug evaluation processes by giving it broader scope to assess a medicine’s benefits and costs. The aim is to make sure that the price the NHS pays for new medicines is more closely linked to their value to NHS patients and society.

via Government response to the Health Select Committee report on the future of NICE | Department of Health.

Why are clinical commissioning groups dominated by men?

Too few women are on CCG boards – meaning they don’t properly represent the workforce or the local population

via Why are clinical commissioning groups dominated by men? | Healthcare Professionals Network | Guardian Professional.

NICE to assess value of medicines from 2014

NICE will take responsibility for assessing the full value of medicines when new pricing arrangements are introduced in 2014 the Government announced today.

via NICE to assess value of medicines from 2014 | Media Centre.

DH on course for biggest underspend this parliament | News | Health Service Journal

The Department of Health is this year on course for its biggest annual underspend in the current parliament – with none of the unused budget due to be carried over for future use, today’s Budget revealed.

via DH on course for biggest underspend this parliament | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Volunteering in health and care Securing a sustainable future

A report has been published that considers the role and value of volunteers in health and social care. It looks at the important part that volunteers play in improving patient experience, addressing health inequalities, and building a closer relationship between services and communities. It also outlines the changing nature of volunteering, why this can cause tensions, and why volunteering does not always reach its full potential. Examples of good practice in the NHS and voluntary sector illustrate how these barriers can be overcome.

via Management Newsfeed.

This was originally shared by the hardworking staff at East Midlands SHA

A person-centred approach is vital in the care of hypertension, says NICE in new quality standard

NICE has today (20 March) published a new quality standard for the management of hypertension (high blood pressure) in adults, advocating that a person-centred approach is fundamental in delivering high-quality care to adults with the condition.

NICE quality standards describe high-priority areas for quality improvement in a defined care or service area. They are derived either from NICE guidance or NICE accredited sources, and apply throughout the NHS in England.

The new quality standard on hypertension consists of a prioritised set of specific, concise and measurable statements that, when delivered collectively, should contribute to improving the effectiveness, quality, safety and experience of care for people with the condition.

The quality standard contains six statements. These include:

• People with suspected hypertension are offered ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)ito confirm a diagnosis of hypertension.
• People with newly diagnosed hypertension receive investigations for target organ damage within 1 month of diagnosis.
• People with newly diagnosed hypertension and a 10-year cardiovascular disease risk of 20% or higher are offered statin therapy.

via A person-centred approach is vital in the care of hypertension, says NICE in new quality standard.

Weakest CSUs given three months to improve | Health Service Journal

Struggling commissioning support units are to be given just three months to improve their business practices or face intervention by the NHS Commissioning Board, HSJ has been told.

via Exclusive: Weakest CSUs given three months to improve | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Brief oral health promotion intervention among parents of young children to reduce early childhood caries

BMC Public Health | Abstract | Brief oral health promotion intervention among parents of young children to reduce early childhood caries.
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Severe untreated decay affects a child’s growth, body weight, quality of life as well as cognitive development, and the effects extend beyond the child to the family, the community and the health care system. Early health behavioural factors, including dietary practices and eating patterns, can play a major role in the initiation and development of oral diseases, particularly dental caries. The parent/caregiver, usually the mother, has a critical role in the adoption of protective health care behaviours and parental feeding practices strongly influence children’s eating behaviours. This study will test if an early oral health promotion intervention through the use of brief motivational interviewing (MI) and anticipatory guidance (AG) approaches can reduce the incidence of early childhood dental decay and obesity.

New national clinical directors are appointed to drive clinically led NHS | BMJ

The medical director of England’s NHS Commissioning Board, Bruce Keogh, has announced the names of 22 doctors who have been appointed as national clinical directors to give expert advice on specialist areas of care in the NHS

via New national clinical directors are appointed to drive clinically led NHS | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

People with learning disabilities are more likely to die prematurely, inquiry finds | BMJ

People with learning disabilities are dying on average 16 years earlier than people in the general population in England because the NHS is failing to treat them adequately, an inquiry has found.

via People with learning disabilities are more likely to die prematurely, inquiry finds | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Commissioners must start redesigning services to ensure real savings, MPs say | BMJ

A reliance on reductions in hospitals’ price tariffs to drive NHS efficiency savings is offering commissioners a “cop-out” from redesigning services and will not improve the effectiveness and quality of NHS healthcare, MPs have warned.

via Commissioners must start redesigning services to ensure real savings, MPs say | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

MPs accuse government of “dreadful” return on public money spent on new consultants’ contract | BMJ

Consultants have received significant pay rises since their contracts were renegotiated but are being far less productive, MPs have claimed.

via MPs accuse government of “dreadful” return on public money spent on new consultants’ contract | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Be Clear on Cancer: plans for 2013/14

Provisional plans for 2013/14 for campaigns to promote earlier diagnosis of cancer have been announced alongside an update on main evaluation results from some of the campaigns to date.

via Be Clear on Cancer: plans for 2013/14 | Department of Health.

Young adult women smokers’ response to using plain cigarette packaging: a naturalistic approach — Moodie and Mackintosh 3 (3) — BMJ Open

Young adult women smokers’ response to using plain cigarette packaging: a naturalistic approach — Moodie and Mackintosh 3 (3) — BMJ Open.
Abstract
Objectives To explore young adult women smokers’ cognitive and emotional response to using dark brown ‘plain’ cigarette packs in natural settings and whether plain packaging is associated with any short-term change in smoking behaviour.

Health professions pledge action against socioeconomic factors responsible for health inequalities | BMJ

The medical royal colleges and other bodies representing health professionals have pledged to do more to tackle health inequalities through direct action on the social determinants of health.

via Health professions pledge action against socioeconomic factors responsible for health inequalities | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Doctors and politicians call for tighter rules on commissioners’ conflicts of interest, after BMJ investigation | BMJ

The UK Labour party has called for new rules to bar GPs from taking part in any commissioning decision in which they could be perceived to have a financial interest, in response to the BMJ investigation last week,1 which found widespread conflicts in new clinical commissioning groups.

via Doctors and politicians call for tighter rules on commissioners’ conflicts of interest, after BMJ investigation | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

BMA campaign reports how NHS changes are affecting frontline services | BMJ

The BMA has launched a new campaign to capture how the changes in the NHS in England are affecting doctors and patients.

via BMA campaign reports how NHS changes are affecting frontline services | BMJ.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Guidance on commissioning sexual health services published | Department of Health

‘Commissioning Sexual Health Services and Interventions: Best Practice Guidance for Local Authorities’ is designed to help local authorities to commission high quality sexual health services for their local area.

It includes:

• guidance on the legal requirements to provide comprehensive, open access sexual health services for contraception and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
• best practice, and references to a number of other resources which local authorities may find useful

 

From 1 April 2013, local authorities will be responsible for commissioning most sexual health interventions and services as part of their wider public health responsibilities, with costs met from their allocated public health grant.

via Guidance on commissioning sexual health services published | Department of Health.

Guidance on commissioning weight management services published | Department of Health

This document provides best practice guidance to help improve the commissioning of weight management services in local areas. It is aimed at local authorities, in particular Directors of Public Health, and commissioners of weight management services.

The document includes:

• explanatory notes for developing a specification for tier 2 lifestyle weight management services
• two best practice example service specifications, one for adults and one for children
• information on outcomes that a commissioner should expect from a tier 2 service

The use of the specification is not mandated. However, the use of the specifications will assist commissioners to think through the main issues at the start of the procurement process.

via Guidance on commissioning weight management services published | Department of Health.

The King’s Fund response to the Health Select Committee’s report on public expenditure on health and social care services | The King’s Fund

Responding to the publication of the Health Select Committee’s report on public expenditure on health and social care services, John Appleby, Chief Economist at The King’s Fund said:

‘Today’s report from the Health Select Committee hits the nail on the head by calling for fundamental change in health and social care.

via The King’s Fund response to the Health Select Committee’s report on public expenditure on health and social care services | The King’s Fund.

Jeremy Hunt accused of ‘grossly unfair’ allocation of public health funding | The Guardian

London’s wealthy boroughs have been given more money than poorer areas to tackle smoking and obesity

via Jeremy Hunt accused of ‘grossly unfair’ allocation of public health funding | Society | The Guardian.

BBC News – NHS whistleblower Gary Walker ‘faced bullying culture’

The former boss of a hospital which is being investigated over high death rates has told MPs there was a culture of “sheer bullying” in the NHS

via BBC News – NHS whistleblower Gary Walker ‘faced bullying culture’.

BBC News – Care costs cap ‘will cause disputes’

Introducing a cap on elderly care costs could leave councils open to a “deluge of disputes and legal challenges”, MPs and peers are warning.

via BBC News – Care costs cap ‘will cause disputes’.

MPs call for abolition of ‘inflexible’ NHS spending restraints | Health Service Journal

An influential committee of MPs has called for “unnecessarily inflexible” restrictions on NHS spending to be “abolished”, to allow providers to invest their accumulated reserves in reforming services.

via MPs call for abolition of ‘inflexible’ NHS spending restraints | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Evaluation of the Healthy LifeCheck programme: a vascular risk assessment service for community pharmacies in Leicester city, UK

Evaluation of the Healthy LifeCheck programme: a vascular risk assessment service for community pharmacies in Leicester city, UK.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Abstract

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. Vascular risk assessment is recognized as playing a key role in reducing premature CVD-related morbidity and mortality. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a pharmacy-led risk assessment service in Leicester City, UK.

Growing up before growing out: secular trends in height, weight and obesity in 5–6-year-old children born between 1970 and 2006

Growing up before growing out: secular trends in height, weight and obesity in 5–6-year-old children born between 1970 and 2006 — Smith et al. 98 (4): 269 — Archives of Disease in Childhood.

An NHS Athens account may be required to view this article in full. 

Abstract

Background This was a whole-population study of height, weight and obesity prevalence in 5–6-year-old children born between 1970 and 2006 in the Grampian region, north east Scotland.

Methods Heights and weights collected as part of routine primary school medical entry were obtained from different sources. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI)≥98th centile.