Things in the library 17 July

Things about allergies 

Since December 2014, takeaways have had to join other types of food business in providing accurate information on the allergens in their food, but many are still failing to do so. Recently RSPH  found that " In a mystery dining investigation, we found that over two thirds (70%) of takeaways [sample 65] appeared to be flouting the law by not providing information in the right way. Over half (54%) did not know whether one of the major allergens was in their food. Worryingly, four in five (80%) did not appear to have system in place to ensure the information they are providing is accurate and verifiable, with nine in ten unable to evidence this when requested. Takeaways mainly serving fried chicken performed the worst: none of the outlets appeared to have a record of major allergens in their dishes or a notice to tell customer where to get information and four in five (80%) could not tell us whether one of the major allergens was in a meal."

Things about depression in children & young people 

North West Medicines Information Centre have produced a summary on the prescribing guidelines from NICE in their NICE Bites series

Things on staffing levels
A new overarching regulator will work with the chief nursing officer on safe staffing guidance, with their recommendations vetted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Jeremy Hunt has announced.In a major speech on the future of the NHS, the health secretary said this morning that there could be “no compromise” on safe staffing. His comments come in the wake of the controversial decision by NHS England to halt NICE’s own programme of safe staffing guidance, which was recommended by the Francis report, and produce its own instead under the stewardship of CNO for England Jane Cummings.

Things about activity
Impact of physical activity and diet on health can be found here. It's main conclusions are that "For too long, physical activity has been seen merely in the light of its benefits in tackling obesity. However, there is compelling evidence that physical activity in its own right has huge health benefits totally independent of a person’s weight – in fact research recently published suggested that increasing physical activity levels could have greater impact on reducing mortality than reducing weight." ...."We recommend that the Government, Public Health England and health professionals, in particular GPs, to take urgent action to communicate this crucial message to the public."

Things about food 
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) was asked by the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency to examine the latest evidence on the links between consumption of carbohydrates, sugars, starch and fibre and a range of health outcomes. In their report they find that:

• High levels of sugar consumption are associated with a greater risk of tooth decay.
• The higher the proportion of sugar in the diet, the greater the risk of high energy intake.
• Drinking high-sugar beverages results in weight gain and increases in BMI in teenagers and children.
• Consuming too many high-sugar beverages increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In light of these findings, SACN recommends that:

• Free sugars should account for no more than 5% daily dietary energy intake.The term free sugars is adopted, replacing the terms Non Milk Extrinsic Sugars (NMES) and added sugars. Free sugars are those added to food or those naturally present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices, but exclude lactose in milk and milk products.
• The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g. fizzy drinks, soft drinks and squash) should be minimised by both children and adults.

The 'Food for thought' report from the BMA sets out the measures needed to help promote healthier diets among children and young people. In the UK, the traditional public health challenges of undernutrition and unsafe food and water have been largely replaced by the risks of poor diet.

"We should not tolerate that the next generation is growing up with the normality of regularly consuming processed and fast-food, or that there are children who have no concept of where their food comes from. Central to this is creating an environment where it is normal, easy and enjoyable for children and young people to eat healthily."

Things about Quality Improvement
Just published by Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) is A guide to quality improvement methods . The aspects that make up the definition of 'Quality' can be seen in this diagram from the report.
Illingworth Library is regularly asked by clinicians to conduct literature searches for the best possible evidence to support all aspects of quality, if you want help from us please contact us.
You might also want to apply to be a Microsystems coach for the trust to help teams in the Trust meet their potential? Contact Jude Stone for that.

Things Spanish

Cordoba (c) Gill Kaye 2015

Following on from my recent holiday in Spain (temp 44C in Cordoba and the Spanish TV were interviewing the locals to see how they were coping..so not much hope for a pale northerner!) I thought I had better choose a tapas dish for this week's recipe - this Patatas Bravas was a favourite