Things about emergency care...Quality Watch published a report this week 'Emergency hospital care for children and young people'. This QualityWatch Focus On looks at children and young people’s use of hospitals, with particular reference to emergency admissions during the 10-year period from 2006/07 to 2015/16. They conclude:
" This report has shown that the previously growing pressures on emergency hospital care from
increasing use by children and young people continue but not at the same rate of increase as before. While the small selection of indicators we looked at suggest that emergency hospital care quality has been maintained, of potential concern is the increase in A&E attendances and emergency admissions in the last few years, coupled with worrying trends for specific conditions and age groups.
Hospital emergency care may be appropriate for many children and young people but there are also those who may, with appropriate support, be safely cared for outside an emergency care setting. This report has identified potential areaswhere improvements in care outside the hospital emergency care setting may lead to reductions in A&E attendances and emergency admissions. However, if there are insufficient resources and alternatives to the emergency hospital care setting or other weak links in the system, it may become difficult to reduce hospital emergency care activity and improve quality of care for children and young people."
Things about young people's health...
The Association for Young People’s Health (AYPH) works closely with policymakers, young people, practitioners and researchers to promote awareness about young people’s health needs. In this update 'Young People’s Health - where are we up to?' they set out the latest policy and practice debates, recent data on trends, and recommendations for ‘where next’. Their key messages are:- Many trends in health behaviours and health outcomes for young people are going in a positive direction, but there are also some more worrying indicators.
- We are particularly concerned about the implications of new substance use behaviours; relatively high rates of sexually transmitted infections; the lack of a reduction in obesity; helping young people manage long term conditions and warning signs that mental health problems may be increasing.
- Although it is important to raise the profile of particular health conditions, we argue that we need more effort now on cross-cutting themes in young people’s health
- These themes include the overlap between physical and mental health; promoting young people’s health in existing outcomes frameworks; understanding the role of adverse childhood experiences; promoting youth friendly health services; ensuring the most vulnerable young people have equal access to health services; and maximising the importance of the education setting for health promotion.
Things for us oldies...
You may have seen the media reporting that physical exercise is a promising intervention to prevent or delay cognitive decline in individuals aged 50 years and older...but if you want to read the actual review article you can find it here 'Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis'
Things about sexual abuse...
'Making Noise' film on YouTube puts the focus on children and young people’s voices for positive change after sexual abuse. It is a project produced by The International Centre, University of Bedfordshire, in collaboration with the NSPCC. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner commissioned the original report. Read the full report at https://www.beds.ac.uk/making-noise
Things about sugar...
The NHS is stepping up its campaign against obesity, diabetes and tooth decay by announcing that sugary drinks will be banned in hospital shops beginning from next year unless suppliers voluntarily take action to cut their sales over the next twelve months. WH Smith, Marks & Spencer, Greggs, the SUBWAY(r) brand, Medirest, ISS and the Royal Voluntary Service are the leading suppliers who have pledged to cut sales. Remaining retailers are now being urged to join them. By April 2018 hospitals must make further efforts, including:- 60 per cent of confectionery and sweets stocked do not exceed 250 kcal, rising to 80 per cent of confectionery and sweets in 2018/19.
- 60 per cent of pre-packed sandwiches and other savoury pre-packed meals to contain 400 kcal or less per serving and do not exceed five grams of saturated fat per 100g, moving to 75 per cent in 2018/19.
Things about precision medicine...
Children with Cancer UK, is providing £1.5m funding to advance Precision Medicine in the UK, and make this field of treatment a reality for children and young adults diagnosed with cancer.
Not generally available on the NHS, the ambition is to get Precision Medicine off the ground in the UK so it can be adopted nationally, available for every young cancer patient who would otherwise face less effective, more toxic treatment. This includes:
- Improved treatments for high-risk cancers with extremely poor survival rates
- The reduction of the long-term adverse impact of aggressive treatments
- Better understanding of the causes of cancer in children and young people
- The integration of advanced genetic technologies directly into clinical practice
Precision Medicine is an emerging approach to disease treatment and prevention and takes into account individual variations in genes, environment and lifestyle. Precision therapies target specific changes in individual patients’ tumour DNA, allowing for more effective treatments while reducing toxic side effects. It has huge potential to improve cure rates and reduce the burden of toxicity on young cancer patients through better targeted chemotherapy, introducing advances in immunotherapy and using other evolving technologies.
Things about workplace well-being...There is strong and growing evidence that work and health and wellbeing are closely and strongly linked and need to be addressed together. In June 2014, Public Health England (PHE) published a set of national standards for workplace health for the first time — the Workplace Wellbeing Charter which was developed with the charity Health@Work and Liverpool County Council and was based on their scheme and others from around the country.
This study 'Workplace Wellbeing CharterAnalysis of take-up and impact' investigates the take-up and impact of the WWC, maps available data on the number of organisations accredited with the Charter across England and provides insights into a diverse range of organisations that have invested in the well-being of staff in their workplaces.
Things about reading & refreshments...
The first meeting of our Reading Group will take place on Wednesday 3 May at 17:15 in the library for any SCH staff or parents of long-term patients - at this first meeting we will be choosing the books that we will be reading as we meet the first Wednesday of every month. Come along or contact us for further details.Things to make...
Kate's choice this week 'Rhubarb & custard cake' which sounds easy and delicious.
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