Things in the library 22 Jan...

 Things about pets... 

The Government COVID-19  advice to those with animals has been updated, it contains advice  for pet owners and livestock keepers on looking after the welfare of animals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This advice applies to England only.

Things about family group conferences...

Family group conferences (FGCs) have been around in the UK since their introduction by Family Rights Group (FRG) and others in 1992 and they have been increasingly used in recent years for family-led planning in children and families’ social care. 

Covid restrictions have meant that many FGC services have either had to stop working or significantly alter their practice. Many FGC staff have simply been redeployed, often as social workers or family support workers, in order to support these increasingly stretched services at a time when many workers were shielding and unable to work.

This blog post from from CommunityCare discusses the lessons that can be learnt, the challenges and benefits from conducting virtual FGCs during the pandemic and beyond. 

Things about Mental Health Act... 

In 2017 the government asked for an independent review of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), to look at how it’s used and to suggest ways to improve it. The review’s final report said that the MHA does not always work as well as it should for patients, their families and their carers.

The Government are now proposing a wide range of changes to rebalance the MHA, to put patients at the centre of decisions about their own care and ensure everyone is treated equally.

The changes are based on 4 principles that have been developed with people with lived experience of the MHA. They are:

• choice and autonomy – ensuring service users’ views and choices are respected
• least restriction – ensuring the MHA’s powers are used in the least restrictive way
• therapeutic benefit – ensuring patients are supported to get better, so they can be discharged from the MHA
• the person as an individual – ensuring patients are viewed and treated as individuals

They want your views on changes to the Mental Health Act to help put patients at the centre of decisions about their own care. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 21 April 2021. More information and the link to respond can be found here.

Things about e-books... 

We have recently added 100 extra e-books to our library catalogue which were made available to us via HEE North. As with our other e-book collections authentication for these is via your NHSOpenAthens account. The recently added books cover a wide range of health topics (not just paediatrics) and are aimed at a variety of NHS staff. To see all the e-books to which you have access with an Athens account check this search link. We are still processing some of the new books so if you come across any access problems please let me know.

Things to remember to do...

We already have nearly 70 SCH staff signed up to our next randomised Coffee Trial - many of whom are regular attendees. It would be lovely to get to 100 participants, remember it is a virtual meeting for most people this time. Closing date 5th Feb sign up here.

Things about snowdrops... 

The first ones are appearing in my garden and show that spring is on its way. The snowdrop is a familiar spring flower, coming into bloom in January and flowering until March. Despite its long history in the UK, however, it may not actually be native here; it is a native of damp woods and meadows on the continent, but was not recorded as growing wild in the UK until the late 18th century.

According to the Wildlife Trust, in Yorkshire, it was customary for village maidens to gather bunches of Snowdrops and wear them as a symbol of their purity on February 2nd, which was Candlemas. The Wildlife Trust also have some suggestions of things to do during lockdown including activity sheets for children (and others). 

Things to make...

Keeping with the snowy theme what about trying these Snow-capped fairy cakes