Things in the library 14 May...

 Things for free... 

As a thank you to NHS workers: the chance to win a free paperback of Richard Osman's 'The Thursday Murder Club'. To celebrate the paperback publication of 'The Thursday Murder Club' and all the extraordinary work done by members of the NHS throughout the pandemic, Penguin are giving away 1000 books to NHS workers, sign-up to be entered in a draw.

Things for Mental Health Awareness week... 

Local artist, Hannah Flynn, and a small group of volunteers from NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group are the creative minds behind a new Sheffield Wellbeing colouring book that is also a guide to mental health services in the city. It’s been produced in partnership with Sheffield CCG, mental health charity, Sheffield Flourish and local people who use their services.

The aim of the guide is to close the digital divide which means that many people are missing out on the support they need because they do not have access to the internet. It has tips on improving emotional wellbeing and details of over 300 primarily Sheffield based mental health resources, plus some regional and national support organisations.

Each page has information on the left hand page and on the right hand page is a themed colouring page of Sheffield landmarks. Research has shown that colouring can reduce people’s stress and anxiety.

Copies of the guide will be available from local voluntary and community organisations across the city. To find out the nearest place to collect a free copy call Sheffield Flourish on 0114 273 7009.

The online mental health guide can be found at www.sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk

Things in the library... 

Don't forget that, although we don't have any copies of the above book, we do have colouring sheets and pens for use in the library if you need some time-out.

Things about COVID & Obesity... 

WHO reports that COVID-19 is likely to negatively impact childhood obesity levels in the WHO European Region. School closures and lockdowns can impact access to school meals and physical activity times for children, widening inequalities. Childhood obesity prevention strategies should therefore remain a priority during the pandemic. 

The latest European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) data comes from 36 countries that participated in the survey during the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 school years, measuring around 250 000 primary school-aged children. The COSI report holds the most comprehensive data for boys and girls on overweight, physical activity and dietary patterns.

Overall, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 29% in boys and 27% in girls aged 6 to 9 years; the prevalence of obesity was 13% in boys and 9% in girls. These figures hide wide variations between countries.

The highest proportions of childhood overweight and obesity were observed in Mediterranean countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain, where over 40% of boys and girls were overweight, and 19% to 24% of boys and 14% to 19% of girls were obese.

The lowest proportions of childhood overweight/obesity were observed in central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, where 5% to 12% of boys and girls were overweight and less than 5% were obese.

Things about attachment... 

NSPCC Learning has published new content on understanding attachment in children. The content looks at: why attachment is important; how children develop attachment; attachment and behaviours to look out for; how trauma can affect attachment; and ways to support parents and carers to develop a bond with their child

Things about Asthma... 

This integrative review in Journal of Pediatric Nursing looks at yoga & mindfulness in relation to asthma in children and adolescents. Despite the availability of treatments and educational methods, children with asthma continue to report an impaired quality of life, including symptoms of anxiety and inability to participate in physical activity. As complementary health approaches are becoming more popular and show promise in the management of many chronic diseases, the purpose of this integrative review is to examine the state of the science regarding popular complementary health approaches- yoga and mindfulness- for children and adolescents with asthma.

Things about nettles... 

Apparently today is the start of  'Be Nice to Nettles Week'... 

Image by Hans Braxmeier 
from Pixabay 

The stinging nettle is one of the most important native plants for wildlife in the UK. The nettle supports over 40 species of insect including some of our most colourful butterflies. The sting of the nettle prevents it being grazed by most animals so providing a safe place for insects. The stinging structure of the nettle is very similar to the hypodermic needle although it predates that man-made invention by millions of years! Each sting is actually a hollow hair stiffened by silica with a swollen base that contains the venom. The tip of this hair is very brittle and when brushed against, no matter how lightly, it breaks off exposing a sharp point that penetrates the skin and delivers its stinging payload. 

If cooking with nettles they are best when very tender, so pick them in the spring when the nettles are just coming up or later in the season when they’re growing well, but before they are flowering. Use rubber gloves or pinch the leaves hard, so you don’t get stung. Pick the young leaves from the tips.

Lay the nettles out on a tray to wilt or wash them in hot water. Once wilted they can no longer sting you. The sting relies on erect hairs to penetrate the skin and inject the stinging formic acid. When wilted strip the leaves off the tough stems.Always cook nettles to destroy the stinging acid. 

Nettles are not suitable for salads!

Things about foraging... 

If you are out and about this weekend why not try foraging for some nettles or wild garlic (which smells wonderful when you bring it home).

Remember the foraging code

• the first rule of foraging is simple. Never eat anything poisonous! if you are not certain what it is don't eat it. Guide to nettles    Guide to wild garlic 
• take only what you want for personal consumption and pick with respect. Respect the trees, plants and mushrooms, the surrounding environment, wildlife that may have a dependence on with what you are taking, other people and their property.
• stay away from all Sites of Special Scientific Interest

So then you can make... 

There are many recipes for nettle soup but also other things you could try such as risotto and even nettle crisps or perhaps a wild garlic and cheddar tart .

Things in the library 12th April...

Things to help you organise...
If you have followed this blog for some time you will know I am a great fan of Evernote. It's an organising and productivity tool - you can keep everything you need to remember in one place including handwritten notes, photos of receipts and documents....and much more. They have just released Evernote for Gmail or Outlook which lets you take what matters out of your inbox and into a distraction-free workspace where you can curate your content, add context, and stay focused. Whilst I am not suggesting you do this for NHS business you might find it very useful for organising the rest of your life.

Things about rare diseases...

The measurement of quality of life in the context of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is challenging. This is because the disease is experienced by children and is rare, which makes data collection difficult. There are also practical and methodological challenges associated with capturing quality of life in paediatric populations. For children, it may be necessary to use proxy reporting (with a parent, for example). It can also be difficult to disentangle changes in quality of
life that arise as a result of age-related or  developmental changes, rather than because of a disease or its treatment.This briefing from the Office of Health Economics reports on a symposium that outlined some lessons that can be learnt from the SMA context that might be more widely applicable to other rare diseases.

Things about measles...

Sheffield City Council are promoting MMR vaccinations. In 2018, there were over 900 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in England. They want to make sure that all pre-school children are protected from Measles, Mumps and Rubella and are fully vaccinated before they start school this September. They are urging parents and guardians of all pre-school children to check with their GP that they are fully up to date with the 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

Things about inhalers...

A new patient decision aid highlights that some inhalers have a much higher carbon footprint than others. The aid will help people with asthma, alongside health professionals, to identify which inhalers could meet their needs and control their symptoms. Where several inhalers could be viable options, patients can opt for the more environmentally friendly option, which may help to cut the health service’s carbon footprint. The new aid, partially funded by the Sustainable Development Unit, also says that all used inhalers should be returned to local pharmacies for environmentally safe disposal or recycling. The aid includes links to a new series of short videos created by Asthma UK, which give simple demonstrations of correct inhaler technique, potentially improving their effectiveness and preventing future exacerbations and attacks.

Things about opening hours...
There are some changes over Easter to our library opening hours. We will be closing at 5pm on Thursday 18th April and closed completely on the Bank Holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday). We will also be closed at 5pm for the rest of Easter Week (23-26 April)

Last chance things...
Last chance to sign up for the next SCH Randomised Coffee Trial - matching will be happening next week with meetings in May...join the buzz!




Things to make...
For Easter Sunday it has to be roast lamb in our household - this Slow roast leg of lamb with herb rub sounds lovely.


Happy Easter!

Things in the library 1st Feb

Things that are not ok...

As part of their 'It's Not OK' program, which helps children and young people recognise concerning behaviour and identify characteristics of positive relationships, NSPCC Learning have created lesson plans, films and accompanying activities cover what behaviour to look out for and how to respond to it. It's Not OK reinforces the importance of building and maintaining positive relationships and recognising and responding to behaviour relating to:

• online safety
• grooming
• sexting
• harmful sexual behaviour
• child sexual abuse
• child sexual exploitation

Things that have had a spring clean...

Well I did spend the whole day yesterday with my head inside my mother-in-laws kitchen cupboards...but before that I asked our Library Management Software company to give our library catalogue a bit of a make over as it was looking tired. I am very pleased with the results and it now matches more closely the SCH Trust website. If you have a library PIN (ask if you don't) then you can do so much more here - you can write book reviews or rate books, keep a track of items you borrowed previously, reserve or request books and create your own reading lists and of course you can renew your books before they go overdue!  What do you think?

Things about asthma...

Millennials in the UK are more likely to be at high risk of having an asthma attack and the least likely to get life-saving basic asthma care than any other age group, according to a new report by Asthma UK. They surveyed more than 10,000 people with asthma and reveal that:

• Two thirds (67%) of millennials, those aged 18-29, are not getting basic asthma care, higher than any other age group
• Millennials are more likely to have uncontrolled asthma, putting them at a higher risk of an asthma attack
• They are twice as likely to need emergency care compared to those over 60 years old
• The National Review of Asthma Deaths found two thirds of asthma deaths would have been prevented if people had had basic asthma care

Basic care includes, among other things, a written asthma action plan, a yearly review with your doctor, and an inhaler check.

Things musical...

Not me actually ...though I am looking forward to taking my recently spring cleaned mother-in-law to a performance of Sibelius’s Finlandia,  by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by Mozart’s third concerto for violin and Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending. This is part of Sheffield Classical Weekend 2019 in March. there are many events and workshops to attend and weekend passes are available (many events free for under 18s). The festival has three themes:

• Women in music - Celebrating International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March
• Future Makers  - Celebrating talented young musicians in our city
• Beyond Borders - Celebrating the fusion of classical music with other art forms and different world cultures

Things to keep you warm...

A nice warming bowl of soup and some chunks of bread...what could be better for a snowy weekend? I made this Curried lentil, parsnip & apple soup in half an hour this week and it was lovely - thick and warming.

Things in the library 24 Nov...

Things about IBD...

Family history is the strongest risk factor for developing Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). This research investigated whether the proximity of relationship with the affected relative and concordance for type of IBD modifies the effect of family history on phenotype and disease severity. They concluded that a family history of CD in 1st degree relatives was associated with complicated CD. Family history discordant for type of IBD or in distant relatives did not influence disease phenotype or natural history.

Things about asthma...
It is well established that the healthy bronchial tree contains a microbiome distinct from that of the upper respiratory tract and that the lung microbiome may be dysregulated in individuals with a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma. In addition, after birth, gut microbes interact with the host tissue, especially with the lymphatic tissue, thereby guaranteeing efficient immune activation. This review focuses on the available literature on the relationships between the gut microbiome, immune function and asthma in childhood, as well as the therapeutic strategies aimed at acting on the modulation of the microbiome. This article is in Immunotherapy journal which isn't one easily available to you as part of your NHS Open Athens resources however we can get most resources for you from other libraries or the British Library - just ask us or fill in a request form.

Things about fat intake in children...
Elevated cholesterol has been linked to cardiovascular disease in adults and preclinical markers of atherosclerosis in children, thus reducing saturated (SFA) and trans-fatty acids (TFA) intake from an early age may help to reduce cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. The aim of this review 'Health effects of saturated and trans-fatty acid intake in children and adolescents: Systematic review and meta-analysis' is to examine the evidence for health effects associated with reducing SFA and TFA intake in free-living children, adolescents and young adults between 2 to 19 years of age. The conclusion is that advice to reduce saturated fatty acids intake of children results in a significant reduction in total and LDL-cholesterol levels as well as diastolic blood pressure without evidence of adverse effects on growth and development. Dietary guidelines for children and adolescents should continue to recommend diets low in saturated fat.

Things about keeping up-to-date...
Through our blog and our weekly bulletin to all SCH staff on a Monday we try to draw your attention to new developments and reports. However for more subject specific information do try out our e-prompt service which will inform you of new publications in your areas of interest. Please remember that articles to which you are alerted are not automatically available to you full text but anything you want to read in more detail you can request from us (as above). Watch out in the New Year for a new service we will be offering.

Things to visit...
I am off to the Christmas market at Wakefield's Hepworth Gallery this weekend which I am told is very good. I love the gallery itself so I am hoping to buy lots of Christmas presents too. Rather tempted by the sound of Rhubarb Gin!


Things to eat...
Did you know this weekend is 'Stir-up Sunday'?  Traditionally this is the day to make your Christmas puddings and mincemeat as it is the last Sunday before Advent - the Christian count-down to Christmas. Everyone in the family takes a turn to stir the pudding mix and each person involved makes a special wish for the year ahead. This can also be the point to add 'silver' coins as it is believed that finding a coin brings good luck. Although we always added coins just before bringing the pudding to the table to make sure that the children were able to find (and not choke) on them! You may not want to make a pudding but mincemeat is very easy for children to make and perhaps give as gifts.

Things in the library 3rd Nov...

Things to attend...
The next journal club for SCH staff will be on Thurs 9th Nov 8am - 9am. The paper presented will be 'Effectiveness of β-Lactam Monotherapy vs Macrolide Combination Therapy for Children Hospitalized With Pneumonia'. Come along and ask us if you want to read the paper in advance.

Things about diabetes and infections...
People with diabetes mellitus (DM) have increased infection risk. The healthcare utilization of pediatric and adolescent diabetic patients with infection is not well defined. This study evaluates the number of pediatric and adolescent patients with DM that seek medical treatment for infection management and assesses its socioeconomic impact. It concludes that children and adolescents with type 1 and type 2 DM commonly present to the ED and require hospitalization for infection evaluation and management. Encounters with infection make up a large proportion of a growing economic burden on the United States’healthcare system. As the prevalence of DM grows, this burden can be expected to become even more significant. Cost-effective strategies for the prevention of infection in pediatric patients with DM are needed.

Things about consent...
Informed consent for pediatric anesthesia is unique because it is obtained from surrogates (ie, parents) rather than from the patient and sought after parents have authorized the surgical intervention. There is limited data on how pediatric anesthesia informed and consent discussions are conducted. The purpose of this study was to characterize the content of preanesthesia informed consent discussions and assess their impact on parent recall and understanding.

Things about breastfeeding and asthma...
The conclusion of this study was that ' In a pediatric population with asthma, children who had been breastfed had a statistically significantly lower risk of asthma exacerbations later in life compared to asthmatic children who had not been breastfed.'

Things about breastfeeding and SIDS...
This study looked at 2267 SIDS cases and 6837 control infants from eight case-control studies. Although the variables collected in each study varied slightly, limiting their ability to include all studies in the analysis and control for all confounders, the conclusion was that breastfeeding duration of at least 2 months was associated with half the risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding does not need to be exclusive to confer this protection.





Things about CQC and mental health...
The report of the first phase of a Government-commissioned review of mental health services for children and young people in England has been officially released (Friday 27 October). The CQC has drawn on existing reports, research and other evidence and its inspections of children and young people’s mental health services, as well as conversations with young people to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. The report confirms many of the issues raised in the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health published in 2016 and in particular, comments on the difficulties children and young people face in accessing appropriate support for their mental health concerns from a system that is fragmented and where services vary in quality. During phase two of the thematic review, CQC will undertake fieldwork to identify what helps local services to achieve, or hinders them from achieving, improvements in the quality of mental health services for children and young people, as set out in the NHS’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.

Things about ME to watch...
The Clinical Academic Society and Sheffield Academic Medicine Society are delighted to be hosting a screening of the multi-award winning documentary UNREST at the University of Sheffield. Time for Unrest is a global impact campaign that seeks to increase awareness, education, research and funding around ME. This condition is generally not taught in undergraduate medical education and can be misunderstood within the medical profession. Unrest gives an insight into how debilitating ME/CFS can be and an opportunity to discuss the condition with a panel of clinicians and those with first hand experience.  Unrest world-premiered January in the documentary competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a Special Jury Prize for editing. It has also recently been submitted as an Oscar consideration.

This event is primarily to educate and is therefore free to medical students, junior doctors, consultants and other medical professionals as well as University staff and students who have an interest. The screening is also open to the public with a small donation to the local charity Sheffield ME Group.
Tickets are available here: Eventbrite

Things about us...

You don't have to access the library to use many of our services but if you want to see what we look like (and our view out on a rather grey day) then look at these amateur (ie shaky) videos on our Google+ site!  You might also like some of our Training Resources to help you with various tasks.




Things about Childline...

NSPCC's Childline service gives children and young people a safe and confidential space to talk, be listened to and get support. In 2016/17 they provided more than 295,000 counselling sessions. Their annual review explores what children and young people are telling Childline during counselling sessions. It looks at who is contacting Childline, why, when and how. It focuses on 3 key areas and it highlights strategies that young people tell Childline they find helpful when coping with challenges.

• anxiety
• suicidal thoughts and feelings
• what children who are d/Deaf, disabled or have a health condition are talking to Childline about.

Things to eat...

This roast veg and chickpea stew from Deliciously Ella sounds nice....although we will be munching on a joint of pork cooked on the bbq accompanied by all the trimmings making the best roast pork sandwiches ever at our big family bonfire party!

Things in the library 2 June

Things being monitored...NHS Performance.

This is the 23rd report by the King's Fund and aims to take stock of what has happened over the past quarter and to assess the state of the health and care system. It provides an update on how the NHS is coping as it continues to grapple with productivity and reform challenges under continued financial pressure. Read the report here.

Ultra tough things
The BBC reports that US scientists have re-engineered a vital antibiotic in a bid to wipe out one of the world's most threatening superbugs. It fights bacteria in three different ways, making it much less likely that the bugs can dodge the attack. It is yet to be tested in animals and people, however. The Scripps Research Institute team hope the drug will be ready for use within five years if it passes more tests.

Hot and cold things..

The BBC reports that Washing hands in cold water 'as good as hot'. US scientists say they have poured cold water on the theory that washing hands with hot water kills more germs than unheated water. The small study of 20 people found using water at 15C (59F) left hands as clean as water heated to 38C (100F). The report, in the Journal of Food Protection, suggests this could help cut electricity bills in restaurants. In the UK, NHS experts say people can use cold or hot water to wash their hands. They say hands should be washed for at least 20 seconds and stress the importance of using enough soap to cover the whole surface of the hands. Their guidance focuses on rubbing hands together in various ways to make sure each surface of each hand is clean. 

Things about emergency asthma care

Joined-up solutions are needed to provide asthma care faster as EDs struggle to meet standards, according to a new audit by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. The report published 26 May audited 14,043 children and adults with moderate and acute severe asthma presenting to 201 Emergency Departments (ED).  It shows that many EDs are finding it challenging to adhere to the time standards set by the British Thoracic Society and RCEM. It is thought that this, in part, reflects the increasing demands on EDs with higher volumes of patients with increasingly complex health needs.

Stylish things...

Style Sheffield is here! As part of Sheffield BID’s Alive After Five campaign, city centre businesses are hosting a series of stylish events from the 1st to the 8th June. Join independent boutiques and your favourite high-street brands for a week of VIP shopping,demonstrations and fashion shows. Don't worry, there are still a few tickets left so don't miss out, check out the programme of bookable, free events being held 1 - 8 June. There's a few fringe activities as well. View the programme here.

Marinated things..

This smoky roasted veg, marinated feta and lime dish looks great for summer evening meal.

Things in the library 24 Feb...

Things for sale...
We have a new selection of books we are selling (old editions) now available in the library. Please email for a copy of the list ...but first come,first served and we can't keep things for you unless you are registered with the library.



Things about children with complex needs...
The Council for Disabled Children and The True Colours Trust have published Understanding the needs of disabled children with complex needs or life-limiting conditions: what we can learn from national data? This paper shares the findings of a data analysis carried out between August and October 2016. The main aim of the project was to explore what national data reported by health, education and social services show about disabled children and young people with complex needs or life-limiting conditions. The figures estimate that numbers have increased dramatically by over 50% since 2004, from 49,300 to 73,000 children and young people.

Things to comment on...
NICE is producing new guidelines to help people who work with children spot and stop abuse or neglect. It outlines how social workers, teachers and police officers, along with others working outside healthcare, can spot the signs of abuse or neglect and how they should act faced with a range of differing circumstances.The guidelines includes physical, mental and sexual abuse as well as newly recognised forms of abuse such as female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual exploitation, child trafficking and forced marriage.It outlines soft signs that in themselves do not indicate abuse but warrant further consideration and harder warning signs that professionals should investigate. The draft is available for public comment in a consultation.

Things about hygiene...
NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – has published final guidance recommending all children and young people, from pre-school to university age, be taught the importance of hand washing and managing some common infections themselves. These recommendations aim to educate the general public in how they can contribute in the battle against antimicrobial resistance.




Things that are smart...
Asthma UK recently published a report 'Smart asthma: Real-world implementation of connected devices in the UK to reduce asthma attacks' The report sets out the opportunities and possible pitfalls as we digitise asthma. They have consulted industry, expert clinicians, eminent academics and policy specialists in the course of developing this report. They state that "to make new technology stick it must help healthcare system efficiency and allow providers to make a fair profit. However, our overriding and unapologetic duty is driving improvement for the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma, and the families who have lost a loved one as a result of a failure in asthma care. It is for these people’s sake that the recommendations in this report should be seriously debated and considered, and the future implementation of digital asthma care taken up at the highest levels of the NHS."

Things about the long-term future of NHS...
The Centre for Policy Studies issued a report this week authored by Maurice Saatchi entitled 'An NHS Royal Commission From fighting fires to lasting settlement'. They conclude:
"Whatever the view, however, a Royal Commission on the long-term future of the NHS would offer signifi cant benefits, not least because of the huge looming challenges, such as the ageing population, the increasing prevalence of long-term conditions and the inflationary pressures of medical innovation. Only a Royal Commission can secure the bipartisan support needed to establish the lasting reforms required to ensure the world-class 21st Century health system that we all want to see."

Things to flip...
Yes...pancake day or 'Shrove Tuesday' is next week on Feb 28th. Christians traditionally used up food that couldn't be eaten during Lent, which was a time for fasting and penance, by making pancakes. If you want an easy recipe to follow here is one from Mary Berry. I should point out one error though as the article includes the phrase "any uneaten pancakes " ...not something I have personally ever experienced in our house!

Things artistic...
In some areas of the world this weekend will also see carnival parades and celebrations which, when we lived in the Netherlands, were a great fun time indicating that spring was on its way. This painting 'The Fight Between Carnival and Lent'  by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1559) depicts the contrast between two sides of contemporary life, as can be seen by the appearance of the inn on the left side - for enjoyment, and the church on the right side - for religious observance. The busy scene depicts well-behaved children near the church and a beer drinking scene near the inn. At the centre is a well, showing the coming together of different parts of the community, and other scenes show a fish stall and two competing floats.
The picture is full of symbolism (the meaning of some of which is now conjecture). I am always fascinated to look at the details on these paintings as a depiction of everyday life from over 450 years ago.