Things in the library 18th October...

Things about refugee and migrant children...
An article in Archives of Disease in Childhood  discusses 'How can we meet the health needs of child refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants?'. Over half of the world's refugees are children. Child refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants are exposed to multiple risk factors for poor physical and mental health throughout their migration experience. International treaties and national legislation recognise child migrants' 'right to health' and equitable access to healthcare, yet restrictive immigration policies, health system challenges and service provider barriers to care impede translation into practice. This review explores how the experiences of child refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in England impacts on their health and presents recommendations as to how their health needs can be met. This article is available to you via your NHS OpenAthens account. If you don't have one set up then join here.

Things about an App...
The NHS App has been rolled out in many areas. The NHS App is for people aged 13 and over who are registered with a connected GP surgery. You can use some of the app's features without your GP surgery being connected.95% of surgeries are now connected to the NHS App.


Things about another App...
Did you know there is an App for our library system which sends you notifications about overdue items, reminds you of reservations and allows you to renew your loans. It is rather slower than we would like, but it does work well and the developers are working on the speed. You can find it in your normal App store by searching for 'MyCirqa' and then start typing 'Sheffield' to select our library - login with your library number (first group of numbers on the back of your staff card for most of you) and your PIN. If you didn't set up a PIN when you joined the library please email us to request one.


Things about the indoor climate...

The 'healthiness' of indoor environments such as homes, schools and work places has recently received increasing attention and been the subject of publications and guidelines by governmental agencies and the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has distinguished between the following aspects of the indoor environment: thermal environment; air quality environment; noise environment; and light environment. The combination of all those is also referred to as indoor climate. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of poor indoor climate on child health.

Things about public health...
The What Good Looks Like (WGLL) programme aims to facilitate the collective efforts of local organisations and wider society (the system) towards  improvements in their population health outcomes. This 'What Good Children and Young People’s Public Health Looks Like' represents the practical translation of the core guiding principles of the new Quality Framework for the Public Health system and features of what good children and young people’s health looks like in any defined place. It was developed collaboratively through the synthesis of existing evidence, examples of best practice, practitioners’ experiences and consensus expert opinions. It is intended to serve as a guide and will be iterative with regular reviews and updates when new evidence and insights emerge.

Things to eat...
We are coming up to the season of bonfire night so I thought these toffee apple muffins sound just the thing.

Things in the library 14 June...

Things about journal club...
The next journal club will be on Thursday 20 June  2019 8am to 9am, in the Education and Skills Centre, F Floor, Stephenson Wing.
Paper: Prescribing emergency oral steroids in asthma clinics (please email us for a copy of the paper)
Journal Club is open to all health professionals and is a fun, informal way of learning to criticise papers and gather evidence to change practice. At each meeting a speaker presents a critical appraisal of a research paper, using a recognised appraisal tool such as CASP. Group members then have an informal discussion to determine whether or not current practice should be altered in light of the presenter's finding. Muffins available.

Things about the book sale...
There are still some excellent older editions to be bought from our book sale. This is a link to the current up-dated list of what is available. If you have a library membership then we can send you items and charge to your account if you wish.




Things about making connections...
I spotted this item about the benefit of talking to strangers . On a similar theme
we are getting excellent feedback from our last Randomised Coffee Trial. It was 100% positive experience for those that responded to survey and managed to meet their partners.  Some quotes below

"It was a lovely experience especially as I am new to the trust. I want one every month!"

"Really enjoyed meeting my 3rd person on randomised coffee trial.  A great way to get to know things about folk you may pass in corridors, but not necessarily have opportunity to talk to.  Continues for me to be a positive experience!!"

"I found the experience very rewarding"

"I would not have been likely to have the same sort of supportive chat with this colleague in the absence of the RCT, but it was a very positive experience and boosted us both, I think."

"Really lovely experience 🙂"

"can I meet someone I don't know next time? "  [Sadly I don't know who you know - if you contact me I will see what I can do!]

"great way of networking"

"It was a great opportunity to meet a colleague and learn about their work.  I look forward to doing it again!  Thank you for organising."

Things about public health...
Many interventions that are delivered within public health services have little evidence of effect. Evaluating interventions that are being delivered as a part of usual practice offers opportunities to improve the evidence base of public health. However, such evaluation is challenging and requires the integration of research into system-wide practice. The Born in Bradford’s Better Start experimental birth cohort offers an opportunity to efficiently evaluate multiple complex community interventions to improve the health, wellbeing and development of children aged 0–3 years. Based on the learning from this programme, this paper offers a pragmatic and practical guide to researchers, public health commissioners and service providers to enable them to integrate research into their everyday practice, thus enabling relevant and robust evaluations within a complex and changing system.

Things about children's cancer services...
NHS England has launched a 60-day consultation to seek views on proposed changes to children's cancer services. These are used by children aged between 0 and 16. In some cases, and with the agreement of Teenage and Young Adult's Cancer Services, they may also treat teenagers up to the age of 18.
The aim of the service specifications is to improve the outcomes and experience of children and young people with cancer.
This consultation guide sets out:

• How care is currently provided.
• The proposed changes and reasons for these.
• How the proposed changes will be implemented.

The consultation will run from Wednesday 5 June until Sunday 4 August

Things about migration...

The fourth Migration Matters Festival starts today, running until Saturday 22 June to coincide with Refugee Week 2019. The festival will be headlined by the multi-talented Benjamin Zephaniah and The Revolutionary Minds, alongside the likes of Lowkey, Seyed Ali Jaberi Hamdel Ensemble, Wiyaala and Angelina Abel.

Things about Sure Start...
Sure Start has had a turbulent history. The programme was first introduced in 1999 as Sure Start Local Programmes, targeted at highly disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Five years later, the 10-Year Strategy for Childcare called for ‘a children’s centre in every community’, transforming the initiative into a universal service. At its peak in 2009–10, Sure Start accounted for £1.8 billion of public spending (in 2018–19 prices), about a third of overall spending on programmes for the under-5s. But in the decade since, the context has been one of funding cuts, consolidation and centre closures, with funding falling by two-thirds to £600 million in 2017–18.  In this report, The Institute of Fiscal Studies consider the overall impacts on health of the Sure Start programme as a whole between its inception in 1999 and its peak in the late 2000s. Their focus on health outcomes is motivated by the fact that, while Sure Start’s services were multifaceted and varied between centres and over time, one of its objectives was to improve children’s health.

Things to make...
With Father's day on Sunday I thought you might like to see some baked gifts that children can make (for anyone of course not just dads!) there is a nice selection here

Things in the library 4th Jan...

Happy New Year to you all

Things to attend...

Our excellent Critical Appraisal course is running again on Thurs 31st Jan from 9:00 - 13:00. No prior knowledge of the subject is required and you will learn the basics of how to critically read an article and judge its value in a small group. If you are interested please sign up for this training via the SCH intranet as soon as possible.

Things about screentime...

A study of the effects of screentime on children and young people (CYP) is in the news today. The systematic review it comes from concludes:

"There is considerable evidence that higher levels of screentime is associated with a variety of health harms for CYP, with evidence strongest for adiposity, unhealthy diet, depressive symptoms and quality of life. Evidence for impact on other health outcomes is largely weak or absent. We found no consistent evidence of health benefits from screentime. While evidence for a threshold to guide policy on CYP screentime exposure was very limited, there is weak evidence that small amounts of daily screen use is not harmful and may have some benefits.

These data broadly support policy action to limit screen use by CYP because of evidence of health harms across a broad range of domains of physical and mental health. We did not identify a threshold for safe screen use, although we note there was weak evidence for a threshold of 2 hours daily screentime for the associations with depressive symptoms and with HRQOL. We did not identify evidence supporting differential thresholds for younger children or adolescents.

Any potential limits on screentime must be considered in the light of a lack of understanding of the impact of the content or contexts of digital screen use. Given the rapid increase in screen use by CYP internationally over the past decade, particularly for new content areas such as social media, further research is urgently needed to understand the impact of the contexts and content of screen use on CYP health and well-being, particularly in relationship to mobile digital devices."

and also... 

The RCPCH issued guidance today on the health effects of screentime for children. The guide provides a summary of existing research on the health effects of screen time on children and young people. It outlines recommendations for health professionals and families on screen time use. Their primary recommendation is:

 "that families should negotiate screen time limits with their children based upon the needs of an individual child, the ways in which screens are used and the degree to which use of screens appears to displace (or not) physical and social activities and sleep. We would also adopt the expert recommendation that screens are avoided for an hour before the planned bedtime."

Things about refugees...
The World Health Organisation has recently published technical guidance on the health of refugee and migrant children. Policy considerations include an intersectoral approach to promote good health and well-being, particularly mental health, in migrant children that target risk factors at the individual, family and community levels. Particular emphasis is placed on how national/local governments have an important role in fostering or hindering living conditions for refugee and migrant children in the areas of housing, health care services and education.

Things about cancer...
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Policy produced a report in December 'Cancer in Children, Teens and Young Adults'. This report deliberately focuses on a sample of patients who were a high-risk group who died or who had an unexpected admission to intensive care. The rationale being that this is where care-planning, service provision and communication should excel. Any remediable factors in care for this group would benefit all children, teenagers and young adults receiving SACT( systemic anti-cancer therapy). The report can be downloaded from this page.

Things to read...

Our Reading group is next week (normally the first Wednesday of the month) I have enjoyed both our Christmas read choices and they are available to borrow from the library if you wish to read them. The meeting next week is at 17:15, drinks and nibbles provided and if one of your New Year resolutions was to read more do come and join us...it doesn't matter if you haven't read the book! Both books feature an American Northern Cardinal bird on the cover (despite one of the stories being set in Ukraine).

Things about Christmas trees...

If you didn't get chance to book a collection for your real Christmas Tree in aid of SCH charity then you can take it along to University of Sheffield Information Commons car park tomorrow  Sat 5th Jan from 8am to 3pm where it will be chipped and used on the campus as a mulch during the year.




Things to make...
Not to eat this week...we have all done a lot of eating recently...but some creative ideas for recycling your Christmas cards rather than putting them in your (probably) overfull blue bin.


Things coming soon...
After the success of our recent Randomised Coffee Trial will will be organising another one soon...

Things in the library 15th June...

Things about ADHD...
A recent article in 'Child's Nervous System' looked at whether there is an association between mild head injury (MHI) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in preschool children. That preschool children with MHI have more pre-injury ADHD symptoms and oppositional and emotional-behavioural symptoms than healthy children without trauma. Clinicians should screen children with MHI for ADHD symptoms and refer them for treatment when necessary. Evaluation of children presenting with MHI by a child psychiatrist may prevent repetition of injuries.

Things from the Children's commissioner...

The report, ‘Public Spending on Children in England: 2000 to 2020’, shows that levels of government spending on children have been broadly maintained over the last twenty years. However, the analysis also reveals a number of deeply concerning trends, with mainstream and acute services, such as 4-16 education and support for children in care, protected at the expense of targeted preventative services. Almost half of spending on children’s services now goes on 73,000 children in the care system, while the other half has to cover the remaining 11.7 million children in England. Altogether, 72% of children’s services budgets go towards helping families in severe need.
The report shows there has been a significant reorientation of spending in recent years towards statutory help for children in crisis, while overall children’s services spending has been largely frozen since 2009–10. Spending on preventative support, such as Sure Start and young people’s services, has consequently been cut by around 60% in real-terms between 2009–10 and 2016–17.

Things about NHS70...
The University of Sheffield is holding an exhibition and activity event on Thurs 5 July 11am-7pm Sheffield Cathedral forecourt. There will lots of hands-on activities and demos from healthcare organisations across the city, including stands focusing on Sheffield's contribution the development of medical research and clinical trials. There will be activities for all ages including healthcare robots, taking the carbohydrate challenge, using computer models to measure our body’s movements, finding out how our hearts works, the chance to explore a vintage ambulance and much more.

Things about preterm children...
Preterm Children Have Higher Risk Than Full-term Children of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease During the First 2 Years of Life according to a recent publication in Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal






Things about winter...
Yes I know summer has finally arrived but NHS Confederation has been looking the pressures on the NHS...which are not just in winter. Their report System under strain is available online







Things about transforming care...
Transforming care is built on principles that put the child, young person or adult and their family and community at the centre.  Sometimes this can be hard to achieve if someone’s particular needs do not fit into services which already exist. This case study looks at Josh, who has a learning disability and autism, and how transforming care helped to bring him home to live with his family in Cornwall.

Things about migration...

From next Tuesday 23 June the Migration Matters Festival will be taking place over five days across Sheffield. Migration Matters is an annual Sheffield festival that runs during national Refugee Week. Events take place in city centre and community venues, uniting Sheffield’s communities and cultures. Sheffield was the UK’s first City of Sanctuary and it is a city that is made vibrant by its diversity and interconnecting cultures. Last year’s festival saw thousands of people enjoy events including: theatre, film, music, fashion, installation, talks and food events. It includes a photography exhibition 'Hidden Voices: The Health Experiences of Migrant Children' at Theatre Deli (202 Eyre Street) - no booking required.

Things to eat...
Fancy a bit of baking?  Well these polenta cupcakes are easy and quick and make the most of seasonal strawberries.

Things in the library 28 July

Things about antibiotics...
Hitting the news yesterday - this is the comment from NHS Behind the Headlines.  "The researchers behind this review challenge these established ideas by suggesting that shortening the course of antibiotic treatment could be just as effective and that 'finishing the course' could actually be making the problem of antibiotic resistance worse. This narrative review was written by researchers from several UK institutions, including Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the University of Oxford and the University of Southampton. It was published in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal and is free to read online .Generally the UK media's coverage was accurate and balanced. The majority of reporting referred to the review as an "opinion piece" and highlighted the importance of people continuing to follow doctors' advice to complete a prescribed antibiotic course.This review raises some interesting points and the guidelines around antibiotic treatments may change in the future. However, for now it's best to stick with current advice to complete the full antibiotic course as prescribed."

Things on rare diseases...
Rare disease study day in Sheffield on 7th September 2017.  Aimed at non-specialist clinicians. This day aims to give an update on important rare diseases in paediatric practice.  Talks will include: overgrowth syndromes, 22q11 deletion syndrome, immunodeficiency and inherited causes of renal cancer. Representatives of the charities Unique and SWAN will give talks on their work.  Attendance is free.  Please contact Dr Alisdair McNeill (consultant in Clinical Genetics),  a.mcneill@sheffield.ac.uk if you would like to attend. CPD accreditation is being sought.

Things about case reviews...
NSPCC have a selection of thematic briefings which highlight the learning from case reviews that are conducted when a child dies or is seriously injured and abuse or neglect are suspected.
Each briefing focuses on a different topic (eg parents with mental health problems, culture and faith, sexual exploitation), pulling together key risk factors and practice recommendations to help practitioners understand and act upon the learning from case reviews.

Things about migrant child health...
The International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health, Geneva, Switzerland (ISSOP) published a position statement on migrant child health this week. The health of migrant children is related to their health status before their journey, the conditions during their journey and at their destination, and the physical and mental health of their caregivers. These children may have experienced numerous forms of trauma including war, violence, separation from family, and exploitation. They may suffer from malnutrition and communicable diseases including vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2015, the number of forcibly displaced people across the globe reached 65.3 million. Of the more than 1 million migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees who arrived in Europe in 2015, nearly one third were children, and 90,000 of these children were unaccompanied.

Things about NHS staff...
Behind Closed Doors : Can we expect NHS staff to be the shock absorbers of a system under pressure? This briefing highlights the latest evidence on NHS staff, their experience at work, the pressures they face and the consequences for patients. The Point of Care Foundation believes that it’s critically important that NHS employers to pay attention to staff and their experience at work because when staff feel positive and engaged with work it has a positive impact on patient experience. Behind Closed Doors therefore recommends that staff experience should be given equal priority with patient experience at all levels of the healthcare system. They would like to see organisations encouraging frontline staff to look after themselves, to pay attention to their own and their colleagues’ wellbeing, to alert their managers to pressures that can be alleviated, and to let them know when they need support.

and also....
NHS Employers have published a briefing on 'Leading a healthy workforce:  engaging board and clinical leaders to take positive action on staff wellbeing. "To achieve a healthy workforce, we need to be clear on what success looks like. Board leads and other leaders can start to make tangible differences immediately by focusing on these key elements: A clear vision and leadership from the top.

• Making the wellbeing of staff central to the organisation’s work.
• Training for all managers on effective leadership and management behaviours
• The importance of staff wellbeing is embedded into organisational culture & known by staff.
• Organisational data is used effectively to inform engagement activity around staff wellbeing, target interventions, evaluate the impact of interventions and amend wellbeing programmes.
• A range of staff wellbeing interventions are provided specifically including both physical and emotional wellbeing and including quick access to treatment and support.
• Information and interventions are accessible, communicated and used to enable staff to take personal responsibility to improve and enhance their own wellbeing.

Things about nature, wellbeing and Sheffield...
Shmapped is an app for your smartphone that invites users to map the good things about Sheffield’s green and built spaces. It is part of the innovative IWUN (Improving Wellbeing through Urban Nature) project run by the Universities of Derby and Sheffield which aims to better understand how different aspects of city living affect our wellbeing. When you download the app, you will be presented with a five-minute questionnaire that asks about your current health and wellbeing. All information you provide is anonymous and you can withdraw it at any time. For 30 days, the app will ask you to note the good things about the area around you. It’s very simple and allows you to share your thoughts and photos in seconds. After the 30 days, you will be asked to complete another questionnaire plus a final short one two months later.

Things about reading...
Don't forget to come and choose your holiday reading from our leisure reading section - or if you are around next Wednesday 2 August at 17:15 come and join our informal Reading Group - this month we are discussing 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop cafe' but don't worry if you haven't read it...come along anyway.

Things about personalised medicine...

With the increasing identification of  disease-associated variants in human genetics there is more discussion around personalised treatments. This article uses Cystic Fibrosis as an example to discuss this topic 'Personalized or Precision Medicine?'

Things from Budapest...

(c) Gill Kaye 2017

On my recent holiday (thanks Fran for the guest blog you wrote) we enjoyed some lovely food...and who knew Swiss Roll featured in every cake selection! For a non-healthy street food I can recommend Lángos  It's a deep fried flat bread made of a dough . Lángos can be made with yoghurt, sour cream or milk instead of water, a dash of sugar along with salt and sometimes with flour and boiled mashed potatoes, which is called potato lángos - our potato ones pictured here one with cheese and the other containing salami. Certainly delicious or 'finom' as we learnt to say.