Things in the Illingworth Library - September 2023

Things in the news

Updates on vaccinations 

Where did the summer go? As September brings a return to school or a new adventure at college or university, vaccinations are featuring heavily in the news.

Around 1 in 8 new students have missed their meningitis vaccination, warns the UK Health Security Agency.

All first-year students starting college or university this September and returning students who are not up to date with all their childhood and adolescent vaccinations are at increased risk of serious diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia and measles as they mix with large numbers of other students. 'Freshers' Flu' is not just an urban myth. 

NHS England announces a September roll-out for flu vaccines for children.

From September, children in England will be targeted to receive their flu vaccine to prevent them from getting seriously ill from flu and to break the chain of transmission of the virus to the wider population. School aged children will be able to get the flu vaccine at school or at community clinics, children aged two and three years will be able to get an appointment with their GP practice. Further details are in the guidelines.

The Children's Commissioner and school attendance

Shocking figures from Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner, on school attendance: 'Last year, the school absence rate stood at 7.5%, compared to 4.7% pre-pandemic. An increasing number of children have started to regularly miss school. A child is known as “persistently absent” when they miss 10% or more of possible sessions in school. In 2022/23, nearly a quarter (22.3%) of all children were persistently absent. Absence levels have remained stuck at unprecedented highs.'

From the King's Fund - AI could help with health literacy

Amid all the scare stories and hype around AI, the King’s Fund offers a note of optimism, suggesting that AI may be a useful tool for making health information accessible to all. As up to 61 per cent of adults have been found to have low health literacy levels, this is a real challenge. This post also gives a great insight into how AI works.

Things to do in September

September is a busy month in Sheffield, with Art in the Gardens at the Sheffield Botanical Gardens Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 September and the Sheffield Festival of Walking Friday 8 – Sunday 17 September. 

The festival of walking coincides with Sheffield Heritage Open Days, also from the 8th - 17th, which offer a chance to visit historic sites you may not have access to for the rest of the year. If you're free on Friday 8th September at 10.30, then I strongly recommend the behind the scenes tour of Sheffield Town Hall, which was Sheffield's tallest building for nearly 70 years, until the Arts Tower at the University of Sheffield came along in 1965 and spoiled the party.

It's a Sheffield Thing

Our monthly feature highlighting independent businesses

For well-organised cooks who plan ahead (and me, in a good year), September is the start of the festive cooking season, when thoughts turn to getting a head start on fruit cake and steamed puddings. My favourite source of dried fruit and cooking ingredients is the zero waste shop 'The Bare Alternative' on Abbeydale Road in Sheffield. Zero waste shopping reduces the amount of plastic in a weekly shop and allows you to buy the exact quantities of dried goods that you need. They also stock all sorts of alternatives to everyday products, including plastic-free chewing gum because yes, most chewing gum contains plastic. 

Things in the Library - January

  Internet Safety & Mental Health

In partnership with Samaritans,  HEE's eLearning for Healthcare have developed a new elearning resource aimed at assisting people who provide support around suicide and self-harm to have vital conversations about online safety. The internet plays a big part in many people’s lives and can often be an important source of support and information. However, some online activity can be harmful and act to exacerbate thoughts and behaviours around suicide or self-harm. It is important that the role of the internet is not overlooked when supporting a person experiencing feelings around these issues.

Group A Strep

Analysis by UKHSA suggests a nasal spray vaccine that offers protection to children against flu may also help reduce the rate of group A strep infections. Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist for Immunisation and Countermeasures at UKHSA, said:

"Our findings suggest that the nasal spray vaccine programme, which offers very good protection against flu, may also help contribute to reductions in the rates of GAS infections among children. Children who catch influenza are at greater risk from subsequent infections, including group A strep, so these findings provide yet more reasons for parents of eligible children to bring them forward for the flu vaccine."

Newborn Genomes Programme

100,000 newborns will have their complete DNA sequenced, screening for arounf 200 treatable disorders through the Newborn Genome Programme, the BBC reports. It is thought that this will save many families years of tests and uncertainty searching for a diagnosis for their child. The programme is a collaboration between the NHS and Genomics England.

Cost of Living Crisis

The President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Camilla Kingdon, has given an interview to the BMJ in which she discusses how social deprivation in the UK is increasingly affecting children’s health, citing housing and nutrition, specifically the UK's high asthma rates and high use of food banks as problems that are increasingly discussed with families. She calls for policy changes and interventions to improve child health, including expanding free school meals.

Health Literacy

Health literacy is about a person's ability to understand and use information to make decisions about their health. You can use this map to see health literacy data across the country. 

Things to do in Sheffield in January

It's a quiet month, but if you fancy leaving the house, here's a couple of places to go:

Sheffield Heritage Fair

On 28th-29th Janurary, Millennium Gallery will be celebrating the history of Sheffield by showcasing the work of heritage groups, as well as opportunity to chat with over 40 local groups. This is a free event. 

Showroom Cinema

January is the perfect cinema month. If you like foreign and independent films, the Showroom is your place. Sheffield's biggest independent cinema has a great January programme, highlights include Holy Spider, Alcarràs and Lingua Franca.

Recipe of the Month

I am absolutely not here to tell you to eat healthily in January, but this is one of my favourite lunches at

the moment and it's does contain cucumber. It's the opposite of a winter indulgence but it's so good it transcends seasons - takeout-style sesame noodles with cucumber. It takes five minutes to make, it's packs in some powerful flavours, and it's also very good looking. 

Things in the library 17th Sept...

 Things watery... 

The Waterfront Festival returns on Saturday 18 September, with many stalls, events, and activities planned at both Victoria Quays and Attercliffe Don Valley Moorings.  The free event runs from 10am to 4pm at Victoria Quays, and 11am to 3pm in Attercliffe. It will see live music and street performances, boat trips, canoe and paddle boarding taster sessions, stalls and street food. There will also be guided walks, including taking in the canal’s Street Art Trail.

Things foodie... 

The Harvest Fayre is a celebration of Sheffield food and drink and takes place this weekend Sat18 and Sunday 19 in the City Centre 10am – 6pm both days.  Free admission. It features food producers and businesses from around Sheffield and further afield, bringing a range of vegetables, fruits, spices, preserves, oils, cakes, cookery books, craft beers, gins, cakes and much more for you to  enjoy.

Things about Social Care... 

If you want to read the full health and social care plan announced recently by the government - this is a link to the document.

Things about Black History... 

October is Black History month and there are resources and information available on this website. One of the events planned is 'Explore Your Nursing Family History' (Virtual Event). This session is open to everyone, but will be especially interesting to people of colour looking to find out more about the history of their families. Sign up to attend and a Zoom link will be sent to you before the event.

Things about COVID-19 vaccinations for children... 

A statement from RCPCH about this topic in response to the recommendation from the four UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) regarding offering COVID-19 vaccinations to all 12-15 year olds. 

Things about transgender children...

Farrer & Co has released a two-part podcast offering guidance on the law, best practice and how to effectively safeguard transgender children and young people.

Things to make... 

If you have family members going off this weekend to be students then they may need simple recipes to cook with limited equipment and a small budget. There is a nice selection here - but of course anyone can make them not just students! Started by students at the University of Portsmouth in 2015, The Student Food Project has since grown into one of the worlds leading student recipe websites.

Student Food wanted to show students how easy it is to cook an amazing meal with fresh ingredients. Their recipes are designed to be easy to follow, quick to make and cost-effective. This Sausage and Ratatouille Casserole sounds perfect - don't forget to remind them to put the dish to soak before they try to wash it! You don't want it to still be there when you pick them up at Christmas.

Things in the library 23 August

Things about vaccinations....
Which flu vaccine should children have? Two types of flu vaccine are available for children in 2019 to 2020: the ‘live’ nasal spray vaccine and the inactivated injected flu vaccine. This chart indicates which vaccine children should get and who is eligible.


Three years after the measles virus was eliminated from the UK, the country has lost its “measles-free” status with the World Health Organization, following 231 confirmed cases of the infection in the first quarter of 2019. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for health leaders to renew their efforts to ensure 95 per cent of the population have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Current data suggests only 87.2 per cent of children receive the second dose of the vaccine, down from a high of 88.6 per cent during the 2014 to 2015 period.

Things about oral health in children...
Dental surgeons say all schools in England should be encouraged to become sugar free to tackle worrying levels of child tooth decay. The call comes as analysis by the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) shows more than 100,000 hospital admissions for children under the age of ten in England due to tooth decay over a three year period. This is despite the condition being almost entirely preventable.  The FDS has published a new position statement on children’s oral health.



Stable things...

The Stability Index is an annual measure of the stability of the lives of children in care. It was first launched by the Children’s Commissioner in 2017 to shine a light on the issue of stability, provide data that allows stability to be monitored over time, and ultimately drive improvements in stability for children in care. A new report provides the national overview of the latest data analysis (relating to 2017/18) and findings and a separate report covers children's views and experiences of instability while in care.

The Children's Commissioner has also published a Bleak Houses, a report  tackling the crisis of family homelessness in England and sharing some of the experience of children concerned.



Fishy things to celebrate...

Saturday 24 August 10-4pm

Location: Meadowhall, outside, next to the Oasis dining quarter entrance.


2019 is International Year of the Salmon ... and what great timing with salmon appearing in Sheffield again after 200 years!












You can browse stalls from local organisations helping the river recover and join in fun activities with the following organisations:

Don Catchment Rivers Trust - find out how the fish passes are helping salmon to return, and have a look at our river samples to see how healthy the river is.

River Stewardship Company - find out about their work on the river and join in the volunteer clean-up.

Blue Loop - find out about the Blue Loop and have a go on the coconut shy!

Salmon & Trout Conservation - have a go at fishing fly tying.

Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust

University of Sheffield - find out about the salmon DNA project and learn about the animals that live on the river - make your own otter footprint.


Fishy things to eat...
A salmon dish for you to try this bank holiday.

Salmon & smacked cucumber noodles

This tasty salmon & cucumber rice noodle salad frequires no cooking, so it's great for warmer days

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 27 July...

Things the government says...
The Government response to the joint report of the Education and Health and Social Care Committees on 'Transforming children and young people's mental health provision: a green paper' has been published.

Things about HPV...
It was announced this week that adolescent boys will be offered the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine to protect them from cancer. The vaccine not only protects men from HPV-related diseases – such as oral, throat and anal cancer – but also helps reduce the overall number of cervical cancers in women, though a process known as ‘herd immunity’.The extension of the vaccine to boys follows the success of England’s HPV vaccination programme for girls and the recent introduction of one for men who have sex with men. The programme is expected to vaccinate thousands of boys in England each year. This statement sets out the conclusions of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on extending the HPV vaccination programme to adolescent boys in the UK.

Things about quality of life...
Epilepsy in children negatively impacts on caregiver quality of life (QOL). The study [in Journal of neurology] aimed to evaluate the relationships between patient factors [demographics, clinical factors, health-related quality of life (HRQL)], contextual factors (socio-economic factors), caregiver mood, and caregiver QOL, and whether family factors mediate the relationship between patient HRQL and caregiver QOL. They conclude that:

"Patient HRQL and caregiver mood were more important correlates of caregiver QOL than seizure severity in medically intractable epilepsy. The findings are significant in delineating variables (caregiver mood and family factors) that are potentially modifiable, and show promise for improving caregiver QOL."

Things about parental pre-operative anxiety...

This systematic review and meta-analysis looks at studies assessing the effectiveness of audiovisual (AV) interventions aimed at reducing anxiety in parents whose children are undergoing elective surgery. Their primary outcome was parental anxiety. Secondary outcomes included children’s preoperative anxiety and postoperative outcomes; parental satisfaction, knowledge, and need for anesthesia information. If you cannot access the full text of this article (or any other) than SCH staff can request from us using our online form 

Things to read...
It is our August reading group meeting next week (Wed 17:15 in the library) we will be discussing 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' so do come and join us over a drink and nibbles. Our next book for Sept is the classic 'Catch 22'. Don't forget we have quite a large collection of leisure books available for you to borrow for your summer holiday reading - come and have a browse of check what we have online.



Things flapping about...

This summer we have constantly been serenaded by seagulls...no the tide hasn't come in to Sheffield ...they are nesting close by. This week we spotted the juvenile birds walking around on the roof.



Things to make without heat...
If you are finding it too hot to cook at the moment there is a nice collection of recipes here to tempt you

Things in the library 1 Jul

Uncertain things: the NHS post Brexit 

The King’s Fund has published Five big issues for the NHS after the Brexit vote. This briefing paper examines implications for the NHS and social care services, which after the Brexit vote are now faced with a period of significant economic and political uncertainty at a time when these services are already coping with increasing operational and financial pressures

Routine things: vaccinations


Public Health England has published revised immunisation schedule guidance which includes the changes to the MenC programme and the shingles vaccine administration.
The complete schedule can be seen here

Compassionate things: Journal Club

Evaluation of a Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program for Oncology Nurses - the title of next week's Journal Club. It is on Weds 6th Jul 5.30 - 6.30 pm in the Education & Skills Centre, F Floor Stephenson Wing. Please come along for an informal presentation and discussion and of course ...muffins. Contact the library if you would like to see the paper beforehand.


Things for guidance: 
Assessment, diagnosis and interventions for autism spectrum disorders

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network has published Assessment, diagnosis and interventions for autism spectrum disorders Sign Guideline 145. This guideline provides recommendations based on the assessment, diagnosis and interventions for children, young people, adults and older adults with ASD. It includes screening and surveillance, diagnosis and assessment, clinical interventions and service provision, recommendations for further research and a checklist for information provision for patients.

Situation awareness in hospitals
A new resource to introduce and improve situation awareness in hospitals is now available on the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s website. This free, online resource pack aims to improve communication, build a safety-based culture and deliver better health outcomes for children and young people.The pack has been developed as part of the final phase of the College’s flagship quality improvement programme, Situation Awareness for Everyone (S.A.F.E).

Welsh things

Pice ar y maen, a Welsh teatime treat passed on through generations and still as popular as ever.

Why not make them to eat whilst watching Wales playing in the Euro 2016 campaign!