Friday 1 February 2013

Web site of the month: Health Knowledge

Web site of the month: Health Knowledge:
Health Knowledge was created for people working in public health, but contains high quality learning resources that are of use to the wider health care audience.

The site hosts a Public Health Textbook which covers all relevant public health skills and competencies and is free to access (as are all the things on Health Knowledge).

You will also find a number of e-learning resources covering epidemiology, health information and statistical methods. Each comes with a pre-course assessment, learning materials and ends with a final assessment which is graded and can be printed off for recording against CPD.


As well as the e-learning content there is a section of interactive learning material which includes presentations with an audio element and other material such as videos and workbooks that walks users through each subject. Areas covered in this section include:


A highlight is the material on critical appraisal called Finding and Appraising the Evidence. These six modules provide a general introduction to critical appraisal before taking you through the process of how to find evidence, and then going on to look at different types of research, such as randomised control trials and finishing with how to make sense of the evidence, which looks at statistics and outcome measures.

Each section also ends with a quiz to test your learning and there are links to further resources. This is an excellent introduction to a complex topic and is highly recommended. NHfT Library Services

Response to consultation on front of pack nutrition labelling

Response to consultation on front of pack nutrition labelling:
The response to a joint consultation held on behalf of health ministers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on front of pack  nutrition labelling has been published.
UK health ministers wish to move towards a more consistent form of  front of pack nutrition labelling that either shows just the amount of energy (in kilocalories and kilojoules), or shows the amount of energy plus fat, saturates, sugars and salt.
Research shows that having this information consistently on as many food products as possible is the best way to help consumers make better informed, healthier, food choices.
The consultation on front of pack nutrition labelling was held from 14 May to 6 August 2012. The consultation asked 16 questions to help determine how best to achieve more consistent labelling.
Department of Health

CQC report: Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2011/12

CQC report: Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2011/12:

This is the third annual report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on its monitoring of the use of the Mental Health Act 1983, which is the law under which a person with a mental disorder may be detained and treated in hospital against their wishes or treated in their community under a community treatment order.
This report focused on dignity, involvement, care and the recovery of people who are subject to the Act and found that 15% of people receiving care under the Act are not being involved in the decisions made about their care. Care Quality Commission (CQC)

New GMC guidance for investigating assisted suicide complaints

New GMC guidance for investigating assisted suicide complaints:
New guidance on how the General Medical Council (GMC) deals with complaints against doctors who may have helped patients commit suicide has been published today.

South London Healthcare NHS Trust: notice of decision by Secretary of State

South London Healthcare NHS Trust: notice of decision by Secretary of State:
This notice of the Secretary of State's decision in relation to South London Healthcare NHS Trust aims to secure sustainable provision of health services to those patients served by the trust and in the south east London health economy. It states that the trust will be dissolved, with each of its hospitals taken over by a neighbouring hospital trust. These mergers are subject to approval from the relevant regulators. All
3 hospitals within the trust will be required to make the full £74.9 million of efficiencies identified by the Trust Special Administrator.
All vacant or poorly utilised premises will be vacated, and sold where possible. The Department of Health will pay for the excess costs of the PFI buildings and write off accumulated debt so that the new organisations are not saddled with historic debts.  It will also negotiate an appropriate level of transitional funding to cover
implementation.
Kings Fund Blogs
Thousands of women with advanced ovarian cancer left 'frustrated' after Nice denies them drug: Thousands of women will be denied a drug for ovarian cancer - the first advance in almost 20 years - because it is too expensive, the NHS spending watchdog has said. Telegraph

The medicinal power of literature: Books on prescription to be introduced

The medicinal power of literature: Books on prescription to be introduced:
People consulting their local GP over mental health issues may find they are written a surprising prescription, one redeemed at the local library rather than a pharmacy. Independent