Guidance: New rules about tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking: 1 October 2015

Guidance: New rules about tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking: 1 October 2015 This document explains changes to the laws on tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking that come into force on 1 October 2015. In particular, it explains the rules about smoking in private vehicles, including when the rules do and don’t apply. Department of Health

Staffing in medical schools holds stable

Staffing in medical schools holds stable The survey highlights a fall in numbers in psychiatry, paediatrics and child health, and also in pathology where it notes recruitment concerns. Medical Schools Council

New NICE guidelines to improve the health and wellbeing of employees

New NICE guidelines to improve the health and wellbeing of employees Find out more about the new NICE guidelines on improving the health and wellbeing of employees, with a particular focus on organisational culture and context, and the role of line managers. NHS Employers

Female Genital Mutilation and its Management

Female Genital Mutilation and its Management The purpose of this guideline is to provide evidence-based guidance on the management of women with female genital mutilation (FGM) and those who are considered to be at risk. It covers the clinical care of women before, during and after pregnancy, including the legal and regulatory responsibilities of health professionals. The focus of this guideline is on practice in the UK. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

See also:

• Fresh guidelines for doctors on FGM BBC News

Many overweight teenagers do not recognise they are too heavy

Many overweight teenagers do not recognise they are too heavy More than a third of overweight or obese teenagers don’t see themselves as being too heavy and think their weight is about right, according to a Cancer Research UK study published today in the International Journal of Obesity.

The study used data from around 5,000 13-15-year-olds who were asked about their weight and if they thought they were too heavy, about right or too light.

Researchers then checked their answers against their Body Mass Index (BMI) –– to see whether the reality matched the teenagers’ perceptions of themselves.

Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of the teenagers had a BMI within the normal-weight range. A fifth (20 per cent) had a BMI in the overweight category and seven per cent were categorised as obese. Of these around 40 per cent thought they were about the right weight with very few (0.4 per cent) saying they were too light. Cancer Research UK

See also:

• Weight perceptions in a population sample of English adolescents: cause for celebration or concern? International Journal of Obesity (open access article)
• Overweight teens don't feel 'heavy' BBC News
• Obese teenagers suffer fat-blindness and think their weight is 'about right' The Daily Mail
• Overweight teenagers in denial about obesity at risk of up to 10 different types of cancer The Daily Telegraph
• Many overweight teens don’t realise they’re too heavy OnMedica

Nice to publish report on NHS staffing levels despite being told to stop work

Nice to publish report on NHS staffing levels despite being told to stop work Critics say move by Department of Health to take evidence reviews in-house will lead to lower standards in staffing as watchdog plans to release its report

Ministers and NHS bosses face an embarrassing row over safe staffing levels for nurses in hospital A&E departments in England after it emerged that the government body told to stop work in this area is going to publish its recommendations anyway.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), which is legally independent of the NHS, plans to release its work at the end of the month. Continue reading... The Guardian

Better housing for older people can ease NHS pressures – but who will fund it?

Better housing for older people can ease NHS pressures – but who will fund it? Many older people choose to stay in their own home rather than move to outdated and unappealing supported housing. But this places strain on families and the health service.

Getting people into the right homes with the right support can relieve a huge amount of pressure on the NHS – but to do this we need a seismic shift in how we think about housing services. The current system for housing older residents is no longer workable in the long-term if we want to maintain a higher standard of living.

At the moment, the housing offer is outdated and unappealing. That is why so many people choose to remain in their own home ahead of selecting more suitable supported living options. It puts undue strain on individuals, their families and health services

Each resident has a personal health plan that links in with local health services Continue reading... The Guardian

Smoking could help cause psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, say scientists

Smoking could help cause psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, say scientists Scientists have suggested that smoking may be a risk factor for developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia. The Independent

See also:

• Rethinking cigarette smoking, cannabis use, and psychosis Lancet Psychiatry (OpenAthens password required)
• Smoking 'may play schizophrenia role' BBC News