Local tobacco control profiles for England: August 2016 data update

Local tobacco control profiles for England: August 2016 data update The Local Tobacco Control Profiles The data is presented in an interactive tool that allows users to view it in a user-friendly format. The profiles provide a snapshot of the extent of tobacco use, tobacco related harm, and measures being taken to reduce this harm at a local level. These profiles have been designed to help local government and health services to assess the effect of tobacco use on their local populations. Public Health England

See also:

•  Health Profiles: August 2016 data update Public Health England

Helping in hospitals: a guide to high impact volunteering in hospitals

Helping in hospitals: a guide to high impact volunteering in hospitals The Helping in Hospitals programme was founded on the belief that much more can be achieved through well-designed and implemented volunteering in hospital settings - that we are only scratching the surface of what volunteering can do for hospital life. With funding from the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health, Helping in Hospitals worked with ten hospital trusts from 2014 to 2016 to help them build significant impact volunteering programmes. This included increasing both the scale and scope of impact volunteering in hospitals. This guide provides further details on how the hospital trusts developed their volunteering programmes. Nesta

Aligning Incentives for Value: The Internal Performance Framework at Partners HealthCare

Aligning Incentives for Value: The Internal Performance Framework at Partners HealthCare The authors describe how how Partners HealthCare, an integrated delivery system in Massachusetts, developed a system wide approach to accountable care and translated it to physicians on the front lines. The Commonwealth Fund

HIV campaigners win NHS drug battle

HIV campaigners win NHS drug battle The High Court has told the NHS in England it can fund a drug that can prevent HIV - after health bosses argued it was not their responsibility.

NHS England previously said councils should provide the pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep) drug as they are in charge of preventative health.

This stance was successfully challenged by the National Aids Trust (NAT).

But the High Court ruling does not make funding of Prep automatic and the NHS is set to appeal. BBC News

See also:

• August update on the commissioning and provision of Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) for HIV prevention NHS England
• Dr Dan Poulter: NHS HIV drug decision 'extraordinary' BBC News
• HIV drug row: A very modern dilemma for the NHS BBC News
• HIV wonder drug 'pre-exposure prophylaxis' is given the green light The Dail Mail
• Aids charity wins battle over funding for HIV preventative treatment The Daily Telegraph
• PrEP rationing is symptomatic of NHS bid to cut costs, at all costs The Guardian
• Users of HIV prevention PrEP urge NHS to fund 'life-changing' medicine The Guardian
• NHS can fund 'game-changing' PrEP HIV drug, court says The Guardian
• The NHS must show it cares about gay men’s lives – and roll out PrEP HIV drugs The Guardian
• High Court rules NHS England can legally fund new HIV prevention drug PrEP after charity wins case The Independent
• High Court rules NHS England must fund HIV drug OnMedica

Eating disorders: Patients with 'wrong weight' refused care

Eating disorders: Patients with 'wrong weight' refused care A BBC Breakfast investigation has found some eating disorder patients are being refused mental health treatment because their BMI is either too high or too low.

Distressing sexual problems 'for tenth of young UK men'

Distressing sexual problems 'for tenth of young UK men' At least one in 10 of UK 16-21 year-olds questioned in a survey admits to having a "distressing sexual problem" in the past year.

Researchers analysed data from 1,875 sexually active and 517 sexually inactive people aged 16 to 21.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Climaxing, erectile dysfunction and lack of interest in sex are some of the main issues for which people are seeking professional help.

The survey is being described as "largest scientific study" of sexual health lifestyles in Britain.

It concluded that around one in 10 men and one in eight women aged 16 to 21 in Britain who are sexually active have experienced a "distressing" sexual problem lasting at least three months in the past year. BBC News

See also:

• Sexual Function in 16- to 21-Year-Olds in Britain (open access) Journal of Adolescent Health

Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more'

Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more' Saskia speaks about her experience of life as a young carer looking after her father and how family life is adjusting to the situation. BBC News

Scientists came to a fascinating conclusion after looking at the DNA of thousands of people with depression

Scientists came to a fascinating conclusion after looking at the DNA of thousands of people with depression A team of scientists pinpointed 17 genetic tweaks, or SNPs (pronounced "snips"), that appear to be tied to MDD. The Independent

See also:

• Identification of 15 genetic loci associated with risk of major depression in individuals of European descent (abstract) Nature Genetics
• Are you BORN with depression? Landmark gene scan finds 'more than a dozen genes that fuel the disorder' The Daily Mail
• Genetic clues may unlock causes of depression OnMedica

How can health and social care employers help staff development?

How can health and social care employers help staff development? Continuous learning is vital for those working in health and social care, but quality training resources and study time are hard to find. Is e-learning the answer?

Professional learning and development are essential parts of any career in health and social care, and leaders across both sectors want to create a culture of lifelong learning among their staff.

Despite this, 57% of health and social care staff don’t feel they have opportunities to take training to further their career and just over two-thirds (68%) don’t feel they have enough training to do their job, according to the results of a recent Guardian survey. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS chief on record £60,000 a month as numbers 'off payroll' soar

NHS chief on record £60,000 a month as numbers 'off payroll' soar A cash-strapped NHS trust has paid a temporary manager at rates of £60,000 a month – the highest in the history of the health service.

The payment is revealed in a Telegraph investigation which shows soaring numbers of health service bureaucrats are being paid “off payroll” - despite repeated Government pledges to clamp down on the practice.

Ministers promised to act amid concerns that the schemes were helping some managers to minimise tax liabilities and hiding “excessive and indefensible” payments. The Daily Telegraph