News

What’s happening in the world of public health? We take a look at the latest stories affecting the professions.

Unite calls for 15% pay rise or £3000 for NHS staff in the Covid-19 frontline

NHS workers should receive an early pay rise of 15% or £3000, whichever is greater, say Unite, as they write to the government.

Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to autism risk

Children whose mothers reported using cannabis during pregnancy have a higher risk of autism, say researchers.

Research

Children’s relationship with natural world needs care

Children are happier and more likely to protect the natural world when they have a greater connection to it.

ResearchHealth and wellbeing

Pester power of children can influence family diet

Children’s ‘pester power’ may help families to eat more healthily at home, says a study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

ResearchNutrition

A global rise in gout

Between 1990 and 2017, the prevalence of gout – a form of arthritis characterised by severe pain, redness, and tenderness in the joints – increased around the world, reveals an analysis in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

ResearchHealth and wellbeing

Frontline staff three times as likely to get Covid-19 despite PPE

Frontline healthcare workers with adequate PPE have a threefold increased risk of a positive Covid-19 test compared with the general population, a study in The Lancet Public Health has found.

ResearchProfessional

Stress and anxiety: the price of lockdown

In the first study to look at people’s coping styles during lockdown (17 to 26 April 2020), researchers confirmed that health anxieties were heightened, and those in vulnerable groups were more distressed as a result.

ResearchMental Health

Pushed to the brink: a rise in suicide?

The Covid pandemic is sparking fears of a rise in suicide and suicidal behaviour. Journalist Jo Waters asks who are the groups most at risk and how can CPs best support them.

Vulnerability, Safeguarding

Wales: NHS sickness absence at start of pandemic highest on record

Sickness absence was 6% – up 0.4 percentage points from the same period in 2019 – reveals the most recent quarterly report (to 31 March 2020) on sickness absence of Welsh NHS staff.

Regional/Country Professional

Uncertain times loom despite largest-ever rise in nursing jobs

A total of 18,370 more nurses, midwives and nursing associates are now on the NMC’s permanent register to work in the UK compared with a year ago.

Regional/Country Professional

Calls for pay justice made for NHS staff battling Covid-19

Unite has joined with 13 other health unions and organisations in the campaign to demand that pay talks start as soon as possible out of respect for NHS staff who have battled Covid-19.

Regional/Country Professional

England: HVs fear vulnerable families left at risk due to redeployment

Health visitors have expressed concerns that the needs of children are being missed due to redeployment and increased caseloads during Covid-19.

Regional/Country Vulnerability, Professional

Scotland: new resource to help people experiencing domestic abuse

A new online learning tool has been created for professionals working in sectors such as health, social work and education.

Regional/Country Professional, Safeguarding

England: Government urges people to lose weight to beat Covid and help NHS

The government released its obesity strategy at the end of July, announcing ‘a new set of policies… to empower people to make the healthier choices they want to make and give the full support of the NHS to people who... want to lose weight’.

Regional/Country Health and wellbeing

England and Wales: parents urged to keep children vaccinated

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England and Wales, has said that a national effort to vaccinate children and young people today will relieve the long-term pressures on health services by avoiding preventable diseases.

Regional/Country Immunisation & illness

England: children and adults with learning disabilities still dying prematurely

People with learning disabilities in England are not only dying prematurely, but from treatable causes of death, reveals the latest annual report from the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme.

Regional/Country Vulnerability, Growth and development

Scotland: national mesh removal service to be introduced

A mesh removal surgical service is being set up for women experiencing complications following vaginal mesh implants.

Regional/Country Health and wellbeing
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