News

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

Your right to better pay

A day of action took place in England and Wales to encourage members to vote in the ballots over pay, as Unite’s Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe and Richard Munn report.

News in numbers: July/August 2021

A breakdown of recent community health news, in numbers. Download the PDF, here. 

Regional/CountryHealth and wellbeing

Unite-CPHVA urges more members to respond to NMC consultation on post-registration standards

Unite-CPHVA Welsh chair and SCPHN programme manager Amanda Holland, and Unite health sector lead professional officer for regulation Jane Beach look at the current review of SCPHN standards. 

NHS 3% pay rise is ‘grossly inadequate’, says Unite

A recommended pay rise for NHS workers in England and Wales is ‘grossly inadequate and underwhelming’, especially given the sacrifices that health staff have made during the pandemic, Unite has said.

Sense of community indicates enthusiasm for vaccine uptake

People who feel a sense of community belonging are more willing to have a Covid-19 vaccine, according to a study in the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology.

ResearchHealth and wellbeing

The early warning signs of self harm

Researchers have identified two distinct subgroups among young people who self-harm, with risk factors showing as early as age five. It may therefore be possible to predict which individuals are most at risk of self-harm up to a decade ahead of time.

ResearchHealth and wellbeing, Mental Health

England: protect staff from prejudice, says race observatory

Healthcare leaders and employers must ensure staff are protected from all forms of racism, discrimination, bias or prejudice, says the NHS Race and Health Observatory (NHSRHO).

Regional/CountryProfessional

Northern Ireland: update on mental health action plan and care networks

Health minister Robin Swann reports that ‘substantial progress’ has been made in the 12 months since the Northern Ireland Mental Health Action Plan was published.

Regional/Country Professional, Mental Health

England: HEE boosts clinical placements in 2021-22 by £15m

Health Education England (HEE) has pledged extra funding to increase the number of placements offered to nursing, midwifery, allied health professional (AHP) and healthcare students from September 2021.

Regional/Country Professional, Education

Scotland: £8m to support worker wellbeing after Covid

The Scottish Government has increased its wellbeing support budget this year by £3m to help its health and social care workforce recover from the pandemic.

Regional/Country Professional, Mental Health

Wales: disclosing ACEs forges better bonds with HVs

A study commissioned by the Welsh Government reveals that positive benefits are gained by all parties when health visitors enquire about caregivers’ adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) at routine visits.

Regional/Country Professional, Safeguarding

England: workforce burnout at emergency levels, says committee

A report by the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) suggests that the future functioning of services is at grave risk, and calls for an overhaul of workforce planning.

Regional/Country Professional, Mental Health

Wales: basic income scheme could improve health for all, says PHW

Adopting a basic income scheme in Wales could be a catalyst for better health and wellbeing outcomes for all, a report published by Public Health Wales has suggested.

Regional/Country Health and wellbeing

Spike in children with mild fever attending A&E puts pressure on staff

Emergency departments (EDs) across the UK are seeing very high numbers of young children for this time of the year because of a rise in infections usually seen in winter, says the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).

Regional/Country Health and wellbeing

England: analysis of child deaths shows importance of care for premature and young babies

78% of child deaths occurred in a hospital setting

Regional/Country Vulnerability

The pandemic could have a lasting impact on young people’s mental health, warns charity

A poll of more than 4000 eight- to 24-year-olds across the UK suggests the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people could still be worsening a year after the pandemic started.

Regional/Country Mental Health

Duchess launches centre for early childhood to drive awareness and action

The Duchess of Cambridge has launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to drive awareness of, and action on, ‘the transformative impact of the early years’.

Regional/Country Health and wellbeing, Safeguarding, Growth and development
Top