WIREDGOV

DH: A joint report, by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), says WHO Growth Standards should be applied to children aged from 2 weeks to 24 months. Current UK growth charts are based on predominantly formula fed babies and reflect ‘how babies were growing’ in the UK. 

 

WHO charts prescribe ‘how babies should grow’ under optimum conditions including exclusive breastfeeding for healthier outcomes. WHO standards are based exclusively on breastfed infants and can be used for assessing & monitoring growth of all babies and encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of a baby's life.

Press release ~ Application of the WHO Growth Standards in the UK ~ World Health Organisation (WHO) Child Growth Standards ~ Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) ~ Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) ~ DH: Maternal and infant nutrition ~ DH: Breastfeeding: Off to the best start ~ Breastfeeding – what could be more natural? ~ HSE: Guidance to help pregnant women at work

 

CIOB: ‘The Green Perspective’ report by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has revealed that over 94% of construction professionals believe that ‘green’ building is the future for the construction industry and that there are financial benefits to producing energy efficient buildings. 

 

The results show that the industry itself sees the importance of sustainable building, but 67% of respondents felt that the current UK building regulations do not go far enough to create energy efficient buildings.

Press release ~ The Green Perspective (and scroll down) ~ A Sustainable Construction Strategy - consultation ~ DTI: Review of Sustainable Construction and related documents ~ Housing Green Paper: 'Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable' ~ Strategic Forum for Construction

 

HC: The Healthcare Commission has welcomed the release of findings of the report from the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights investigating older people’s rights in hospitals and care homes. The Commission agrees more work needs to be done by healthcare providers to ensure older people’s rights are protected while in hospital. 

 Last year the Commission published its high profile report called “Living Well in Later Life”, with the Audit Commission and Commission for Social Care Inspection, which suggested that “deep-rooted cultural attitudes to aging” were hampering attempts to improve services to older people. 

The Commission is working with the Department of Health to develop & pilot possible alternatives for consideration as part of their current consultation on a new approach to complaints handling. 

Press release ~ Healthcare Commission ~ Living Well in Later Life ~ The Human Rights of Older People in Healthcare - Volume I - Report and Formal Minutes ~ Dignity in Care campaign ~  DH: Older people's services ~ Improving services and support for older people with mental health problems – The final report ~  UK Inquiry into Mental Health and Well-being ~  National Service Framework for Older People ~ Age Concern ~ Help the Aged – Elder Abuse ~ Commission for Social Care Inspection

ESRC: It is not just the students who have a lot riding on exam results this month, as for the schools they have attended and the teachers who work in them poor results can mean bad headlines and professional damage. But research is now finding out about the factors that make some schools more successful than others. 

 

New research carried out by the Economic and Social Research Council’s Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP), and being sent to all schools in the UK at the start of next term, will help schools turn into places where students can become independent learners instead of being taught to pass tests and keep exam scores high.

Press release ~ Principles into Practice ~ Teaching and Learning Research Programme ~ ESRC Society Today ~ Learning How to Learn

 

MIIB: The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board (MIIB) has published the Explosion Mechanism Advisory Group report, outlining the work required for better understanding of the severe explosion that took place at the Buncefield oil depot on 11th December, 2005.

 

From the outset the Board wanted see a serious attempt made to understand the explosion mechanism that produced such a forceful explosion with high overpressures.  The Board agreed that such understanding would provide further material assistance in guiding the design and operation of sites that store large quantities of vaporising flammable materials.

Press release ~ Bunce field explosion mechanism - Advisory Group Report (2Mb) ~ A note from the Chairman, Lord Newton, on behalf of the board ~ MIIB website ~ Environment Agency - Buncefield - latest news ~ HSE – Chemical industries website ~ HSE – COMAH website ~ BBC NEWS - How Buncefield fire unfolded ~ HPA: The Public Health Impact of the Buncefield Oil Depot Fire ~ UK Resilience - Buncefield fuel depot fire