Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
DH: Parents have backed the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) advice that children should avoid alcohol completely before the age of 15. The CMO’s guidance for parents, children & young people is based on the most comprehensive ever review of the scientific evidence and follows an extensive public consultation.
The final guidance is the first time advice on children & alcohol has been set out for parents and will be the basis of a new national campaign on alcohol & children to be launched by the Department for Children School’s and Families. The campaign will provide support & advice to parents & young people on the effects & harms of alcohol.
Press release ~ Guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people ~ DH: Alcohol Misuse
NICE: A new treatment which could extend the lives of a specific group of cancer patients will be available on the NHS. In the final draft of guidance National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the drug, trabectedin is recommended as a treatment for certain patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma.
This draft recommendation has been made possible after the drug manufacturer, PharmaMar, agreed to meet the costs of the drug if it is needed beyond the fifth cycle of treatment. The independent appraisal committee also applied NICE’s criteria for evaluating life-extending, end of life treatments.
In line with the NICE technology appraisals process this final draft of the guidance is now with consultees who have the opportunity to appeal against the proposed recommendation. NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS. Final guidance will be published in 2010.
DH: Over 300 of the 1,500 babies born this New Year’s Day could be overweight or obese by the time they start school unless action is taken. The revelation comes as Start4Life - a new campaign to support pregnant women & parents of babies to give their baby a healthier start in life – was launched.
The campaign is part of Change4Life, the mass movement which launched a year ago and which is helping families ‘eat well, move more and live longer’. Start4Life centres around 6 ‘building blocks’, based on the latest infant health research, to help parents know what’s right for their baby. A short film showing one of the famous Change4Life plasticine characters being moulded by a mum will be screened in antenatal clinics and on Baby TV to raise awareness of the campaign.
Press release ~ Start4Life ~ Baby TV ~ National Child Measurement Programme: England, 2008/09 school year ~ WHO – Breast feeding
BIS: A new guide for parents of recent graduates (written by award winning career coach Denise Taylor) has been launched by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The guide aims to help parents support graduates in their search for work and understand the support available.
Press release ~ ‘Parent Motivators’ guide ~ Graduate Talent Pool ~ Directgov: Graduate careers and postgraduate study
HL: If you are sleeping rough or someone contacts you asking for advice on where they can spend the night, please contact the local street outreach team. The list of which Outreach Team covers which area can be found on Homeless London. There are also some Winter Shelters open.
ScotGov: Scotland's Rural Affairs Secretary, Mr Lochhead, has praised farmers throughout Scotland in battling the worst weather conditions experienced in decades. Problems being experienced include frozen water in buildings & outside drinking troughs, frozen diesel, difficulties in delivering food to animals and collecting milk. Shed roofs have collapsed under the weight of snow and slurry tanks are apparently nearing capacity as farmers are unable to spread their contents.
He said: "Throughout rural Scotland farmers and land managers have been putting aside their own comfort to help neighbours and communities. Examples abound of farmers clearing roads, getting in vital supplies for neighbours and ensuring the elderly are cared for”.
Press release ~ Information & advice to help you through the cold spell ~ National Rural Network - Share stories & advice on fighting the freeze
Newswire – RAFC: Broken your New Year fitness regime already? New trainers made their way to the back of the cupboard? Then why not take a few tips from those in the know at RAF Careers. This week, their top fitness experts have launched a fitness guide to help you get 'fit for life' in 2010.
The exclusive guide is based on training techniques used by RAF personnel, and is designed to be a long-term solution to fitness & wellbeing, rather than a quick-fix or fad. Fit for Life, which is downloadable from the RAF website, has been supplemented by a range of fitness information, including a short video with two of the RAF’s Physical Training Instructors.
