Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
CCWater: In support of Energy Saving Trust's Energy Saving Week (20 to 26 October) the Consumer Council for Water encouraged consumers to take a look at where they may be wasting water, energy and therefore money, around the home. Around 77% of a household's energy use relates to heating & hot water use (in baths or showers or for washing clothes or dishes).
Tips include avoiding using the half load setting on washing machines as half-load cycles use much more than half the energy & water of a full load. Also, by reducing the temperature from 40 to 30 degrees, energy consumption will be reduced by 40%
Press release ~ How can you save water? ~ Energy saving tips from the Energy Saving Trust ~ Big Green Switch ~ DirectGov – Energy and water saving ~ Simply Switch ~ Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology – Household Energy Efficiency
LLUK: The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) has launched an online toolkit which provides new accessibility guidelines, designed to ensure that teachers & trainers find the right guidance to widen participation and support all learners.
Grouped into 8 categories (users who have difficulty seeing things; hearing things; understanding things; concentrating; handling and manipulating things, communicating with others, difficulty accessing text; or are dyslexic) the resources will enable staff to create effective, engaging and accessible learning materials.
They are now available on the Excellence Gateway, which incorporates some 50 education websites and a resource bank comprising more than 75,000 pages and 12,000 separate pieces of content. Registration & use of the Excellence Gateway is completely free.
Press release ~ QIA Excellence Gateway ~ Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) ~ JISC TechDis ~ LL UK
FSA: As Parents’ Week (20 October - Sunday 26 October 2008) got under way, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) began the UK-wide distribution of the Parent’s Guide to Money, its practical & impartial resource for expectant parents designed to answer questions about their changing financial circumstances and to help them prepare for parenthood.
It includes ‘a countdown to becoming a parent’ which sets out clearly & simply the steps people can follow to plan financially for parenthood. There is a free information pack for parents, which includes a useful CD-Rom containing easy to use calculators to help parents balance family finances on a PC.
The FSA is now distributing the guide to expectant parents via midwives and other health professionals and are making it available to parents of young children from Children's Centres and Sure Start Centres across the UK.
Press release ~ Parent's Guide to Money ~ Parents’ Week ~ FSA Building Financial Capability ~ Money Made Clear ~ Free information pack
WAG: Health Minister Edwina Hart has unveiled new guidelines that form part of a delivery strategy for the management of adults with diabetes in Wales. Almost 5% of the population in Wales are known to have diabetes and it is estimated there are about 50,000 people with diabetes who remain undiagnosed.
Press release ~ Designed for the Management of Adults with Diabetes Mellitus across Wales: Consensus Guidelines ~ Diabetes National Service Framework ~ Diabetes Research Network ~ Wales Audit Office – Diabetes Service in Wales
DH: Almost 100,000 older people have benefited so far from a £60m scheme to keep them in their homes and out of hospital & residential care, according to a new report on Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPs), which was launched in 2006 with the aim of helping older people to remain independent and prevent or delay the need for more intense care.
The projects help older people by, for example:
* doing their shopping or gardening
* making sure they get help in collecting prescriptions & advice on taking medicines
* targeting those who may be at risk of hospital admission
Following the successful interim report, Local Authorities will be given a guide to help them introduce POPP projects in their areas.
Press release ~ National Evaluation of Partnerships for Older People Projects: Interim report of progress ~ Guide to making a strategic shift to prevention and early intervention ~ DH - Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPs) ~ CSIP – POPPs ~ National Children and Adult Services (NCAS) conference ~ Volunteer Drivers ~ Putting People First
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published new public health guidance on occupational therapy interventions and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care.
Press release ~ Guidance for Occupational therapy and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care ~ Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC) ~ College of Occupational Therapists
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Women and Children’s Health have published a guideline on the prevention & treatment of surgical site infections.
Surgical site infections have been shown to be the cause of up to 20% of all healthcare-associated infections, affecting at least 5% of patients undergoing a surgical procedure. They can have a significant effect on quality of life for the patient and are associated with considerable morbidity and a prolonged stay in hospital. In addition, surgical site infections result in a considerable financial burden to healthcare providers.
Press release ~ Prevention and treatment of surgical site infection ~ National Collaborating Centre for Women and Children’s Health ~ HPA - Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Service
BERR: In the run up to Bonfire Night the Government is targeting the small minority of irresponsible businesses who flout the law by selling fireworks to under 18s. Earlier this month Home Office published "Tackling Firework Misuse - A practitioner's guide", which illustrates the powers available to local authorities and police.
These include Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and Penalty Notices for Disorder, which can be used to tackle the small minority of people who misuse fireworks. Anyone over the age of 10 caught misbehaving with fireworks can be given a fixed penalty notice.
Anyone buying and setting off their own fireworks in a display for family & friends should check the Firework Code first, or risk putting themselves or their loved ones in danger.
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