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Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
LHDG: The Local Housing Delivery Group, chaired by Sir John Harman, recently published its dual review of local plan viability testing and local standards in new housing development at an event hosted by group secretariat, NHBC (National House-Building Council).
With the reduction in central planning guidance and the forthcoming abolition of regional housing targets, the role of local authorities in planning for new homes becomes even more critical. The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) poses a challenge for them to develop local plans which are both sustainable and viable.
Press release & links
Press release & links
HO: A new guide for parents to help them educate children about how the media alter images & the impact this can have on self esteem has been backed by Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone, recently. The body image parent pack, developed for 6-11-year-olds by not-for-profit organisation Media Smart, marks the latest contribution to the government's Body Confidence campaign.
The pack encourages children to think about how & why images may have been altered and the effect this can have on their own body image. It also explores how ideas about the 'perfect' body have changed through the ages and offers tips for parents on how to talk to their child about the subject.
HPA: A new online training module for public health professionals & healthcare workers dealing with patients who may have been exposed to rabies has been launched by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The HPA issues PEP to approximately 1,000 individuals per year, nonetheless, there is still a lack of awareness amongst clinicians & public health practitioners about rabies exposure risk assessments, and when and how PEP should be used.
DUK: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued new guidelines aimed at making it easier for drivers with insulin-treated diabetes to understand the new driver licensing rules recently introduced to comply with a new European Directive on driving licences.
NICE: NICE has published new recommendations on the management of acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Bleeding in the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum is the most common emergency managed by gastroenterologists in the UK, with at least 50,000 hospital admissions per year. Despite changes in management, mortality has not improved over the past 50 years.
It is estimated that around 1 in 10 hospital admissions for upper gastrointestinal bleeding results in the patient's death - around 5,000 deaths per year in the UK. This latest guidance makes a number of key recommendations, including offering endoscopy to unstable patients with severe acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding immediately after resuscitation.
NICE: People who present to hospital with blood clots in the legs or lungs should be offered treatment within 4 hours and have their investigative tests including scans within 24 hours, according to latest guidelines. Those aged 40 and over who develop a blood clot should also be tested to see whether they have an underlying cancer.
Currently, some patients encounter delays as tests & scans are unavailable at hospitals over the weekend or out-of-hours. During this time, the risk of developing a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (PE) increases significantly. The opportunity to check for cancer is also being missed, despite estimates suggesting that one in 10 people with a blood clot have an underlying cancer.
DH: Thousands of individuals with mental health needs could be offered more flexible working under a new initiative launched by Health Minister Lord Howe. Leading companies have signed up to a new Responsibility Deal pledge to help manage & support employees with mental health needs in the best way possible – See ‘In the News’ section for more information.
RoSPA: A new video has been produced for divers to give them a solid foundation in the key benefits & safety considerations of using closed circuit rebreathers (CCRs) - a technology often referred to as enabling ‘bubble-free’ diving.
CCR use, which is historically associated with military & cave diving, is expected to rise sharply among recreational divers over the next few years. With CCR technology accepted to be developing fast, the CCR Aware video (available free of charge) is targeted at those new to rebreather diving as well as existing users who might be at risk of becoming complacent.
