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Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
DH: A new online resource hub to help people with moderate & severe learning disabilities into employment was launched last week.
The hub is to support delivery of the cross-government strategy, Valuing Employment Now, which aims to increase the number of people with moderate & severe learning disabilities in employment by 2025.
The hub is to support delivery of the cross-government strategy, Valuing Employment Now, which aims to increase the number of people with moderate & severe learning disabilities in employment by 2025.
ScotGov: New guidance is being prepared to help mental health service providers in Scotland take the next step towards banning smoking. Although smoking has been banned in public places since 2006, there has been an exemption to allow smoking to continue in designated rooms in mental health institutions.
Following a recent consultation, Public Health Minister, Shona Robison, has announced that guidance will be produced (by the end of 2010) to help mental health service providers move towards banning smoking altogether.
EMHWD: East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery has announced the launch of PHORCaST - a unique, free UK-wide web resource bringing together information on education, career & development opportunities in public health.
It is intended to be a key resource in helping individuals, organisations, workforce planners and educators plan & deliver the public & and wellbeing workforce of the future.
It is intended to be a key resource in helping individuals, organisations, workforce planners and educators plan & deliver the public & and wellbeing workforce of the future.
Split into easy to follow sections the PHORCaST website provides:
* Step-by-step guidance on starting a career in public health & information on different career options & roles
* Over 80 ‘real life’ career success stories of people working in a wide variety of public health roles
* Help on developing your career through competence frameworks, CPD and CV development advice
* Access to training & resources and development opportunities within public health
MoJ: Guidance to candidates standing at the parliamentary general election on publishing declarations of interests was published last week. The guidance is being published in response to a recommendation made in the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s report on MPs’ expenses & allowances.
It invites candidates to publish, at nomination, a declaration of interests including any paid employment held.
It invites candidates to publish, at nomination, a declaration of interests including any paid employment held.
The declaration is largely based on categories of interest that MPs are required to declare in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests if elected. As the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s report recommended, the guidance is advisory.
Press release ~ Declarations of interests: guidance for parliamentary election candidates ~ Committee on Standards in Public Life’s report on MPs’ expenses and allowances (see Recommendation 37) ~ Register of Members’ Financial Interests
BIS: Leaders from the public & private sector have contributed to the package of advice developed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to help employers put the principles of employee engagement into practice - and improve business performance as a result.
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has outlined the most effective drugs that healthcare professionals in general & community settings should prescribe adults with neuropathic pain, a potentially debilitating condition that affects thousands in the UK.
Typically common painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol are ineffective at treating this, but there are other drugs available on the NHS that can help. NICE’s new clinical guideline outlines which drugs should be prescribed in non-specialist settings and in what order these treatments should be given.
Press release ~ Neuropathic pain: the pharmacological management of neuropathic pain in adults in non-specialist settings
NICE: New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are set to have a significant impact on reducing premature deaths by improving the assessment & diagnosis of patients with recent onset chest pain/discomfort that may be of cardiac origin.
The guideline, jointly developed with the National Clinical Guidelines Centre for Acute and Chronic Conditions, represents a significant change in practice in some key areas of diagnosing an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and angina. The guideline has 2 separate diagnostic pathways:
* the first is for patients with acute chest pain who may have an ACS (such as a heart attack or unstable angina)
* the second is for those with intermittent stable chest pain of suspected cardiac origin who may have stable angina
Press release ~ Chest pain of recent onset: Assessment and diagnosis of recent onset chest pain or discomfort of suspected cardiac origin ~ National Clinical Guidelines Centre for Acute and Chronic Conditions
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published a new guideline that aims to prevent unnecessary deaths in people who suffer an ‘acute coronary syndrome’ (ACS). ACS encompasses a range of conditions from unstable angina to myocardial infarction (heart attacks).
The guideline covers the early management of unstable angina and a type of heart attack known as a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (or ‘NSTEMI’) from arrival in hospital to discharge.
The guideline covers the early management of unstable angina and a type of heart attack known as a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (or ‘NSTEMI’) from arrival in hospital to discharge.
Press release ~ Unstable angina and NSTEMI: the early management of unstable angina and non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has announced a change to the recommendations in its lipid modification guideline (CG67) on cardiovascular risk assessment.
The recommendations advising the use of the Framingham risk assessment tool have been withdrawn, as it is not clear that it is superior to other tools. Healthcare professionals will now instead decide which risk assessment tool is most suitable for their needs.
The recommendations advising the use of the Framingham risk assessment tool have been withdrawn, as it is not clear that it is superior to other tools. Healthcare professionals will now instead decide which risk assessment tool is most suitable for their needs.
ScotGov: A new toolkit which helps caterers provide consumers with more information about the origins of the food & drink available in Scotland's hotels, cafes, pubs and restaurants has been launched.
A successful trial of the Provenance on a Plate guide has already generated increased sales of fresh, seasonal produce, raised greater consumer awareness of local produce and built stronger links with local food suppliers.
A successful trial of the Provenance on a Plate guide has already generated increased sales of fresh, seasonal produce, raised greater consumer awareness of local produce and built stronger links with local food suppliers.
Designed as a code of practice, it aims to clarify legal requirements and best practice guidelines for food & drink origin declarations on menus and provide clear, accurate and consistent information to consumers when eating out.
Newswire – CWDC: A ‘beacon of best practice for those working with England's young people’ is set to be lit with the publication of the first standards for Youth Professional Status (YPS). The Standards have been developed by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), following extensive consultation with the young people's workforce, and key organisations.
A pilot assessment process for the Standards will also begin in April 2010 and run to March 2011. It will test practice against the draft standards, provide incentives to participants who meet them, and supply evidence for their evaluation.
Press release ~ Draft Youth Professional Status standards ~
FSA: An innovative, interactive web-based education resource for primary school teachers has been launched by Platinum Films, in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency.
Inspired by the Channel 4 TV show Planet Cook, and based on the Food Standards Agency's food competences, the resource helps young children learn how to choose, cook & eat safe, healthy food – while at school & at home.
Inspired by the Channel 4 TV show Planet Cook, and based on the Food Standards Agency's food competences, the resource helps young children learn how to choose, cook & eat safe, healthy food – while at school & at home.
PlanetCookClub.com includes a teachers' area that contains lesson plans, video clips & interactive content as well as curriculum links. The lesson plans, for children aged 7 to 9 years, looks at all aspects of food – from balanced diets, nutrition & health to shopping, handling and cooking safe food. There is also a colourful and exciting game area for children to explore that adds another dimension to their learning experience.
Newswire – CWDC: The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has launched a refresh of the common core of skills & knowledge that everyone working with children, young people & families should have.
The refreshed common core of 6 core areas of skills & knowledge for 2010 remains broadly the same, but with a renewed text & updates to strengthen certain areas.
