January 2018 PHE Bulletin, Public Health England's regular update, provides news and information for all those concerned with protecting and improving the public's health. Visit our website for more information.  | | Prescription drug addiction - PHE has been commissioned to undertake an evidence review The growing problem of dependence and addiction to prescription drugs is set to form the basis of an independent review announced by the Government, as our data show one patient in eleven was prescribed a potentially addictive drug last year alone. Public Health Minister, Steve Brine, has commissioned PHE to undertake an independent evidence review along with recommendations on how to address it. PHE will assess the scale of the problem, the harms caused by dependence and withdrawal, how they may be prevented and the best way to respond. The findings of the review will be published in early 2019. |
 | | Health Matters: Using the world leading NHS Health Check programme to prevent CVD The latest edition of PHE's Health Matters, a resource for local authorities and health professionals, focuses on how the NHS Health Check is playing an important role in the prevention and early detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in England. The NHS Health Check offers an opportunity for people in midlife to assess their risk of CVD and make lifestyle changes that can prevent and delay the onset of CVD. Up to 80% of CVD events could be avoided through better prevention of risk factors. |
 | | Catch It, Bin It, Kill It campaign Seasonal flu is currently circulating in the UK and to help reduce the number of infections across the country PHE re-launched the Catch It, Bin It, Kill It campaign. This campaign promotes good respiratory hand hygiene and shows us the easy ways to reduce the chance of catching or infecting others with the flu. Flu is most contagious in the first five days of infection, and approximately 30 per cent of infections do not display symptoms, so a rapid response is necessary. Our best defence against the flu is still the vaccination, as well as good hygiene and vigilance which can help to further lower your risk of infection. You can see the latest flu figures on .GOV.UK. |
 | | Latest 'Routes to Diagnosis' cancer dataset published Routes to Diagnosis now includes 10 years' worth of data, covering more than 3 million cancer cases, making it the most comprehensive dataset of its kind in the world. The data shows a dramatic improvement in the way some cancers are being diagnosed across England, but also pinpoints areas where improvements could still be made. This latest update includes a new interactive tool which, for the first time, shows trends in cancer diagnosis for 53 different types of cancer. By using the tool doctors and managers will be able to quickly and easily see the differences between cancers and understand where survival rates are improving. |
 | | PHE Change4Life campaign to help parents manage their children's snacking Public Health England has launched its new Change4Life campaign encouraging parents to 'Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max' when buying packaged snacks - this comes as children consume half of their sugar from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks. Local authorities can support the campaign by downloading our free resources including posters, leaflets and ideas for local activities. Local schools can also engage pupils in healthier snacking by accessing free new resources via the School Zone. |
 | | National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) Local Authority Profile The NCMP Local Authority Profile online data tool for child obesity for England has been updated. This annual update adds data for the academic year 2016 to 2017 at local authority (LA) level. It also includes a new 'severe obesity' indicator, not reported on separately before. The NCMP tool displays prevalence of obesity, overweight, healthy weight and underweight at local, regional and national level over time, for children in Reception (aged 4 to 5 years) and Year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years). Users can compare LA data by region or between 'CIPFA nearest neighbours' (LAs with similar characteristics). |
 | | NHS Health Check national guidance update The updated NHS Health Check Best Practice Guidance and Programme Standards have now been published on the NHS Health Check website. The Best Practice Guidance is updated annually to support LA commissioners and providers with getting the most from the programme. The programme standards are updated every three years to help to ensure that local NHS Health Check services are delivered safely and to a consistently high quality at every step of the pathway. |
 | | Healthy High Streets High streets also have a valuable contribution to make to people's health. PHE has published a review of the latest evidence on the health and wellbeing benefits of making high streets in urban settings more inclusive, safer and healthier, particularly in areas of high deprivation. For decision makers such as town planners and local public health teams, this evidence will hopefully help in the choices they are making. |
 | | Public Health and gambling PHE, the Gambling Commission and the Local Government Association have sent a joint letter to directors of public health, to ensure that they are aware that local licensing authorities are required to review their Statement of Gambling Policy soon, and to encourage them to support them in this process. The Statement is a key tool that licensing authorities can use to seek to protect their residents from the negative impacts associated with problem gambling. |
 | | End of Life Care PHE has released reports on the role of nursing homes in end of life care for people aged 75 and over, including previously published figures from CQC. The figures show the number of beds in care homes has decreased from 466,317 in 2012 to 462,035 in 2016 while nursing home beds have increased from 216,726 beds in 2012 to 224,853 in 2016. |
 | | National Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Network - update
Further analysis of the 2014 What About YOUth? survey highlights the associations between health behaviours, other self-rated life factors (such as bullying and body image) and wellbeing. It builds on the initial analysis and the local authority data and pdf summaries available from PHE Fingertips.
New narrative reports on teenage pregnancy (part of PHE's Fingertips tool for each upper tier local authority), bring together key data and information to help inform commissioning decisions to reduce unplanned teenage conceptions and improve outcomes for young parents. They include local data and a summary of the evidence for effective intervention.
You can subscribe to the fortnightly child and maternal health and wellbeing knowledge update, which brings together the latest resources about child physical and mental health from a range of organisations. |
 | | Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Framework Over the last 15 years the under-18 conception rate has fallen by over 55% with all councils achieving reductions, but inequalities remain. The Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Framework has been published this month, supporting young people to prevent unplanned pregnancy and develop healthy relationships. The framework is designed to help local areas assess their local programmes to see what's working well, identify any gaps, and maximise the assets of all services to strengthen the prevention pathway for all young people. It can be used flexibly to review actions across a whole area, to focus on high rate districts or wards or to strengthen a specific aspect of prevention, for example relationships and sex education. A self-assessment checklist is provided for councils to collate a summary of the current local situation, and identify gaps and actions. |
 | | NEPTUNE e-learning modules now available The NEPTUNE project (Novel Psychoactive Treatment UK Network) has published seven e-learning modules on the clinical management of harms associated with novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and club drugs. Building on the evidence-based NEPTUNE clinical guidance, the modules provide accessible and easy to use training for busy front-line clinicians and other practitioners. Developed in partnership with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the modules are based on the principles used by the College to develop Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The modules are open access (free of charge). |
 | | Modern Slavery and Public Health PHE's Health Equity team has published Modern Slavery and Public Health, which uncovers several opportunities for public health to make a difference to the anti-slavery agenda. The report discusses how leaders in public health are in a position to influence statutory and third sector engagement by talking about modern slavery (for example, housing associations, schools and allied health professionals) and raising public awareness. |
 | | PHE Research 2016 to 2017: annual review PHE works with a range of partners to develop high quality evidence and uses this to implement and influence robust, effective public health programmes that address factors affecting people's health. In December we published PHE Research 2016 to 2017: annual review, which looks back on 12 months of PHE research and some of its highlights. From reviewing the effectiveness of alcohol policies to collaborating internationally on zika virus, training future generations of public health scientists and many topics in between, the report illustrates the breadth of our work. The research was funded from diverse sources and reported in more than 850 articles published in the peer-reviewed scientific and clinical literature during 2016. |
What we learned about alcohol and drug treatment in prisons from the 2016-17 statistics Is lack of sleep affecting your work? Data, pilots, evaluation: How to rebalance health inequalities in the criminal justice system New PHE Screening leaflet for trans and non-binary people has improved awareness Health Matters: NHS Health Check - A world leading CVD prevention programme Measles has been eliminated in the UK – so why do we still see cases and outbreaks? Allied Health Professionals into Action – one year on Making the business case for sleep Routes to Diagnosis – driving improvements in cancer with a decade of data New Action Plan: Next steps to tackling high blood pressure A guide to our new health equity collections page The #iwill campaign - making social action accessible to all young people Flu and flu vaccines: Expert interview Health and care professionals: Your lifestyle referrals can create a force for change It's good to talk: Making the most of our conversations Health and care professionals: Make prevention your healthy New Year's resolution Understanding the current cancer population in England Measles has been eliminated in the UK – so why do we still see cases and outbreaks?  | | DEFRA publishes 25 Year Environment Plan The Department for Energy, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published its 25 Year Environment Plan, which outlines steps for a cleaner, greener Britain. The plan sets out how the Government aims to improve the environment over a generation by creating richer habitats for wildlife, improving air and water quality and curbing plastic in the world's oceans. Open spaces such as our national parks have many benefits for both physical and mental health. PHE has worked closely with DEFRA on the plan and we look forward to contributing to its full range of ambitions. |
 | | NICE guidance on treating sore throat Final guidance, developed by NICE and Public Health England, advises GP and healthcare professionals (HCPs) how they should treat sore throat. Respiratory tract infections are one of the main reasons people visit their GP, or seek help from a pharmacist. Evidence reviewed by NICE found most people will get better without antibiotics, usually experiencing symptoms for up to a week. However, research suggests antibiotics are prescribed in 60% of cases. The guidance says HCPs shouldn't prescribe antibiotics. Instead they should help people to manage their symptoms with pain relief, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. People who have a sore throat caused by bacteria, sometimes referred to as 'strep-throat', are more likely to benefit from antibiotics. |
 | | New NHS 111 campaign launches A new campaign has launched in London, Anglia and the Midlands to help anyone worried about an urgent medical concern get the right attention fast. When it's not an emergency, people are urged to call the free NHS 111 service to receive medical attention urgently. Depending on the situation, the NHS 111 team can connect people to a nurse, emergency dentist, or even a GP and if they think a person needs it, they're able to arrange face-to-face appointments. The NHS 111 service, which currently handles 15 million calls a year, is available 24 hours a day. It's recently been enhanced and can now offer clinical advice, assessment and direction to the most appropriate healthcare service. |
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