NHS

NICE closing selected evidence websites

stglibrary

On 31 March, selected evidence services currently provided by NICE, will be closed down.

The following sites will no longer be available after Thursday 31 March, 2022:

Many of the services provided by these outgoing sites will be replaced by the HEE funded NHS Knowledge and Library Hub

The new hub provides a simple option for NHS staff to search all knowledge and library resources in one place. The hub also links to a new journals library, to key healthcare databases for in-depth searching (hosted by provider websites such as EbscoHost, Ovid and Proquest), and to other key resources such as BMJ Best Practice and UpToDate.

NICE will still host the NHS OpenAthens site which provides authentication for NHS resources.  

NHS staff can visit our NHS LibGuides or our NHS webpages to find out more about these changes, or get in touch at liaison@sgul.ac.uk with any questions.

Healthcare evidence and knowledge now a simple search away

stglibrary

A new NHS Knowledge and Library Hub (the ‘Hub’), coordinated by Health Education England (HEE) and NHS librarians, now makes it easier to find journal articles and other evidence resources across NHS England.

The Hub is a ‘one-stop’ gateway which, for the first time nationally, connects NHS staff and learners in England seamlessly to articles, reports and other evidence-based resources all in one place.

You can access and search the Hub at https://bit.ly/NHSKLH, and sign-in with your NHS OpenAthens username and password to take full advantage of time-saving benefits, including:

  • Cross-searching across a wide range of databases to locate journal articles and e-publications such as reports and conference proceedings
  • One click access to PDFS where available, or request a copy via our NHS Article Request service
  • Searches that can be carried across to clinical decision support tools such as Uptodate, BMJ Best Practice or the Royal Marsden Manual and even selected e-books
  • Access to individual databases such as Medline, CINAHL and Embase for advanced literature searching
  • A national NHS system available to you wherever you work in NHS England via your NHS OpenAthens account, connecting you to library services such as our NHS Articles Request Service.

Try a search today or learn more about how to make the most of the ‘Hub’ with our short user guide.

The Hub is an exciting new HEE initiative, designed with all NHS staff  and learners in mind- please send any queries or feedback on the ‘Hub’ to liaison@sgul.ac.uk, so we can keep working with our providers to enhance and improve this new service.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen John-Pierre, NHS and Liaison Manager at St George’s Library on kjohn@sgul.ac.uk

Keep informed (but not overwhelmed) with KnowledgeShare for NHS staff

stglibrary
KnowledgeShare logo

Information overload is common within the NHS 1, where an overwhelming plethora of  healthcare evidence is created and shared daily.  

KnowledgeShare,  a new evidence updating service available to St George’s Trust staff, can help filter out all the noise and connect you with targeted publications relevant to your role. 

By setting up a KnowledgeShare profile, you’ll receive an email alerting you to targeted reports, guidelines and research articles from curated, high-quality, high-level sources. 

It’s an easy way of keeping up-to-date with new publications without being overloaded with information thus saving you time in keeping your practice and delivery up-to-date,  improving the quality of the care and service you deliver every day, helping you  provide the right care, every time. 

Here’s what other NHS staff have said about KnowledgeShare:

“Thank you so much for this really relevant and something inspiring to read in my inbox!”

– Clinical Psychologist

“I must say this is a brilliant service I read these briefly on the way to the train station; a great method of CPD. Much appreciated”

– Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Acute Hospital Trust.

To see what KnowledgeShare can do for you, sign-up today and let us know your interests such as:

  • conditions or risk factors 
  • setting of interest 
  • non-clinical professional interest such as education, patient safety, manpower management etc 
  • patient population groups such as children or adults 

Once we’ve received your form, we’ll send you emails with the latest guidelines, reports and high-level research on conditions and treatment options and improved methods of service delivery. 

Many of the papers highlighted in KnowledgeShare will be available in full text via OpenAthens, or simply available password-free on the web. For anything else try our NHS Article Request service, and where possible we will send you a PDF or details on how to request it via our interlibrary loan service.

KnowledgeShare is currently available to St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust employees. We hope you find KnowledgeShare will invigorate your practice, service delivery and CPD: we welcome your feedback. 

Getting further help. 

For more information visit the KnowledgeShare website 

KnowledgeShare – Welcome to KnowledgeShare 

Or contact:

Karen John-Pierre, NHS and liaison manager, St George’s Library 

kjohn@sgul.ac.uk 

References 

1. Sbaffi L, Walton J, Blenkinsopp J, Walton G. Information Overload in Emergency Medicine Physicians: A Multisite Case Study Exploring the Causes, Impact, and Solutions in Four North England National Health Service Trusts. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Jul 27;22(7):e19126. doi: 10.2196/19126. PMID: 32716313; PMCID: PMC7418008. 

Resources for nurses at St George’s library

stglibrary

To mark this year’s Nurses Day, we have compiled a brief guide to some of the resources that can help to guide and support the amazing work that nurses do each and every day.

Books

A wide range of print and electronic books are available from the library at St George’s. Below are some lists of available titles on a selection of nursing specialties or nursing-related topics:

To access any of the e-books included in the above lists, you will need an NHS OpenAthens account. If you don’t already have one, you can easily register online. This also provides access to most of the journals, databases and other useful resources noted below.

Websites and online resources

The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical and Cancer Nursing Procedures, is available online with your OpenAthens account.

A series of training videos on a range of topics including how to carry out different assessments and procedures is available through the ProQuest Hospital Collection.

Clinical guidelines, resources to support professional and career development, and other helpful information can be found on the Royal College of Nursing website, while information relating to registration and nursing standards is available from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Journals

NICE provide a searchable A-Z of all journals available through OpenAthens, which can be found here: https://journals.nice.org.uk/

Available journals include: Nursing Standard, Nursing Management, and the British Journal of Nursing.

Login and search to see all available titles.

Databases

In addition to Cinahl and Emcare the larger, and international databases which provide coverage relevant to all nursing specialties and professionals, there are also some smaller UK specific databases with a focus on nursing: the British Nursing Index, and Internurse.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which you can find at the Cochrane Library also includes material relevant to nursing, as do more general medical databases such as Medline (and it’s free equivalent PubMed) and Embase.

Finding information

The library team at St George’s offers training on where and how to find the best quality information to support clinical practice, research, and quality improvement. You can find details on the sessions available here.

We also provide a evidence search service, CARES, which provides aims to provide recent, reliable and relevant evidence on your topic or question. Search requests can be submitted for patient care queries, service development, teaching or research projects, or for any other professional need.

Help

St George’s library has a team dedicated to providing support for all of the nurses (and other NHS staff) at St George’s trust. If you have any questions, need advice on anything related to finding, or managing information, or if there’s anything that we might be able to help with, you can get in touch at: liaison@sgul.ac.uk

Information Skills Training: April to June

stglibrary

In the upcoming months we will again be offering a variety of library skills training sessions. There are different sessions suitable for your level of expertise or year of study, for students, academics and NHS staff.

Below you can find out more about the different training sessions we offer and the dates for these sessions. To book, please visit LibCal and register for the session you would like to attend. These sessions are all held online, via Microsoft Teams.

Don’t forget, we also continue to run our Library Research online drop-ins, Monday to Friday 12-1pm. At our drop-ins we can help you with getting started with finding information for your assignment, doing in-depth literature searching projects and referencing enquiries.

Visit our website to find out more or email liaison@sgul.ac.uk.

Decorative image

Training sessions on offer

My Learning Essentials: Hunter & Harvard

Wednesday 26th May, 1-2pm
Tuesday 22nd June, 1-2pm

This session is suitable for SGUL or FHSCE undergraduate or postgraduate students who have specific referencing or literature searching enquiries relating to their assignments.  You will be able to discuss your query with the librarian, and receive guidance on how to effectively use Hunter to find academic books and articles and how to use CiteThemRight to ensure your referencing complies with SGUL’s specific Harvard Referencing Style.

Book here.

Literature searching for your dissertation

Tuesday 18th May, 11.00-12.30pm
Tuesday 15th June, 11-12.30pm

We know databases, like Medline (aka PubMed) and CINAHL, can be daunting, but with a little help and guidance, we are short you will get to grips with them in no time. If you have a longer research project, like a dissertation, or you just want to impress in your assignments, this session is for you. You will learn how to effectively run a literature search in a database relevant to your subject. The sessions are suitable for St George’s and FHSCE staff and students.

Sign up here.

RefWorks

Thursday 13 May 1-2pm
Wednesday 16 June 12-1pm

In this session, we will introduce you to the reference management software RefWorks. We will show you up to set up an account, add references, manage them and how to use RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM), a Microsoft Word Add-in.

Book here.

Training sessions for NHS staff

NHS Library induction

Thursday 20th May, 12.30-1pm
Tuesday 15th June, 11-11.30am

Library induction for NHS staff, introducing you to the range of services and resources on offer to those working for St George’s Hospital, Queen Mary’s Hospital and other community-based sites.

Sign up here.

Decorative image

Finding the Evidence

Thursday 29th April, 1-2.30pm


Monday 10th May, 12-1.30pm
Wednesday 26th May, 12.30-2pm


Friday 11th June, 11-12.30
Monday 21st June, 1-2.30pm

Finding top-quality evidence is a priority for health care practitioners. This session will introduce the high-quality resources available to you, as well as provide training in how to use them effectively to support evidence-based clinical practice or decision-making.

The session will cover: The range of evidence-based healthcare resources available, including: NICE Evidence, the Cochrane Library and BMJ Best Practice.

How to use the NHS databases effectively and identify the most appropriate database for your need. This includes how to create and plan a search strategy using subject headings and keywords and how to combine searches and apply limits to focus your results; how to access full-text articles where available or locate articles through St George’s journals page; and how to save your searches and set up alerts.

You can book your slot here.

Systematic Reviews: finding and managing the evidence

Wednesday 28th April, 1-3pm

Tuesday 25th May, 11am-1pm

Thursday 24th June, 11am-1pm

This course will focus on in-depth literature searching for systematic reviewers and how to manage your results. It will provide you with an overview of the systematic review process, the know-how of creating effective search strategies, systematic searching of the literature, managing your results and documenting the search process.

You can book this session here.

At the end of this session you will be able to:

  • plan robust search strategies for literature searches in support of systematic reviews
  • carry out systematic, advanced searches on the Ovid platform
  • save searches strategies and create alerts
  • plan how you will manage your search results and report on your search methodology.

If you have any questions about these training sessions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing liaison@sgul.ac.uk.

Kortext ebooks NHS collection

stglibrary
Health Education England (HEE) has invested in a collection of ebooks for NHS staff, now available through Kortext.

The collection of ebooks covers subject areas including key clinical topics, nursing and healthcare management, alongside titles on critical appraisal, mentoring and revision resources for medical exams.

To access the books, go directly to the Kortext website: https://app.kortext.com, select St George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust from the list of institutions and enter your OpenAthens details. You will also find a link to Kortext in ‘My Resources‘ when you log into your OpenAthens account.

On the landing page of the site, click on Collections to view the full list of ebooks. Selecting an available title will add it to Books, which is your personal bookshelf. Books that you open will remain on your bookshelf for the duration of their loan period.

Kortext offers accessiblity options which allow you to change the formatting of a book, including options for the background colour, the font and the size of the text. When reading a book, make use of the options to take notes, highlight content, bookmark pages or print – all notes, highlights and bookmarks are saved in your account.

If you wish to read offline, create a personal Kortext account and download the app; Kortext apps are available for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.

Example titles:

Bailey & Love’s Essential Clinical Anatomy

Care of the Cancer Patient

Children and Young People’s Nursing Skills at a Glance

Essentials of Management for Healthcare Professionals

Essential knowledge and skills for healthcare assistants

Medical Statistics at a Glance

Patient-Centred Ethics and Communication at the End of Life

Research Methodologies for Beginners

Supervision in Clinical Practice : A Practitioner’s Guide

The doctor’s guide to critical appraisal

The Foundation Programme for Doctors

The textbook of non-medical prescribing

This collection is an addition to those ebooks which are already available from St George’s Library, and which can be accessed through Hunter.

If you need to create an OpenAthens account, or have forgotten your password, visit: https://openathens.nice.org.uk/. Contact liaison@sgul.ac.uk with any questions.

Health E-news Friday 9 October

stglibrary

Health E-News is a weekly update on policy and guidelines from organisations including NICE and individual Royal Medical Colleges, and news and views on health related subjects and research from trusted sources such as The King’s Fund, Cochrane, The Health Foundation, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Click here to sign up to this bulletin via email.

COVID-19 guidance and policy

Announcement of forthcoming guideline on persistent effects of COVID-19

NICE, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have announced that they will work with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop a guideline for the persistent effects of COVID-19, or long covid. The guideline will address, among other things, a formal definition of the disease, and how to identify on-going symptoms, which can include on-going shortness of breath, fatigue, heart, lung, kidney, neurological and musculoskeletal problems. It will also provide a definition of best practice investigation and treatment options to support the management of the condition. Publication is expected before the end of the year.

COVID-19 related news

Cochrane review on anticoagulants for people hospitalised with COVID-19

A recently published Cochrane review explores the use of prophylactic anticoagulants for those who are hospitalised with COVID-19, to see whether preventive use of anticoagulants reduced mortality or the need for respiratory support, compared with placebo or no anticoagulant treatment. The studies found for inclusion in the review were retrospective studies from hospitals in China, Italy, Spain and the USA, and the variance in reporting of results, along with incomplete reporting, means the review authors have low confidence in the current evidence. 22 ongoing studies on the topic, including 20 RCTs, were identified, and the review will be updated when results of these are published.

Other news

Cochrane brings together recent reviews relevant to nursing, midwifery and allied health

On the Evidently Cochrane blog this week, collections of recent Cochrane reviews have been brought together for several staff groups. The individual collections offer an overview of recent evidence relating to nursing, reviews relevant for allied health professionals, and for midwives. Each collection offers several different topics, provides a summary of the findings, and links to the full reviews.

Cancer Research UK publication on the early detection and diagnosis of cancer

Cancer Research UK have published the ‘Early Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Roadmap’, a report which aims to help bring together the UK efforts in early detection and diagnosis of cancer. The document aims to define a shared vision amongst healthcare professionals, healthcare service commissioners, academia, research funders, patients and other stakeholder sectors, and makes recommendations for overcoming the existing challenges to progress in this area.

NHS Employers resources for World Mental Health Day

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October, NHS Employers have rounded up a range of resources relevant to mental health and wellbeing amongst the healthcare workforce. The resources include a toolkit developed in partnership with Mind, and a variety of resources relating to mental wellbeing throughout the ongoing pandemic, including some specific advice on mental health for those working from home.

International consensus statement on preventing opioid-related harm

An international multi-disciplinary consensus statement on the prevention of opioid-related harm in surgical patients has been published in Anaesthesia. The authors of the statement include anaesthetists, pain specialists, surgeons, a primary care physician, nurse and pharmacist from Australia, India, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA, selected on the basis of clinical or academic expertise. The statement offers guidance on the safe peri-operative use of opioids in adult surgical patients, and includes recommended strategies to reduce the potential harms of postoperative use of opioids.

Nuffield Trust report considers mental health nurse education

A report from the Nuffield Trust, commissioned by NHS Employers and the Mental Health Network, looks at ways more people might be attracted to apply to study mental health nursing, and considers the reasons why numbers are currently limited. ‘Laying foundations: Attitudes and access to mental health nurse education’, identifies five broad areas where efforts can be made to encourage and support an increased number of students in mental health nursing education. These include improving understanding of mental health nursing roles and mental health patients, and enabling access to courses across the country, from across the breadth of the population.

NICE guidance

Medtech innovation briefing

MIB229 AnaConDa-S for sedation with volatile anaesthetics in intensive care

NICE guideline

NG170 COVID-19 rapid guideline: cystic fibrosis Updated

NG183 Behaviour change: digital and mobile health interventions

Technology appraisal

TA652 Alpelisib with fulvestrant for treating hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative, PIK3CA-positive advanced breast cancer (terminated appraisal)

NIHR alerts 

Working may improve quality of life for carers of people with dementia

A decision aid may help people with newly-diagnosed multiple sclerosis consider their options for treatment

People with anorectal melanoma may not benefit from radical surgery


Statistics

If you found this week’s issue of Health E-News useful, be sure to subscribe via email here.

Health E-news Friday 2 October

stglibrary

Health E-News is a weekly update on policy and guidelines from organisations including NICE and individual Royal Medical Colleges, and news and views on health related subjects and research from trusted sources such as The King’s Fund, Cochrane, The Health Foundation, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Click here to sign up to this bulletin via email.

COVID-19 related news

Cochrane Review examines the accuracy of chest imaging for COVID-19 diagnosis

A recent Cochrane Review considers the evidence for thoracic imaging tests in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Noting the continuing challenges of accurate diagnosis by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) testing, the review assessed studies on the use of chest imaging tests, including CT, X-ray and ultrasound, to see how accurate these tests are in diagnosing cases of suspected or confirmed COVID-19. On the basis of the included studies, the review suggests that chest CT and chest X-ray may be useful for confirming COVID-19 diagnosis, but that CT scans may be less accurate in suspected cases.

Study findings show high prevalence of infection, but suggest growth rate may be slowing

Interim findings from the Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) study have been published, offering a view of the levels of infection in the general population in England. The study, led by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, tests over 150,000 participants each month over a 2-week period, and the published findings shows prevalence of infection increased across all age groups and regions. Infection was highest in those aged 18 to 24 with 1 in 100 people infected, and cases increased seven-fold in those aged over 65. The North West had the highest levels of infection and the number of infections in London increased five-fold. The current prevalence of infection is the highest recorded to date by the study team.

Other news

GMC publish updated guidance on Decision making and consent

The General Medical Council have published new guidance on Decision making and consent, effective from Monday 9 November. The guidance is intended to help doctors have meaningful conversations with patients about their treatment and care options, and is designed to be easy to follow, taking account of the work pressures faced by doctors. A single page summary with key principles doctors need to know, a focus on the importance of taking a proportionate approach, tailored to individual patients, and information on how healthcare colleagues can support decision making.

Professional bodies for radiology and cancer radiotherapy call for dedicated investment

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) have each submitted cases to the Treasury, ahead of the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. The organisations are united in their calls to the Government to combat staff shortages and inadequate and outdated equipment and IT, the primary obstacles that slow down care for cancer and imaging patients. The full submissions of each organisation can be accessed from this page.

RCoA and Association of Anaesthetists publish guidance on safe drug management

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Association of Anaesthetists have published guidance on the Safe Drug Management in Anaesthetic Practice. This guidance has been endorsed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine and the College of Operating Department Practitioners. The guidance builds upon 2016 guidance, ‘Storage of drugs in anaesthetic rooms’, extending its scope to include other areas where anaesthesia is routinely administered, such as emergency departments and labour wards.

King’s Fund considers the trade-offs between digital and face-to-face care

With the move from face-to-face to digital provision of some health care services during the first stages of the pandemic, there is a need to consider the gains, the losses and the balance between the two options, ahead of lasting decisions being made, suggests the King’s Fund. Noting some of the benefits that digital solutions offer patients and staff, and highlighting some of the obstacles preventing access to digital solutions, the argument is made for a balance which draws on the strengths of both face-to-face and digital, taking proper account of the needs and preferences of patients and healthcare professionals.

Resources, events and celebrations for Black History Month

As Black History Month begins, with restrictions limiting face-to-face events, NHS Employers is keen for staff to engage with celebrations, and share stories and resources online. Their website lists some events that NHS trusts have planned throughout the month, links to further information and resources on Black History Month specifically, as well as resources on inclusion and diversity more broadly. They also offer some key facts, figures and information about the current NHS workforce.

NHS Confederation report calls for ‘re-imagining’ of the NHS

Bringing together NHS Confederation members and partners, the NHS Reset campaign has convened the health and care system to reflect on the learning from the last six months and what it means for the future. The report reflects the views of the NHS Confederation, and highlights five factors which are central to helping reset the way health and care is planned, commissioned and delivered.


NICE guidance

Technology appraisal

TA650 Pembrolizumab with axitinib for untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma

TA651 Naldemedine for treating opioid-induced constipation


NIHR alerts 

Tackling fear and misinformation may help increase hepatitis C testing in prison

Tranexamic acid should not be used for patients with severe gastrointestinal bleeding


Statistics

If you found this week’s issue of Health E-News useful, be sure to subscribe via email here.

Health E-News Friday 25 September

stglibrary

Health E-News is a weekly update on policy and guidelines from organisations including NICE and individual Royal Medical Colleges, and news and views on health related subjects and research from trusted sources such as The King’s Fund, Cochrane, The Health Foundation, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Click here to sign up to this bulletin via email.

COVID-19 guidance and policy

New guidance on preparing anaesthesia and critical care for a second COVID-19 surge

New joint guidance produced by the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, the Intensive Care Society, the Association of Anaesthetists and the Royal College of Anaesthetists, outlines key principles for clinical directors to consider when planning service changes. The guidance aims to enable services to increase the availability of critical care facilities for COVID-19, while also protecting planned surgery, preserving training, and protecting the health and wellbeing of healthcare staff.

COVID-19 related news

New discovery in structure of Coronavirus could offer way of stopping virus

A new discovery in the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein could offer a potentially significant means of eliminating the COVID-19 virus. An international team led by the University of Bristol, who have been examining the molecular composition of the virus, have made a finding that suggests that it might be possible to develop anti-viral drugs to target a particular part of the virus spike, thereby stopping its infectivity. The full findings are available in an article published in Science.

Cochrane blog offers summary of existing evidence on COVID-19

A piece on the Cochrane blog offers a summary of the existing Cochrane Reviews and Special Collections on various aspects of the virus. These include reviews on detecting COVID-19, testing and screening options, measures for controlling the spread – which include PPE, quarantine and travel-based measures – and treatment options for patients with COVID-19. The piece also considers the impact of the pandemic on other areas of health and wellbeing, and links to relevant reviews. Keep up to date with Cochrane news and reviews on COVID-19 at their page dedicated to Coronavirus resources.

Other news

Healthcare regulators publish annual joint report on whistleblowing disclosures

The GMC, NMC and the six other UK healthcare regulators have published their joint ‘Whistleblowing disclosures report 2020’. The report covers any disclosures made between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020, and outlines the number of disclosures received by each of the regulating bodies, as well as summarising the actions taken as a result of these disclosures.

Latest evidence from Cochrane on psychological therapies for chronic pain

A recently published Cochrane review investigates the use of three common psychological therapies for chronic pain in adults: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), behavioural therapy (BT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The review is based upon studies of face to face treatment delivered by trained psychological therapists, and found that CBT offers small benefits on pain, disability and distress, while the evidence for ACT and BT was uncertain.

King’s Fund report examines the workplace needs of nurses and midwives

A report from the King’s Fund, ‘The courage of compassion: Supporting nurses and midwives to deliver high-quality care’, examines the pressures faced by nursing and midwifery staff, and investigates the workplace transformations that could contribute to improved health and wellbeing, decreased stress, and increased motivation. The report suggests that three core needs of autonomy, belonging and contribution must be met, and provides recommendations for how these can be achieved.

Flu vaccination programme aiming to reach 30 million people

This year’s flu vaccination programme will be expanded in an attempt to provide the vaccine to 30 million people, as findings from Public Health England (PHE) research earlier this year suggests that the risk of death more than doubled for people who tested positive for both flu and COVID-19, compared to those with COVID-19 alone. The vaccine will first be offered to all primary school children, two and three year olds, and the most at-risk groups, including adults over 65 and those with long term health conditions, before being rolled out to others later in the season. All staff at St George’s can, of course get their flu jab from the daily flu clinic.

Evidence review on the influences of improvement processes in healthcare

An evidence review commissioned by The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute at the University of Cambridge, and carried out by the RAND Corporation, explores the key influences affecting the implementation of improvement processes in healthcare. Based upon a review of publications covering a range of improvement approaches, six factors were found to be key influences on the successful implementation of improvement. These include leadership, patient and public involvement, and the use of data. The review is intended to highlight the issues that need to be considered when designing improvement initiatives.

NICE guidance

Clinical guideline

CG173 Neuropathic pain in adults: pharmacological management in non-specialist settings Updated

Interventional procedures guidance

IPG680 Transcranial magnetic stimulation for auditory hallucinations

Medtech innovation briefing

MIB227 t:slim X2 insulin pump for managing blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes

MIB228 Novii Wireless Patch System for maternal and fetal monitoring

NICE guideline

NG59 Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management Updated

NG182 Insect bites and stings: antimicrobial prescribing

Technology appraisal

TA649 Polatuzumab vedotin with rituximab and bendamustine for treating relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma


NIHR alerts 

New research provides insights into the distress experienced by transgender adults

More precise classification of risk in prostate cancer reveals a huge variation in treatment

Terminally ill patients and their families often need more help to manage their medicines

More health research should take place in the areas and populations with most disease

Cultural and language barriers need to be addressed for British-Pakistani women to benefit fully from breast screening

Community-based medicine collection improves access to lifesaving HIV treatment in South Africa

Statistics

If you found this week’s issue of Health E-News useful, be sure to subscribe via email here.

Health E-news Friday 4 September

stglibrary

Health E-News is a weekly update on policy and guidelines from organisations including NICE and individual Royal Medical Colleges, and news and views on health related subjects and research from trusted sources such as The King’s Fund, Cochrane, The Health Foundation, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Click here to sign up to this bulletin via email.

COVID-19 related news

Further evidence for benefits of corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment

Findings in papers published this week in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), have reinforced evidence that outcomes for patients severely affected by COVID-19 can be significantly improved by corticosteroids. The first of the papers examines the effect of hydrocortisone on mortality and organ support, finding more rapid recovery and better survival rates in treatment with the steroid. The second paper looked at mortality over a 28-day period after the start of treatment with corticosteroids, estimating a 20 percent reduction in risk of death.

Government announce funding of increased testing capacity

The government has announced funding for increasing the current capacity for existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 testing, with the aim of enabling large-scale repeat population testing. In addition, funds will go to expanding pilot trials of new testing techniques and technology, including a rapid test that could provide results in as little as 20 minutes.

New findings add to picture of COVID-19 risks in pregnancy

A systematic review published in the BMJ offers further detail to the known risk factors, clinical manifestations, and outcomes in pregnant and recently pregnant women with COVID-19. The key findings of the review are: that increasing maternal age, existing co-morbidities or high BMI are risk factors for severe COVID-19 in pregnancy; that women with the virus are more likely to experience preterm birth; and pregnant women are less likely to manifest symptoms of fever and myalgia than non-pregnant women with COVID-19.

Nuffield Trust briefing on impact of COVID-19 on use of technology in NHS

A briefing from the Nuffield Trust explores how the pandemic has pushed the adoption of technology in the delivery of NHS services and notes the increased usage of digital health services by patients. The report examines what has enabled these changes, considers possible risks of the move to remote service delivery alongside the positive outcomes, and calls for the balancing of change with evidence of its benefit. Finally, the funding, infrastructure and workforce requirements of sustaining any lasting technological adoptions is highlighted.

Other news

RCPCH statement on paediatrician role in supporting mental health

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a statement on the role of paediatricians in supporting the mental health of children and young people. Noting the increasing incidence of mental health issues among children and young people, the heightened risks for those in vulnerable groups, and the anticipated increase in support needs resulting from COVID-19, the statement makes a series of recommendations relating to training for paediatricians, and also for service developments.

NICE guidance

Diagnostics guidance

DG41 Implantable cardiac monitors to detect atrial fibrillation after cryptogenic stroke

Medtech innovation briefing

MIB225 Helge for detecting haemolysis

Medical technologies guidance

MTG50 Axonics sacral neuromodulation system for treating refractory overactive bladder

NICE guideline

NG159 COVID-19 rapid guideline: critical care in adults Updated

Technology appraisal

TA645 Avelumab with axitinib for untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma

TA646 Glasdegib with chemotherapy for untreated acute myeloid leukaemia (terminated appraisal)

TA647 Eculizumab for treating relapsing neuromyelitis optica (terminated appraisal)


NIHR alerts 

Male prisoners develop unhealthy hearts at younger ages than people on the outside

Teams of healthcare professionals from a wide range of disciplines and pay grades are most effective at delivering improvements in patients’ experiences

Psychiatric drugs given to children and adolescents have been ranked in order of safety

Anti-inflammatory drugs do not lift depression in bipolar disorder


Statistics

If you found this week’s issue of Health E-News useful, be sure to subscribe via email here.