“I’m looking forward to the forthcoming Health and Wellbeing conference, hosted in Salford University on the 4^th December! There are some excellent, experienced speakers, with a wealth of knowledge on workplace health.

It’s an exciting time to be working in the field- as I enter my 31^st year in occupational health I am struck by the fact that we do seem to have more awareness and impetus behind the work and health agenda than at any other time in my career. Dame Gina Radford – the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and DWP’s Chief Medical Officer articulated this by saying ““we have an unprecedented opportunity and the pace of change and willingness to make change is like nothing I have experienced before” and it is good to see the multiple programmes that the “Improving Lives” Command paper strategy has generated taking shape. As Chair of the Council for Work and Health, I see our multidisciplinary membership actively contributing and supporting the work. Read more…..

“I can’t recall a time when there has been as much focus on “procurement” as right now, be it the introduction of the Future Operating Model re-shaping NHS Supply Chain, the performance reporting and benchmarking regime under NHS Improvement’s Model Hospital, to the drive for STP wide service consolidation.  In this context where does “procurement” at a local level fit, what is the role of procurement at a Trust/STP level?

To answer this question, we first need to understand the full scope of the procurement function.  It’s not simply about negotiating lower prices.  That in many ways is the easy part.  It’s also about contract management, building partnerships with industry, and crucially managing the supply chain.  The scale/ complexity/ operational dependency of a Trust supply chain is arguably procurement’s greatest secret and greatest opportunity.  In other sectors the supply chain function is recognised as fundamental to the operational performance of the organisation, the dependencies in a Trust are no different and arguably given the performance weakness of the inbound supply chain, more critical. It is worth noting that the typical performance level of both pharma and clinical supplies wholesalers is less than 90% so 1 in 10 of items Trusts order do not arrive first time. Read more…..

Why are design and the environment of such importance to people who are living with dementia?

This question takes us back to three core principles:

The first is that the experience of living with dementia can only be understood within the social model of disability. That is to say that, while the clinical symptoms of dementias can have a big impact on the way we function in the world, society and the world itself also throw up many barriers. The social model teaches us that by removing these obstacles – whether they are physical or attitudinal –  we can make the world an easier place, not just for people with dementia in fact, but for all of us to live in.

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Why is the health and wellbeing of your staff important?

“Look after your employees and your employees will look after your business”

This statement has been known to organisations for decades (or at least since workers rights became a little more prominent).

A good leader knows that in order to work towards success, you need to have support from inspired, knowledgeable professionals to encourage behaviours that drive the organisation’s vision.

However, many leaders forget that basic needs of their staff need to be met in order for these professionals to operate at maximum capacity – Your team need to be happy, motivated and healthy!

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The rise of the digital age means that more of us than ever are beginning to integrate smart technology into our homes to make our lives safer and easier.

This is putting pressure on landlords and housing associations in the UK rental market to stay up to date with the latest trends so they can reduce vacancy rates and capture quality housing tenants.

As well as tenants beginning to demand even more for their money, it has also been found that demand for private rentals and rentals through housing associations schemes has risen.

How are tenant demands changing?

Landlords and property management businesses are now expected to provide the clearest, cleanest tenant experience possible. This includes increasing ease of access to services such as property maintenance, rental payment records and community engagement through the development of innovative online platforms.

Furthermore, those who support vulnerable people through housing solutions are being called upon to integrate new technologies that can assist an ageing population, as well as those with disabilities and mobility issues so that potential health deterioration can be monitored and treated faster where required.

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Tragically, suicide has been established as the leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 24 years of age. As a result, student mental health is now becoming a massive focus across higher education facilities.

Education professionals are having to adapt their working methods to not only provide the best care and education possible in the classroom, but the best standard of care for their students whilst they are outside of the classroom too.

Duty of care to students is becoming a larger demand on the time and resources of schools and universities and this is a good thing!

In the last year, the number of students reporting mental health problems has risen by an astonishing 390%.

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General practice is facing a serious crisis. A lack of investment, increased demand and poor staff retention have put the profession under unprecedented pressure.

Earlier this year, the British Social Attitudes survey revealed that public satisfaction with GP services was at its lowest level since records began.

But while delegates at the Primary Care Conference could agree that times are tough, there was also a note of optimism as medical experts discussed how to turn a crisis into an opportunity.

Could these turbulent times be the catalyst for much-needed disruption and innovation?

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Using artificial intelligence to analyse large datasets could shape the future of the NHS patient care, according to leading experts in healthcare technology.

Delegates at the Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Conference heard how clinicians can use algorithms to quickly analyse vast amount of patient data to predict health outcomes.

“If we bring together all the data that we use, then soon we could be able predict with a reasonable certainty whether someone is going to have diabetes later in life, for example,” said Daniel Hallen, head of digital technology for NHS in England (North).

“It’s rapidly developing as we start to develop new technologies, things like Fitbits and those sort of things that are able to do an awful lot more. What would have required a super computer to do in the past, can now be done in a handheld device. We are on the cusp of something really exciting.”

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Training safeguarding professionals to recognise the risk factors of FGM is key to eradicating the practice in the UK within a generation.

Delegates attended Salford Professional Development’s FGM Conference to hear social workers, campaigners and FGM survivors discuss the latest work to protect vulnerable young girls who may be at risk.

The NHS recorded more than 5,000 new cases of FGM in 2017 alone. Despite this, in the three decades since FGM was made a criminal offence no one has ever been convicted.

“There are so many things in the media at the moment about FGM, some of it is positive around some of the great work that is being done, but there are so many different voices,” said Leethen Bartholomew, head of the National FGM Centre.

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Physiotherapists are well placed to influence patient behaviour and shift the NHS towards a more prevention based model of care according to Public Health England.

Speaking at the Physiotherapy Conference 2018, Linda Hindle, PHE’s lead for allied health professionals, explained the importance of making every patient contact count.

“If you look at the news pretty much any day you couldn’t fail to notice that the health and social care system is under serious pressure,” she said.

“If we don’t radically change the way we provide care then the future of the whole system will be at risk.

“Focusing on prevention is one of the changes that is central to this, and it’s a core part of the NHS Five Year Forward View.”

Read more…..