August 2016
Welcome to the ebulletin Welcome to the August edition of the Public Health Network Cymru Ebulletin. This month’s spotlight topic is Dementia in readiness for World Alzheimer’s month taking place in September 2016 which is an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma. The impact of World Alzheimer’s Month is growing, but the stigmatisation and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem. Last month we hosted a seminar on ‘Health within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community’. The event was well attended and we received very positive feedback. A summary video of the event can be seen on the Public Health Network Cymru website. We are also in the process of developing our first podcast of the presentations from the event which will be available soon. Our latest seminar topic poll is still open via Twitter. This poll asks members to vote for the forthcoming seminar topics, we have had a great response so far. Topics include Migrant health, HIV prevention, Allied Health Professionals and the use of Apps and Social Media in health. Further details and to vote can be found in the Health Buzz section. Finally if you have any news or event items that you would like to see included in next month’s issue please email publichealth.network@wales.nhs.uk
www.publichealthnetwork.cymru @PHNetworkcymru
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For
rget me not Spotlight on Dementia This month’s spotlight supports the fifth global World Alzheimer’s Month™, an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma taking place in September 2016. The World Alzheimer’s Month website launched at the end of July 2016. The theme for World Alzheimer’s Month 2016 is Remember Me. To get involved by sharing your favourite memories or memories of a loved one on social media this September use the hashtags #RememberMe #WAM2016. To show further support, ask every member of your team to create a sticky note or message to support World Alzheimer’s Month and display proudly using the promotional toolkits from the World Alzheimer’s Month website
Dementia toolkit to help patients, carers and healthcare workers A comprehensive online database featuring the latest scientific evidence on what works in dementia care and treatment has been developed by the researchers at the Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science (PSSRU at LSE). Launched on 3 August, the toolkit devised by Adelina Comas-Herrera, David McDaid, Professor Martin Knapp and colleagues is the first of its kind globally. The Dementia Evidence Toolkit brings together more than 3,000 journal articles and 700 reviews of research studies in one place. The Toolkit was developed as part of the MODEM (Modelling the Outcome and Cost Impacts of Interventions for Dementia) project, with additional funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The wider MODEM project is funded by both the ESRC and the NIHR as part of their Improving Dementia Care initiative. The aim is to make all this information publicly available in a form that is clear and easy to understand for dementia patients, their families and unpaid carers as well as for staff working in health and social care. It will also benefit academics and those involved in decision-making both locally and nationally. Dementia is the fastest growing major cause of health-related disability across the world, and the health, social and economic impacts are increasing because of an ageing population. There are around 850,000 people in the UK with the condition, a figure expected to rise to 2 million by 2051. There are currently no cures for dementia which is associated with ongoing cognitive decline such as memory loss, problems with judgment and often some behavioural issues. Instead, the focus for healthcare services is on slowing down dementia progression using different care approaches. This new toolkit will help those involved in developing services and treatments for both people living with dementia and their carers. By searching the online database, they will be able to make informed decisions on which services and treatments are effective and how much they cost. It will enable them to check how strong the evidence is for a particular treatment or to identify how much more research is needed.
Homecare Survey This Autumn the Alzheimer’s Society is launching their third report on homecare as part of the Fix Dementia Care Campaign. If you, someone you care for or a friend has experience of homecare, you can share your story with them via a short survey help build a true picture of homecare in the UK.
Actress Carey Mulligan appointed first UK Global Dementia Friends Ambassador by Alzheimer’s Society A press release from the UK Government on 16 August stated that in her new role, Carey will bring both international attention to the benefits of making communities dementia friendly, and a renewed focus on the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme in England. To mark the announcement, Carey spent time with Health Minister Jeremy Hunt at Heathrow Airport, which is working towards becoming the world’s first dementia friendly airport, to lead a Dementia Friends training session for the airport’s staff. She set out the UK’s role as a global leader in dementia and outlined her plans to champion the rights of people with dementia across the world. The airport provides a personalised customer journey for passengers with dementia where in advance of their flight they can take part in a virtual 360 degree tour of their journey and are provided with quiet and therapeutic areas in the airport to wait in. Heathrow has also pledged for all 76,000 customer-facing staff to be dementia-aware, through Dementia Friends sessions, training and online resources. Carey aims to inspire and engage world leaders to tackle stigma and promote understanding of dementia, a condition that her grandmother lives with. Her first action in her new role will be marking World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September by delivering a Dementia Friends session to a youth group in Los Angeles to spread greater awareness among young people about the condition. The announcement of Carey Mulligan’s new role comes as the government launches its new Dementia Atlas. This interactive map of England allows people to make comparisons about the quality of dementia care in their area, on issues such as prevention, diagnosis and support. This week also sees the launch of the new NHS Health Check Dementia Pilots. Public Health England is working with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society to extend the dementia risk reduction component of the NHS Health Check to all 40-64 year-olds at sites in Birmingham, Bury, Manchester City and Southampton City. This will see over 250 GP practices raising awareness about dementia risk reduction among people in midlife as part of the health check for the first time. Since 2013, over 1.6 million people have signed up to become a Dementia Friend, and there are now more than 150 dementia friendly communities in England alone. The Alzheimer’s Society hopes to achieve 4 million Dementia Friends by 2020. The main aims of the programme are to tackle the stigma around dementia that results in people feeling excluded from their communities and improve the lives of those with the condition and their families
Book Of You Research Study Dementia Services Development Centre Wales are seeking people with dementia, and carers of people with dementia, to take part in a research study about digital life story work. The study will explore if using a digital life storybook - a collection of words, music, pictures and text that reflect important aspects of a person’s life - can help improve the wellbeing of people with dementia and their carers. Creating and viewing a life storybook is an easy and enjoyable way to share happy memories with carers, friends and family. This activity can have powerful benefits, such as Improving mood and wellbeing, Evoking memories, Helping to maintain or increase a sense of personal identity and Serving as an enjoyable and meaningful activity. Book of You is part of the Dementia Citizens project, which aims to help people affected by dementia take part in research using apps on smartphones and tablets. To participate in this study, participants should have: A diagnosis of dementia (of any type) or care for a person with a diagnosis of dementia Have capacity to understand that they are taking part in the project and consent to this Have access to an iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad or iPad mini and the internet. You can take part in this research from wherever you like, using an Apple smartphone or a tablet. You will be given access to the Book of You app so you can create and interact with your life storybook. The study takes place over 12 weeks and you will be asked to use it at least twice a week for about 30 minutes during this time. After each use you’ll be asked some brief questions about your experience, which should only take a few minutes to answer. Before, halfway through, and after the study you will be asked to answer more detailed questionnaires which should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. All questions are answered on a scale - you won’t be asked to write any responses.You can sign up to take part in this study or find out more information at www.dementiacitizens.org/book-of-you. The pilot Book of You app will be ready to use at the end of August. When it’s ready, an email of instructions for installing and using the app to everyone who has signed up on the Dementia Citizens website will be sent. Further help will also be available to guide you through the process. If you have any questions you can get in touch with Laura on 01248 383188 or by e-mailing l.o-philbin@bangor.ac.uk.
Caring for Me and You: A toolkit for carers of people with dementia It is estimated that 700,000 people in the UK are caring for someone with dementia. Much of the cost of dementia care is met by unpaid family carers, who save the UK economy £11.6 billion. Whilst caring can be a rewarding experience, it can also have negative effects on the carer as they cope with the changes that their loved one is going through and adaptations to their own lifestyle. Due to the progressive and unpredictable nature of the condition, carers of people with dementia often report high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or tailored information and education packages can help people to cope with negative feelings and emotions. Whilst some therapy sessions occur at a doctor’s or therapist’s office, they are also increasingly being delivered online. This can help people to access support when they may find it difficult to find the time or necessary care cover to attend a face-to-face session. This project led by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and funded by the Alzheimer’s Society aims to find out whether specially-developed online therapy packages can be effective in helping people caring for someone affected by dementia to reduce stress and improve their wellbeing. The researchers are running a randomised controlled trial that will deliver one of three packages to the participants via a computer. The people taking part will be randomly allocated to one of the three packages: an online CBT package only; the online CBT package with additional telephone support; or a carer information and education about dementia. The people taking part in the trial can work through the course at their own pace and have up to 26 weeks to complete 20 online sessions. Each session will take approximately 20-30 minutes. At the end of the study the researchers will analyse the results and then determine what has been most helpful for carers in improving their wellbeing. If you are a UK resident who currently helps to care for a person affected by dementia (for example a close friend, family member or neighbour) are experiencing mild symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression and are not already receiving professional mental health support you are eligible to sign up for the trial. You will need to have regular access to an internet-enabled PC or laptop. Unfortunately the software is not configured to run on Apple Macs or any tablet or mobile devices. You can find out more information and sign up on the study’s website.
The Grapevine This section of the ebulletin is dedicated to news from the network members. You can submit news on the work being undertaken in your area, write us an article, showcase an upcoming project or show off your achievements! If you would like to submit an article for the Grapevine, please email publichealth.network@wales.nhs.uk The article should be no longer than 500 words and pictures are always welcome!
Hypertension Update from Jo Oliver, Health Service Engagement Lead for Wales, British Heart Foundation Hypertension is known to be a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and dementia. It is also a common co-morbidity for other conditions such as diabetes. It is the most common long term condition and second biggest risk factor (after smoking) for premature death and disability in the UK and effects more than one in four adults. Yet it is often preventable and its effects can be reduced through better detection and management. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a key member of the Blood Pressure System Leadership Board convened by Public Health England and was an involved partner in the development of the shared action plan published in 2015 ‘Tackling High Blood Pressure: From Evidence Into Action’. There are some very encouraging signs of system wide leadership groups emerging across England to tackle high blood pressure and similarly in Scotland and Wales, however it is becoming very apparent that whilst there are some examples of excellent ideas emerging, with a clear ambition to de-medicalise blood pressure testing and reach out to high risk communities, conflicting funding priorities are preventing this happening. One of the key priorities within BHF strategy is to ensure that those identified with a higher than expected blood pressure measurement are offered an appropriate referral pathway for management of their condition in order to help reduce the known risks for premature death and disability. We have a variety of informative resources available on hypertension for both the general public and health professionals on our website.
Outstanding achievements by Dietetic Assistant Practitioners working in the all Wales Nutrition Skills for LifeTMprogramme Dietetic assistant practitioners Sarah Powell-Jones, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Lisa Brown, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board/Cardiff Flying Start won the national Advancing Healthcare Award for outstanding achievement by an allied health professional or healthcare science support worker or technician. Dietetic support workers and assistant practitioners are invaluable assets within the dietetic workforce in Wales. Within the national Nutrition Skills for Life programme, alongside public health dietitians, they play a vital role engaging with and supporting communities to access a healthy balanced diet, a key determinant of health and well being. TM
Flying Start, the Welsh Government’s flagship early years programme and the tackling poverty programme Communities First provide significant opportunities to train and support community based staff to work with individuals and communities to empower them to make healthy food choices. Sarah has been instrumental in developing and evaluating the innovative Come and Cook programme and Lisa has had a lead role in setting up and rolling out the Get Cooking programme for families in Cardiff. These innovative programmes, co-produced with local communities, support people to prepare, eat and enjoy a healthy diet by improving practical cooking skills and confidence to prepare nutritious meals. Sarah and Lisa work alongside and support other trained staff to deliver the initiatives. They incorporate activities to link the food prepared with nutrition messages that promote good health and well being and offer participants the opportunity to gain credit for learning through the Welsh awarding organisation Agored Cymru. This can support participants in accessing work or further education opportunities. Resources developed have been shared with the wider Nutrition Skills for LifeTM team extending reach across Wales, and enabling a consistent and trusted means of accessing food and nutrition messages for our citizens. Sarah and Lisa work with highly varied groups such as working with interpreters to help those with English as second language complete the course; adapting the courses in homeless hostels to suit limited equipment available and helping learners who have varying ability and experience of learning to achieve accreditation. The judges remarked “It requires people with exceptional interpersonal skills to persuade and retain families in these programmes and Lisa and Sarah have demonstrated that they have those special powers in spades – not to mention the ability to cook. And the results are impressive nearly 9 out of 10 made changes to what they ate, with 99% saying they found the course good or excellent.” Sarah and Lisa’s work has resulted in the programme effectively reaching some of the most vulnerable community groups in Wales to address inequalities in health and improve wellbeing and are thrilled that this has been recognised and celebrated with this prestigious national award. Congratulations Sarah and Lisa!
News Round-Up Welcome to the new News Round-Up! Click on the headings of the news item to take you to the full news story on the Public Health Network Cymru Website.
Falls Prevention Steady On ... Stay Safe Ageing Well in Wales together with other partners including Public Health Wales, Age Cymru, RNIB, Care & Repair and Welsh Government are launching Steady On ... Stay SAFE, their national falls awareness campaign.
Play Research - Benefits of playwork provision in Wrexham New research by Communities First Support Service on behalf of Wrexham Communities First shows that ‘every £1 invested in playwork returned £4.60 in immediate and deferred social benefits’.
Poverty Rural fuel, energy and fuel poverty statistics The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has published statistics on the number and proportion of households that are fuel poor in rural and urban areas, and the main heating fuel types used.
International WHO guidelines on the management of health complications from FGM WHO has published guidelines for healthcare professionals involved in the care of girls and women who have been subjected to any form of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Nutrition Junk food marketing at the Olympics Campaigners have attacked junk food marketing by sponsors of the Olympic Games in Rio, claiming that companies are once more using the sporting event to promote unhealthy high-fat and sugar products.
Equality Equality and Inclusion Programme 2017-2020 The Welsh Government has launched its Equality and Inclusion Funding Programme 2017-2020
Click Here for more news on the Public Health Network Cymru website
August
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Promoting Health Behaviour Change 08/09/2016
Loughborough University, Loughborough
Domestic Homicide Review Conference 2016 12/09/2016
The Vale Resort, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan
Meeting the needs of Gypsies and Travellers 13/09/2016
Welshpool hospital
2016 Caroline Walker Trust Lecture 21/09/2016 London
Involving children and young people in the design and conduct of research Glamorgan Building, Cardiff University
Click Here for more events on the Public Health Network Cymru website
TheHealthBuzz Public Health Network Cymru 2017 Seminar Programme Cast your vote! Public Health Network Cymru want to know the topics you would like to see covered in our 2017 Seminar Programme. Voting Closes at 12pm, 14th September 2016. To vote visit @PHNetworkCymru
Apps and the Internet Caring for someone with dementia – NHS Choices
These videos feature the loved ones of people with dementia. They share their experiences of caring for them and give tips and advice on a range of issues from telling other people, to looking after your own wellbeing.
Dementia Care – Care Council for Wales
The Dementia care app has been developed to support social care managers and staff to offer person-centred care for people with dementia. It provides guidance for managers and staff on how to introduce, implement and review a care approach that puts individuals at the centre of the assessment and care planning process.
Contact Us 02921 841943 Publichealth.network@wales.nhs.uk Hadyn Ellis Building Maindy Road Cathays Cardiff CF24 4HQ www.publichealthnetwork.cymru If you have any news or events to contribute to the next edition please submit them to publichealth.network@wales.nhs.uk deadline for submission is the 3rd friday of every month.
Next edition: Spotlight on Oral Health