Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board (BCUHB) are holding bi-weekly art therapy classes in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park for people with complex mental health problems. The programme has been designed and run by Pamela Stanley, senior art psychotherapist at the health board who said ‘there was a growing body of evidence to support eco therapy’. BCUHB has said the scheme was part of its ‘ongoing efforts to improve mental health support in the community’.
News Archive
The latest Public Health England (PHE) report shows that seasonal flu continues to circulate across the UK. The statistics illustrate that during the third week in January there was a stabilisation in the GP consultation rate with flu-like illness, a 12% reduction in the flu hospitalisation rate, and a 14% reduction in the flu intensive care admission rate. The figures indicate that the outbreak is now affecting fewer adults, with a growing number of children unwell.
The latest Public Health England (PHE) report published on 11th January shows that seasonal flu activity levels have continued to increase in the preceding week across the UK but various indicators show the rate of increase is slowing. The statistics show there has been an 11% increase in the flu hospitalisation rate, a 42% increase in the GP consultation rate with flu like illness compared to the previous week (when practices were open for 4 days), and an 8% reduction in the flu intensive care admission rate.
The BBC has carried out an in-depth look at nursing and says that figures show one in 10 are now leaving the NHS in England each year. The figures – provided to the BBC by NHS Digital – represent a rise of 20% since 2012-13, and mean there are more leavers than joiners. The chief nursing officer for England, professor Jane Cummings, admitted there was a problem – but said changes were being made to highlight the value of the NHS to new talent and retain current staff.
Further coverage relating to the rise in demand for nurses in the UK, based on the figures released by the NMC last November. The piece states that there is a general shortage of nurses in the UK and of all European countries it has both the lowest number of nurses and the highest number of vacancies posted online per inhabitant.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that recently released figures found that, in London alone, up to 200 women a year are choosing to give birth without any medical assistance. The practice is known as “free-birthing” and involves giving birth at home with just family or friends in the place of a trained midwife. The Royal College of Midwives released a statement last week saying: “While the RCM recognises that every woman has the right to give birth without professional assistance, there are potential risks for both mother and baby, and for that reason the RCM would strongly discourage women from giving birth by themselves.”
Alzheimer’s Research UK is calling for a recommitment from pharmaceutical companies to continue efforts to fund research into dementia, the leading cause of death in the UK. Pfizer plans to refocus efforts away from dementia research and is a reminder of one of the barriers that stands in the way of bringing about the first life-changing treatment for dementia.
Police in South Wales have called for better mental health education in schools after a rise in young people being detained under the Mental Health Act. Some 48 children and young people were detained by South Wales Police in 2016-17, up 33% from the year before. Mind Cymru says schools should do more to raise awareness of mental health issues and step in to help those who are having problems sooner. Sara Moseley, Director of Mind Cymru, supported South Wales Police’s calls for better mental health education.
The MBRRACE-UK report; Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care -Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2013–15; has revealed no significant reduction in the number of women who died during or after pregnancy. The report, led by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, includes data and analysis on women who died during or up to one year after pregnancy.
Workshops have been held in all four UK countries by the NMC to discuss the skills and knowledge midwives need at the point of registration. They have been developing new standards of proficiency that student midwives will need to meet in order to join the profession. The next session will be held in Scotland on the 21st February 2018.
Further details regarding the development of the new standards can be found here
The NMC will be continuing their work to develop new standards of education for midwives and will learn from everything registrants are telling them about the role. In addition, the latest data regarding the numbers of nurses and midwives on the register will be shared later in the year.
The NMC have launched a consultation on the proposed range of fees which would be introduced once nursing associates begin to be regulated. Registrants are asked to provide their thoughts before the 26th February 2018.