Hello to all our amazing AHP colleagues! We thought that the best type of chat to hold for the first month of 2021 is one on self-care. Given the current climate we know that self-care might not be high up peoples agendas BUT this is the time when it's most important. It's heartbreaking to hear of so many healthcare professionals being pushed to breaking point (and further!) and as much as we all want to help it's crucial that we are taking care of ourselves too - mentally and physically.We wanted to keep this chat super informal and basically just 'check in' with you all and see if there are any tips that we can share with one another.Here are the questions:1. What does self-care mean to you?2. How do self-care practices contribute to your ...

In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly set a series of17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by the year 2030.The SDGs are designed to be "a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". In response, UN member states develop their own strategies and aims to ensure the goals are met.Number 5 on the SDG list is: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. In 2016, governments in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland released strategies to end violence against women and girls. Each of these includes a clear responsibility for health services and staff to recognise and respond appropriately to signs of domestic abuse and disclosures of abuse, rape and sexual assault. Across the UK a ...

This week I watched Harvey and Me, such a touching and heartwarming film which really showed the bond between mother and son. It also raised a number of questions in my mind...Do we have learning disability transition workers? Many years ago where I worked there was a transition team who worked with young people with LD from age 14 until they had settled in to adult services. We also started to introduce young people to adult respite services (for tea visits and activities) from age 16-17 depending on needs. This really supported a smooth transition and relationships were built before the young person actually needed to use the service  How are we supporting families to find the right placements for their children? There are so many provide ...

Speech, language and communication in early childhood is fundamental to learning development and future outcomes. Early language skills are developed in early years, delays can affect life chances and opportunities for children.The ability to communicate is a skill that starts early in life and continues across the life course. Whilst children develop at a different pace, there are key milestones in speech, language and communication (SLC) development. When these are not reached, they indicate that additional support may need to be offered to a young child and their parents or carers.Some children may not get this support early enough, leading them to start school with SLC levels behind that of other children.Approximately 10% of all childr ...

REMEMBER: Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm   'All Our Health’ is call to action for all health and care professionals including student health and care professionals, to embed and extend prevention, health protection and promotion of wellbeing and resilience into practice. But why is it important that we understand prevention, protection and promotion as student health and care professionals? The NHS Long Term Plan, (2019) has a strong focus on prevention as a way to prevent poor health and to keep pe ...

#UroOncInCharge Kidney CancerThe 1st to the 5th of February is Kidney Cancer Awareness Week, which ends on ‘Green Friday’ when individuals wear something green and buildings are lit up green to highlight kidney cancer. Kidney cancer does not have obvious symptoms or a tumour marker to test to confirm diagnosis. Kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer accounting for over 3% of all new diagnosis in 2012.1 Approximately 70% of kidney cancer cases are early localised or locally advanced at diagnosis, these patients will have a 90% 5-year survival rate. However, those diagnosed with metastatic disease this falls rapidly to 10% over 5 years.2 Novel immune checkpoint inhibitors appear to reduce the risk of recurrence of kidney cancer, redu ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem this year yet as a society we are often very reluctant to talk about mental health and wellbeing, and this can lead to people feeling ashamed, isolated and worthless.  (Time to Change 2020)Talking about mental health can really help to change lives and all health and care professionals have an important role in leading the way when it comes to mental health and well being. Wellbeing and mental health: Applying All O ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm Smoking is not a lifestyle choice but a chronic relapsing condition needing treatment. This is recognised by the government's commitment for the NHS in England to become smokefree. Supporting smokers in contact with the healthcare system to quit is a prevention priority in the NHS Long Term Plan and every health and care professional has a role to play.    As a healthcare professional, you are best placed to motivate and support smokers on their quit journey. Smokers e ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm In England nearly 7 million people are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD), it contributes to over a quarter of deaths each year and health and social care costs in England relating to CVD are estimated at £7.4 billion each year. (PHE 2020)CVD remains an important issue as it’s a contributor to mortality, morbidity and health inequalities and stalling of reductions in CVD mortality. This is costly to the individual, the NHS and wider system.The infographic below i ...

The background information to this tweetchat is in the form of a podcast ... simply click below to listen:   Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm  ...

REMEMBER: Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm   'All Our Health’ is call to action for all health and care professionals including student health and care professionals, to embed and extend prevention, health protection and promotion of wellbeing and resilience into practice. But why is it important that we understand prevention, protection and promotion as student health and care professionals? The NHS Long Term Plan, (2019) has a strong focus on prevention as a way to prevent poor health and to keep pe ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem this year yet as a society we are often very reluctant to talk about mental health and wellbeing, and this can lead to people feeling ashamed, isolated and worthless.  (Time to Change 2020)Talking about mental health can really help to change lives and all health and care professionals have an important role in leading the way when it comes to mental health and well being. Wellbeing and mental health: Applying All O ...

'All Our Health’ is call to action for all health and care professionals including student health and care professionals, to embed and extend prevention, health protection and promotion of wellbeing and resilience into practice. But why is it important that we understand prevention, protection and promotion as student health and care professionals? The NHS Long Term Plan, (2019) has a strong focus on prevention as a way to prevent poor health and to keep people living well for longer– ‘the NHS will take new action to strengthen its contribution to prevention and health inequalities. Wider action on prevention will help people stay healthy and also moderate demand on the NHS.’Viv Bennett ( Public Health England's Chief Nurse) builds on this ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm Smoking is not a lifestyle choice but a chronic relapsing condition needing treatment. This is recognised by the government's commitment for the NHS in England to become smokefree. Supporting smokers in contact with the healthcare system to quit is a prevention priority in the NHS Long Term Plan and every health and care professional has a role to play.    As a healthcare professional, you are best placed to motivate and support smokers on their quit journey. Smokers e ...

The background information to this tweetchat is in the form of a podcast ... simply click below to listen:    ...

Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm In England nearly 7 million people are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD), it contributes to over a quarter of deaths each year and health and social care costs in England relating to CVD are estimated at £7.4 billion each year. (PHE 2020)CVD remains an important issue as it’s a contributor to mortality, morbidity and health inequalities and stalling of reductions in CVD mortality. This is costly to the individual, the NHS and wider system.The infographic below i ...

1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem this year yet as a society we are often very reluctant to talk about mental health and wellbeing, and this can lead to people feeling ashamed, isolated and worthless.  (Time to Change 2020)Talking about mental health can really help to change lives and all health and care professionals have an important role in leading the way when it comes to mental health and well being. Wellbeing and mental health: Applying All Our Health (PHE 2019) states:Front-line health professionals can: use the Make every contact count resource, and take every opportunity to have brief conversations with people about making positive changesincorporate psychological aspects of care within all care pathwaysidentif ...

Smoking is not a lifestyle choice but a chronic relapsing condition needing treatment. This is recognised by the government's commitment for the NHS in England to become smokefree. Supporting smokers in contact with the healthcare system to quit is a prevention priority in the NHS Long Term Plan and every health and care professional has a role to play.    As a healthcare professional, you are best placed to motivate and support smokers on their quit journey. Smokers expect healthcare professionals to ask about their smoking.   All healthcare professionals should identify and refer smokers using the method known as Very Brief Advice (VBA) which has 3 components - 'Ask, Advise and Act':   1.      Ask and record smoking status: is the patient ...

The background information to this tweetchat is in the form of a podcast ... simply click below to listen:   Tweetchat times will be split into three groups organised by birthday:Group A - January to April Birthdays take place from 6:00pm - 6:30pmGroup B - May to August Birthdays take place from 6:45pm - 7:15pmGroup C - September to December Birthdays take place from 7:30pm - 8:00pm  ...

n England nearly 7 million people are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD), it contributes to over a quarter of deaths each year and health and social care costs in England relating to CVD are estimated at £7.4 billion each year. (PHE 2020)CVD remains an important issue as it’s a contributor to mortality, morbidity and health inequalities and stalling of reductions in CVD mortality. This is costly to the individual, the NHS and wider system.The infographic below identifies some of the risk factors for CVD:      (PHE 2020)To achieve a change in individual risk factors and an individual’s overall risk of CVD we need action which will enable behaviour change at population, community and an individual level.The behaviour change wheel (below ...