A New Website to Improve Services for Older People

This new website will help public sector staff to better understand the needs of older people. The website launched on Older People's Day (1 October) will help professionals to tailor their work so older people have greater choice and control over the support they receive. The website is part of the government's Independent Living Strategy. This new resource was developed by the Office for Disability Issues, working with the Centre for Policy on Ageing and the National Development Team for Inclusion. Click here to view the website.

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September is Oral Health Month

Colgate Oral Health Month is a UK-wide initiative run by Colgate in partnership with the British Dental Association (BDA). Now in its seventh year, the aim is to educate the public about the importance of oral health and to promote communication between dental professionals and patients. The 2009 campaign is focusing on the theme of delivering prevention in practice

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Cervical Screening Age: Experts to Review Evidence

A panel of experts is to carry out an evidence review to determine whether women under the age of 25 should be routinely screened for cervical cancer, Health Minister Ann Keen has announced. Cervical screening currently starts at age 25 years in England, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and the advice of leading experts in this country including the independent Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening (ACCS). Click here for further information on the review.
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Leeds Institue of Health Scieneces Open Day

The Open Day on 22nd May 2009 at the Leeds Institue of Health Sciences will showcase the research, consultancy, taught Masters programme and continuing professional development courses of the Institute, for people working in the NHS, local authorities, the voluntary sector and academia with an interest in, Public Health, Health Informatics, Primary Care, Mental Health, Commissioning Effective and Efficient Healthcare, Health Service Research, Public Policy and International Health.
Professor Simon Wessely from the Institute of Psychiatry King’s College London will also lead a session on occupational exposures and health among combat forces at the open day.

Chief Medical Officer's Public Health Awards 2009

The Chief Medical Officer has established the annual Public Health awards to identify and acknowledge individuals, teams or services in England that have made an impact in public health. In determining the winners, judges will be particularly looking for evidence of impact, sustainability of the initiative and how replicable it is to other settings or areas.
The Awards are open to anyone working in public health in England, regardless of job title or role. The work being submitted for consideration must have been active on or after 1 January 2008. Closing date for entries is 22nd April 2009.

Shared learning: implementing NICE guidance

Have you got some tips to share with other organisations on implementing NICE clinical or public health guidance? Or would you like to learn from other people’s experiences? If so, the Institute’s ‘shared learning’ database can help.
NICE are looking for jargon-free, easy to understand examples of how you have successfully met the challenges – and overcome the pitfalls – of putting NICE guidance into practice.
The quality assurance process ensures that all examples appearing in the database meet a minimum quality standard.
All submissions will be entered into the new NICE Shared Learning Award. Find out further information here

Turning data into information for improvement

The Institue for Innovation & Improvement has developed a programme which will enable PCT's to refine its approach to commissioning and in the process apply powerful tools to make a real difference to the health of your local population. Participation will provide evidence of your PCT’spotential for improvement, as measured through the world class commissioning assurance process. It will also help evidence your capacity and capability in competency five (knowledge management). The programme is open to teams of 4-8 participantsfrom every PCT and should comprise individuals representing commissioning, public health, information analysis and service improvement. Click here for further information.

Kicking Bad Habits: How can the NHS help us become healthier?

The King's Fund have made available a series of seminars, discussion papers and online debates which explore how the NHS can influence the health behaviour of individuals. The main topic areas cover the impact of financial incentives, the effectiveness of targeting low socio-economic groups, the role of information-led strategies, the impact of personal skills, capabilities and confidence to change and strategies for identifying and targeting interventions. Find out more now!

Change4Life – eat well, move more, live longer

Change4Life is a new movement, supported by the Department of Health, which aims to improve children’s diets and levels of activity so reducing the threat to their future health and happiness. The goal is to help every family in England eat well, move more and live longer.

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Framework for Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Social Marketing & Public Health

The Department of Health has published a framework for action on social marketing and public health which sets out how people will be encouraged to lead healthier lifestyles. The evidence-based framework covers how the skills and knowledge of public health professionals will be increased, what motivates people to change their behaviour, putting social marketing into action and building partnership working. To read more, visit www.dh.gov.uk.