The experts from Prostate Cancer UK, Swag直播 and other institutions argue changing the NHS guidelines will allow GPs to proactively speak to men who are most at risk of getting the disease.

They today publish a paper in the supporting changes that would see healthcare professionals telling at men about their risk and giving them the choice of a free PSA blood test, a potentially life-saving conversation.

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its earlier, more treatable stages, so it鈥檚 crucial men know about their risk of getting the disease and think about the option of getting a PSA blood test, even if they feel healthy.

However, in the current system the men who are the most likely to get prostate cancer 鈥� including Black men and men with a family history of the disease 鈥� aren鈥檛 told about their higher risk by GPs.

Current data shows only half (53%) of men with prostate cancer get an earlier diagnosis, which falls significantly short of the NHS鈥檚 target of 75%.

Black men have double the risk of both getting prostate cancer and dying from the disease, while men living in deprived areas of the UK are 29% more likely to be diagnosed with incurable disease.

Black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer also tend to develop the disease at a younger age 鈥� from 45 鈥� potentially losing decades of healthy life and leaving them and their families to deal with economic hardship and emotional trauma.

Prostate Cancer UK estimates that updating the NHS guidance, and implementing plans for raising awareness about the changes, could be delivered in just twelve months.

Amy Rylance, Assistant Director of Health Improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 鈥淟eaving men in the dark about their risk means too many men are getting diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer, and this disproportionately affects Black men and men living in deprived areas.

鈥淧rostate Cancer UK welcomes the new Government鈥檚 promises to increase earlier cancer diagnoses and to address gross health inequalities. Our message to the Government and MPs in the Commons is that we鈥檙e here to help you deliver those promises. Updating NHS prostate cancer guidelines could drive forward significant progress in just a year and, crucially, would give men a fairer chance of living longer.鈥�

In the PSA Consensus paper the panel of clinicians and experts have agreed for the first time that the PSA blood test is a cheap, safe, and effective way of identifying which men would benefit from having further tests 鈥� in the first instance an MRI scan.

Dr Sam Merriel, one of the authors of the paper, is a GP and Academic Clinical lecturer at Swag直播.

He said: "As a GP, it's frustrating that current Department of Health and Social Care guidelines on PSA testing in men without symptoms provide very limited detail for us and our patients. It is unclear what should be done for men at higher risk of prostate cancer, how often men who choose to have the PSA blood test should have one, and when it would be in a man鈥檚 best interest to stop testing.

"There has long been disagreement about the benefits and harms of the PSA blood test. However, with the publication of this new paper, we've shown there's broad agreement among the top minds in urology and prostate cancer care that the PSA blood test is simple and safe 鈥� and that GPs should consider proactively discussing the test with Black men and men with a family history from the age of 45. 

鈥淚ncreases in PSA testing are likely to pose a substantial challenge to primary care resources which are already overstretched. The Government should provide NHS primary care with the necessary resources for men to be able to access PSA blood tests if they choose to do so, according to the current PSA testing guidelines for men without symptoms."

The technology will help patients answer a painfully difficult question asked by doctors, plaguing them since time immemorial: 鈥淗ow have you been in the last six months?鈥�

The trial is funded by the () and Versus Arthritis.

The Remote Monitoring of Rheumatoid Arthritis () system allows patients to download a symptom tracking app to their smartphone or tablet and sign in at home via NHS login.

The system could revolutionize the care of people living with a long-term conditions, who are often asked by doctors to describe their symptoms since they were last seen.

Professor Will Dixon from Swag直播 is co-lead for the REMORA study and is a consultant rheumatologist at Salford Royal Hospital.

He said: 鈥淚t can be difficult for patients to recall and describe the ups and downs of their health in a few minutes during a consultation.

鈥淏y tracking symptoms day-to-day and making them automatically available at consultations within the electronic medical record, we will generate a clearer picture of how someone has been in the last six months which could have a transformative impact on treatment and care.鈥�

The research team are about to start the clinical trial which will test whether tracked symptoms, integrated into the NHS, leads to better outcomes compared to usual care.

The trial will allocate patients at random to symptom tracking or not, and will run in 16 hospitals across Greater Swag直播 and North West London during 2024-25 with the results expected in 2026.

If successful, the team hope it will become a funded NHS service available for free to all patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and that it can be expanded to other long-term conditions.

Doctors and researchers agree that technology has big potential for improving healthcare, although strong evidence for its efficacy is often lacking.

This trial will test not only whether patients benefit from symptom tracking, but will also examine whether it is value for money, how to ensure certain patient groups are not 鈥榣eft behind鈥� because of the technology, how to get around the barriers for setting up this new technology in the NHS, and how the data generated can be re-used to support research as well as patients鈥� direct care.

The researchers will conduct interviews with patients, clinicians and other staff within the NHS to understand how to optimise symptom tracking in the future NHS

Areas they will consider include the views of older patients, those with dexterity problems, and those with lower digital access.

The study is also learning how best to allow patients to control who will have access to their data using an electronic consent system from home.

Prof Dixon added: 鈥淪martphones and tablets provide a convenient way for patients to record their symptoms and health changes while living day-to-day with their long-term conditions.

鈥淩eal-time tracking from home allows patients and doctors to spot patterns that would otherwise have been missed or forgotten, like flares or gradual changes following treatment.鈥�

Dr Sabine van der Veer, a senior lecturer in health informatics at the University of Swag直播 is the other co-lead for the study.

She said: 鈥淎 major advantage of REMORA is that we have successfully sent patient鈥檚 data into the NHS.

鈥淭he data is available during a consultation, seen from within the electronic patient record that the clinician is already using to manage the patient鈥檚 care.

鈥淧atient records have historically only included information entered by clinicians. We are changing this, by learning how patients can contribute information themselves and ultimately improve their long-term health.鈥�

Karen Staniland, a patient with rheumatoid arthritis at Salford Royal, said: 鈥淚t is very exciting to be involved in this research as one of the patient partners.

鈥淚 believe that REMORA could make a real difference to the patient consultation, as evidence provided directly from the patient will already be available to view in their medical record.

鈥淚t could also allow time for patients to plan future care with their health care professional and definitely help improve their quality of life.鈥�  

More information about the REMORA study, including a short video, can be found here: and    here:  

鈥淎 ban would cause young people to find alternatives to existing social media platforms that may be harder for parents, educators, researchers and legislators to study and monitor,鈥� said Dr Eiko Fried, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at Leiden University. 鈥淩ather than imposing restrictions, efforts should be directed towards educating young people, their guardians and educators on navigating the digital landscape safely, and on regulations which ensure that social media companies design age-appropriate features and algorithms.鈥�

The new analysis, published in the , re-evaluated existing prevalence data to include people with hearing loss who were previously not taken into account by official statistics.

The study was based on new population estimates from the most recent censuses: the 2021 Scottish census and the 2022 England and Wales Census. Because of an increase in the UK population, this resulted in an increase to 4.6 million.

However, the new data shows if people with a milder degree of hearing loss in both ears are included, the estimate is 12.3 million, or 1 in 4 of the population aged 18-80.

The number is greater still鈥�18 million or 1 in 3鈥� if those with a hearing loss in only one ear are also included.

Co-author Professor Kevin Munro, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator at Swag直播 said: 鈥淭hese data more accurately reflect the number of adults in the UK who have impaired hearing that will cause listening difficulty, especially in background noise.

鈥淢aintaining the hearing health of adults is a strong social responsibility. So it is important to acknowledge that millions of people鈥檚 experiences have effectively been dismissed by existing data which means they are effectively left out of the national conversation.鈥�

Co-author NIHR Senior Investigator Professor Michael Akeroyd from the University of Nottingham said: 鈥淭he way we define hearing loss puts us at odds with most other countries.

鈥淏y modernizing these numbers, we align with the latest international practice.  We hope it will encourage more people to realise how common hearing loss is.鈥�

Hearing loss ranks third for Years Lived with Disability, first for sensory disorders, and first for those over age 70. That is why addressing hearing loss is an important component of healthy ageing, argue the researchers. 

Despite the revised estimate, the researchers stress a new study is required because there have been significant changes in factors that could affect the estimates.

These include potentially lower occupational hearing loss from reductions in heavy industry and greater population diversity since the 1980s on which these data are estimated. Some ethnic minorities at higher risk of hearing loss.

New studies could also determine if there is now greater hearing loss from recreational noise exposure.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England Professor Chis Whitty, in a 2023 report on healthy ageing reflected the call by the researchers for better data.

His report argued that available estimates of hearing impairment rely on outdated statistics from several decades ago and that sensory impairment is a major contributor to disability in older age.

It also argued that many components of the ageing process are significantly under-researched including hearing impairment.

Victoria Boelman, Director of Insight and Policy at RNID, said: 鈥淩NID welcomes this new insight as a step forward in our understanding of the UK鈥檚 community of people with hearing loss. The updated statistics now reflect and include the real-life experience of the 18 million people in the UK who have different and diverse experiences of deafness and hearing loss. By previously excluding people with milder hearing loss or hearing loss in a single ear, society had effectively dismissed millions of people鈥檚 experiences and not factored them into national conversations.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here for the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. With our communities, we鈥檒l change society to make it more inclusive for everyone, help people hear better now and fund world-class research. If you need support or information, visit rnid.org.uk.鈥�

The paper 鈥�Population estimates of the number of adults in the UK with a hearing loss updated using 2021 and 2022 census data鈥� is available at

, and ,

Gypsy and Traveller are among the . There is a of government failures in meeting these groups鈥� housing needs.

The of sites has resulted in a homelessness problem. Those who do secure pitches on council-managed sites often have to contend with living near potential hazards.

For our recent , we mapped local authority-managed Gypsy and Traveller sites in Great Britain. Of those sites, 39% were within 50 metres of one or more major pollutants and 54% were within 100 metres.

The effect on residents is significant. As one of our interviewees, Sarah (all names have been changed), put it: 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 breathe here. A lot of people have asthma. Lots of babies in the community have poor health. A lot of them have skin rashes. Nobody ever lived past about 50 here. Whatever is coming out is killing people. Lots of people are dying of chest, COPD and cancer.鈥�

Worsening conditions

Between 2021 and 2022, we mapped 291 Gypsy and Traveller sites across Great Britain, noting their proximity to environmental hazards. These included motorways, A-roads, railway lines, industrial estates and sewage works.

To do so, we used the Caravan Count 2020, which lists all authorised local authority managed sites in England and Wales and a freedom of information request to the Scottish government, which gave us the names and addresses of all the authorised public sites in Scotland.

The study included in-depth case studies, site visits and interviews with 13 site residents (including repeat interviews with five site residents on two sites).

Local newspapers that reported on the highly contested historical and current planning processes were also analysed. Freedom of information requests were sent to local authorities to obtain planning meeting documents and 11 interviews were conducted with representatives of local and national organisations that work with Gypsy and Traveller communities.

When new Gypsy and Traveller sites are proposed by local authorities near existing residential areas, objections come from three main groups: residents, local politicians and local media outlets.

These objections often result in new sites being pushed further to the margins of towns and cities, in places that other communities would not be expected to live.

As a result, sites are often in isolated areas, quite literally on the wrong side of the tracks. They are nestled in among the infrastructure that services the needs of the local settled communities, from major roads to recycling centres.

One of the sites we visited has been in use since the 1970s, despite the fact that, already then, it was located near a waste transfer station. The intervening five decades have only seen conditions on the site worsen.

A chicken slaughterhouse nearby now burns carcasses regularly. The household waste recycling centre has expanded to allow for recycling and incineration of solid waste from commerce and industry.

Lorries and other vehicles now come in and out in large numbers, just metres away from some of the pitches. Residents experience constant noise and vibrations. Mary, who lives on the site, says the sound of the skips being deposited from 5am every morning is like a bomb going off: 鈥淚t drops so hard it shakes the chalet.鈥�

The air is always heavy with dust. Residents have to keep their windows closed 鈥� even in the summer 鈥� to keep out the flies. As Jane, who is the fourth generation of her family to live on the site, puts it: 鈥淲e are living in an industrial area. It鈥檚 the air quality, the sand, the dust, the recycling tip is just behind us. The noise is a big problem. There is an incinerator near the slaughterhouse and that鈥檚 really bad. And the smell鈥︹�� 

Environmental racism

to the World Health Organization, housing is one of the major factors determining health. The physical conditions of a home 鈥� including mould, asbestos, cold, damp and noise 鈥� are obvious risk factors. So too, are wider environmental factors, from overcrowding and isolation from services to the relative lack of access to green spaces.

The people we spoke with, including site residents and organisational representatives, highlight the harmful health effects of living on many Gypsy and Traveller sites. This chimes with the government鈥檚 own , which have found these sites to be unsafe.

Research on health inequalities in the UK bears this out. People from Gypsy and Irish Traveller backgrounds the poorest health and a life expectancy of between ten and 25 years less than the general population. They also have of long-term illness and conditions that limit everyday life and activities.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has further constrained Gypsy and Traveller communities by criminalising roadside stopping and forcing people on to transit sites. These are designed for short stays and are often in than permanent sites.

This poses a plain threat to , from travelling in the summer months to fairs and attending religious gatherings.

Thousands of people rely on these local authority-managed sites, located dangerously near the kind of environmental pollutants that are with poor health and premature deaths. The term 鈥渆nvironmental racism鈥� is used to refer to how people from minority and low-income communities are to environmental harm.

Yvonne MacNamara is the chief executive of the non-profit advocacy organisation, Traveller Movement. She highlights that the inequalities these communities face are systemic. Local authorities, she says, treat Traveller communities 鈥渓ike second-class citizens鈥�.

To one resident鈥檚 mind, attitudes within local government to Gypsy and Traveller social housing are clearly . As she put it: 鈥淭hey wouldn鈥檛 expect anyone but a Traveller to live here.鈥�

, Professor of Sociology, and , Royal Literary Fund Fellow, . This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Swag直播鈥檚 leading social prescribing researchers 鈥� Dr Luke Mumford and Paul Wilson 鈥� will lead on the research across three years. The researchers will work with the Greater Swag直播 Secure Data Environment (GM Care Record) which was created by the University of Swag直播 and NHS GM to access pseudonymised NHS data in a secure environment in order to assess NHS utilisation for people living with dementia benefitting from music support.

This vital funding will enable Swag直播 Camerata and Alzheimer鈥檚 Society to continue their ground[1]breaking research-based music therapy programmes 鈥� Music in Mind (Camerata) and Singing for the Brain (Alzheimer鈥檚 Society) to offer more musical support to people living with dementia across all of Greater Swag直播.

According to the NHS, there are over 940,000 people in the UK who have dementia with 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 being most affected. Alzheimer鈥檚 Society suggests that by 2025 there will be over 1 million people with dementia in the UK, projected to rise to nearly 1.6 million by 2040. Currently, the care of these people in the UK costs over 拢34billion per year. The long-term goal of this - the UK鈥檚 first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia - is to use the knowledge and research built up over the next three years to analyse how the implementation of music in dementia care can reduce the need for health and care services whilst simultaneously improving quality of life.

This significant and successful bid will see both organisations run four weekly music cafes (two 鈥楳usic in Mind鈥� and two 鈥楽inging for the Brain鈥�) in each of the 10 Greater Swag直播 boroughs. Together they will collaborate with the University of Swag直播 and the NHS to undertake anonymised data-driven research into the impact and power that these music sessions have for people living with dementia and the way in which they can reduce pressure on hard-pressed frontline NHS and social care staff.

Swag直播 Camerata and Alzheimer鈥檚 Society will recruit, nurture and train a volunteer and community workforce of 300 鈥楳usic Champions鈥� who will be trained to deliver the Music Cafes, helping to support over 1000 people living with dementia in Greater Swag直播 across three years starting from October 2024. The research and data analysed by the University of Swag直播 will demonstrate the impact of embedding music support as part of dementia care and how this model can be scaled up and rolled out across the UK and result in cost-saving measures for the NHS.

Bob Riley, Chief Executive of Swag直播 Camerata, said: 鈥淭his is a colossal moment built on over ten years of work and research in partnership with Swag直播. We know it will bring much-needed support for people living with dementia and their carers. It will create new opportunities for our amazing musicians in the UK, and bring about changes in the way we invest in music to bring the widest possible benefits to society.

鈥淪incere thanks to the leadership and vision of Andy Burnham, Sir Richard Leese and NHS GM, the National Academy of Social Prescribing, The Utley Foundation, Arts Council England and many others. We appreciate their boldness and commitment to the power of music, and in recognising our outstanding musicians whose passion and commitment makes such an incredible impact on and off the stage.鈥�

Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, said: "This is fantastic news for Greater Swag直播, and a reminder of the power of music to shape our lives and our communities. Swag直播 Camerata have played a key role in our Music Commission, and I鈥檝e seen firsthand the transformational impact of what they do in our city-region. They are the ideal partner to pioneer the UK鈥檚 first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia, working with the Alzheimer鈥檚 Society to unlock the potential of music as therapy.

鈥淭his project will provide life-changing support to people with dementia and their carers in our 10 boroughs 鈥� support that is grounded in our communities and delivered with a real expert focus. It will also generate groundbreaking research that will influence health and care policy across the country while directly improving lives across Greater Swag直播."

Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: 鈥淲e worked with the Utley Foundation and Arts Council England to create The Power of Music Fund, to ensure that many more people living with dementia can benefit from musical projects. Through the Centre of Excellence, we aim to demonstrate how prescribing music to people living with dementia can improve quality of life, reduce isolation, and lessen the need for medication, hospital admissions and GP appointments.

鈥淲e were delighted to choose Greater Swag直播 after an outstanding bid. This project will provide a lifeline to people living with dementia in Swag直播, but also provide new evidence and a model that can be replicated across the country.鈥�

Swag直播 Camerata鈥檚 Music in Mind is an internationally renowned programme that uses the principles of music therapy to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia. The programme was created in collaboration with research partner the University of Swag直播 and the programme was devised from the foundations of some of the world鈥檚 leading dementia experts and their research. The Camerata has established training, delivery and support offers to help partners create Music Cafes and recruit Music Champions, and has worked with partners in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sweden and Japan to help them set up their own music and dementia programmes.

Alzheimer鈥檚 Society鈥檚 Singing for the Brain is a programme based on music therapy principles, bringing people living with dementia together to sing a variety of songs they know and love, in a fun and friendly environment. The sessions also include vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and wellbeing whilst also creating an opportunity for people living with dementia and their carers to socialise with others and experience peer support.

The Power of Music Fund was established by the National Academy for Social Prescribing, with generous support from the Utley Foundation, Arts Council England and other partners. It builds on the recommendations of the 2022 Power of Music report. In addition to the Centre of Excellence in Greater Swag直播, the Fund is also awarding small grants to 70 grassroots music and dementia projects across the UK and will support more than 5500 people in total

A new report from Child of the North and Anne Longfield鈥檚 Centre for Young Lives think tank has set out a plan for the Government to boost children鈥檚 mental health through the education system, as half of England鈥檚 school children will still be without access to Mental Health Support Teams after 2025 under current plans.

The report, 鈥淚mproving mental health and wellbeing with and through educational settings鈥�, sets out the crucial role schools can play in supporting children鈥檚 mental health and promoting and supporting wellbeing. With children spending more time in school than in any other formal institutional structure, educational settings provide the ideal opportunity to reach large numbers of children simultaneously and can also facilitate intervention with pupils displaying early mental health or behavioural symptoms.

It is the third in a series of Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives reports to be published during 2024, focusing on how both the Government and Opposition can reset their vision for children to put the life chances of young people at the heart of policy making and delivery.

The report comes amid a national epidemic of children鈥檚 mental health problems. In 2022, 18% of children aged 7-to-16-years-old and 22% of young people aged 17-to-24 had a probable mental health condition. Despite some extra investment in recent years, the children鈥檚 mental health system is blighted by chronic waiting lists and a postcode lottery of provision, and thousands of children and young people continue to struggle without support. Over 32,000 children had been waiting over two years for help at the end of 2022/3. The consequences for school attendance, educational achievement, mental health problems in adulthood, as well as over-stretched public services, economic productivity, and society鈥檚 overall wellbeing are enormous.

The report calls on the Government to expand the mental health support offered through schools and educational settings from primary school onwards, without placing extra burdens on teachers.

Its recommendations include harnessing the power of digital technology in a way that benefits the mental health of children by rolling out school-based research surveys like the existing #BeeWell and Age of Wonder projects nationally. This would gather local information about children鈥檚 mental health and wellbeing, identify geographical hotspots and determine when the 鈥榚motional temperature鈥� of the school is in the danger zone, so that schools can offer early support.

The report also recommends:

路 Expanding the mental health support offered through schools and educational settings, starting in the primary school years, to all schools. Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are known to provide effective help to schools, but most schools still do not have access to them. The Government鈥檚 current plans mean that from 2025 half of England鈥檚 8 million school age children will still not have access to a MHST in their school, should they need it. The work of MHSTs should be widened so it is not just focused on only one-to-one support for children with moderate-to-severe mental health problems, but is also focussed on peer group support and school-wide prevention strategies, including mental health hubs. This can be achieved by involving the community and voluntary sector, alongside health and social care services.

路 Supporting the creation of a network of 鈥榦ne stop shop鈥� local online NHS information hubs, based on NHS Healthier Together, to signpost children and families to appropriate local mental health support where it is available. A 鈥榦ne stop shop鈥� would allow children, families, and schools to learn together about the local mental health support offered in their locality and how it can be accessed. The information hub would allow schools to work together more effectively with parents and children to create a supportive learning environment, tailored to local services and the local community.

路 Tackling the upstream determinants of poor mental health, including early support for neurodivergent children. The evidence shows that pre-school and primary school experience can increase the risk for mental health conditions. Government鈥檚 strategy to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of young people should include a focus on the pre-school and primary school years. A national strategy to provide greater support for children with neurodiversity in their preschool years to tackle early determinants of poor mental health is also vital.

路 Addressing the workforce crisis in educational psychology provision to encourage a larger number of graduate psychologists to support schools, alongside teacher training and career development that equips teaching staff to create classroom and school environments that promote pupil wellbeing and support the mental health needs of pupils. Government could and should mandate the provision of such training in the education and CPD of teaching staff.

To highlight the scale of mental health problems among young people, the report also includes preliminary data gathered from 5,000 children and young people in Bradford that reveals the shocking rise of eating disorders in the area, including:

路 One in five (21%) of Year 9 pupils in Bradford reporting a probable eating disorder.

路 18% of 12-to-15-year-olds in Bradford reporting symptoms indicative of a probable eating disorder (the national rate among 11-to-16-year olds is 13%).

路 17% of 12-to-15 year olds reported self-harm in the last 12 months, with a higher prevalence in girls (20%) compared to boys (13%).

The study also highlights two priority issues raised by children and young people in Bradford as detrimental to their mental health - problems with lack of sleep and with loneliness. These findings are seen elsewhere. A recent #BeeWell survey examined the relationship between sleep quality in approximately 35,000 young people in more than 150 schools across Greater Swag直播. #BeeWell found that more than four in ten young people reported not getting enough sleep.

Anne Longfield, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said:

鈥淭he rise in the number of children experiencing mental health problems is an ongoing crisis not only for those children and families experiencing it now, but for our country鈥檚 future.

鈥淚 have heard so many heartbreaking stories of the lengths children and parents have gone to get support 鈥� including, sadly, suicide attempts 鈥� but we still seem a long way away from providing the prevention, early help, and treatment that every young person with mental health problems needs.

鈥淎s an anchor in children鈥檚 lives, schools have a crucial role to play in supporting children鈥檚 mental health and wellbeing. Yet half of the school age children in England 鈥� four million children 鈥� will not have access to Mental Health Support Teams under current plans. We need to rocket-boost support in schools if we hope to bring down the numbers of children who are struggling with mental health problems.

鈥淭he current school attendance crisis is likely to be driven in part by children with mental health problems who are unwilling or unable to attend school. We know already that children and young people with mental health conditions are more likely to be absent from school, and that poor mental health significantly impacts on school attendance and outcomes.

鈥淎t the next election, the parties will put forward their proposals for improving children鈥檚 mental health. Labour has already pledged to recruit more staff, introduce specialist mental health support for children in every school, and deliver an open access children and young people鈥檚 mental health hub for every community. But there should be a cross-party ambition to reduce the prevalence of children鈥檚 mental health conditions by half over the next 10 years, and all politicians should agree that the current system is failing too many children and needs urgent attention.鈥�

Dr Camilla Kingdon, former President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said:

鈥淭here is a huge evidence base for the importance of good mental health in childhood. However, sadly nearly 50% of lifetime mental health conditions are established by 14 years. We have a crucial window of opportunity to intervene to support children with mental health problems. We cannot let these children slip through the system without help.

鈥淭he UK needs to prioritise mental health and wellbeing of children for the sake of our children - and all our futures. There are solutions at our fingertips - we just need the political will to make it happen.鈥�

Professor Mark Mon Williams, Child of The North report series editor, said:

鈥淭here is no better measure of the health of a nation than the mental wellbeing of its children and young people. The statistics on mental health in children are heartbreaking and demand immediate action. The UK must prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of its children and young people if it wants to enjoy long term prosperity. This report shows how the next Government could and should invest in the UK鈥檚 future wellbeing.鈥�

Dr Ruth Wadman, Research Fellow for the Age of Wonder Adolescent Mental Health Collaboratory, said:

鈥淥ur children and young people need good mental health and wellbeing to develop and flourish. There is an urgent need to step-up our efforts to prevent mental health conditions and to intervene early when they emerge. The report shows that schools can play a key role in promoting good mental health and wellbeing, both by harnessing the power of data and by listening to children and young people.鈥�

The research uncovered high inequality across different neighbourhoods, as well as social isolation amongst groups and individuals within the older population. Such experiences are reflected in the provision of various services by faith spaces, these often targeting recent migrants, those experiencing isolation and/or financial hardship, and people undergoing challenging life transitions such as bereavement, divorce, health problems and relocation.

The experts are calling for a more strategic involvement of faith-based groups in public health and age-friendly agendas. Taking into consideration the existing support happening in faith spaces and the opportunities for that work to be expanded, they suggest that policymakers should explore how to enhance the role of faith spaces in contributing to promoting health and wellbeing in the community, and provide support to enhance the social function of faith spaces, both for existing users and members of the wider community.

They also appeal for recognition of the role of faith spaces in supporting isolated/newly arrived groups to the community and their potential to connect older people to age-friendly initiatives, as well as support for faith spaces to access funding and the broadening of the age-friendly framework to embrace spiritual participation and cultural diversity.

The report is available to view

Common informal recycling activities for lead-acid batteries used in solar energy systems were recorded to release 3.5-4.7 kg of lead pollution from a typical battery, which is equivalent to more than 100 times the lethal oral dose of lead for an adult.

Off-grid solar technologies are used to provide power to areas lacking traditional grid connections and are crucial for expanding electricity access across sub-Saharan Africa. The private market for off-grid solar electrification technologies is expected to provide electricity access to hundreds of millions of people by 2030, subsidized by global energy companies in the Global North, including the UK. Meanwhile, household scale off-grid solar energy systems in sub-Saharan Africa mostly depend on lead-acid batteries as the most affordable and established energy storage technology.

But the scientists warn that the absence of formal waste management infrastructure presents major human health and environmental risks and urge government intervention immediately.

This research, published today in the journal , was led by Dr Christopher Kinally for his PhD at Swag直播, funded by EPSRC.

Dr Kinally said: 鈥淭he private market for off-grid solar products is a very effective way to increase access to electricity, which is crucial for sustainable development. However, the resulting toxic waste flow is growing rapidly across regions that do not have the infrastructure to safely manage electronic waste.

鈥淲ithout developing infrastructure, legislation and education around these technologies, there are severe public health risks. Significant social, economic and legislative interventions are required for these solar products to be considered as a safe, low-carbon technology in sub-Saharan Africa.鈥�

Toxic informal waste management practices are known to be common for automotive batteries and electronic waste in low- and middle-income countries, but the environmental and health impacts of these practices have been widely overlooked. Now, efforts to promote sustainable development and electricity access are adding to these life-threatening waste streams.

Dr Kinally recorded that within suburban communities in Malawi, lead-acid batteries from solar energy systems are being refurbished openly on busy market streets by self-taught technicians, who are not aware of the toxicity of the materials they are handling.

He found that batteries are broken open with machetes, lead is melted over charcoal cooking stoves, and improvised lead battery cells are made by hand. In the process, approximately half of the lead content from each battery is leaked into the surrounding environment, releasing the equivalent of more than 100 lethal oral lead doses from a single battery into densely populated communities. 

This is the first data to quantify lead pollution from the informal recycling of lead-acid batteries from solar energy systems.  

Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, primary supervisor of the PhD and Senior Lecturer in Circular Economy and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment at Swag直播, added: 鈥淭he problem is not the use a renewable source like solar energy, but the lack of appropriate treatment of the batteries at the end of life. We urgently need further research to reveal the health impacts of the identified flows of toxic pollution from solar batteries.鈥�

Lead is a potent neurotoxin, and very low levels of lead exposure is known to permanently impact a child鈥檚 brain development. UNICEF have estimated that 800 million children across low- and middle-income countries have lead poisoning.

This widespread lead pollution is largely driven by improperly managed automotive battery waste and is expected to have substantial health and economic impacts across the Global South yet continues to be overlooked.  

Prior publications from the research team also highlight that the private off-grid solar market suffers from a general lack of supplier accountability and substandard, short-lived and counterfeit off-grid solar products were found to be common in Malawi, exploiting vulnerable energy-poor populations.

A lack of education about how to build and use these solar energy systems, which are particularly vulnerable to damage from improper use, is also severely limiting the lifetimes of batteries in off-grid solar energy systems.

Batteries in Malawi were recorded to often fail within a year, far shorter than the 3-5 year expected lifetime, accelerating the toxic waste flow. Meanwhile, the environmental impacts (including carbon emissions) from manufacturing and replacing short lived lead-acid batteries is compromising the sustainability and environmental benefits of solar energy systems.

Dr Fernando Anto帽anzas, co-supervisor of the PhD, added: 鈥淭his study brings more light on the maintenance and end-of-life phases of small off-grid solar projects, indeed left unattended in most cooperation projects. While informal lead-acid battery recycling offers a short-term solution for electrification for the poorest, at the same time, represents an enormous public health risk across Sub-Saharan Africa."

The research team has also provided policy recommendations for waste management solutions, including changes to how solar energy companies receive investments from the UK and Global North.

鈥淏etter understanding and valuing the wellbeing impacts of programmes working with children and young people could help ensure that policies and interventions to tackle children鈥檚 wellbeing will be prioritised going forwards. It is essential that the country invests in the collection of high-quality wellbeing data for children, like the one pioneered by #BeeWell,  and support greater investment in young people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Jack Reynolds, Chief Executive of Football Beyond Borders, said: 鈥淵oung people鈥檚 mental wellbeing is having a huge effect on their engagement at school - you can鈥檛 rectify the other issues we see every day around absence and attainment if young people鈥檚 heads aren鈥檛 in a good place. This research shows that investing in relationships provides value for money and addresses the needs of adolescents.

鈥淟ong-term, consistent, adult role models are an essential part of any solution and immediate reform which puts trusted relationships at the heart of our system can鈥檛 come soon enough.

The aim of Population Health Improvement UK is to find innovative and inclusive ways to improve the health of people, places and communities and reduce health inequalities through the development and evaluation of long-lasting and environmentally sustainable interventions.

Population Mental Health is one of four initial research themes in the network. These themes are operationalised through investments in research clusters that bring together universities, government organisations, voluntary organisations and community partnerships, across the UK.

King鈥檚 College London (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience) and Thrive LDN are co-directors of this interdisciplinary research theme which aims to understand, identify and affect real-world policy change, to better address population-based improvement of mental health in the UK.

The other three themes in PHI-UK are Healthy Urban Places, Commercial Determinants of Health & Equity, and Enhancing Policy Modelling.

Research in the PHI-UK Population Mental Health theme is underpinned by three challenge areas: children and young people鈥檚 mental health, prevention of suicide and self-harm, and multiple long term health conditions, with a central focus on tackling mental health inequalities.

Principal Investigator and theme Director Dr Jayati Das-Munshi, from the IoPPN and the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King鈥檚 College London said: 鈥淭his is an exciting initiative to tackle a growing need to address public mental health challenges facing the UK today. We will strengthen our partnerships across local government, public health, voluntary organisations and universities across the UK. We will work with our stakeholders and people with lived experience, to harness large-scale data, to understand which population interventions hold the greatest promise, leading to good mental health for all.

At Swag直播, will co-lead the 鈥楶revention of Suicide and Self-harm鈥� challenge and will co-lead the 鈥楧ata, Linkages and Causal Inference鈥� cross-cutting platform.

Professor Webb said: 鈥淚 am excited to be involved in this innovative collaborative research programme. My studies will evaluate the impact of population-level policies and public health interventions on suicide and self-harm inequalities.鈥�

Professor Sutton said: 鈥淭he UK has such rich data on the causes, conditions and consequences associated with mental health, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the UK in discovering what we can learn from them together.鈥� 

Photo by  on 

The study, which evaluated changes in Greater Swag直播 from 2016 to 2020 compared to the rest of England, is published in the journal Social Science & Medicine today (25/03/24). 

It builds on previous evidence by investigating how changes in the health system may have led to increases in life expectancy in Greater Swag直播 over this period, analysing 98 measures of performance.

It was funded by The Health Foundation and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Swag直播 (ARC-GM).

According to the study, there were 11.1% fewer alcohol related hospital admissions, 11.6% fewer first time offenders, 14.4% fewer hospital admissions for violence, and 3.1% fewer half school days missed from 2016 to 2020.

Same day GP appointments increased by 1.8% and unplanned A&E re-attendances were 2.7% lower, in line with increases in the GP and hospital workforce. Cancer screening rates also improved.

Adult social care effectiveness and overall satisfaction also improved by 17.6%, despite decreases in expenditure and staff.

However, adult obesity increased by 7.6% and median wait times for A&E treatment worsened by 12.2%. There were also mixed impacts of devolution on outpatient, mental health, maternity, and dental services.

The positive changes, argue the researchers, are likely to have been a result of different aspects of the Greater Swag直播 devolution deals.

These include the transfer of control over transformation funding for improving services to the Greater Swag直播 Health and Social Care Partnership, the development of collaborative relationships between the NHS agencies and local governments represented on the Greater Swag直播 Health and Social Care Partnership Board, or the impact of wider devolved public services.

The negative changes on other indicators, they add, are likely to be a result of difficulties local decision-makers had in re-prioritising how they used their resources given their limited powers to raise additional revenue through taxation or other means.

Lead author from Swag直播 said: 鈥淭his study provides new evidence on the impact of devolution on health and care services , focusing on a large set of performance measures.

鈥淥ur findings suggest that devolution in Greater Swag直播 was associated with broad improvements in health services, social determinants of health, and subsequently, health outcomes.鈥�

Co-author from Swag直播 and Deputy Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Swag直播 (ARC-GM) said: 鈥淭hese improvements were achieved despite limited formal devolved authority and control over health and care resources, suggesting that other features of the health and wider devolution deals played an important role.

鈥淗owever, improvements were not universal. Restricted formal powers are likely to have made it harder to fully reprioritise resources.鈥�

Co-author from Swag直播 said: 鈥淯nlike what we have seen in other devolved places, enhancements were observed in Greater Swag直播 even with limited health and social care powers, and without the ability to significantly raise revenue through taxes.

鈥淭he success of future devolution initiatives to improve population health might depend less on the devolution of formal powers, and more on alignment and collaboration between health and other public services within the region.鈥�

Adam Briggs, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation, said: 鈥淭he past decade was incredibly challenging for health and social care services across England, so it is very positive that this research finds that life expectancy in Greater Swag直播 has been heading in the right direction. But devolution is complex and, as the researchers point out, it鈥檚 hard to know what aspects of the approach taken in Greater Swag直播 have helped - untangling causation from correlation is very difficult. 

鈥淯ltimately, much of what makes us healthy sits outside of health care services and is instead driven by the building blocks of good health 鈥� such as secure housing, good work and education. As public finances get increasingly stretched, closer partnership working between the NHS, local government and communities is needed now more than ever, whether that鈥檚 a result of devolution or any other form of local collaboration.鈥�

Chair of NHS Greater Swag直播 Integrated Care Board, Sir Richard Leese said: 鈥淭his latest research reinforces what we know, that working together in partnership, locally has better outcomes and supports people to live healthier and happier lives.

鈥淚t鈥檚 encouraging that our approach has seen increases to healthy life expectancy and better access in some services. However, we recognise where we haven鈥檛 seen improvements or the change we hoped for, including against the national average. We鈥檙e continuing to work together as a system to improve health and care for everyone. Our commitment to partnership working will give us the best chance of success and tackling health inequalities.鈥�

Chair of Greater Swag直播 Integrated Care Board, City Mayor Paul Dennett said: 鈥淒evolution, in health and care and other areas, has given us the ability to unlock health benefits for our Greater Swag直播 communities by working together to deliver good housing, good jobs and more. The power, potential and importance of locally driven integration and collaboration is clear from this report. We must maintain this."

The paper 鈥淭he Impact of Devolution on Local Health Systems: Evidence from Greater Swag直播, England" is available .

Wellbeing inequalities: LGBTQ+ young people report lowest life satisfaction

Overall, this year鈥檚 #BeeWell survey results, which analysed data on young people from across all 14 Local Authorities in Greater Swag直播, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, found that young people are generally satisfied with their lives. However, there are noteworthy inequalities in life satisfaction, mental wellbeing and emotional difficulties across gender and sexuality.

• 41.2% of young people who identify as lesbian or gay reported a high level of emotional difficulties (e.g. worrying a lot, feeling unhappy, having problems sleeping). This figure rose to 44.5% for young people who identify as bisexual or pansexual. This is compared to 12.1% of heterosexual young people. High scores in this area could indicate that young people may require additional, preventative support
•  When considering gender differences, 22% of cisgender girls reported a high level of emotional difficulties compared with 6% of cisgender boys. The proportion reporting high levels of emotional difficulties rose to 33.9% for transgender and gender diverse young people and 21% for those questioning their gender
• These inequalities are also seen in life satisfaction and mental wellbeing scores, with gay and lesbian young people experiencing the lowest wellbeing and reporting that they are least satisfied with their lives, followed closely by bisexual and pansexual young people, and those who identify as transgender and gender-diverse

Building on the results, the #BeeWell programme is working with schools, partners and the wider community to act on these and other findings in the data. This has included an exciting collaboration with The Duke of Edinburgh鈥檚 Award which is working to deliver the scheme for young people in those neighbourhoods identified as having the lowest wellbeing.

鈥淭he Duke of Edinburgh鈥檚 Award brings young people together and enables them to discover new passions, gain new skills and connect with their community - however, opportunities for personal development and enrichment, which we know help boost confidence, give people hope and drive success, aren鈥檛 always accessible to everyone 鈥� we鈥檙e working hard to change that,鈥� said Ruth Marvel, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh鈥檚 Award.

鈥淯sing insights from #BeeWell, over the last 18 months, we鈥檝e licensed eight new organisations in Greater Swag直播, offering the DofE to some of the country鈥檚 most marginalised communities. Looking ahead, we鈥檙e excited to widen access to the DofE further, as we identify areas in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. Through this work, we hope to give young people the positive experiences, skills and capabilities they need to succeed in the future, which in turn, will boost wellbeing and optimism and that鈥檚 something we all so want to see.鈥�

鈥淚t is great to see hope and optimism is improving for our young people - however, it is disappointing to see that the inequalities, particularly in regard to gender, are still so stark when it comes to life satisfaction and wellbeing,鈥� said Professor Jess Deighton, Director of Innovation Evaluation and Dissemination at  Anna Freud. "We now need to work together to target these groups, understand what they need and start making the impact that is required to enable these young people to be heard and for their wellbeing to be improved."

鈥淭he findings from the #BeeWell survey provide us with an invaluable insight into the needs and aspirations of young people," said Anthony Harper, Deputy Director for Children's Care at the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. "It will support us in our drive to ensure early identification and support is available to children and young people where and when they most need it.鈥�

鈥淚 am a firm believer in the importance of expanding the voices of young people in our society and giving solutions to the challenges we face,鈥� said Uyuhansi Fernando, North East Councillor, Hampshire Youth Parliament. "All young people should have equal access to opportunities that help their wellbeing. I am confident that by listening to the voices of young people through #BeeWell, we can have a better understanding of the modern world ahead of us.鈥�

#BeeWell Neighbourhood Data Hive

Following the release of the headline findings from the #BeeWell survey, an interactive public dashboard will show more detailed results and insights into young people鈥檚 wellbeing across 64 different neighbourhoods in Greater Swag直播 and 46 different neighbourhoods in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. This will be published online at the end of March 2024, with a view to inspiring action across local government and civil society.

Read our full report here: .

For further information on the #BeeWell survey and its initiatives, please contact beewellprogramme@manchester.ac.uk 

The new analysis shows that between 2019 and 2021, 46,200 people lost their lives due to Death of Despair in England 鈥� the equivalent of 42 people every day.

However, in the North East of England more than twice as many people lost their lives due to Deaths of Despair compared to London.

Deaths of Despair is a collective term for deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide, which tend to occur much more frequently in socially deprived communities.

The study, led by academics from Health Equity North (HEN), Swag直播 and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Swag直播 (ARC-GM) examined local authority data to identify geographical trends and risk factors that contribute to these kind of deaths.

The analysis found that northern regions and coastal areas of England are experiencing a much higher burden of mortality from these avoidable causes.

Out of the 20 local authority areas that experience the highest rates of Deaths of Despair, 16 are in the North, and all of the top 10 areas are in the North.

Conversely, none of the 20 local authorities with the lowest rates of Deaths of Despair are in the North.

The analysis also looked at associated factors that predict the risk of these kinds of deaths; living in the North was the strongest predictor. Local authorities with higher proportions of unemployment, white British ethnicity, people living alone, economic inactivity, employment in elementary occupations, and people living in urban areas had higher rates of Deaths of Despair.

The study found that:

• On average, 14.8 per 100,000 more people die from Deaths of Despair in the North compared to the rest of England
• Even after accounting for multiple social and economic factors, living in the North of England was associated with a 5.8 per 100,000 increase in Deaths of Despair rate
• More than twice as many people died from Deaths of Despair in the North East of England than they did in London (54.7 per 100,000 and 25.1 per 100,000 respectively)
• The highest rate of Deaths of Despair in England (at local authority level) is in Blackpool 鈥� almost 2.5 times the national average
• Three areas in England, all in the North, experienced more than double the average Deaths of Despair 鈥� Blackpool (83.8 in 100,000 deaths), Middlesbrough (71.6 per 100,000 deaths) and Hartlepool (70.5 per 100,000 deaths)
• Alcohol-specific deaths made up almost half of Deaths of Despair in England, accounting for 44.1% of all such deaths
• Deaths of Despair accounted for 2.9% of all deaths in England
• Deaths of Despair were highest among people aged 45-54 (55 per 100,000)
• Deaths of Despair accounted for 2 in 5 deaths in people aged 25-29 (41.1% of all deaths)
• Coastal local authorities had a significantly higher average Deaths of Despair rate than inland local authorities (41.6 per 100,000 compared to 31.5 per 100,000)

The study is believed to be the first of its kind to explore geographical patterning and contributing causes of deaths of despair in England.

The researchers are calling on government to prioritise preventative policies which address the longstanding inequalities across England, with fair funding allocation distributed according to need.

Christine Camacho, lead author and PhD Fellow NIHR ARC-GM, said: 鈥淥ur study shows that some of the risk factors of deaths of despair have a more pronounced impact in the North of England, where inequalities in health and wealth are persistent and have widened during recent decades.

鈥淎s well as specific public health interventions to prevent deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide, we need to move further and faster with Levelling Up in England to tackle the underlying inequalities which are leading people to die from despair.鈥�

, Co-Academic Director at Health Equity North, and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at Swag直播, said: 鈥淭ime and time again, we see research exposing regional inequity with the North of England often being hit the hardest. Unsurprisingly, the findings of this study further highlight the persistent health inequalities in northern regions. This can鈥檛 be ignored 鈥� it is not acceptable that more than twice as many people in some deprived communities in the North are dying due to deaths of this nature.

鈥淭his research provides policymakers with a novel insight into the associated social factors of deaths of despair, which can help when developing comprehensive strategies that not only target specific risk factors but also consider the intricate relationships among these causes, contributing to more effective prevention and intervention efforts.鈥�

The findings, published in Lancet Psychiatry today (13/03/2024) and funded by the and Wellcome, could indicate that most children are in a low risk group and won鈥檛 require long-term support, providing reassurance for children and their parents and caregivers.

However, the figures might also reflect an unmet need for some children and adolescents.

The study tracked the outcomes of around 370,000  3-18 year olds over five years using anonymised primary care health records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database.

All of the included children had symptoms of a possible psychiatric condition, such as depression, anxiety, Autism or ADHD. The research tracked the children鈥檚 contact with healthcare services to find out what happened over the ensuing five years.

Almost 208,000 (51%) of the children and adolescents who presented with psychological symptoms to general practitioners had few subsequent healthcare contacts over the next five years and were very unlikely to be prescribed medications, or referred to specialist services for their mental health.

The largest of seven groups identified by the researchers, these children and adolescents also had the lowest risk of future hospitalisation for either self-harm or suicide and were more likely to be younger, male, and from non-White ethnicities.

The next largest group (13% of the overall sample) had some ongoing contacts with the GP but didn鈥檛 receive medications. The other groups identified had either declining rates of contact over five years, or prolonged high levels of contact with GPs or specialists, or escalating rates of contact. Each of these groups made up less than 10% of the overall sample.

Children and adolescents from Black, South Asian, and other non-White ethnicities had lower rates of ongoing GP contact and there were similar, less pronounced differences for mixed-ethnicity children and adolescents.

The findings are published as increasing numbers of children are seeking help for mental health symptoms, as well as ADHD and autism. The results provide some insight into what happens next for these children and suggests that for most of the young people, the problems they experience will be transient, or that they may receive the support they need outside of medical settings.

Lead author Dr Morwenna Senior from Swag直播 said: 鈥淥ur findings shows that a majority of children and adolescents with mental health symptoms have low or declining rates of ongoing contact with GPs and specialists.

鈥淚ncreasing numbers of young people are experiencing mental health problems. At the same time, more children and families are seeking support from medical professionals for mental health conditions, ADHD and Autism.

鈥淲hile this is concerning, previous research also suggests that for many young people, the prognosis is good and symptoms are likely to improve over time and this also fits with our findings.

鈥淭hough it鈥檚 not clear if a proportion of this figure is because children are not receiving the medical support they need, this study can provide some reassurance to parents and children that many, if not most children will get better. It is also reassuring that the children in the low-contact group were the least likely to be hospitalised for self-harm, or to die by suicide.鈥�

Dr Senior added: 鈥淔uture research is needed to understand whether children and adolescents with low-contact trajectories have unmet needs, that we are not measuring, and whether they receive further help elsewhere. Linked datasets can be used to examine relationships between different groups of children and adolescents presenting with  psychological symptoms, and their educational, social, as well as clinical outcomes.

She said: 鈥淲e argue that services should differentiate between children and adolescents for whom early support might prevent deterioration from those whose symptoms are likely to resolve without further help.

鈥淭hat could usefully inform changes to service configurations and preventive practice in services where resources are often stretched.

鈥淔or children whose problems are likely to resolve, reassurance and psychoeducation may be enough; whereas, for others, more intensive interventions might prevent deterioration in symptoms. We hope that our results will help distinguish these groups and better allocate limited resources.鈥�

Dr Senior said: 鈥淭hese findings also add to substantial evidence that people鈥檚 experiences and use of health care for psychiatric conditions in the UK varies according to ethnicity.

鈥淗owever, in our sample, it is difficult to determine the reasons for these differences. It might be that there were differences in how helpful children and their families found the support they were offered; or there may be differences in how and where people access support. For example, support within education or from family networks could play a bigger role for Black and South Asian children and their families.

The scheme close to Kale Street will help combat the area鈥檚 disproportionate exposure to air pollution, improve the health and wellbeing of local people and improve public safety away from major roads.

Nine signs  put up along the various entry points to the attractive 15 minute walk  will contain digitally interactive QR codes, which when scanned with a smartphone will direct the public to various webpages.

The pages contain information about local ecology and how plant species support Swag直播's biodiversity.

They also details the history of the site and the local community groups that manage it.

Daniell Musaheb, Ardwick Climate Action said: 鈥�Green Routes represent community action directly tackling our community鈥檚 issues, with a need to address air pollution and public safety at its core.

鈥淲e are honoured at the support the project has received from our partners which has undeniably contributed to its success.

鈥淲e hope to see further tangible outcomes for our community and that this is the first step in realising a fairer balance in Swag直播.

鈥淎rdwick is disproportionately affected by air pollution, and the public safety of local people is compromised due to the lack of infrastructure to support green transportation.鈥�

To  celebrate the launch, the group are organising lavender planting. Representatives from a range of groups including Clean Cities, Friends of the Earth Swag直播, Asthma and Lung UK, Mums for Lungs and Living Streets UK will talk about air pollution, road safety and green routes in Swag直播.

And a guided walk from the A6 will show participants  why the Green Route is so badly needed.

Since 2022, ACA has conducted in partnership with Swag直播 which showed that local communities are an important way understand where local sources of pollution are and barriers to less polluting forms of travel.

One of the researchers, said: 鈥淐ollaborative working between local communities and our researchers was vital to understand the barriers for active travel and the issues that most impacted residents.

鈥淏y engaging with communities we can promote awareness of the risks of pollution to health and do more meaningful research that best meets the needs of those most impacted by pollution.

She added: 鈥淭his research highlighted real issues encountered by residents of high levels of pollution and dangerous roads with fast moving traffic.

鈥淭here is a lack of crossings across busy roads which makes it very hard for residents to get around safely.

鈥淲e are so excited about the green route and we really hope it makes a difference to residents for their health and wellbeing as they can avoid some of the traffic and pollution and enjoy the incredible biodiversity created by the planting done by ACA.鈥�

Read more about the research

Caption: Ardwick Climate Action鈥檚 aims are to regenerate and rewild areas for the community, offering a series of green spaces that serve to educate and engage local people.

The results of the study, a major clinical trial carried out during the COVID pandemic, showed rapid and enduring improvements in mental health and quality of life when older people received weekly phone calls over eight weeks from a specially trained coach who encouraged them to maintain their social connections and to remain active. 

The study, led by a team based at the and at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, also including Swag直播,  found levels of depression reduced significantly and the benefits were greater than those seen for antidepressants.

Participants in the study reported their levels of emotional loneliness fell by 21% over a three-month period and the benefits remained after the phone calls had ceased, suggesting an enduring impact.  

Mitigating the psychological impacts of COVID

The Behavioural Activation in Social Isolation -  started within months of the 2020 pandemic and was the largest trial ever undertaken to target and measure loneliness in this way. The study, published in the journal , represents a rapid advance in evidence to understand what works in preventing loneliness. 

People invited to take part in the BASIL+ study were aged over 65 with multiple long-term conditions.  They had been asked to shield during COVID and were at a high risk of loneliness and depression.   

The BASIL+ trial was supported by a 拢2.6M award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and was the only mental health trial prioritised by the NHS as part of its Urgent Public Health programme - a cornerstone of its fight against COVID.  Hundreds of older people were recruited to the BASIL+ trial from 26 sites across the UK during the COVID pandemic of 2020-21. 

The epidemic of loneliness - global health concern

Politicians and policy makers have become increasingly aware of the importance of loneliness, but have struggled to know 鈥榳hat works鈥� in its prevention.  The World Health Organization has just 鈥� and has launched an .  It is anticipated that the results of the BASIL+ trial will feed into this process, since BASIL+ is the largest trial ever undertaken to combat loneliness.   The Jo Cox Commission, established in memory of the murdered politician, and there is a , with a Ministerial appointment.

The research was jointly led by  Professor Simon Gilbody from the University of York and Hull York Medical School and Professor David Ekers from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Gilbody said: "We now know that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and depression is a silent killer.  All of us working on the BASIL+ trial had older parents and relatives who became socially isolated during lockdown.鈥�

鈥淏ased on our previous research, we had a good idea what might work鈥�, Professor Ekers added. 鈥淲ith the support of the NHS and the NIHR we were able to test this in a large rigorous trial.  The results are now available and this is very exciting.  The UK led the world with the vaccine discovery trials.  Similarly in mental health we have advanced the science of 鈥榳hat works鈥� in the area of loneliness, and we have learned much from the dark days of the pandemic.鈥�

鈥淎n important step forward鈥�

, Honorary Professor at the Mental Health and Addictions Research Group at the University of York and , Professor of Clinical Psychology at Hull York Medical School and University of York designed and led the telephone support programme.  Professor McMillan said: 鈥渁n ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this trial shows how we can prevent both depression and loneliness.鈥�

, CEO of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which funded the study, said: "These results are an important step forward in understanding what works in tackling and preventing loneliness and depression. The research is also a great example of how public money allows researchers, healthcare professionals and the public to work together across institutions and organisations to deliver results that will really make a difference to people's health and wellbeing."

, the BASIL+ trial manager from the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, added: 鈥淭his is what the UK does well and it shows how the NHS, Universities and third sector organisations were able to work in partnership during the pandemic to tackle the big health challenges.鈥� 

, who led the collaboration at The University of Swag直播, said: 鈥淭hese BASIL+ trial results represent the culmination of a strong collaboration between northern universities to tackle one of the major threats to health and wellbeing.  We will continue to work together to ensure the results of our work translate to improve the lives of older people after the pandemic.鈥�

The BASIL+ partnership included leading researchers from the Universities of Leeds, Keele, and Swag直播 and also the charity AgeUK. 

Atmospheric chemists from the , University of Swag直播, and University of York are working together to quantify the gases and aerosols that come from stoves in people鈥檚 homes. 

Wood burners - the biggest sources of small particulate matter nationwide

The popularity of using wood burners has increased in recent years, in response to severe cold snaps and the rising cost of gas and electricity. 

In the UK, wood burning in homes is the main direct source of airborne particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (known as PM2.5), and accounts for a high fraction of particles with carcinogenic potential in urban areas. 

Exposure to PM2.5 particles can result in serious health impacts - especially for elderly people and people with respiratory illnesses. 

Stove in a lab - a scientific test facility to capture wood burner emissions

Scientists are using a state-of-the-art test facility, in a Swag直播-based laboratory, to study emissions from domestic heating stoves. 

By using a wood burner in a controlled environment alongside specialised pollution monitoring equipment, researchers are replicating a range of conditions and real-life scenarios.

Dr Marvin Shaw, research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of York, said: 鈥淩ecent studies of combustion in household woodburners suggest that operational conditions, such as ignition, reloading, maloperation and use of unconventional fuels are a large and unaccounted for source of pollution in the UK. This project brings together national expertise in order to understand how the operation of these wood burners affects the emissions of gas and particulate pollutants.鈥�

The high-resolution data they are collecting will begin to build a detailed insight into real-time emissions during stove operation in people鈥檚 homes. 

, a research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and Swag直播, explained: 鈥淐urrently emissions predictions assume that wood burners are operated correctly and the appropriate fuels are used. However, we suspect that many wood burners are not used correctly, with people likely to overstack fuel or burn unseasoned woods. Our laboratory experiments will investigate the effects of gas emissions that condense in the air and form particulate matter after they are emitted." 

The air pollution research project they are working on, known as CondensabLe AeRosol from non Ideal Stove Emissions - CLARISE, brings together expertise in biomass burning experiments, emissions monitoring, atmospheric complexity analysis, and regional modelling.

The paper, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and published in , builds on research already completed by both institutions during the pandemic which demonstrated that ethnic minority groups were disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The paper brings together all of the available evidence, along with international experts in the field, to summarise why people from ethnic minority groups were more likely to be infected and die during the pandemic.

Researchers highlighted that ethnic minority groups were more likely to be exposed to those who were infectious with COVID-19 because a high proportion were employed in key worker roles, making it more likely that they would themselves become infected. They also showed that certain ethnic minority groups were more likely to die once infected due to barriers in receiving adequate healthcare, such as delayed diagnosis and treatment due to job insecurity and financial issues, and in some cases language barriers.

In addition, the research showed they were more likely to suffer from social and economic consequences 鈥� for example the inability to isolate once infected and in some cases the lack of adequate healthcare to meet their needs.

The authors state that ethnic minority groups were disadvantaged from the start due to longstanding health inequities caused by systemic racism and racial discrimination. Furthermore, the reasons for ethnic inequities in COVID-19 infection, severe disease and death are interconnected.

The paper aims to provide a blueprint for policymakers and researchers to address these inequities so that they can be better prepared for future pandemics.

It states that a 鈥榦ne size fits all鈥� approach to intervention does not work and that cultural, social and language barriers must be overcome along with other socio-economic issues.

鈥淭his framework is the first of its kind to specifically address inequities during a pandemic,鈥� said Dr Daniel Pan from the University of Leicester, the paper鈥檚 co-lead author who is a specialist registrar in Infectious Diseases and General Internal Medicine and a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Doctoral Research Fellow. 鈥淭he recommendations aim to ensure ethnic inequalities in treatment do not occur in future.

鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic won鈥檛 be the last and steps need to be taken now to reduce the inevitable consequences of the next pandemic on ethnic minority groups. We know that innovative approaches are required but if we plan for these, they can be overcome.鈥�

鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and amplified health inequalities for ethnic minority groups,鈥� said Professor of Clinical Infectious Diseases Manish Pareek from the University of Leicester, the paper鈥檚 senior author.

鈥淚t is important that we learn lessons from the pandemic and this work, in collaboration with international experts and the WHO, provides guidance on how to reduce the disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups for future pandemics.鈥�

The initiative, funded by a Defra Air Quality Grant, seeks to understand the motivations behind burning solid fuels in homes and gardens, improve community knowledge and influence behaviour and improve public health in Greater Swag直播.

Smoke from log burners, domestic fires and garden bonfires contain tiny particles called particulate matter (PM2.5) that can damage people鈥檚 health, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and lead to more serious health conditions. 

The study 鈥� led by Swag直播 on behalf of Greater Swag直播鈥檚 10 councils 鈥� aims to understand the link between household burning practices (indoor and outdoor) and local air quality.

Over the next two years, the research partnership will help inform a public health campaign across the city region to raise awareness around the negative impacts of domestic burning, with the aim to reduce particulate matter emissions through reduced and cleaner burning habits.

The survey will run until February 2024 and invites both people who burn at home and those that do not to take part.

Those that complete the survey can enter a draw to win one of five food vouchers. The link to the survey can be found

In conjunction with the study, Greater Swag直播 has launched an to educate residents about the health impacts and regulations surrounding domestic burning. Over 40 air quality monitors will be strategically placed across the region to better understand the link between domestic burning and PM2.5 air pollution.

The study is one of many research projects at the University which is looking into the

Residents who do need to burn this winter are being encouraged to follow these guidelines:   

• Find out if you are in a 鈥� if so your stove needs to be Defra-exempt and you must only use approved fuel.    
• Only burn clean seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 20% or dried for a minimum of two years, or use 鈥楻eady to Burn鈥� approved manufactured solid fuels.   
• Do not burn rubbish or general waste.   
• Get your chimney swept each year and your stove checked.   
• Do not let your fire smoulder overnight. 

Take part in the survey

Way back in February 2020, before most of us really knew anything about COVID, for The Conversation about 鈥渓eaveism鈥� and its impact on flexible working. Barely a month later, the world was bracing for a pandemic that would inadvertently create the largest (forced) working experiment of all time.

This was a great opportunity for researchers like us to watch how working from home solved or exacerbated the workload problems that employees and managers had been dealing with face to face in the years before COVID. For many, the 鈥渨orkplace鈥� was now the kitchen table or spare bedroom. The difference was there was no supervisory physical presence.

So, when the pandemic presented people with a golden opportunity to work remotely 鈥� and to some extent flexibly 鈥� it was fascinating to observe how the workforce responded. What we found was that working from home didn鈥檛 solve any problems, it merely moved them to a different location.

We first coined the term 鈥溾�� in 2013 to explain some previously undescribed workplace practices:

• using allocated time off such as annual leave entitlements, flexi hours banked, re-rostered rest days and so on, to take time off when they are in fact unwell
• using these leave entitlements to look after dependents, including children or elderly relatives (rather than for rest and recuperation)
• taking work home that cannot be completed in normal working hours (due to excessive workload)
• working while not at work, on leave or holiday to catch up (or keep up!).

As you can probably imagine, the pandemic and related lockdowns and restrictions to working practices had a significant impact on all of these practices. It also affected those ascribed to 鈥溾��, which is when you go into work but aren鈥檛 operating at your full potential because you鈥檙e unwell.

Finding a new normal

Now, as we emerge from the dark days of the pandemic, most companies are trying to decide what the new working 鈥渘ormal鈥� will be: hybrid, remote or calling everyone back to the office five days a week? Many firms will find that the most suitable option is highly idiosyncratic, depending on the organisation, its employees, industry and many other individual factors. But those choices are also likely to make a big difference to levels of sickness absence, presenteeism and leaveism in today鈥檚 organisations.

Indeed, the speculations we made about taking work home in February 2020 are all pretty much the norm now, according to . These changes were triggered in an unexpected way, but nevertheless taking work home, and juggling work and home life are now pretty much everyday business for most.

Our , written during COVID lockdowns, documented perspectives from a number of different organisational settings. They all largely came to the same conclusions around homeworking during that time: there are advantages but also some negative aspects of home working and flexible working. For example, employees may find there are huge financial benefits in working just from home, saving on time and travel costs. Downsides may include inadequate space in the home to work, limitations with internet or other technological blockers.

Our latest study, explained in our book , examined the effects of lockdown on workplaces and how the balance has tilted from sickness absenteeism to sharp rises in presenteeism and leaveism. Other also shows that, despite much more homeworking during and after pandemic lockdowns, 43% of people still experience presenteeism and slightly more (47%) leaveism.

How to help people be happy at work

But managers are now far more conscious, or should be, of the effects of these phenomena in the workplace. And there are ways to help negate the impacts of these practices, both on the workforce and on businesses. Whether a line manager works in the same physical space as their employee or not, good leadership is key.

Crucially, line managers need good emotional intelligence. That is, to understand how their employees are feeling and thinking about things that have an impact on their lives. Managers who have high levels of this (known as EQ) tend to have better relationships with their teams, which can lead to high levels of commitment and effort from them.

Developing such vital 鈥渟oft鈥� skills helps managers find out what they need to know about the circumstances of their team members without making unwanted intrusions into their private lives. This seems like a difficult line to decipher, but for those who are adept at navigating it, the rewards are huge.

New working patterns

Research shows that can make the difference between having great days at work and having a miserable time. When the latter occurs, you may witness the emergence of leaveism and presenteeism. These are tell-tale signs that people may not be happy, feel uncomfortable or are indeed thinking of leaving (usually measured as intentions to quit).

Having said all of this, employees are facing extraordinary challenges during this uncertain period for working lives. Organisations are managing shifts in policy in respect of remote versus office working. And the perfect combination is as yet unclear, but depends on a host of personal circumstances.

In this environment, opportunities for constructive development of employees can seem few and far between. But managers must think about the sustainability of their teams and invest wherever possible in things that will help create more good days at work than bad for everyone.

, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health, and , Project Support, National Health & Wellbeing Forum,

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Male patients and older patients found online systems particularly helpful, according to the University of Swag直播 study published in the British Journal of General Practice.

However, some respondents still wanted a return to traditional ways of accessing their GP.

The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater Swag直播 Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, a partnership between Swag直播 and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

The research team collected 21,467 written comments from almost 12,000 patients at 240 GP practices across England who used Patchs (www.patchs.ai), a popular online consultation system. They also carried out hour long interviews with 25 patients.

They analysed both the interview transcripts and written comments qualitatively, in nonnumerical form, to identify common themes.

Patchs system allows patients to request help from their healthcare team over the internet which are followed-up by written message, telephone call, video consultation, or arranging an in-person visit.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all GP practices now use online consultations and patients are often forced to use them to contact their family doctor.

However, in-depth research into patients鈥� views on online consultations has not been carried out until now.

Lead author Dr Susan Moschogianis from Swag直播 said: 鈥淢ost of the patients in our sample said they preferred online consultations because they are more convenient, flexible, and efficient than in-person appointments for dealing with simple health problems such as rashes or colds.

鈥淭he primary benefit reported by most patients was the ability to receive a quick response to their query and male patients in particular reported they were more likely to contact their GP using them.

鈥淧erhaps surprisingly, many older participants found the system easier to navigate than expected and often preferred using it to contact their GP practice than traditional methods.

鈥淏ut not everyone were as positive. Some still wanted a return to traditional ways of accessing their GP practice using more traditional methods such as telephone and in-person visits.

鈥淎nd poor communication about the online consultation systems often left patients disappointed and frustrated.鈥�

Patients' experiences of online consultations with their GP practice can, the researchers found, be influenced by characteristics of the patient, the condition they consult about, system design, and how it is used by GP staff.

This research has implications for both GP practices and system designers for how they could improve the patient experience of online consultations.

Senior author Dr Ben Brown from Swag直播 said: 鈥淥ur findings provide new insight into why some patients prefer in-person consultations and why others prefer to use online consultations.

鈥淲e found that patients鈥� experiences of using these systems could be influenced by a range of factors such as the different demographics of patients and different conditions they are seeking help with.

鈥淏ut also how GP practices conduct online consultations and aspects of the technological design were found to be key drivers of positive patient experiences.

鈥淪ome patients who struggle to communicate in in-person appointments, such as patients with autism, hearing loss and anxiety, prefer using online consultations.

鈥淎nd some patients, especially men, preferred discussing sensitive topics online.

鈥淒rawing directly from the findings we make specific recommendations for GP practices and online consultation system designers for how they can optimise patients鈥� experience.鈥�

Patient experiences of an online consultation system: qualitative study in primary care post-COVID-19 is  published in the .