Resources

Documents

New training and advice tools to help NHS staff to spot and support trafficking victims. The toolkit has two elements, a guidance leaflet and an e-learning module. Those within the NHS will be able to gain access and accreditation through their NHS login. However the module is also available as an open access module so anyone can complete it, although this will not be accredited.
The Atlas of health and climate was published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is a product of the unique collaboration between the meteorological and public health communities. It provides sound scientific information on the connections between weather and climate and major health challenges. These range from diseases of poverty to emergencies arising from extreme weather events and disease outbreaks. They also include environmental degradation, the increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and the universal trend of demographic ageing
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has published new immunisation guidance, Quality criteria for an effective immunisation programme. The guidance defines the key elements of delivering immunisation services and is aimed at everyone involved in commissioning, providing and auditing immunisation programmes.
The HPA has published guidance on the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training of Healthcare Support Workers (PDF 683 KB).
The Local Government Group has published THE LG Group quick guide to local government which describes the structure, mechanisms and funding of local government.
The Higher Education Occupational Practitioners’ Society has produced guidance for students with severe eating disorders, Fitness to Study for Students with Severe Eating Disorders: Guidance.
The World Malaria Report 2011 summarizes information received from 106 malaria-endemic countries and a range of other sources.
The Migrant Health Guide is a free online resource that aims to assist primary care practitioners who look after people who have come to live in the UK from abroad. The guide is organised on a country specific basis and outlines a range of health issues that might affect someone coming from each country, making their health care needs different to that of the UK born population. It also provides practical guidance and resources to assess and manage a wide range of health needs. The guide has been developed in consultation with users and is endorsed by both the Royal College of General Practitioners and the RCN.
There is a second report from the HPA on migrant health, Migrant health: infectious diseases in non-UK born populations in the UK (PDF 6.9Mb).
The Annual Report of the APPG on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (PDF 885KB).
The Medical Foundation for Aids and Sexual Health (MedFASH) has released the 2011 edition of its popular booklet HIV in Primary Care: an essential guide for GPs, practice nurses and memebers of the primary healthcare team (PDF 3MB).
The Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Services (SEQOHS) launched an accreditation scheme in December 2010 to ensure required standards are maintained by all accredited occupational health services. See the Standards for Accreditation (PDF 552KB).
See the Health Visiting Matters: re-establishing health visiting (PDF 4.2MB) report from the UK Public Health Association, published in November 2009.
'Opening Doors' is a two year project supported by the Queen's Nursing Institute which aims to support homeless peopled and their families, particularly those affected by substance misuse. Details of the project and resources available for health care professionals working in this area can be found on the QNI website.
Medical management during effective weight loss is a publication from the National Obesity Forum that provides outline guidance on management of other medical conditions during effective weight loss and on caring for patients after bariatric surgery.
The WHO has published a fact sheet on counterfeit medicines. This issue is an increasing problem, especially for travellers who purchase fake antimalarial drugs via the internet or abroad.
The Control of Malaria 2005-15: Progress and Priorities towards Elimination, a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (APPMG) is available for download from the APPMG website.
State of the world's vaccines and immunization (third edition), is calls for governments and donors to sustain and increase funding for immunization from the WHO. The document is available to download on the WHO website.
Tackling obesity through the Healthy Child Programme: a framework for action is a report from the National Obesity Observatory.
The revised 2010 edition of Health Information for Overseas Travel, also known as the UK ‘Yellow Book’, contains comprehensive information and advice for travel health professionals with sections on: risk assessment and risk management in the pre-travel consultation, guidance on travellers with special health needs or who are undertaking challenging itineraries and algorithms for medically managing returned travellers. This publication is designed to complement the dynamic information found on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website.

RCN resources

First steps for health care assistants - this online induction resource brings together work-based case studies and scenarios covering communication skills, clinical skills, health and safety, personal development, equality, and much more to enable training providers and employers create a comprehensive induction training programme, regardless of the nature of the care setting.
NICE care – prevention of venous thromboembolism - the RCN has developed an online learning resource to help all members of the nursing team throughout the UK to update their awareness of VTE: how it develops, and how they can help prevent many of these deaths.
Clinical governance - this resource aims to promote a better understanding of clinical governance. In particular it explores six key themes of clinical governance. One of the themes, based on standard documents from across the four UK countries, is public health, but all of the themes interrelate and all reflect a UK four country perspective.
The public health theme pages on the RCN website highlight some key topics and relevant RCN products, services and publications. It also includes a range of other resources and sources of information which support public health. These are key agencies and documents and reports which shape the current strategic and policy framework across the four UK countries. A select list of guidance and tools which help with the understanding and implementation of policy is also available. The in close-up section focuses on one particular issue or viewpoint. Currently the section is focussing on alcohol misuse.
For details of further related RCN resources see RCN products and services and RCN publications
As additional ways of keeping up to date you can sign up for a fortnightly clinical governance e-Bulletin and also access the RCN's bookmarks on clinical governance which are based on the e-Bulletin. For further details and examples see clinical governance – updates

Useful links

NHS LifeCheck is a free resource aimed at providing individuals with advice to improve their lifestyle.
The Forreigh Office provides useful travel advice for those concerned about travel and travellers to and from Japan.
Evidence search: health and social care - is an NHS tool that provides access to guidelines, strategies, policies and systematic reviews.
See Health Profiles from the Association of Public Health Observatories, which provided a snapshot of the health of all local councils in England.
The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Gateway from the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO), provides everything you need to know about HIA.
HealthKnowledge is an online learning resource for those working in public health.
The APHO resources page includes skills and career frameworks and job and person specifications.
The APHO tools page - includes disease prevalence models.
The UK Rehabilitation Council (UKRC) exists to provide an authoritative voice and focal point for anyone with a stake in medical and vocational rehabilitation and to support those who are working to help sick and injured people regain their independence. Visit their website to download the UKRC Rehabilitation Standards, intended for use by commissioners and users of rehabilitation services to help them choose the most appropriate service providers.
BackCare is a national charity that aims to reduce the impact of back pain on society by providing information, support, promoting good practice and funding research. BackCare acts as a hub between patients, health care professionals, employers, policy makers, researchers and all others with an interest in back pain. The charity publishes the BackCare Journal, a quarterly journal which can be read online.
The National Obesity Observatory for England is a single point of contact for wide-ranging authoritative information on data and evidence related to obesity, overweight, underweight and their determinants.
The Phorcast (Public Health Online Resource for Careers, Skills and Training) website provides resources on career development at all levels of public health.