Francis Costello Library

Genomic innovation will better target treatment in the NHS

2012-01-30T11:08:00.003Z

Genomic innovation will better target treatment in the NHS. Thousands of patients will benefit from tests to match treatment to their DNA.
NHS patients should be able to benefit from genomic technology which can improve the health service’s understanding of the nature of disease and mean that treatment can be tailored to patients’ individual genetic make up – providing the right treatment to the right patient.
In its report to Government on genomic technology, the Human Genomics Strategy Group, chaired by Professor Sir John Bell, highlights the UK’s achievements in genetics research to date and proposes a strategic vision to realise the future benefit of genomics.
The Government will respond to the Strategy Group recommendations in due course, but the Health Secretary has announced that the NHS will take forward plans to widen out access to molecular tests to more cancer patients, which uses genomic technology as a tool to provide targeted treatment for the individual patient.
A full copy of the Human Genomics Strategy Group (HGSG)’s report can be found at http://www.dh.gov.uk

Drug to manage arthritis pain 'suitable for use'

2012-01-25T09:34:00.003Z

Capsaicin can be used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis due to its mild side effects, according to a Cochrane review.
Their review found no evidence that muscle relaxants were better than placebo at reducing pain and only weak evidence to support neuromodulators such as oral nefopam, topical capsaicin and oromucosal cannabis. But they said the mild adverse events linked with capsaicin meant it could be considered as an “add-on therapy” for persistent local pain.

Lead author Bethan Richards, from the Institute of Rheumatology and Orthopedics at Melbourne’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, said: “Until further research is available, given the relatively mild nature of the adverse events, capsaicin could be considered as an add-on therapy for patients with persistent local pain and inadequate response or intolerance to other treatments.
“However, oral nefopam and oromucosal cannabis have more significant side effect profiles and the potential harms seem to outweigh any modest benefit achieved,” she added.

Full story at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5040405.article?referrer=e26

All hip fracture patients should be ‘fast-tracked”’ for ops

2012-01-24T14:00:00.005Z

All hip fracture patients should be operated on within 48 hours of admission to reduce the risk of complications occurring whilst in hospital, latest UK guidance states.

A group of organisations, including the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Orthopaedic Association have drawn up a 10 point plan for the management of proximal femoral fractures.

Full story at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5040100.article?referrer=e1

Launch of free whistleblowing helpline service

2012-01-04T14:53:00.002Z

NHS and social care staff who have concerns over patient care will be able to access a new, free whistleblowing helpline from January 1st 2012.
The launch means that for the first time the helpline will be available to staff and employers in the social care sector, as well as the NHS, via a now-free phone service.
The free whistleblowing helpline is funded by the Government, and is part of the Government's drive to tackle poor practice. This is in addition to the introduction of a contractual duty to raise concerns, which will be enshrined in the new NHS Constitution.
A similar web-based whistleblowing service is also being developed, with further details to be announced in due course.
From 1 January 2012 the new helpline number will be 08000 724 725. The service will operate weekdays between 08.00 -18.00 and an out-of-hours answering service will be available weekends and public holidays.

Healthy New Year’s resolutions - BOGOF

2012-01-03T16:37:00.002Z

Buy One good habit and Get another One Free this New Year

People who make a healthy New Year’s resolution may find they actually get two for the price of one, according to new reports published today. Conversely, people who persist in unhealthy habits may find themselves doing more damage to their health than they bargained for.

The reports, carried out by social research experts at the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) for the Department of Health, exposed health trends and habits across the country. Six data collections were analysed and they show that when people made healthier decisions in one area, they made other positive changes too.

The report can be found on the NatCen website – http://www.natcen.ac.uk

Government to push out large-scale telehealth programme

2011-12-23T09:38:00.005Z

The Government has announced plans to bring telehealth technology to three million people within five years, a move with potentially significant impact on community nurses.

Examples of telehealth projects can include patients with long-term conditions wearing monitoring devices that send data to a nurse based elsewhere or a remote consultation between community and specialist nurses.

NHS Chief Sir David Nicholson announced the plans to increase the use of technology as part of the NHS innovation review last week.

Full story at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5039123.article?referrer=e18

NICE guidance on arthritis

2011-12-15T08:39:00.004Z

NICE Guidance issued December 2011 recommends tocilizumab as a possible treatment for some children and young people with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
NICE does not recommend tocilizumab for children and young people whose disease is improving with methotrexate treatment, or who have not yet been treated with methotrexate.
Children and young people should be able to have tocilizumab if they have tried all of the following drugs but they have not worked: NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), systemic corticosteroids and methotrexate.

Full guidance is available at http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA238

Greater support for local government in new public health role

2011-12-12T08:44:00.003Z

NICE is to help local government make the most of limited resources to commission the best possible public health services, by developing a series of value-for-money briefings.
The announcement comes as latest research highlights the value of public health action and shows that the majority of public health interventions recommended by NICE are highly cost effective.
The findings are of particular importance for local authorities as they prepare to take over the role of commissioning public health services from Primary Care Trusts from April 2013.
But this latest study, in the Journal of Public Health, is the first to provide a comprehensive list of the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions.
Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence at NICE and joint author of the research, said: “Given the current economic climate it's more important than ever to make best use of limited resources.
He added: “The new NICE ‘Local Government Public Health Briefings' documents will provide tailored practical advice for local councillors, Directors of Public Health and other local government staff which they can adapt to local circumstances to help them meet their new public health responsibilities.
NICE will be appointing a new committee to guide the development of the briefings, and welcomes applications to join the committee from community members, professionals and local councillors with an interest in health and wellbeing, local community leaders and voluntary groups.

Full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/DNWA-8PBKFK

NICE clinical guideline on hip fracture in adults

2011-11-15T16:10:00.003Z

NICE has published a clinical guideline (CG124) on the management of hip fracture in adults, covering the time from admisssion to secondary care through to final return to the community and discharge from follow-up.

A number of tools are available to help support implementation of this guideline, including a baseline assessment tool, clinical audit tool and a costing report and template.

To access these and the full guideline link to http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG124

Don’t forget your flu jab

2011-11-07T12:31:00.002Z

And it doesn’t give you flu – contrary to what the majority of people think. The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies is making clear that the vaccine does not give people the flu. This follows a recent poll for the Department of Health, which showed that 58 per cent of people wrongly believe that the flu jab actually gives people the flu.

Latest figures published today show that:
• 55 per cent (5.1 million) of people aged 65 or over;• 32 per cent (1.8 million) of people under the age of 65 in at risk groups; and• 14 per cent (51,000) of pregnant women have had the vaccine this year.The Chief Medical Officer has said that she wants to see 75 per cent of the 65 years and older group and 60 per cent of under 65s in at risk groups get vaccinated this year.

Everyone who falls into the following groups is advised to have the flu vaccine: • people aged 65 years or over; • pregnant women in any stage of pregnancy;• people living in a residential or nursing home; or • the main carer for an older or disabled person.People with the following conditions are also advised to have the flu vaccine:• a heart problem; • a chest complaint or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, emphysema; • a kidney disease; • lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment); • a liver disease; • had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA); • diabetes; • a neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy; and • a problem with, or removal of, your spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.The flu vaccine is free to everyone in these groups.

Full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/421876

Francis Costello Library Annual Report

2011-10-27T15:01:00.003+01:00

The library's Annual Report for 2010/11 has now been published. Headline findings are as follows-

article and book requests increased from 718 in 2009/10 to 968 in 2010/11

99% of article requests were processed within 2 working days (the library target is 95%)

135 literature searches were undertaken for users - these usually take a minimum of 2hrs to complete

20 new local electronic journal subscriptions were taken out and the total is now 24

Link to the full report at http://webserver3/intranet/library/LibraryPoliciesandReports/tabid/3296/Default.aspx

Online access to JBJS (B)

2011-10-26T16:00:00.004+01:00

Unfortunately a problem has developed with our online access to JBJS B with the result that it is temporarily unavailable. We have reported this to the publishers and are working with them to try and resolve the problem as swiftly as possible. Online access to the American volume is unaffected.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but in the meantime all print copies of both JBJS A & B continue to be available in the library.

Share your story on using NICE guidance for prestigious award

2011-10-26T15:28:00.004+01:00

NICE is calling on organisations which have tried creative new ways to put NICE guidance into practice to enter the 2012 NICE Shared Learning Awards.

The awards seek to recognise services and organisations that have developed effective ways to put NICE guidance into practice and want to share their experience with others.

Shortlisted finalists will have a NICE poster produced about their work, and the opportunity to present their project at the NICE Annual Conference 2012, which takes place in Birmingham on 15-16 May, to an audience of health, public health and social care professionals, managers and commissioners from across the UK. The overall winner of the 2012 NICE Shared Learning Award will be voted for by the Conference delegates.

To be in with a chance of winning, organisations should submit their examples to the online NICE Shared Learning database.

Link to the full story at http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/news/ShareYourStoryOnUsingNICEGuidanceForPrestigousAward.jsp

New tools for hip fracture and rheumatoid arthritis

2011-10-26T15:22:00.003+01:00

NICE has produced an online training module to help nurses with the management of hip fracture. The module covers the clinical and wider implications of having a hip fracture, and explains the importance of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary hip fracture programme and rehabilitation care.

An audit tool is also available to support the guidance on abatacept for rheumatoid arthritis.

Link to further information at http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA234/ClinicalAudit/doc/English

Greater choice for NHS patients across the country

2011-10-18T09:48:00.003+01:00

NHS patients in England will have the freedom to choose, not only where, but who provides their hospital care from April 2012, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced.

A survey carried out on behalf of the Department of Health shows that this is in line with what patients want: over 80 per cent of patients want more choice over how and where they are treated in the NHS; and nearly three quarters of patients want more choice in who provides their hospital care.

As part of the Government’s plans to modernise the NHS and improve patient choice, new guidance published on October 11th sets out how all NHS providers of care will have to accept all clinically appropriate referrals to named hospital consultant-led teams.

There will be no geographical boundaries imposed on referrals. Patients will be entirely free to choose the consultant team best placed to meet their individual needs and deliver the best possible results for them.

Some patients may choose a named consultant-led team which has the most experience of a particular condition or treatment on the advice of their GP, others may choose to be treated by the consultant who has treated them successfully in the past.

Link through to the full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/421546

A more transparent and safer NHS for patients

2011-10-18T09:38:00.003+01:00

The NHS will become more transparent under proposals to be set out by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. The new ‘Duty of Candour’ consultation will form part of the Government’s plans to modernise the NHS by making it more accountable and transparent and giving patients and local clinicians more power to hold the NHS to account. This was also signalled in the Government’s response to the independent Future Forum in June 2011.

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Chair of the National Patient Safety Agency, commented, "When something goes wrong in healthcare, making the patient and family aware of it should be the norm. An honest mistake is something the NHS should learn from. It could save another patient's life in the future. Secrecy and cover-ups are not just patronising but they are dangerous because they suppress learning. “Good practice elsewhere in the world shows that if such disclosure is done well, patients and families will often work positively with a hospital's staff to ensure their experience is part of the solution to making future care safer."

Link through to the full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/421531

Further steps along the road to a clinically led NHS

2011-10-03T16:14:00.001+01:00

Plans to hand more power to clinicians and modernise the NHS moved a step closer to reality today with the latest draft guidance to support emerging clinical commissioning groups.
It is the latest stage in the Government’s ambition to make the NHS world-class by giving patients more power, focussing on quality, and giving frontline clinicians greater freedom and a strong leadership role.
There are now more than 253 groups of GP practices across the country which have come forward to directly commission services, focused on delivering the best results for their patients. Once authorised as Clinical Commissioning Groups they will take on responsibility for health care budgets from April 2013.

Link through to the full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/421423

Prime Minister and Health Secretary announce new commitments on 24/7 NHS care

2011-10-03T16:06:00.001+01:00

The Prime Minister and the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley are to announce that patients will be able to access the NHS 24/7 through the new free to call NHS ‘111’ service – the number to call for all non-emergency NHS care and advice.
They will also reveal that NHS 111 content will be available online, enabling people to access health information, a directory of local services and check their symptoms, as well as being able to connect directly to a 111 call adviser to assess the help they need. The intention is also to launch a mobile phone application offering the same services.
The NHS 111 service will even allow GPs the option of linking their own booking systems to the new service, allowing their patients to book an urgent appointment with their local GP through 111.
The service will be available to over 10 million people across the country by April 2012. It will be free to call and give patients much more choice and control in a genuinely 24/7 NHS: no more confusion over where to turn day or night; no more impersonal answer machines and no more waiting for call-backs.
Dr Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said:
“Having a live directory of services will also be of benefit to NHS staff including GPs, allowing them to more easily access local services for their patients. NHS Pathways, which is the suite of clinical content that underpins the current NHS 111 pilots, has been developed by GPs so that it is relevant for the NHS. The NHS 111 service as a commissioning tool will no doubt also provide important information to help re-design local services so that they are more responsive to patients' needs.”

Link through to the full story at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/421443

Epidural steroid injections for low back pain

2011-09-16T14:41:00.001+01:00

Epidural steroid injections have been used for more than 50 years to treat low back pain and are the most common intervention in pain clinics throughout the world. Yet despite their widespread use, their efficacy is unclear. Of around 35 controlled studies evaluating such injections, slightly more than half show some benefit.

In a linked randomised trial Iversen and colleagues assess the efficacy of caudal epidural steroid and caudal epidural saline injection in the treatment of chronic (>12 weeks’ duration) lumbar radiculopathy. The study had three intervention groups, each of which received two injections with a two week interval. All groups improved after the intervention, but no significant difference was seen in the primary outcome (as measured by the Oswestry disability index) between the groups over time.

Although these findings do not provide a definitive answer regarding the effectiveness of epidural steroids, they do fit neatly into an increasingly complex puzzle.

Available in the BMJ: 17 September 2011 in the library OR access it free online at http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d5310.full (NHS Athens may be required)

Evidence of comparative efficacy should have a formal role in European drug approvals

2011-09-09T15:02:00.002+01:00

Comparative efficacy evidence should be required at the time of drug approval, to allow patients, clinicians, and other healthcare decision makers to determine whether a new drug is superior, equivalent, or inferior to its existing alternatives.

Numerous promising medicines have been developed and many more are on the way to initial clinical trials. With this success comes an equally important additional need—to develop a systematic approach to evaluate the risks and benefits of these new therapies in the context of existing alternatives. An important initial step is to support a formal role for comparative efficacy evidence in drug licensing.

Also, available comparative evidence is not always accessible at the time of market authorisation: only about a quarter of studies are published, with positive findings more often published than negative findings.

Available in the BMJ: 10 Sept 2011, p.514-517 in the library OR access it free online at http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4849.full (NHS Athens may be required)

Nurses and midwives urged to get the seasonal flu vaccine

2011-09-06T14:55:00.002+01:00

Hospital nurses and midwives are among the health workers least likely to have the seasonal flu jab, according to new Department of Health data published today.
The latest seasonal flu vaccine uptake reports show, for the first time, those healthcare workers by occupation who accepted the scientific advice and who chose to protect themselves against flu last winter. Uptake was revealed as:
• 30 per cent of nurses, including hospital nurses and midwives; • 42.5 per cent of GP practice nurses; • 38.2 per cent of GPs; and • 37 per cent of doctors excluding GPs.
Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies added:
“NHS staff face increased pressure over winter, especially if there is a severe flu season. They keep the NHS running and it is vital that they protect themselves, their patients and families from the potentially serious effects of flu that they are exposed to over the winter period.
“It is never too early to start thinking about flu. So as NHS staff return from their holidays, I urge them to plan ahead and get vaccinated.”
http://www.dh.gov.uk/

Medics resist plan to attach pay to PROMs

2011-09-06T14:31:00.001+01:00

A Department of Health spokesman said that as part of an exercise undertaken on the development of payment by results, the Department was seeking to “link a small proportion of reimbursement for hip and knee replacements to patient outcomes, as measured by PROMs”.

However, the British Orthopaedic Association president Peter Kay has warned that the move would restrict healthcare for “the very people that probably need it most”.

Mr Kay is particularly concerned that the DH gives undue weight to PROMs measuring general health, as opposed to specific outcome measures.

BMA consultants committee chair Mark Porter said Proms were a “valid research tool”, but should not be linked to payment. The DH is seeking to extend the PROMs system which is currently used for hernias and varicose vein operations, in addition to knee and hip replacements.

The full story is in Health Service Journal dated 11 September 2011, available in the Library

Rheumatoid arthritis – Abatacept

2011-08-25T10:05:00.003+01:00

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued final guidance to the NHS on the use of abatacept (Orencia) as a second-line treatment for people with rheumatoid arthritis. The guidance does not recommend abatacept in combination with methotrexate, for treating rheumatoid arthritis in adults whose disease has responded inadequately to one or more conventional non-biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) including methotrexate.
The recommendations say that people currently receiving abatacept for treating rheumatoid arthritis in this circumstance should have the option to continue therapy until they and their clinicians consider it appropriate to stop.
The guidance 'Abatacept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after the failure of conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs', published on 24 August, is available at: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA234

NICE recommends drug for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis

2011-08-25T10:03:00.001+01:00

NICE has recommended the use of golimumab (Simponi) as a treatment option for ankylosing spondylitis in specific circumstances, in final guidance out today.
NICE recommends golimumab as a treatment option for certain adults with severe, active ankylosing spondylitis in the same circumstances as other drugs for the condition.
These circumstances include when a person has had active spinal disease as assessed on two separate occasions 12 weeks apart, and when a person has tried at least two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but they have not worked.
Based on the evidence available, the NICE committee recommends golimumab for these circumstances as it is comparable in clinical and cost effectiveness to adalimumab and etanercept. Both of these drugs are currently used to treat adults with severe ankylosing spondylitis.
The guidance also includes recommendations on the monitoring of treatment and use of alternative treatment if a person is intolerant.
Full guidance is available on the NICE website alongside a costing template to help with its implementation
http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/news/NICERecommendsDrugForTheTreatmentOfAnkylosingSpondylitis

Calls for 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, in radical update to NICE guidelines

2011-08-25T09:54:00.001+01:00

Patients suspected of having hypertension should be sent home and told to wear a monitor for 24 hours, rather than having their blood pressure checked in the clinic, says NICE.

In a radical change to the existing guidelines, NICE now recommends that a diagnosis of hypertension should be made using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). This should be offered to patients if the clinic blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or higher.
Today's recommendations are based on substantial new evidence, including a paper published in the Lancet, which suggest that ABPM is a more accurate and cost effective way of diagnosing hypertension than both clinic and home monitoring.
http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/news/CallsFor24HourBloodPressureMonitoringInRadicalUpdateToNICEGuidelines.jsp

Foundation Trust plans to reduce posts by 486 FTE by 2013-14

2011-08-17T15:04:00.002+01:00

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust is a major acute trust serving the people of Wigan and Leigh. It includes Wrightington Hospital, a Centre of Excellence (Orthopaedic Surgery) in the treatment of musculo-skeletal disease.
The trust’s cost improvement programme outlined in its plan for the next three years sets savings targets of £13.8m in 2011-12, £11.9m in 2012-13 and £10.2m in 2013-14.
The plan also shows that the foundation aims – through redesign of non-elective services – to be able to safely close three inpatient wards this year, and a further 1.5 in 2012-13, and 1.5 in 2013-14.
The plan states: “The trust has a solid track record of achieving efficiency savings, and achieved £12.7m of savings in 2010-11.
“We are proud of the level of efficiency delivered in 2010-11, considering we delivered efficiency of £14.5m in 2009-10 and have solid plans to deliver 2011-12 efficiency through a refreshed and innovative approach to transformation,” the plan states.
“Our aim is to safely reduce costs and transform our services; therefore in 2010-11 we strengthened our divisional assessment of cost improvement programmes, with risk assessment completed by clinical leads to ensure there are no adverse impacts upon the quality of our services.”
Further details from NursingTimes.net at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5033890.article?referrer=e1

New muscular dystrophy drug trialled

2011-08-02T14:22:00.003+01:00

The BBC reported that a new study has provided “hope for Duchenne muscular dystrophy”.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive condition caused by mutations within a person’s DNA that prevent their body from producing the regular form of a protein called dystrophin.
In this study, UK researchers trialled a new drug designed to make the body bypass genetic mutations when producing dystrophin. When given to 19 children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, researchers found that higher doses of the drug, known as AVI-4658, led to an increase in dystrophin.
This was a well-performed study that has demonstrated the potential of this approach for increasing the levels of dystrophin in boys with DMD. However, it is important to note that this was a small, short-term study primarily aimed at helping to set the appropriate dosage for the drug rather than establishing its effectiveness. The safety profile and effects of the drug will now need to be confirmed in larger, longer-term clinical trials, particularly as this drug would have to be given to patients for the rest of their life. It would also be crucial to determine whether the biological improvements seen in muscle tissue translate into significant clinical improvement in patients’ symptoms. If the drug can perform well in future trials then it may become a viable option for treating this debilitating, life-limiting disease.
The study was carried out by researchers from University College London Institute of Child Health and several other UK universities and hospitals. It was funded by the UK Medical Research Council and AVI BioPharma, the manufacturer of the drug being tested. The study was published in peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet.

GP practices need ‘obesity army’, says expert

2011-07-27T15:01:00.004+01:00

Every GP practice should have a team of obesity specialists, able to help people lose weight and prevent serious problems developing, a leading expert suggests.
Professor Tony Leeds, writing in the BBC News ‘Scrubbing Up’ column http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14234944 says this would cut the numbers needing specialist hospital care. Prof Leeds runs obesity clinics at London's Whittington and Central Middlesex hospitals.
Obesity costs the NHS around £4.2bn annually and according to the latest government figures, one in four adults are now obese.
In 2007 the government-commissioned Foresight report predicted that if no action was taken, 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children would be obese by 2050.
People with relatively little weight to lose - 10-15lbs (around 5kg) can be offered conventional diets, while those who need to lose a lot - five stone (31kg) may be referred for surgery. Prof Leeds says that it is this group who currently lose out.
He suggests improving training for GPs in the care of people with weight problems and other primary care staff. In addition, offering tailored diet plans, plus more effective support could be beneficial.
Dr Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, has said GPs would welcome a structured approach to obesity care, but that it would have to be properly funded and resourced.

Familiar face returns to the library

2011-07-13T14:56:00.002+01:00

Amanda Gerrard has rejoined the library team for a 12 month period, as Deputy Library Services Manager.

We are very happy to welcome Amanda back; her main responsibilities will be electronic resources, ATHENS, literature searching, information skills training as well as helping with the day to day running of the library.

Previously, Amanda worked as a Chartered librarian within both educational and public libraries.

Ozzy wishes the NHS a very happy birthday!

2011-07-11T08:53:00.002+01:00

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne wishes the NHS a very happy birthday!

Born in Birmingham in 1948, the same year the NHS was created, the Black Sabbath front man was one of the first generation to be delivered by NHS doctors. He was also treated by emergency services and the NHS when he was rushed to intensive care in Slough, following a near fatal accident in 2003.

Ozzy Osbourne had this message for NHS Staff:
“If it wasn’t for the hardworking staff of the NHS following my serious quad bike accident I may not be here today to continue my career as the Prince of Darkness. “I want to say a big thank you to all of the dedicated doctors, nurses and everyone else who makes up the NHS across the country – from Birmingham to Berkshire. Just like me, it’s still going strong after 63 years. Long may we both keep it up.”

The NHS was born on July 5 1948 out of a long-held ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. When then Health Secretary Aneurin Bevan launched the service at Park Hospital in Manchester, it was the climax of a hugely ambitious plan to bring good healthcare to all. For the first time, hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together under one umbrella organisation that was free for all at the point of delivery – as it remains today.

Today, the NHS treats a million people every 36 hours and NHS staff are in contact with around 15 million people every day. Staff around the country are expected to hold local celebrations today to mark the important role they play in making the NHS the national treasure it has become.

Hip fractures need earlier treatment, says NICE

2011-06-24T10:10:00.003+01:00

Patients with broken hips should be treated earlier and have surgery on the same day or the day after being admitted to hospital, says NICE.

A delay in treatment can cause the patient unnecessary pain and increases the chance of complications. In its first clinical guideline on hip fracture, NICE recommends that early surgery can help speed up recovery time for patients, lower the number of follow-up procedures necessary, and reduce the length of hospital stays.

NICE recognise that with an ageing population the number of hip fractures is likely to rise, but that by implementing their recommendations for early treatment the overall cost to the NHS need not increase much and yet patients are likely to be treated sooner.

Link through to the full new story at http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/news/PeopleWithHipFracturesShouldBeTreatedEarlier.jsp

NHS Future Forum recommendations published

2011-06-20T09:28:00.002+01:00

The NHS Future Forum has published its recommendations to the Government on the modernisation of health and care.

Set up as an independent group in order to ‘pause, listen and reflect’ on the Health and Social Care Bill, the Forum has made 16 key recommendations, including:

the pace of the proposed changes should be varied so that the NHS implements them only where it is ready to do so

the Secretary of State for Health should remain ultimately accountable for the NHS

nurses, specialist doctors and other clinicians must be involved in making local decisions about the commissioning of care – not just GPs – but in doing this the NHS should avoid tokenism, or the creation of a new bureaucracy

competition should be used to secure greater choice and better value for patients – it should be used not as an end in itself, but to improve quality, promote integration and increase citizens’ rights

the drive for change in the NHS should not be based on Monitor’s duty to ‘promote’ competition, which should be removed, but on citizens’ power to challenge the local health service when they feel it does not offer meaningful choices or good quality

all organisations involved in NHS care and spending NHS money should be subject to the same high standards of public openness and accountability.

The Forum’s recommendations will now be considered and responded to by the Government.

Welsh health boards speed up orthopaedic treatment

2011-06-13T16:35:00.002+01:00

Funding worth up to £21.5m will be made available for the NHS Wales to cut orthopaedic waiting times this year, Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

In a bid to reduce the wait for orthopaedic treatments by March 2012, patients could be referred to neighbouring health boards if they have more capacity.

See the full story at http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/healthandsocialcare/2011/110609ortho/?lang=en

Need a literature search? We can help.

2011-05-26T14:20:00.001+01:00

The Francis Costello Library is here to make your life easier and to this end we are pleased to remind you that we can undertake literature searches on your behalf.*

Qualified librarians are trained search professionals and you have access to our search skills through the library’s Literature Search Service.

For example, you may want to seek assistance with searches such as:

· complex or unusual clinical cases or topics
· grant application or publication support where a comprehensive search is needed
· best practice identification
· evidence-based information
· high-quality patient information
· searches undertaken as part of the clinical audit process

We usually use the NHS purchased healthcare databases to undertake our searches but we also have some wider knowledge of other credible sources which we can search if appropriate to the search topic.

Requesting a literature search

Literature searches can be requested using the online form http://sashalibrary.nhs.uk/index.php?title=Special:Contact&subj=Requestaliteraturesearch or by popping into the library to complete a search request form. On receipt of a literature search request we might contact you to discuss the search topic(s) and desired results. This helps to ensure that we understand the search topic and refine to your needs.

Search results

Where possible search results are usually delivered within a reasonable, mutually agreed timeframe. (Please note that where searches have to be prioritised, any searches which relate directly to patient care or evidence-based-practice will take precedence).

Search results are delivered via email and:

· contain a full search history for your reference
· include abstracts where possible
· have links to the full text of the article where available

If you have any questions or queries regarding the literature searching service then please contact the library.

*Please note that this service is not available to people undertaking private work or for coursework.

Paralysed man walks again

2011-05-24T12:46:00.003+01:00

Pioneering treatment involving hours of training in tandem with electrical stimulus has allowed a hit-and-run victim who was completely paralysed from the waist down to stand up unaided and take steps on a treadmill.
Reported in the Lancet, the 25 year old man is the first patient to benefit from the treatment which bypasses the brain and teaches the spinal cord to control limbs and body functions independently.

Read more about this story at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5030061.article?referrer=e26

The Lancet reference is Harkema S, et al. Effect of epidural stimulation of the lumbosacral spinal cord on voluntary movement, standing, and assisted stepping after motor complete paraplegia: a case study. The Lancet 2011; Advance online publication

BMJ investigation: Out of Joint - recalling hip implants

2011-05-20T15:38:00.003+01:00

Why did it take so long to recall from the market a hip implant after it became apparent that it was causing pain and disability in patients? In an investigation for the BMJ, Deborah Cohen describes how companies dictate the fate of their own devices and exert an unduly strong hold over surgeons.

Available in the BMJ: 21 May 2011, p116-1122 in print in the Library OR access it free online at: http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2905.full (NHS Athens may be required)

Swearing induces pain relief

2011-05-19T13:51:00.002+01:00

A recent study undertaken at Keele University has found that swearing negates the link between the fear of pain and the perception of pain.

The research involved asking volunteers to place their hands in near-freezing water and timed how long each subject could keep their hands immersed. The results—which were published in NeuroReport—showed that subjects were able to keep their hands in the icy-cold water longer when asked to swear out loud than when asked to say neutral words or phrases.

Of course, the Francis Costello Library staff are never known to use profanities but we share this news story with you in the wider interest of evidence based practice!

Stop press! Important changes to National Library for Health

2011-05-06T12:10:00.003+01:00

From Tuesday 10th May 2011 there will be significant changes to the way in which you are able to access NHS electronic resources, including journals and healthcare databases.

Users familiar with using the National Library for Health (NLH) (www.library.nhs.uk) will be re-directed to a new web page within the website NHS Evidence, which will have links to journals, healthcare databases and eBooks but many of the other links NLH users are used to will not be present including Cochrane Library and links to other systematic review sites, patient information pages and the guidance links.

The changes form part of the latest update of the NHS Evidence (www.evidence.nhs.uk )website, which is eventually intended to supersede the National Library for Health and become a Google-style search engine for evidence.

The library staff have only very recently been made aware of these wholesale changes which have far-reaching implications for both ourselves and our users, many of whom will be familiar with the National Library for Health. Moreover the library staff have not been given the opportunity to preview the changes and so it is difficult to predict at this stage how drastically the user journey for finding journals and healthcare databases will change.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to you by these national changes to accessing electronic resources and we will be working to update our user guides and training materials as soon as we are able to. In the meantime if you have any queries or concerns relating to these changes then please contact the library in person, by telephone or email and we will respond to your query as soon as possible.

National Joint Registry appoints new Chair

2011-04-18T12:00:00.002+01:00

The Department of Health has appointed Mrs Laurel Powers-Freeling to serve as the new Chair of the National Joint Registry Steering Committee from 1 April 2011, after an open competition moderated by the Appointments Commission. The National Joint Registry of England and Wales (NJR) is the largest hip, knee and ankle joint database in the world and is managed by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). It was set up in 2002 by the Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government to collect information on hip and knee replacement operations and to monitor the performance of replacement hip and knee joints (implants). It later extended its scope to include ankle replacements. Its purpose is to define, improve and maintain the quality of care of individuals receiving joint replacement surgery across the NHS and the independent healthcare sector. It now contains over one million records, and recently announced a series of new ambitions:· Adding shoulder and elbow joints to its records· Geographical expansion of the NJR remit· Increased international collaboration with other registries· A research and publication strategy that utilises the biggest database of its kind in the world· Driving greater compliance among NHS and independent organisations· Providing enhanced stakeholder feedback to managers, clinicians, suppliers and patients. For further details see http://www.hqip.org.uk/national-joint-registry-njr/

Hip and knee surgery is highly effective

2011-04-15T13:13:00.003+01:00

There is a 'persistent and widespread variation' in the proportion of NHS patients undergoing operations in different areas of the UK, according to a new report published by The King's Fund. "Variations in health care: the good, the bad and the inexplicable" says that the variation in procedure rates suggests that many patients are not getting the surgery they need. Moreover, those patients in economically deprived areas are less likely to undergo procedures for which there is a good evidence base, such as hip and knee replacements. The report highlights that both knee revision and hip revision surgery are generally highly effective procedures. Less effective procedures include lumbar spine surgerym hysterctomy and hysteroscopy.

Arthritis pain: is it all in the mind?

2011-04-14T09:23:00.004+01:00

BBC News are today reporting that a chance discovery by researchers at the University of Nottingham has found that a simple optical illusion could unlock a drug free treatment for arthritis pain.

For the illusion to work patients place their hand inside a box containing a camera, which then projects the image in realtime onto a screen in front of them. The subject then sees their arthritic fingers being apparently stretched and shrunk by someone gently pushing and pulling from the other side of the box.

In the case of this chance discovery, the arthritis patient said that the pain in the finger disappeared when the finger was supposedly being 'stretched'. Now further research is planned to assess how mirage and is effect on pain reduction.

Link through to the BBC News story.

Venous ThromboEmbolism - special supplement

2011-04-12T15:14:00.002+01:00

Venous ThromboEmbolism (VTE) prevention is a high priority in our hospitals. The term encompasses both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and national efforts began in earnest five years ago following the shocking figure that there were more than 25,000 avoidable deaths per year in England from hospital associated VTE. In the latest edition of HSJ, a special supplement purports that the war on VTE is not yet won. See the full supplement by visiting the Francis Costello Library.

Proposed changes to health bill

2011-04-07T14:20:00.004+01:00

The Government's plans to reform NHS commissioning need to be significantly changed, warn MPs in a report published on 5 April 2011. The MPs propose that representatives of nurses, hospital doctors, public health experts and local communities should all be involved as decision makers alongside GPs in NHS commissioning. They believe it is vital to make these changes to enable the NHS to meet the unprecedented challenge it faces of finding 4% annual efficiency savings over the next four years. View the report: Report: Commissioning: Further Issues Health Committee

Using the Cochrane Library: free training session

2011-04-05T12:49:00.005+01:00

The Cochrane Library is considered to be the best single source of reliable evidence about the effects of health care. The training is suitable for proficient computer users who have used electronic databases before and are confident meeting outcomes in ‘Searching clinical databases.’ The session outcomes are: • Understand & use the databases in the Cochrane Library collection • Keyword and Thesaurus / MeSH search • Combine search terms in ‘History’ screen • Print & save All participants receive a training certificate which details the KSF dimensions met by this training session. Prior booking is essential. Please contact the library on Ext 4388 or email: library@rjah.nhs.uk Thursday 14th April 2011, 9.15am – 10.15am. This session will be held in the new Training Room 3, situated on the site of the old hydrotherapy pool near the Physio department.

Dr Foster analysis of hip replacement length of stay

2011-04-05T12:38:00.002+01:00

On behalf of the Health Service Journal (HSJ), Dr Foster have drawn together information relating to the length of stay for hip replacements at acute hospital trusts. The performance of each acute trust for 2009/10 can be seen in conjunction with their performance five years ago. Not surprisingly, the statistics demonstrate the trend that trusts are reducing the length of stay for patients for this procedure. Link through to the full results at http://www.performance-healthcheck.co.uk/hip-replacement-los/national/#default

New Cochrane Podcast: Interventions for improving mobility after hip fracture surgery in adults

2011-03-31T11:47:00.001+01:00

Hip fracture is a major health problem in older age, and most of those who recover from surgery experience a marked decline in their physical function.

The latest Cochrane podcast discusses the Cochrane review on, 'Interventions for improving mobility after hip fracture surgery in adults'. This updated review by researchers in England and Australia examines the evidence for interventions that aim to get people safely back on their feet, and walking again. Jini Hetherington from the Cochrane Collaboration Secretariat describes the findings of this review and how it fits within a collection of related reviews.

Link to the podcast Link to the Cochrane review (no password required)

Implementing and sustaining change in the contemporary NHS: lessons from the Productive Ward

2011-03-23T09:42:00.001Z

The National Nursing Research Unit (NNRU) reviewed the theory on the spread of innovations and applied this evidence to their ongoing research into the implementation and assimilation of the Productive Ward. This Policy+ paper presents the findings and consider the implications for policy and practice.

Link to the paper (PDF)

Cochrane Editorial: Rehabilitation of older people after hip fracture

2011-03-22T09:21:00.001Z

The Cochrane Library have published an online editorial by David Stott and Helen Handoll which discusses several Cochrane systematic reviews addressing a range of rehabilitation issues after proximal femoral fractures in older people.

Hip fractures are a major health problem for older people and are strongly associated with comorbidity, so rehabilitation has potentially a lot to offer in ensuring recovery and enhancing quality of life. The authors put the Cochrane reviews of rehabilitation into the wider context of other relevant reviews and guidelines to provide a clearer picture of how best to manage hip fracture.

Link to Cochrane Editorial

£1bn funding gap threatens NHS, says King's Fund

2011-03-18T08:56:00.002Z

NHS resources will be squeezed by a £1 billion shortfall in social care funding, according to a new report by the King's Fund.

At a time when local authorities are cutting back on their social care services to meet stringent budget cuts, the report's author said "without action, fewer people will receive the care and support they need with knock-on effects on those unable to access NHS care.” The consequences could be more emergency admissions to hospital, delayed discharges and longer waits for treatment.

However the government refutes the report, saying that efficiencies in the delivery of social care will close the spending gap.

Link through to the report on the King's Fund website at http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/social_care_funding.html

EQUIP website moves home

2011-03-16T10:12:00.003Z

EQUIP, http://www.equip.nhs.uk/ , the health and social care information website for the West Midlands is moving to a new home with NHS local, http://www.nhslocal.nhs.uk

NHS local is a digital service for the West Midlands that connects the public and NHS staff to the best online health and social care related resources. EQUIP's accredited website links and the events calendar are the first sections to go live on NHS local under 'My Health' (short link = http://nhslocal.nhs.uk/equip) and then the directory of support groups and services will be available at the end of March via the 'Near Me' search. There will be further integration of the EQUIP information throughout the NHS local site including development of the search facility enhancing its use by staff and the public in the future. The high quality standards that EQUIP has upheld for the last 10 years will be continued with the same staff continuing to manage the information and the quality checking processes on NHS local.

Local health services: have your say

2011-03-16T10:02:00.003Z

Changes to the NHS include an expanded role for the Community Involvement in Care and Health, which aims to help improve local health and care services, by capturing your stories, experiences and issues of concern, backed up by statutory powers to demand results from service providers.
Your input is needed into the proposed changes. If you are interested pop along to one of the Roadshows:
· Tues 22 March - 2.30pm to 4.30pm - MARKET DRAYTON - Festival Drayton Centre, Frogmore Road, TF9 3AX
· Tues 5 April - 2.00pm to 4.00pm - LUDLOW - Assembly Rooms, 1 Mill Street, SY8 1AZ
· Thurs 14 April - 2.00pm to 4.00pm - SHREWSBURY - The Barnabas Centre, Longden Coleham, SY3 7DN
· Wed 20 April - 2.00pm to 4.00pm - BRIDGNORTH - Community Hall, Severn Street, Low Town, WV15 6BB

Fiona ties the knot!

2011-03-14T14:50:00.004Z

Following the recent marriage please note that library team member Fiona Hughes' surname is now Futcher. Any email correspondence to Fiona should be sent to fiona.futcher@rjah.nhs.uk.

The library staff extend warm congratulations to Fiona and Chris and wish them well for the future.

Will I ever walk again?

2011-03-14T14:23:00.002Z

Researchers have developed and validated a tool to help predict who will eventually walk unaided after a traumatic spinal cord injury.

The research, published in the Lancet, notes the probability of walking after one year and requires the patient to undergo a neurological examination within 15 days of injury to score light touch sensation and power in both L3 and S1. After factoring in the patient's age, a score is arrived at between 10 and 40 which doctors can translate into the probability of independent walking, using a graph.

The article has been published in the Lancet online and is summarised in the latest issue of the BMJ 107 (9).

NHS pensions in the spotlight

2011-03-10T10:39:00.002Z

Lord Hutton's pension proposals are likely to anger unions and could lead to strike action, according to a report in The Nursing Times online today.

The proposals suggest that pensions should be based on a person's average salary throughout their career, and not their final salary as is currently often the case. Lord Hutton said that his proposals are based on the premise that public sector workers will have to work longer and that contribution rates need to increase.

Link to the story in the Nursing Times online http://www.nursingtimes.net/5026992.article?referrer=e1 or see the BBC reportage at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11466273

NHS Evidence specialist collections to cease publication

2011-03-09T14:04:00.003Z

The thirty specialist collections (used to be called specialist libraries) which have been a key element of the National Library for Health website are to cease from 31st March 2011.

Many readers of this blog will be familiar with both the musculoskeletal specialist collection and the trauma and orthopaedics specialist collection, which have been sources of high quality evidence on news and developments on these topics and also published the annual evidence updates.

The specialist collections are to be replaced with a new 'specialist evidence service' published by NHS Evidence which will bring together the latest guidelines, high quality patient information, ongoing trials and other selected information including access to NICE pathways. This sounds much like the current specialist collections but until we see the new product it is difficult to assess how useful this will be.

To read more about the changes visit http://www.evidence.nhs.uk/aboutus/Pages/AboutSpecialistCollections.aspx

NHS job cuts: the list in full

2011-03-02T16:34:00.002Z

More than 50,000 jobs are to be cut from the NHS, according to data published by The Guardian newspaper.

The Guardian have collated and compiled the results of freedom of information responses which reveal the cuts by local health trusts. (The Guardian - datablog)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/feb/23/nhs-cuts-list

What's new in foot and ankle surgery?

2011-02-24T12:35:00.003Z

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery have published an informative report on the recent research in orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery published between August 2009 and July 2010.

The report includes research on the following:

Tibial plafond fractures

Ankle fractures

Calcaneal fractures and hindfoot trauma

Metatarsal fractures

Ankle sprains and instability

Osteochondral lesions of the talus

Total ankle arthroplasty

Plantar fasciitis

Achilles tendon

Tibialis anterior tendon

Adult acquired flatfoot deformity

Hallux valgus

Lesser-toe problems

Diabetes

Gastrocnemius recession/tendo-achilles lengthening

Footdrop

Ref: Marx RC, Mizel MS. What's new in foot and ankle surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2011;93:405-414.

Osteoarthritis: holistic approach is needed

2011-02-24T12:09:00.004Z

Research on osteoarthritis should move beyond investigating the physical effects of the disease and instead focus on the psychological and social wellbeing impact that the condition has on the sufferer.

According to research published in the latest issue of British Journal of Nursing, it is vital to take a more holistic approach to controlling the condition by taking into account the emotional wellbeing and social support of the patient, in conjunction with the usual pain control aspect of managing the condition. This is the approach advocated in the latest NICE guidance (2008), but sometimes patients (particularly older patients) 'accept' their condition as a normal part of the ageing process and this can actually compromise the patient's ability to undertake the activities of normal day to day living.

The full text of the journal article, published in Vol 20 (4), is available from the Francis Costello Library.

ejournals: problem with OVID platform

2011-02-22T10:17:00.004Z

An unknown problem is preventing users from accessing the electronic journal subscriptions to which the Francis Costello Library subscribes via the OVID platform.

The journal titles effected are:

Current Orthopaedic Practice (1999 – present)

Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma (1996 – present)

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (1996 – present)

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics – B (2001 – present)

Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care (1995 – present)

Spine (1996 – present)

We apologise for the inconvenience this problem is causing, and assure you that everything is being done to investigate the problem. Please note that the error only seems to occur when trying to access these journals from the Trust network using an ATHENS password.

In the meantime OVID have offered an alternative route to accessing the above journal titles which requires a username and password (not ATHENS) obtainable from the library. If you would like this information please contact us via email (library@rjah.nhs.uk) or telephone ext. 4388.

Joint surgery redesign could save £664m

2011-02-21T11:40:00.003Z

Changing care pathways for joint surgery, including reducing the overall length of stay, could save Trusts money according to data analysts Sg2.

Published in the latest issue of HSJ, the article notes that many PCTs are reducing access to elective joint surgery to make savings. The implications could be far reaching and some Trusts are projected to lose of £400,000 worth of income.

The latest issue of the HSJ is available to read in the Francis Costello Library.

Health and Social Care Bill Published

2011-02-18T08:55:00.004Z

The Department of Health has published the ‘Health and Social Care Bill 2010-11’, which is also available in HTML on the Parliament website. The Bill aims to establish and make provision about a National Health Service (NHS) Commissioning Board and commissioning consortia and to make other provision about the NHS in England and to make provision about public health in the United Kingdom. The Bill also makes provisions about:

regulating health and adult social care services
public involvement in health and social care matters
scrutiny of health matters by local authorities and co-operation between local authorities and commissioners of health care services
regulating health and social care workers
establishing and make provision for a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
establishing and make provision for a Health and Social Care Information Centre
abolishing certain public bodies involved in health or social care

In a related development, DH has also published ‘Health and Social Care Bill 2011: combined impact assessments’, which assesses the impact of the Bill for equality groups, as well as the estimated costs and savings related to the changes that the Bill would implement. DH has created some additional pages related to Health and Care reform, and there are also responses from some of the key stakeholders, including the BMA, King’s Fund, The Lancet, the Local Government Association, the NHS Confederation, the Nuffield Trust, the Patients Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the TUC. See also NHS Evidence for an excellent digest and additional links related to the Bill. There is also a BBC News report.

The King's Fund has produced 'Ten questions to ask about the Health and Social Care Bill', which was published in advance of the actual Bill itself – see item above. This King's Fund blog gives an opinion on what key issues need to be resolved in the Bill.

The NHS Confederation has issued a ‘Parliamentary Briefing: Health and Social Care Bill: second reading - 31 January 2011' which highlights the main elements of the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill that require further scrutiny to ensure a smooth transition to the new proposed healthcare system.

As parliament prepares to scrutinise the Health and Social Care Bill, the Nuffield Trust has published a ‘Parliamentary Briefing’ for use in the ‘Second Reading’ debate. Over the last year the Trust has undertaken a series of research projects looking at many of the major themes presented in the White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, and now in the legislation before the House. The findings from these projects have led us to conclude that while many of the Government’s proposed changes to the NHS build logically on earlier reforms, and are broadly in the right direction, implementation will need to be managed very carefully during what will be a period of major financial challenge. The briefing contains suggestions for creating an environment in which the opportunities created by these reforms can be better exploited. The Trust feels early dialogue and clarification at a national level will help facilitate effective local implementation, and thus conclude the briefing with a series of questions for the ministers and officials working on the legislation.

Patients prefer alcohol rub

2011-02-17T16:44:00.003Z

Research published in the latest issue of the Nursing Times concludes that patients prefer alcohol foam in preference to wet cloths, alcohol wipes, soapy water and mobile sinks.

The study, funded by the Hospital Infection Society, looked at how patient compliance with observing good hand hygiene is linked to their satisfaction with the available hygiene products. Patients were asked to choose which product they preferred by rating each hand hygiene product on a scale of 1-5. The bowl of water and mobile sink had the lowest rating, with patients concerned about spilling or splashing water. However, Muslim and Hindu patients rated mobile sinks first place with alcohol rub.

As alcohol rubs are not effective against C. difficile or norovirus, there is clearly more work to do in persuading patients that soap and water is sometimes a necessary hand washing procedure in hospital.

NSAIDs, used for arthritis pain, risk heart attack or stroke

2011-02-08T14:38:00.002Z

“Painkillers commonly used to treat arthritis, post-surgery pain and frozen shoulder, can increase the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke,” The Daily Telegraph has reported.

The news is based on a well conducted study published in the BMJ, which found that there is an increased risk of heart attack in patients taking rofecoxib and lumiracoxib, and an increased risk of stroke in patients taking ibuprofen and diclofenac.

The study was undertaken by the University of Bern, Switzerland. However it should be noted that whilst these risks are real they should already be accounted for by the prescriber, as the current advice already makes it clear that there are increased cardiovascular risks for patients taking NSAIDs.

Link through to the full critical appraisal of the review at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5024281.article?referrer=e18

Library IT Room: change of door code

2011-02-02T11:02:00.005Z

Anyone wishing to access the Library IT Room outside of staffed library opening hours, i.e. at evenings and weekends, please visit the library to re-sign the terms and conditions of use and be issued with the new IT Room door code.

Surgical workforce 2010: profile and trends

2011-01-31T14:22:00.000Z

This report finds that almost three quarters of consultant surgeons who took part in a national survey work more than their contracted hours and seventy per cent report they are expected to undertake elective operations while they are supposed to be on call for emergencies. The Surgical Workforce Report 2010 is the first edition of what will become an annual survey of surgical consultants working practices and is intended to provide the NHS with accurate figures to inform long term planning of the numbers of surgeons required to serve the UK. It breaks down figures for each of the nine surgical specialties and was produced in collaboration with each of their associations. (The Royal College of Surgeons of England - news)

Download the report: http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/publications/docs/surgical-workforce-2010-profile-and-trends/attachment_download/pdffile

Managing osteoarthritis: strategies

2011-01-28T08:39:00.003Z

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease which can have a significant impact on the patient's quality of life. An article in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nursing outlines effective management strategies for osteoarthritis, which should be suited to the individual's circumstances. Patient's should be encouraged to actively manage their condition in conjunction with health professionals.

The fulltext of the article can be read or obtained from the Francis Costello Library.

Reducing anxiety in elective surgical patients

2011-01-26T16:00:00.002Z

An article in the Nursing Times today helps nurses to reassure patients before undergoing elective surgery.

The article covers:

What good communication is and why it is necessary
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Communication tools suitable in nursing
Alleviating anxiety

The full text of the article can be found in Vol 107 (3) pp.22-23 available to read in the Francis Costello Library.

New year, new e-journals!

2011-01-17T09:54:00.004Z

The Francis Costello Library are pleased to announce that, in response to your feedback, from January 2011 many of our current journal subscriptions have moved from print to electronic subscriptions.

We are pleased to be able to offer you this enhanced service as part of our commitment to widening access to the evidence base when and where you need it. Previous user feedback has highlighted the need for electronic journal subscriptions because the biggest problem you face is lack of time to come and visit the library.

The electronic journals can be accessed from any PC via the Internet, 24/7. All of the journals available will be accessed using your ATHENS password with the exception of the American Journal of Roentgenology, which requires a separate username and password. Most of the journals have current awareness/alerting services which you can subscribe to such as Table of Contents alerts.

Please click here to link through to a PDF which details the journals which are now available to you online. For each journal title available you are given:
A brief synopsis/overview of the journal
The electronic publisher of the journal title (Sage, OVID, etc.)
Parameter dates for which online access is available to you
Impact factor for the journal (where available)
An indication of current awareness services available for the journal

You will need your ATHENS username and password to access the journals. To help you get started, a step-by-step guide to accessing e-journals via the Health Information Resources (formerly National Library for Health) website is available from the library. If you have lost/forgotten your ATHENS username and/or password, the library staff will be happy to update your ATHENS account for you.

We hope that you benefit from this enhanced access to journals. Journal subscriptions are a major resource in helping you deliver evidence based practice to support patient care, research and personal/professional development.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the library staff.

Journal clubs: are they effective?

2011-01-12T12:51:00.004Z

Whether or not journal clubs ultimately inform evidence-based medicine and thereby improve patient care is the subject of a systematic review published this month in the journal Medical Teacher.

Journal clubs are a long established way of a group of like minded staff sharing best practice, keeping up to date with research together and learning to critically appraise evidence for validity and reliability. Could this method of learning now be called into question as a talking shop with no real impact, or do journal clubs still have a place our professional development? Make up your own mind by reading the full text at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/beme/reviews/published/harris/beme_review_final.pdf

Five steps to safer surgery

2010-12-30T10:19:00.002Z

The National Patient Safety Agency have published a 'how to' guide detailing the five steps to safer surgery. The guide is designed for use by team members involved in implementing the Surgical Safety Checklist, including briefing and debriefing.

The guide is also a useful overview for:
perioperative teams
governance teams
relevant service managers
senior managers and/or executive leads supporting the work and monitoring its progress
service improvement staff who are required to provide improvement or change management expertise in relation to surgery.

Link through to the full text of the new guide on the National Patient Safety website.

NHS Operating Framework 2011/12 published

2010-12-20T10:01:00.004Z

"2011/12 will be a very demanding year for the NHS as we take on the challenge of continuing to deliver high quality care for our patients, while beginning in earnest the transition to the new system envisaged in Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS." This quote is the opening sentence of the foreword to the Operating Framework. Other issues discussed include QIPP, transparency, service quality and improving outcomes.

Link through to the full text of the document at http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_122736.pdf

Low back pain: complimentary and alternative medicine

2010-12-20T09:53:00.004Z

The results of the Annual Evidence Update (AEU) on this topic are available to read in full text as follows:

Evidence on specific therapies and approaches:
Acupuncture
Chiropractic
Herbal medicine
Other therapies
Results of the 2010 Annual Evidence Update on CAM for Low Back Pain STOP PRESS: new evidence report
Methodology

This annual evidence update on complementary and alternative medicine for low back pain aims to identify, organise and present the latest information on this topic and incorporates studies published or updated between September 2009 and September 2010.

Spinal Diseases: Annual Evidence Update

2010-12-20T09:36:00.002Z

The results of the latest Annual Evidence Update (AEU) on Spinal Diseases has been published by NHS Evidence. The update has been published. Dr. Robin Butler and Mr. Andrew Roberts have both made significant contributions to this update.

NHS Evidence –trauma and orthopaedics in conjunction with NHS Evidence -musculoskeletal have produced this 2010 Annual Evidence Update on Spinal Diseases. As in previous years, we have included guidelines and systematic reviews which have been published within the last year. This Annual Evidence Update includes reviews covering disc surgery and minimally invasive surgery along with various therapies and treatments. This topic should be of interest to all health professionals working in this field.

Use the following hyperlinks to browse the full text of the AEU:

Methodology
Results
Results Commentary by Mr Andrew Roberts
Commentary on Ankylosing Spondylitis by Dr Robin Butler
Commentary on Complementary and Alternative Therapy by Mr Andrew Roberts
Commentary on Surgery by Mr Andrew Roberts
Horizon scanning

Half -day library closure: Tuesday 21st December

2010-12-15T16:13:00.003Z

The Francis Costello Library will be closed on the afternoon of Tuesday 21st December, 2010 whilst the John Charnley laboratory undergoes an annual smoke test to check for leakage/air flow.

During the closed period the library staff can be contacted for urgent enquiries on telephone extension 4681.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any queries or concerns relating to this closure please contact the library staff.

Library Christmas and New Year Opening Hours

2010-12-14T08:44:00.002Z

The library opening hours over Christmas and New Year are as follows:

Christmas:
The library will close at 1.55pm on Friday 24th December and reopen at 8.45am on Wednesday 29th December.

New Year:
The library will close at 1.55pm on Friday 31st December and reopen at 8.45am on Tuesday 4th January 2011.

A key will be available from switchboard for staff on-call who wish to use the library over the holiday period.

The library staff wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.

Surgeon's performance data still controversial

2010-12-02T13:05:00.004Z

A systematic review to assess the effects of providing a surgeon's performance data to people considering elective surgery finds that there are no studies to review.

In these days of information overload a consumer model of health supports that elective surgery patients should be informed about the past operative performance of their surgeon before making two important decisions: 1) to consent to the proposed surgery, and 2) to have a particular doctor perform the surgery. This information arguably helps empower patients to participate in their care. While surgeons' performance data are available in some settings there continues to be controversy over the provision of such data to patients, and the question of whether consumers should, or want to, be provided with this information.

Link through to the full text of the systematic review.

Would u like us 2 txt u?

2010-11-30T16:17:00.002Z

Yes, it's true! The library staff are pleased to announce that we can now send you an SMS to let you know when your book or article requests are ready for collection.

Despite librarians being considered the grammar police, we're very keen to get texting, but before we get started we would like you to contact the library so that we can check that the mobile phone number we have on record for you is correct. (Don't worry, if you'd rather we didn't text you then that's fine too)...

We'll be sending texts via an NHS free service which is safe and secure. If texts prove to be a popular way of contacting our users (as they have in other libraries), then we would be interested to hear how else we can utilise this service to best effect.

To update your mobile phone number please contact us in one of the following ways:
Tel: 01691 404388; email: library@rjah.nhs.uk or visit us in the Institute of Orthopaedics.

2010 West Midlands health profile published

2010-11-17T12:32:00.003Z

People in the West Midlands are the least physically active in England, according to the 2010 regional health profile for this region. We also have the highest rate of excess winter deaths and people registered with diabetes. These are just two of the findings in the 2010 regional health profile for the West Midlands.

Regional Health Profiles are produced every year by the Association of Public Health Observatories. Each profile gives a picture of health in the area and is designed to help local government and health services improve people’s health and reduce health inequalities.

To view the health profile visit http://www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=95272

RJAH staff publications updated!

2010-11-17T12:26:00.003Z

The library have recently updated the lists of RJAH staff publications for 2009 and 2010.

The library maintains two lists of staff publications:

Journal articles, books and book chapters. This list is included in the Institute of Orthopaedics Annual Report and includes the latest impact factors available for journals where appropriate
Published abstracts, conference and poster presentations. This list contains abstracts published in medical journals, and abstracts or text associated with poster presentations, where possible.

Link through to view the updated lists, along with the star publication, on the Intranet at http://webserver3/intranet/library/RJAHStaffPublications/tabid/1271/Default.aspx

Hip fracture management: your opinions sought

2010-11-15T15:22:00.002Z

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are consulting on their draft recommendations for the management of hip fracture in adults.

The guidelines include:

recommendations on the overall treatment and care that the NHS should offer to adults with hip fracture
appropriate times for admitting and discharging patients from hospital
multi-disciplinary management of hip fractures in adults

The consultation is open until 12 January 2011 and can be accessed via the NICE website at http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=folder&o=51531

Beyond borrowing books: make the most out of libraries

2010-11-11T16:52:00.003Z

This article, published in the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants - November 2010 issue, explains how healthcare assistants and associate practitioners can exploit the services on offer and develop their current knowledge base.

If you would like to read this article or any other articles in the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants, it is available in the library.

New books added to stock: November 2010

2010-11-02T13:26:00.001Z

View a list of the latest titles added to stock at the Francis Costello Library by clicking on this link through to the SHeLib catalogue http://www.shelib.nhs.uk/cgi-bin/salop.bat?sl=22.

Any suggestions for future stock purchases can also be submitted by choosing the "Stock Suggestion" function from the menu on the SHeLib catalogue home page http://www.shelib.nhs.uk/or by contacting the library staff on telephone ext. 4388.

Grab a bargain! Library book sale: 25th-27th October

2010-10-22T09:52:00.002+01:00

Come along to our sale of withdrawn stock at the Francis Costello Library, dates and times as follows:

Monday 25th October 2010
9.00am – 4.30pm

Tuesday 26th October 2010
9.00am – 4.30pm

Wednesday 27th October 2010
9.00am – 2.00pm

Paperbacks £1, hardbacks £2. First come, first served!

Spending Review 2010

2010-10-20T16:17:00.002+01:00

The NHS Evidence - health management specialist collection has put together a briefing on today's Spending Review. The briefing includes the main Spending Review documents alongside press coverage and commentary; opinion and analysis; and related research and evidence. You can find the briefing here:

http://www.library.nhs.uk/healthManagement/Page.aspx?pagename=SPENDING

If you would like to link to this briefing or Tweet about it using a shortened URL, you can use this link:

http://bit.ly/spendreview

It will be continually updated and content will be added to this page as more analysis and responses come out over the next few weeks.

BackCare's iPhone app

2010-10-20T15:20:00.002+01:00

A free application for iPhone, IPod touch or IPad has been launched by BackCare. The charity’s app - BackCare: for back pain and bad backs - is available from the Apple App store.

The app includes factsheets for cyclists, motorists, and office workers, and contains illustrated exercises. A section called ‘Me and my back’ allows people to keep a diary of their back pain. The data can be sent to a practitioner before an appointment. It is free to use, but BackCare hopes users will make a donation to the charity.

See the Press Release on the BackCare website

eQIPP website launched

2010-10-19T11:09:00.001+01:00

NHS Improvement has launched eQIPP, a new comprehensive resource designed to help clinical networks and NHS teams meet and deliver the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) challenge. The site provides access to a wide range of useful information and tools to make sustainable improvements to NHS services. This website allows users to navigate and explore the examples where achievements have been made across the patient pathway via the various clinical work strands. Many of the improvements are generic so can be adopted and adapted to other clinical areas and settings. The site is currently under further development so additional information, improvement tools and examples will be added.

http://www.improvement.nhs.uk/Default.aspx?alias=www.improvement.nhs.uk/qipp

Surgery for osteoarthritis of the shoulder: systematic review published

2010-10-15T10:40:00.002+01:00

A new systematic review shows the efficacy of total shoulder arthroplasty for patients suffering osteoarthritis of the shoulder. The possible benefits include improved pain and increased mobility of the shoulder when compared to hemiarthroplasty (the partial replacement of the end of the bone on one side of a joint with prosthesis).

Link through to the full text of the review at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD008089/frame.html

Cochrane Library: unavailable Saturday 16th October

2010-10-15T10:31:00.002+01:00

The Cochrane Library will be unavailable for essential maintenance on Saturday 16th October, from 8am for approximately 5 hours.

Ultrasound helps fracture healing

2010-10-12T09:52:00.003+01:00

Low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) could improve bone repair in patients whose shin bone fractures had healed slowly during the four months since their injury, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
The news is based on a trial that investigated whether a device emitting low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) could improve bone repair in patients whose shin bone fractures had healed slowly during the four months since their injury. The trial gave 101 slow-healing patients either a genuine LIPUS treatment or an inactive sham treatment over 16 weeks. The LIPUS device was found to increase bone mineral density by 34% more than the sham device, and 65% of the LIPUS-treatment group were considered by a doctor to be healed compared to 46% of the sham-treatment participants.
Therefore the use of the LIPUS device in fracture healing looks promising. For further details and a critical appraisal of the study see http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/10October/Pages/lupis-ultrasound-broken-bones-fractures.aspx

Calling all nurses and HCAs: your views are needed

2010-10-11T10:47:00.001+01:00

NHS Evidence is teaming up with the RCN to conduct a survey to understand the information searching needs and behaviours of nurses and health care assistants (HCAs). The survey explores how you access and use health and social care resources, including any barriers you have experienced.

Complete the survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RCN_survey

Alternatively, request a paper copy by emailing user.research@nice.org.uk

Making the most of Google: free information skills training

2010-10-08T12:38:00.000+01:00

Make the most of Google by picking up some quick and easy tips from this training session, which includes information about when (and when not) to use Google, as well as more advanced search techniques. Come along to this session and make your Google searches even more successful!

This free session will be held on Thursday 21st October, 9.15 - 10.30am in Training Room 3, Nurses’ Home. Places are limited so please contact the library if you would like to book a place.
Email: library@rjah.nhs.uk or telephone (01691) 404388.

Hip and knee replacement patient reported outcome measures published

2010-10-07T10:31:00.005+01:00

Postoperative PROMS (Patient Reported Outcome Measures) for elective hip and knee replacement surgery have been published.

PROMs are a means of collecting information on the effectiveness of care delivered to NHS patients as perceived by the patients themselves. The collection of this data will add to the set of information available on the care delivered to NHS-funded patients and will complement, and be used in conjunction with, existing information on the quality of services. The recent white paper, 'Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS' envisaged that this data will become increasingly important in measuring effectiveness of care.

In practice this means that patients are invited to complete both pre and post-surgery questionnaires, within specified time frames.

Read the report by visiting http://www.library.nhs.uk/trauma_orthopaedics/ViewResource.aspx?resID=389288 and clicking the PROMS postoperative report (PDF) link.

Laptops cause 'toasted skin syndrome'

2010-10-07T09:51:00.003+01:00

NHS Choices reports on a recently published Daily Mail story 'Using your laptop whilst balancing it on your bare legs can cause permanent discolouration to the skin, and in rare cases, cancer.'

Surely common sense should prevail when using electronic equipment that becomes hot? For instance, one wouldn't balance a kettle on one's knee whilst it was boiling... But NHS Choices says there have been nine reports of similar 'laptop burn' cases since 2004, and that these news stories should be a salutary reminder to laptop users to use a protective heat barrier between bare skin and your laptop.

Link through to the full appraisal of the news story at http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/10October/Pages/Skin-damage-linked-with-laptop-use.aspx

Pressure ulcer postcode criticised

2010-10-04T16:31:00.003+01:00

The Patients Association has called for mandatory monitoring of pressure sores after freedom of information disclosures demonstrated widely differing practice across NHS Trusts.

Pressure ulcers cost the NHS up to £2.1bn a year and it is therefore a priority to reduce their incidence. Link through to the full new story on the Patient Association website at http://www.patients-association.org.uk/News/392

Clinical effectiveness of glucosamine in doubt

2010-10-01T12:58:00.003+01:00

"Compared with placebo, glucosamine, chondroitin, or their combination have no clinically relevant effect on joint pain or narrowing of the joint space" according to research published in the BMJ today.

The study has been commended by a consultant in rehabilitation and pain as "establishing that proponents of glucosamine as a supplement how have a wealth of negative evidence to overturn."

Link through to the full article at http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c4675.full.pdf

Syk inhibitor reduces disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

2010-09-29T11:31:00.002+01:00

The results of a study to evaluate the efficacy of an oral inhibitor in reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are published in the New England Journal of Medicine today.

R788, an oral inhibitor of Syk [spleen tyrosine kinase], reduced disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis significantly more than the placebo, although there were some detrimental side effects including hypertension, neutropenia and diarrhea.

Read the full article in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, available in the Francis Costello Library.

Joint replacement patients in poorest ever health

2010-09-15T12:46:00.003+01:00

People needing hip or knee replacement are in the worst ever health ever, with most overweight or obese, according to an article published in the Nursing Times Online today.

The data, originally published by the National Joint Registry for England and Wales, is taken from 164000 hip and knee replacements undertaken for 2009. According to the article, 83% of joint replacement operations carried out last year were on overweight or obese patients, a figure that has been rising steadily since 2004.

The article gives further breakdowns of data relating to both hip and knee arthroplasty and can be viewed in full online at http://www.nursingtimes.net/5019335.article?referrer=e1

Updated library resource guides

2010-09-09T09:53:00.002+01:00

The library produces resource guides on a range of topics, to help steer you in the right direction of some of the key resources (books, journal articles, websites, etc.) on a particular topic or subject area.
Recently updated resource guides include:

Clinical Audit resources
Child Protection resources
Patient Information - a guide to useful websites
Health Services Management resources
Operating Theatre and Critical Care resources
Nursing preceptorship resources

The resource guides are freely available to pick up in the library or they can be downloaded from the Forms, Leaflets and Guides section of the library Intranet pages.

National hip fracture database: 2010 report

2010-09-09T09:51:00.000+01:00

This report reveals that NHS hip fracture patients are now getting far greater access to specialist care by geriatricians, as well as osteoporosis screening, assessment for the likelihood of future falls and bone protection drugs – which alone can reduce fracture incidence by up to 50%, potentially saving money. However, the report also flags up significant variations in care quality provision between hospitals, with some patients not being assessed by appropriate doctors, having unacceptable delays before surgery, and missing out on osteoporosis care and falls prevention. (Royal College of Surgeons - news)

http://kingsfund.blogs.com/health_management/2010/09/the-national-hip-fracture-database-national-report-2010.html

Arthritis: do statins help?

2010-09-08T10:23:00.002+01:00

Statins may reduce the risk of arthritis, suggests a cohort-study carried out in Israel.

As reported by the BBC website, the study set out to discover whether taking statins could ease the symptoms in people already diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis; but the results of the research went further by suggesting that statins could stop rheumatoid arthritis developing altogether.

Link through to the news story on the BBC here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11219708
or browse the research article on the PLoS (Public Library of Science) website at http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000336