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SOCIETY NEWS (5 items)
1. RSPH LEADS RESPONSE ON HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE
The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health's response to a Health
Select Committee's inquiry on health inequalities has recommended, 'that the NHS should use its capital funding and role as a major employer to
invest for the greatest community health gain. Examples include using
community assets like local leaders to promote health as well as
purchasing healthy, locally-sourced food. The combined response
has been submitted to the Health Select Committee from the Royal Society
for the Promotion of Health, the Royal Institute of Public Health and
the NGO Forum. More information on the inquiry can be found on
the
Health Select Committee website.
2.
NGO FORUM URGED TO 'FOSTER A GLOBAL MOVEMENT'
Sir Michael Marmot told 130 delegates across public health organizations
to join together to tackle health inequalities, emphasizing the
importance of action over policy making. 'My abiding nightmare is
people will say thank you, and that will be the end,' said Sir Marmot in
his keynote speech at the
NGO Forum National Conference, 'and
the
report will be put on the shelf and maybe read later.' He also
urged NGOs not to just put the evidence together but to 'foster a global movement
on the social determinants of health'. Dr Fiona Adshead, in her
opening address, said that the NGO Forum is 'able to create a national
debate' about inequalities. The NGO Forum National Conference was
attended by over 100 delegates from the UK and from as far afield as
Brazil and Sweden.
3.
RSPH SAYS NUTRITION MUST BE AT HEART OF
SCHOOL COOKING CLASSES
Professor Richard Parish has welcomed the Government's announcement to
put cooking back on the timetable, but warns, 'It should not be assumed
that all cooking is healthy.' This follows an RSPH consultation in
2007, in which 99% of respondents stated there was a need for cooking
clubs. For more information please see the
Royal Society for
the Promotion of Health website.
4.
NGO FORUM ROAD SHOW
The
NGO Forum has held two regional workshops (East Midlands and East of
England) with over 80 participants in total. These workshops are jointly
held with regional umbrella voluntary organisations and public health
colleagues with the aim of helping to share good practice and learn from
each other on how to address health inequalities. The next is
currently planned for 25 Mar 2008 in south west England. For more
information please email Karen Bollan at
kbollan@rsph.org.
5.
RSPH BACKS CAMPAIGN ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The Royal Society for the
Promotion of Health is supporting a public health movement to tackle climate change.
A report by the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) urges action on environmental
issues from larger health bodies such as the NHS because it can 'provide
a powerful example for other organizations to follow'. RSPH Chief
Executive, Professor Richard Parish, joined over 20 environmental and health
organizations in endorsing
the
FPH guide which outlines how a healthy future can be sustained.
HEALTH NEWS (2 Items)
1.
Shaping the Future
SPECIAL ISSUE
A joint Canadian Centre for Health Promotion
Research (CCHPR) and International Union for Health Promotion and
Education (IUHPE) project has culminated in a special 'Shaping the
Future' edition of the journal
Promotion & Education. JRSH
Editorial Board member Angela Scriven acted as guest editor for this
highly significant publication. The issue includes the ten
global field reports
commissioned as part of the project and an overview chapter which
links the field reports to the IUHPE document
Shaping the Future of Health Promotion:
Priorities for Action. The special issue puts out a call for submissions
pertaining to
the priorities for action laid out in the document to be reviewed for
future publication in Promotion & Education. See the journal
website for submission guidelines which is now published by
Sage.
2.
one IN three PsychiatristS 'HARASSED'
One in ten psychiatrist have been a victim of stalking and one in
three have experience harassment in the legal definition of the terms.
The report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists said stalking
behaviour included following, threats and sexual assault. One
respondent said they received 76 telephone calls a day while another
wrote of having items such as poison and semen sent to them by post, and of
attempts to interfere with personal and financial affairs. The
Royal College of Psychiatrists has set up a Psychiatrists' Support
Service which will help members who are being stalked. It is a
confidential support and advice helpline which will help doctors
through whatever situation is causing them particular difficulties.
Details can be found on the
Royal College of Psychiatrists
website or on 020 7235 2351.
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS (1 item)
1.
COUNCIL FINED £60,000 FOR
BADLY MADE BED DEATH
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council were fined a total of £60,000
and ordered to pay costs of over £20,000 at Cardiff Crown Court after
a man with cerebral palsy died after becoming trapped in ill-fitted
bed railings. Twenty three year-old Adam Morris of Beddau
suffered asphyxiation and severe brain damage after his head became
stuck between the head board and bedrail at a council respite home.
He died later in hospital. The council pleaded guilty to a
charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Provision and
Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
HSE inspector Siân Clayton
said, 'The death of Adam Morris resulted from a failure by
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to manage the risks from bedrails.
Adam’s bed had been fitted with bedrails intended to keep him safe.
Instead, because they were in poor condition and incorrectly fitted,
Adam was exposed to unnecessary risk.' An inquest into Adam
Morris's death in 2003 returned a verdict of accidental death,
contributed to by neglect.
FOOD SAFETY & NUTRITION (1 item)
1.
WEIGHT-WATCH at WORK
The Food Standards Agency are targeting work meals to help fight
Britain's obesity problem. They have approached the five biggest
caterers, covering 85% of workplace meals served, asking them to
commit to healthier options for workers. Rosemary Hignett, Head
of Nutrition at the Food Standards Agency, said, 'Though we know
people prepare and eat the majority of their meals at home, food eaten
in the workplace does increasingly make up an important part of our
daily diet. We strongly welcome the commitments these businesses
have made, which will enable people to make sensible choices about
their diet, no matter where they eat.' The voluntary commitments
include switching from high-fat/high-salt to alternatives and offering
smaller portions of indulgent foods. About three million meals
are eaten at work every day, two million of which are prepared by
caterers.
EVENTS (4
items)
Cryptosporidiosis - Are we winning the battle?
14–15 April 2008, Royal Institute of Public Health, London, UK
With the continuing difficulties in controlling outbreaks of
cryptosporidium, this two-day programme will share experiences and
update delegates on various aspects of the organism and its public
health control. Members of the Royal Society of Health are
offered the same discount as Royal Institute of Public Health members.
For more details, please see the
Royal Institute
of Public Health website.
5th Warwick Healthy Housing Conference
17–19 March 2008, Safe and Healthy Housing Unit, University of Warwick
Coventry, UK
The University of Warwick will host an international conference of
Housing and Health organised by Warwick Law School and the World
Health Organization Europe. The conference will provide a unique
opportunity for cross-disciplinary and international discussion
focusing on policy-relevant research to inform practice. It will be of
particular interest to environmental health officers, public and
community health physicians, GP and health visitors. For more
information, see
The Safe and Healthy Housing Unit.
The NT Leadership Challenge
6 March 2008, Nursing Times, Coventry, UK
Repeated due to popular demand! The Nursing Times Leadership
Challenge is a unique learning experience for senior nurses. It
provides them with an innovative way of developing their leadership
skills and gain valuable insights into working collaboratively across
the health service. For more information, email
conferences@emap.com.
Tackling Obesity
26 February 2008, Health Service Journal, London, UK
In these changing times, mental health nurses are redefining how they
can best contribute to the care of mental health service users.
By implementing the Chief Nursing Officer’s ambitious vision set out
in From Values to Action, and adopting a range of new ways of working.
They are extending their roles and taking on new roles previously
carried of by other professions. However, are nurses more than the sum
of their competencies? For more info, please click
here.
Please visit
rsph.org for more events listings
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