Report on Induction Processes for Medical Staff in the HPSS

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Report on the Induction Processes for Medical Staff in the HPSS

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Review of the Freeing Order Processes in Northern Ireland (pdf 369 kb)

Review of the Freeing Order Processes in Northern Ireland

Weight Reduction Service

The aim of this intervention is to offer support to overweight and obese patients, particularly those with co-morbidities to make changes to lifestyle in food habits and physical activity.

Sugar Reduction: Responding to the Challenge

In ‘Sugar Reduction: Responding to the Challenge’, PHE is calling on charities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, businesses, retailers and consumers to work together to reduce the amount of sugar we eat as a nation. By analysing dietary data and discussing food habits with stakeholders, we have identified a range of areas that need exploring further. PHE already runs successful marketing campaigns designed to promote healthy living. To build on this, we also want to look at the way foods are being advertised to children, financial measures that relate to sugar sweetened drinks, food procurement across the public sector and education and training. Today, PHE received a draft report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN): ‘Carbohydrates and Health’. PHE is particularly interested in SACN’s research because it is clear that the nation is consuming more sugar than the UK’s current recommendations. Diets high in sugar can contribute to excess calorie intake, which can lead to weight gain and obesity.

A Grounded Theory Model of the Counselling Referral Process in Primary Care Methadone Treatment in Ireland.

In terms of the treatment of illicit drug abuse, methadone maintenance is a well researched and widely applied systematic response. The approach to primary care methadone treatment in Ireland is based on the methadone protocol. Primary care plays a central role in the delivery of methadone treatment. Beginning with a view that a system evolves within the constraints and influencing factors of its context, the aim of this thesis is to model the process that has developed by which patients on primary care methadone treatment are referred to counselling. It investigates the role primary care practitioners perceive they have in relation to managing the psychosocial aspects of the methadone patient's treatment regime. It analyzes individual medical practitioner counselling referral mechanisms to determine what common processes operate across different practitioners. It identifies the factors that influence the use of counselling on primary care methadone programmes and structures these in a cause/effect model. This research used interviews and documentary analysis to acquire grounded data. The sample consisted primarily of medical practitioners involved in the delivery of methadone programmes. Others closely involved in the implementation of drug treatment in the primary care context made up the balance of interviewees. The study used a grounded theory methodology to induce the process that was latent in the grounded data. Concepts emerging were grouped under the headings of referral factors, decision making factors and factors related to the unique positioning of primary care at the interface between medicine and society. The core finding was that, in primary care in Ireland, there is no psychological model to complement the pharmacological intervention of methadone substitution. The findings from this study offer insight into the factors at work and their impacts, in the context of the use of counselling in primary care methadone treatment. The study suggests a possible direction for further evolution of opiate abuse treatment in Ireland which would transform it from a harm reduction to a holistic patient centric paradigm.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

A Review of Harm Reduction Approaches in Ireland and Evidence from the International Literature

This report examines international literature on harm reduction and also presents primary research in health services in Ireland on approaches to harm reduction. The aim of harm reduction efforts is to minimise the risks stemming from shared use of drug-use paraphernalia, such as needle exchange programmes. One of the criticisms of Irish drug services is that the restricted opening hours and limited number of exchange services may contribute to continued sharing of needles among drug users. The report points out that other non-injecting paraphernalia such as spoons are also associated with the risk of contracting diseases, yet services do not as yet focus on them. The report notes that specific risk factors that contribute to risky drug practices include youth, a shorter injecting history, confinement to prison, homelessness and being involved in a sexual relationship with another intravenous drug user. The report suggests that harm reduction practices can be introduced into a prison population without a subsequent increase in drug consumption rates. The provision of consumption rooms and the prescription of heroin are also discussed, with the report noting that legislation would have to altered to implement these new strategies.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Quantifying the gap between policy and practice in cardiovascular risk reduction: a review of evidence from recent cardiovascular and diabetes audits in the UK

As part of CHD NSF implementation, a pilot project is being undertaken under the auspices of the National Screening Committee to test the practical implications and outcomes of implementing a systematic programme of cardiovascular risk reduction in primary care, initially identifying those at high risk due to pre-existing cardiovascular disease or diabetes. To assist in assessing the magnitude of the challenge faced by the pilot programmes, the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) commissioned a review of current practice based on recent cardiovascular and diabetes audits in the UK. This report details the findings of the review, providing 6 key recommendations for future cardiovascular audits.