End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland

The National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) and the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) are pleased to present this report, End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland. The report details the results of research that focuses, for the first time in Ireland, on the quality oflife and quality of care at the end-of-life for older people in various care settings including acute hospitals, public extended care units, private nursing homes, voluntary nursing homes and welfare homes. The report provides a new model for care at the end-of-life which goes beyond specialist palliative care provision to embrace a compassionate approach that supports older people who are living with, or dying from, progressive, chronic and life-threatening conditions, and attends to all their needs: physical, psychological,social and spiritual. Download document here

Time to Move On from Congregated Settings: A Strategy for Community Inclusion

19.6.2011 I am pleased to present the Report of the Working Group on Congregated Settings, which is the outcome and culmination of a very significant piece of data capture, research and analysis. The Report was initiated by the Primary, Community and Community Care Directorate in 2007 to develop a national plan and associated change programme for moving people from congregated settings to the community in line with Government policy. Click here to download the document

Putting a health inequalities focus on the Northern Ireland cardiovascular service framework

The PHA, supported by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) and other agencies and individuals, has completed a health impact assessment (HIA) on the Cardiovascular Service Framework (CVSFW) for Northern Ireland.The CVSFW is the first in a series of service frameworks developed in Northern Ireland to guide HSC provision from prevention and health improvement over early intervention in communities and general practice into hospital and other institutional settings towards rehabilitation, palliative care and end of life.The CVSFW is relevant to everyone who has a part in HSC services for health improvement, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), peripheral vascular disease and renal disease. This includes patients, carers, families, communities, voluntary and statutory service providers, policy makers and researchers. There are many determinants which impact on cardiovascular disease. Individual lifestyles are major contributors and smoking remains one of the biggest risk factors for the disease alongside sedentary lifestyles and alcohol consumption. Circumstances experienced during the early years influence health and wellbeing into adulthood. Breastfeeding can help protect against obesity, while physical activity and eating habits developed from a young age often form lifelong patterns of behaviour. Living and working conditions also impact on health. Type of job, level of control and employment conditions are major factors. Educational achievement and income are also powerful influences on health. The environment where we live can provide access to open and green space, which plays an important part in physical activity patterns alongside available transport infrastructure. As well as physical health impacts, all of these factors also influence mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Healthy breaks: tasty tips for the under fives

Today the Public Health Agency is launching a new resource pack designed to assist nursery schools and playgroups deliver a healthy breaks scheme.All nursery schools and playgroups in Northern Ireland will receive the pack - 'Healthy breaks for pre-school children' - which includes a poster and information leaflets for parents explaining why a healthy break is so important for pre-school children and some tips and ideas for healthy nutritious breaks.Judith Hanvey, Regional Food in Schools Co-ordinator, appointed jointly by the PHA and the Department of Education, said: "Break-time snacking schemes currently operate in many pre-school settings across Northern Ireland, however they are implemented in different ways. The PHA has developed this new guidance so that any existing or future schemes have the information that they need to deliver a healthy break programme."Judith explained why a healthy break is so important for pre-school pupils."Young children have small stomachs but high requirements for energy (calories) and nutrients. This means that healthy snacks between meals are very important to make sure that they get all the nourishment they need."Childhood is also an important time to establish good eating and drinking habits for later life."Healthy eating schemes give children the knowledge and opportunity to make healthier choices."The Department of Education and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety recently launched 'Healthy Food for Healthy Outcomes: Food in Schools Policy', which builds on the nutritional standards which were introduced in 2007 by the Department of Education.The policy encourages a 'whole school approach' to all food and drink provided and consumed in schools. This ensures that children have the opportunity to benefit from a healthy balanced diet, which can aid learning, leading to improved educational outcomes. It also requires that every school should have their own whole-school food policy in place by September 2014. Nursery schools that receive funding from the Department of Education must follow this policy.This is also in line with the position taken by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's 10 year obesity prevention strategy, A Fitter Future for All, which aims to take a consistent approach to healthy food within early years settings.

The effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions in primary care settings: A systematic review

Numerous studies have reported that brief interventions delivered in primary care are effective in reducing excessive drinking. However, much of this work has been criticised for being clinically unrepresentative. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of brief interventions in primary care and determine if outcomes differ between efficacy and effectiveness trials. Approach. A pre-specified search strategy was used to search all relevant electronic databases up to 2006. The authors also hand-searched the reference lists of key articles and reviews. They included randomised controlled trials (RCT) involving patients in primary care who were not seeking alcohol treatment and who received brief intervention. Two authors independently abstracted data and assessed trial quality. Random effects meta-analyses, subgroup and sensitivity analyses and meta-regression were conducted.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Dual diagnosis in mental health inpatient and day hospital settings.

Many mental health patients also have substance misuse problems, so mental health service staff need to be skilled to provide simple prevention and treatment interventions, assisted by drug and alcohol specialists. This guidance covers the assessment and clinical management of patients with mental illness being cared for in psychiatric inpatient or day care settings who also use or misuse alcohol and/or illicit or other drugs*. It also covers organisational and management issues to help mental health services manage these patients effectively. The key message is that the assessment and management of drug and alcohol use are core competences required by clinical staff in mental health services. The guidance aims to: â?¢ encourage integration of drug and alcohol expertise and related training into mental health service provision; â?¢ provide ideas and guidance to front-line staff and manages to help them provide the most effective therapeutic environments; â?¢ help mental health services plan action on dual diagnosisâ? .This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Dementia educational needs analysis

A report from the Dementia Elevator project��at Dublin City University��highlights��the gaps that exist in dementia skills and knowledge in Ireland. It considers��models of��best practice in dementia training and education, and hopes to��inform ��the development of appropriately tailored dementia-related training and education programmes in��Ireland.��Read the report here.

Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools - An Action Plan for Educational Inclusion

This action plan focuses on addressing the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from pre-school through second-level education (3 to18 years). Its frame of reference is based on the definition of “educational disadvantage” in the Education Act (1998) as: “...the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools.” The action plan is, therefore, one element of a continuum of interventions to address disadvantage, which include second-chance education and training and access measures for adults to support increased participation by under-represented groups in further and higher education. A further element of this continuum is the ongoing development of provision for pupils with special educational needs in light of the enactment of the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act (2004) and the establishment of the National Council for Special Education.

Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools - An Action Plan for Educational Inclusion - Summary

This action plan focuses on addressing the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from pre-school through second-level education (3 to18 years). Its frame of reference is based on the definition of “educational disadvantage” in the Education Act (1998) as: “...the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools.” The action plan is, therefore, one element of a continuum of interventions to address disadvantage, which include second-chance education and training and access measures for adults to support increased participation by under-represented groups in further and higher education. A further element of this continuum is the ongoing development of provision for pupils with special educational needs in light of the enactment of the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act (2004) and the establishment of the National Council for Special Education.

Infection prevention and control. Best practice advice for nurseries and childcare settings

This booklet provides nurseries and childcare settings with comprehensive infection prevention and control advice.It includes simple, practical and easily understood guidance on the day-to-day implementation of good infection prevention and control practices, as well as specific actions to take in the event of outbreaks of infection.Areas covered include suitable childcare premises, hand hygiene, immunisation, decontamination, toys, personal items, toilets, nappy changing, laundry, food hygiene and pets.The booklet includes illustrations, diagrams, a glossary and key points to remember in each section to ensure the advice is easy for all staff to understand and pass on to others.It also provides contact details for each of the Health and Social Care early years teams in Northern Ireland.

Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings

Prevent the spread of infections by ensuring: routine immunisation, high standards of personal hygiene and practice, particularly handwashing, and maintaining a clean environment. �

Regional Guidelines for the Search of Patients, their Belongings and the Environment of Care within Adult Mental Health and Learning Disability Inpatient Settings

The overarching purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the safety and promote the protection of patients, staff and visitors by ensuring that dangerous items or hazardous substances are not brought into the in-patient setting, including illicit substances, prescribed / over the counter medications, dangerous items and alcohol or any other hazardous or potentially hazardous item or substance.

Engagement Plan: Review of AHP Support for Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs in Special Schools and Mainstream Education

This engagement plan outlines the collaborative and partnership approach with key stakeholders in the first phase of the Review of AHP Support for Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs in Special Schools and Mainstream Education. It provides detail on how communication objectives will be met.It gives information on:Stakeholder Analysis for Phase One of the ReviewMembership of the Project BoardMembership of the Professional Stakeholder Reference Group

Terms of Reference for Project: Review of AHP Support for Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs in Special Schools and Mainstream Education

This is the Terms of Reference for the review of Allied Health Professional (AHP) support for children/young people with statements of special educational needs.It outlines expectations of the review and should be read in conjunction with the Project Initiation Document (PID) for Phase 1of the review, the Terms of Reference for the Project Board and the Engagement Plan for phase 1.