Health and wellbeing – Page 297 – The NEN

Briggs: Alcohol and Drug Partnerships need more support

Figures released last week show that the number of patients treated for cocaine use at Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Edinburgh and the Lothians has quadrupled over the last five years, from 64 in 2013/14 (5%) to 273 in 2018/19 (17%).

The number of patients being treated for heroin use has decreased over the last five years, form 601 in 2013/14 (42%) to 566 in 2018/19 (36%).

Heroin remains the drug which the highest number of patients are treated for in Lothian ADPs, followed by Cannabis 301 (19%) and then Cocaine 273 (17%) which has overtaken Diazepam.

In Lothian there are three Alcohol and Drug Partnerships – Edinburgh, West Lothian and Lothian Mid and East ADP.

Conservative Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has been campaigning for improvement to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian, which have longer waiting times than in other Scottish health boards. Trouble recruiting staff has been one of the reasons highlighted for longer waiting times in Lothian.

Last year Miles Briggs, who is the Tory health spokesman at Holyrood, criticised Edinburgh Integration Joint Board for withholding £1.4 million in funds, for over a year, that were allocated for substance misuse services.

Scotland has the highest drug rate in the European Union and both the Scottish and UK Government held conferences in Glasgow last week to try and tackle the problem.

Miles Briggs MSP said: “Whilst the number of people treated by Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) in Edinburgh and the Lothian has remained roughly the same, the type of drugs being treated for has noticeably changed.

“It is reassuring that fewer people are being treated for heroin at ADPs, but the increase in the number of people being treated for cocaine is very worrying.

“Patients who are attending Alcohol and Drug Partnerships must be seen as soon as possible to get treatment and give them the best possible chance of recovery.

“In the Lothians and across Scotland there has been a record number of people who are dying from drug abuse. There needs to be a shift towards recovery and rehabilitation and all parties must work together to reverse this trend.”

Coronavirus: Workplace advice

New guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) has been published that includes workplace advice.

It contains guidance for non-healthcare settings, including tips that apply to people working in hotels and hospitality, leisure facilities, entertainment venues and premises used by community groups.

It has general basic hygiene measures and advice from Health Protection Scotland on preventing the spread of infection and includes:

• routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces such as telephones, keyboards, door handles, desks and tables

• basic hand washing highlighted as the most effective way of preventing the spread of infection. Hand hygiene promoted by ensuring staff, contractors, service users and visitors have access to hand washing facilities and alcohol-based hand rub, where available

• crockery and cutlery in shared kitchen areas should be cleaned with warm water and detergent and dried thoroughly

• ensuring food such as crisps and sandwiches should not be left open for communal sharing unless individually wrapped

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, said: “This publication has been circulated following general guidance on basic preventative measures against coronavirus and specific guidance for educational settings.

“It contains clear, practical guidance that will ensure workplace staff have the latest information about COVID-19 and how we can all help prevent it from spreading.

“We are well-prepared for an outbreak in Scotland, but the public has a vital role to play in helping us contain any positive cases by keeping themselves informed, and following basic hygiene precautions.

“That includes hand-washing, not touching their faces unless their hands are clean and covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing then putting the tissue in the bin.”

A copy of COVID-19 Guidance for Non- Healthcare Settings can be found here.

Further additional guidance and information, including links to guidance for travellers and the general public, can also be found on HPS’ COVID-19 page.

The latest numbers of test results are published at 2pm each day on the Scottish Government website.

Common symptoms of coronavirus include:

• high temperature or fever
• cough
• shortness of breath

Updates on public health advice for coronavirus can be found on the NHS Inform website, and a free helpline has been set up for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice: 0800 028 2816.

For anyone who is planning to travel abroad, guidance can be found on fitfortravel. Where a COVID-19 risk is identified, country pages will be updated.

1_COVID-19-Guidance-for-non-healthcare-settings

Women’s mental health hit by financial worries

Research shows women more likely to suffer from poor mental health than men thanks to heightened financial concerns – and young women hit worst

Women suffer from greater money worries than men, a study has shown this International Women’s Day.

Research has revealed that just under half (41%) of working women in the UK have money worries, a figure that dips significantly down to less than a third (32%) for men.

Statistically, the figure is also higher in younger women with 55 per cent of women aged 16-24 reporting money worries, and 53 per cent of those aged 25-34.

The recently reported research was carried out by Salary Finance, an employee financial wellbeing platform, and also revealed the shocking impact of these figures on women’s mental health.

The stats show that women with money worries are much more likely than their male counterparts with the same concerns to be suffering sleepless nights (51% to 43%), anxiety and panic attacks (62% versus 57%) and are more likely to have depression and suicidal thoughts (71% versus 65%).

These figures mean that when compared to those with no money worries women with financial concerns are over five times more likely to have anxiety and nearly seven times more likely to have depression. For men with financial worries, it is far less – they are 1.3 times more likely to say they’re suffering from anxiety and/or depression due to financial problems.

It’s also more likely that you will run out of money before pay day if you’re a woman, according to these statistics. Over a third (34%) of women are running out of money before pay day each month, compared to just under a quarter (24%) of men. Younger women were again much more highly impacted, being much more likely to run out of money before pay day.

Of course, the impact of maternity leave is keenly felt by the female workforce. Of those surveyed that took maternity or paternity leave, a massive 73 per cent of women said they took on additional debt as a result, compared to just 27 per cent of men. Yet resulting childcare costs did not cause significantly higher levels of stress for women.

Asesh Sarkar, CEO and co-founder of Salary Finance, commented: “In 2020 it’s disheartening to see such a discrepancy between financial wellbeing in men and women. Our extensive research has shown the crippling impact that money worries can have on the UK workforce, and see these figures that show women suffer much more.”

Although there were many differences the survey did reveal that there are no notable differences in the approach to savings between women and men, suggesting attitudes and behaviour play a far bigger role in saving habits than gender.

Another similarity between men and women was an apparent unwillingness to discuss their finances. This highlights a general attitude rather than a gender-specific issue.

Asesh added: “Whilst the figures show that women are suffering more as a result of poor financial wellbeing, it’s important to remember that financial stress and concerns affects a wide range of people, regardless of gender, age or salary.

“There is a need to tackle the stigma attached to discussing financial concerns and this is where financial solutions in the workplace can help. It is therefore important for employers to take an interest in the financial health of their employees.

“Our research has shown that around 77 per cent of workers feel they can trust their employer when it comes to sharing personal information. This really highlights the role that employers can play when it comes to tackling the issue of poor financial wellbeing amongst the UK workforce.”

Penumbra ralses self-harm awareness

Leading mental health charity, Penumbra, last week hosted a special event to mark self-harm awareness day.

Penumbra is a leading mental health charity providing a range of support services across Scotland to around 1800 people each week. Penumbra works with partners across 18 local authority areas to provide innovative mental health support in a community setting.

Our compassionate and highly skilled recovery teams work with the people we support to create tailored and person focussed strategies that give practical steps towards recovery. Using our I.ROC wellbeing toolkit, our ‘whole person’ approach is based on the rights of the people we support through choice, dignity and the expectation of recovery.

Penumbra is an Alliance partner of Future Pathways, which arranges support for people who experienced abuse or neglect while in care as children.

The charity’s Edinburgh service has operated the a Self-Harm Project since 2005. It currently provides:

1:1 Therapeutic support sessions to enable people who self harm or with suicidal ideation to cope with crisis and trauma by exploring their emotions and concerns in a confidential setting. Support is provided by multi-disciplinary team including therapists and specialist peer workers.
Information, advice and support for parents, carers, family and friends who are affected by, concerned about and informally supporting people who self harm.
Skin Camouflage Service to help people affected by scarring gain confidence by using specialist camouflage products and techniques, building confidence
Facilitated Group Workshops (community or other location based) for those who are in contact with people who self harm.
Training Sessions for professionals and those who support people who self harm.
Awareness Raising Sessions for professionals and those who support people who self harm.
Training Day for organisations.

Assistant Service Manager for the self-harm project, Samantha Harrison, commented: “The Edinburgh Self Harm Project works with people who are at risk of suicide and self-harm, and we provide a safe and non-judgemental environment where people can explore their issues about self-harm in confidence.

“We’re often the first opportunity people have had to talk about these issues in a compassionate and sensitive setting.

“Self-harm is a complex issue so everything we do is person centred and we very much see our project as a user-led where we take a holistic approach in looking at all aspects of someone’s life, rather than just focussing on injuries. What’s really beneficial to us as a team is that some of our colleagues are employed as Peer Workers who are able to use their lived experience to support people through recovery.

Support Manager for the self-harm project, Ran Majumder, added: “We were delighted that Sunday’s event was a great success with no empty seats and we want people to continue the conversation about self-harm long after it.

“We hope the event helped to shine a spotlight on self-harm, by providing a forum where members of the public and professionals alike were able to gain invaluable insight into the issues surrounding self-harm from our team.”

ARMED short-listed for care award

ARMED, developed by HAS Technology, has been shortlisted as part of the Tomorrow’s Care Awards, an accolade that champions life-changing care technology that benefits both staff members and end-users.

Proudly developed in Scotland, by a local team, ARMED was developed in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University and Scotland’s Digital and Health Institute (DHI).

Set to commend and recognise the revolutionary work of the teams behind the products, the awards identify the most noteworthy care solutions in the industry for 2020.

Tomorrow’s Care has shortlisted ARMED (Advanced Risk Modelling for Early Detection) as one of their finalists due to the innovative approach the technology has had in assisting people to live more independently and to reduce falls and associated hospital admissions.

ARMED uses wearable technology to measure data associated with frailty and risk of falling, enabling those managing care to intervene at earlier stages, preventing more significant health risks. It also promotes self-management by making people more aware of a variety of indicators.

A number of Scottish Councils have been instrumental with initially testing the technology and it was recently piloted with Scotland’s Loreburn Housing Association. The project saw successful results in just six months, with zero falls reported with the case study group.

Brian Brown, Director of ARMED at HAS Technology Group, commented: “We are always striving to improve the lives of those receiving care and support and are thrilled our ARMED technology is being recognised across the UK, and not only in Scotland.

“This nomination is testament to the hard work of each and every one of our team and we are thrilled to see digital transformation being embraced by the sector with an increased priority to improving lives, increasing independence and preventing health issues before they arise.”

With a proven success rate, as well as being in the 1% of companies chosen to be a Microsoft partner, ARMED has quickly expanded, demonstrating how AI and deep learning can revolutionise preventative care.

People are asked and encouraged to vote for the social care technology provider by visiting the Tomorrow’s Care website and clicking ‘Tomorrow’s Care Awards’.

Voters will then have the opportunity to read more about the finalists before clicking the link through to the voting page where they can submit their choice. Voting closes on Friday 13th March.

To vote for ARMED in the Tomorrow’s Care Awards, visit: https://www.tomorrowscare.co.uk/awards

ARMED has also been recently announced as a finalist in the Digital Health and Care Awards and Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.

To find out more about ARMED technology, visit https://www.armedprevention.co.uk/

New approach to informing stroke research priorities

The Stroke Association is calling on people affected by stroke in Scotland to have their say on what stroke research should be taking place.

There are over 14,000 strokes every year in Scotland and about 128,000 stroke survivors rebuilding their lives. For the first time, the Stroke Association is funding an ambitious new project to determine the future of stroke research.

The Stroke Association is working with stroke survivors and their carers, health and social care bodies, the James Lind Alliance, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and other charities to deliver a set of priorities for stroke research that work best for the people that matter most.

Andrea Cail, Director Scotland at the Stroke Association, said: “Stroke happens in the brain, the control centre for who we are and what we can do. It affects people differently, it could be anything ranging from affecting speech and physical ability, to affecting your emotions and personality.

“The good news is that stroke research continues to find new treatments, and also ways to improve how we can help more people live independently in their own home, return to work and rebuild lives.

“However, we want future stroke research to address the things that matter most to everyone affected by stroke and make the biggest difference to the lives of stroke survivors. Through this initiative we will develop a defined set of research priorities for stroke. But, if we are to be successful, we need everyone in Scotland who has been affected by stroke to engage with this project.

“If you’re a stroke survivor, or support a loved one who has had a stroke, this is your chance to make your views and voices heard. We invite you to get involved as stroke impacts on so many people in our communities.

“Our survey is open to those closely affected by stroke, from stroke survivors and the family members who support them, to people who work with stroke survivors.”

Ruth Lyle, from Hawick who had a stroke in 2017 and is involved in the project said: “I really welcome the move the charity is making in involving people affected by stroke to come up with a set of research priorities.

“I took an interest in being a member of the Steering Group because there are certain areas of stroke that I think we need to know more about. All those affected by stroke – not just researchers – should get the opportunity to feed into this piece of work.

“We need to know what is important to those individuals. I would encourage people affected by stroke to get involved with the JLA project and complete this short survey to tell us what stroke issues matter most to you.”

The Stroke Association has been at the forefront of stroke research for the past 30 years. In Scotland, the charity funded early research into thrombectomy, the game-changing treatment that can gives stroke patients a better chance of living the best life they can after stroke.

The Stroke Association also continues to fund cutting-edge research in Scotland. For example, they are currently funding research into how those affected by stroke can be supported to manage their recovery more independently, as well as research looking specifically at managing the devastating effects of stroke on mental well-being, like depression and anxiety.

Have your say for stroke and find out more about the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership at: www.stroke.org.uk/jla.

Your questions can help the Stroke Association and our partners(ii) influence stroke research and answer the questions that matter most to the people affected.

For more information and to have your say visit: www.stroke.org.uk/jla

Get talking about the JLA PSP on social media using the #MySayforStroke

People Experiencing Mental Health Conditions In Scotland Still Face Stigma And Discrimination

More than half of Scots (56 per cent) who have struggled with their mental health have been stigmatised or discriminated against because of it.

The new study, released today, found that people in Scotland are most likely to experience stigma and discrimination from those closest to them, from friends, family and work colleagues.

However there are signs of improvements, with 79 per cent of respondents saying they think public perceptions of mental health problems have improved over the past ten years.

The poll of over 2000 people, carried out by Censuswide, is part of the most extensive research into mental health stigma in Scotland for over five years.

We’ve been joined by TV presenter Gail Porter, who recently released a documentary about her mental health journey, to call for people across Scotland to be confident in recognising stigma and discrimination and knowing how to take action when they see it.

With one in three people in Scotland experiencing mental health problems, and more than half of those facing stigma and discrimination, that’s nearly a million people in Scotland who could be treated unfairly when they’re struggling.

The research also highlighted the difficulty people experience in getting help, with GP practices being the most common place that people say they face stigma and discrimination.

37 per cent of those surveyed, who hadn’t experienced mental health problems themselves, also said they had witnessed stigma and discrimination happening.

The poll also found that 27 per cent of respondents would not want a person who has a mental health problem to take care of their child and one in ten (11 per cent) would not be willing to have a relationship with someone with a mental health problem.

However 85 per cent believe it is possible to have a mental health problem and live a meaningful life.

Gail Porter said: “While I was enjoying a successful career on television, I was experiencing serious mental health illness, but at the time there was still a real stigma around the subject so I had to smile and carry on as normal. Hiding it like this just made things worse.

“In those days, the media often labelled people ‘mad’ or similar derogatory terms, there was a stigma and discrimination around mental health that could quickly destroy your career.

“These days, It’s great that mental health is something that is talked about more openly and positively and the stigma has been reduced significantly but I think there’s a long way to go.”

The Mental Health Minister, Clare Haughey, said: “It is encouraging that 79% of people who were surveyed think that public perceptions of mental health problems have improved in the last 10 years – and that over half of respondents would feel confident to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination, especially when they have been the recipient of such stigma themselves.

“Whilst we can’t establish direct cause and effect in relation to such improvements, I am confident that See Me’s work has played a significant part in these positive changes in public perception, along with complementary awareness-raising action by other partners such as Breathing Space, NHS Health Scotland, and the Scottish Recovery Network.

“See Me’s survey also shows some negative findings about fears around mental ill-health. These findings are sobering and they reaffirm that, despite strong progress in improving public perceptions of mental health problems, there is still much to be done to tackle associated stigma and inequality.

“We will continue to work with See Me and other partners to build on the positive achievements so far, and See Me will use the findings of this survey to help inform the continuing development of their work in this area.”

Today along with the new study we releasing a new digital resource, the Journey of a Social Movement, which is designed to help people to see how they can tackle stigma and discrimination, by showing some of what See Me, our volunteers and partners have been doing over the last five years.

The most recent evaluation of our programme, carried out by the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, has also been published, demonstrating the impact from See Me over the last three years.

Wendy Halliday, See Me interim director, said: “Our research shows that 55% of people feel confident to challenge stigma and discrimination, but we need that number to be much higher, so no one is treated unfairly when they’re struggling.

“We need you to make a difference today. Knowing what to say and do isn’t easy, so we’ve released a brand new resource, the Journey of a Social Movement, where you can see how people like you have been challenging stigma and discrimination in their communities, with their friends and family, in their workplaces, at school and in health care.

“Start your journey today by visiting https://report.seemescotland.org.”

#itstartswithyou

Coronavirus: stay informed

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met with staff supporting Scotland’s public information response to coronavirus (COVID-19) yesterday, following the announcement of two additional positive test results in Scotland.

The UK saw its biggest day-on-day increase in coronavirus cases yesterday, bringing the total number to 87.

During a visit to NHS 24’s contact centre at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, the First Minister thanked NHS 24 staff, including nurses, call handlers and health information advisors operating the 111 service and a dedicated coronavirus helpline service, for their efforts to keep the public informed.

The helpline has been set up by NHS 24 for people who do not have symptoms and are looking for general information and advice on coronavirus.

More than 400 staff work at NHS 24’s Clydebank call centre, which is one of four main centres located across Scotland.

Monday 2 March was the busiest day to date for the coronavirus helpline with 584 calls recorded, up from 143 on Sunday, when the first positive case in Scotland was identified. On Tuesday there were 430 calls.

NHS Inform’s coronavirus page has registered 264,118 visits as of Tuesday, with 55,000 visits on Monday alone.

The First Minister said: “Our thoughts are with the two patients who have been newly diagnosed with coronavirus and their families, and I wish them all the best for their recovery.

“The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are well-prepared to deal with a coronavirus outbreak, but the public also have a big role to play in helping us any contain any potential spread of coronavirus in Scotland for as long as possible.

“So I want to thank staff here for all their hard work to answer questions about coronavirus and keep the public informed.

“As the number of positive cases in Scotland increases, it is vital people stay up to date with the latest health and travel advice on NHS Inform, as well as following basic hygiene precautions, such as washing hands frequently, not touching their face and covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.”

NHS 24’s Director of Service Delivery Steph Philips said: “Over the last 10 days we have received more than 3,000 calls on coronavirus to our helpline and those numbers are increasing, with over 500 calls to the 111 service since Friday in addition to the coronavirus helpline, and we saw another significant increase on Monday following the first positive case in Scotland.

“That’s why we’re asking people in Scotland to check NHS Inform online in the first instance, as it’s the quickest and easiest way to get the latest information if they have questions about travel risk or symptoms, as well as our self-help guide tool. NHS Inform is being updated with latest information for the Scottish public on a daily basis.

“In addition to the helpline, we’re also encouraging people to phone their GP during the day or call NHS 24 on 111 out of hours.”

Two further patients in Scotland tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to three.

Both patients are currently clinically well and are receiving appropriate clinical care. Due to patient confidentiality, we are unable to give any more details.

One patient is resident in the Grampian area, the second patient is resident in the Ayrshire area. One patient has recently travelled to northern Italy and the other has had contact with a known positive case – this contact was not with the first positive case confirmed in Scotland.

Clinicians have begun contact tracing, the process of gathering details of the places they have visited and the people they have been in contact with. It is important to note that this tracing process does not involve people the patients may have passed on the street or in a shop – as the risk in these situations is very low.

Close contact involves either face-to-face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person. Those at risk of infection will be contacted by health protection teams for further advice. Those who are not contacted are not at risk.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Our first thoughts must be with the patients diagnosed with coronavirus, I wish them a full and speedy recovery.

“We expect the number of cases to rise and Scotland is well-prepared for a significant outbreak of coronavirus. There is currently no treatment or vaccine so early detection measures will continue to be vital in helping to prevent the spread of the virus.

“People have a vital role to play in helping us contain any outbreak by following the latest health and travel advice, and following basic hygiene precautions, such as washing hands frequently, not touching their face and covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.”

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said: “Firstly our thoughts are with those who have been diagnosed, and with their families.

“Scotland is well equipped to deal with infections of this kind. We have a proven track record of dealing with challenging health issues, and have been preparing for this possibility since the beginning of the outbreak.

“We practice and prepare our response to disease outbreaks and follow tried and tested procedures, following the highest safety standards possible for the protection of NHS staff, patients and the public.”

NHS 24 is the national provider of digital and telephone based health and care services for Scotland.

The helpline is open:
• Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 10.00pm
• Saturday and Sunday, 9.00am to 5.00pm

The latest numbers of test results are published at 2pm each day on the Scottish Government website.

Common symptoms of coronavirus can include:
• high temperature or fever
• cough
• shortness of breath

For anyone who is planning to travel abroad, guidance can be found on fitfortravel. Where a COVID-19 risk is identified, country pages will be updated.

Community Health Matters course at Royston Wardieburn

You can still join the free COMMUNITY HEALTH MATTERS course which is running at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on Thursday mornings until 2nd April.

See below for this week’s programme – all welcome!

THURSDAY WORKSHOPS

State of Child Health – it’s not good

The RCPCH has today published State of Child Health 2020, the largest ever compilation of data on the health of babies, children and young people across all four UK nations.

The report shows that for many measures of children’s health and wellbeing, progress has stalled, or is in reverse – something rarely seen in high income countries.

Visit the State of Child Heath website

Across most indicators, health outcomes are worse for children who live in deprived areas. Inequalities in some outcomes have widened since the last State of Child Health report in 2017. Progress has also been seriously affected by deep cuts to local authority budgets – used to finance public health initiatives and community services.

The authors highlight that, even where there have been notable improvements in children’s health, the UK is often lagging far behind other countries. For example, although there has been a fall in the number of emergency asthma admission rates across all four nations, the UK still has one of the highest mortality rates in Europe for children and young people with asthma.

Dr Ronny Cheung, Clinical Lead for RCPCH and co-author of the report, said: “Two weeks ago, the Marmot Review presented a stark picture about life expectancy in England. Now, our own report shows troubling signs for children and young people across the UK.

“The harsh reality is that, in terms of health and wellbeing, children born in the UK are often worse off than those born in other comparably wealthy countries. This is especially true if the child is from a less well-off background.

“Infant mortality is a globally-recognised sign of how well a country is looking after the health of its citizens. Throughout the world, the number of babies dying in their first year has been steadily falling for decades, as incomes rise and mothers and children receive better healthcare.

“Yet UK infant mortality rates have stalled, and in England they actually got worse between 2016 and 2017. For a high-income nation such as ours that should be a major wake up call.”

State of Child Health 2020 brings together 28 measures of health outcomes, ranging from specific conditions – such as asthma, epilepsy, and mental health problems – to risk factors for poor health such as poverty, low rates of breastfeeding, and obesity.

Community paediatrician and co-author Dr Rakhee Shah, said: “Investment in preventative health services must now be prioritised by the new UK Government.

“England has seen a huge decline in spending on local services and I see the results of that every day of my working life especially for my most disadvantaged patients. The cuts to services also have an impact on our NHS – people have fewer places to go to get advice, support, and stay well.”

The authors make a number of policy recommendations for each nation. These include:

Introduce a cross-departmental National Child Health and Wellbeing Strategy to address and monitor child poverty and health inequalities.
Restore £1 billion of real-terms cuts to the public health grant for Local Authorities.
Ensure future investment in public health provision increases at the same rate as NHS funding and is allocated based on population health needs.
Implement in full commitments from the prevention green paper, Advancing our health: Prevention in the 2020s.
Implement commitments to provide a Youth Investment Fund, with protection of the committed £500m funding.
Provide health-based support for children throughout education, including funding for increased numbers of school nurses and school counsellors.
Provide renewed investment in services for children and families, which support the child’s school readiness.
Ensure that health visiting services are protected, supported and expanded with clear and secure funding.

President of the RCPCH, Professor Russell Viner, said: “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us if we’re to get a grip on the state of child health in the UK. This report is the only one of its kind to zoom out and look at the full picture and it’s not a pretty sight. On many vital measures we risk lagging behind other European countries.

“There some positive signs – teenage pregnancies have fallen hugely, Scotland is leading the way on reducing youth violence, and we’ve made huge strides in the treatment of conditions like diabetes. These outcomes are invariably the result of good policy, political commitment, and proper funding.

“In many areas of healthcare, we’ve led the rest of the world. But we’re in danger of failing a generation if we don’t turn this situation around. The government has made welcome commitments on childhood obesity and young people’s mental health but we need to see delivery in these and other areas.

“We have the evidence, the experience and the expertise to make real progress in the life of this government. It’s now time to deliver for children and young people.”

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Infant mortality

The UK is fifth from bottom among 27 European countries for infant (under one year of age) mortality. Infant mortality in England stalled between 2013 and 2018 at 3.9 per 1,000 livebirths, with a slight rise in 2017 to 4.0.
In England and Wales infant mortality is more than twice as high in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas.

Healthy weight

The prevalence of children aged 4-5 who are overweight or obese has not improved significantly in any of the four countries since 2006-7.
Trends among 4-5 year olds are stable across the UK with around 25% of children overweight but this increases to around 34% for 10-11 year olds in England.
Childhood obesity is more prevalent in deprived areas. In England, the prevalence of severe obesity among 4-5 year olds was almost four times as high in the most deprived areas (3.8%) than the least deprived areas (1.0%) in 2017/18.

Child poverty (new indicator)

A total of 4.1 million children live in relative poverty in the UK (after considering housing costs) – an increase of 500,000 between 2011-12 and 2016-17. From 2016/17 to 2017/18, the numbers in England rose from 30% to 31% of children and in Wales from 28% to 29%
Child poverty in Scotland plateaued at 24% and in NI decreased from 26% to 24%.
Across the UK, rates of child poverty have increased for all types of working family. Lone parents working part time and households with only one working parent have seen the sharpest increases in poverty over the last three years.
Nearly half of children (47%) in working lone parent families live in poverty.

Immunisations

In 2018, all four UK nations fell short of the 95% WHO target for the second dose of MMR.
In 2018, the uptake rates of two doses of MMR vaccine at 5 years ranged from 86.4% in England, 91.2% in Scotland to 91.8% in Northern Ireland and 92.2% in Wales.

Youth violence (new indicator)

While rates of physical violence among young people are broadly similar across the four nations, England is the only country in which rates are increasing – most notably for 20-24 year olds. Between 2012 and 2017, the rate of physical violence among that age group increased from 297.7 to 315.49 per 100,000.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, physical violence among young people aged 10-24 shows an overall downward or stable trend from 2012-2017.

Long term conditions

Emergency admission rates for asthma have fallen since 2003/4 across the UK. However, the UK has among the highest mortality rates in Europe for children and young people with the underlying cause of asthma.
Epilepsy had until recently seen similar falling rates of emergency admissions. However, in 2017/18 rates rose slightly in England, Wales and Scotland. In Scotland, children with epilepsy from the most deprived areas were twice as likely to have an emergency admission to hospital than those from the least deprived.
There has been continued improvement in blood glucose control among children and young people with Type 1 diabetes across all four nations, and it is encouraging that there have been increases in the completion of key health checks for those with diabetes.

2020 indicators

Mortality – Infant mortality; Child mortality (1-9 years); Young people’s mortality (10-19 years)
Maternal and perinatal health – Smoking during pregnancy; Breastfeeding
Prevention of ill health – Immunisations / vaccinations; Healthy weight; Oral health
Injury prevention – Accidental injury; Road traffic accidents; Youth violence (new indicator)
Healthy behaviours – Smoking in young people; Alcohol and drug use in young people; Conceptions in young people
Mental health – Prevalence of mental health (new indicator); Mental health services (new indicator); Suicide
Family and social environment – Child poverty; Education – not in education, employment or training (NEET) (new indicator); Young carers (new indicator); Children in the child protection system; Looked After Children (new indicator)
Long term conditions – Asthma; Epilepsy; Diabetes; Cancer; Disability and additional learning needs
Workforce – Child health workforce (new indicator)

SOCH-SCOTLAND2-03.03.20