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NICE quality standard: preventing excess winter deaths
NICE has issued a quality standard Preventing excess winter deaths and illness associated with cold homes (QS117). This standard covers people of all ages, and takes into account that some people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the cold, such as people with cardiovascular or mental health conditions, young children and older people.
Interventions to optimise prescribing for older people in care homes Authors' conclusions: We could not draw robust conclusions from the evidence due to variability in design, interventions, outcomes and results. The interventions implemented in the studies in this review led to the identification and resolution of medication-related problems and improvements in medication appropriateness, however evidence of a consistent effect on resident-related outcomes was not found. There is a need for high-quality cluster-randomised controlled trials testing clinical decision support systems and multidisciplinary interventions that measure well-defined, important resident-related outcomes.
Depression in elderly patients
Updated 2016 Feb 08 07:13:00 AM: addition of aripiprazole to venlafaxine extended release increases remission in older patients with depression resistant to venlafaxine extended release alone (Lancet 2015 Dec 12) view update
Hypertension treatment in elderly patients
Updated 2016 Feb 01 07:08:00 AM: target SBP < 120 mm Hg reduces risk of cardiovascular events and mortality compared to target SBP < 140 mm Hg in selected patients ≥ 75 years old with increased cardiovascular risk and without diabetes (N Engl J Med 2015 Nov 26) view update
Improving urgent care for older people
The NHS Confederation has published Growing old together: sharing new ways to support older people. This report by the independent Commission on Improving Urgent Care for Older People outlines eight key principles the health and care sector can adopt to improve urgent care for older people. They include starting with care driven by a person’s needs and goals, having a greater focus on proactive care and allowing local leaders the space to build relationships and sustainable solutions. The report includes case studies and examples of best practice from schemes across the country designed to improve care for older people.
Additional links:Key PointsPress ReleaseBBC news report
Dementia care
The University of York Centre for Economics has published a policy briefing Higher quality dementia care. This briefing summarises an investigation into the impact of the QOF dementia review on the quality of care received by those with dementia. It focuses particularly on the interface between primary and secondary care.
Trends in life expectancy
Public health England has published Recent Trends in Life Expectancy at Older Ages: Update to 2014. This report provides a summary of recent trends in life expectancy among those aged 65 and over in England. It confirms an overall upward trend in life expectancy in this age group in England since the early 1980s.
Additional links: PHE press releaseBBC News report
International Longevity Centre - Future of ageing in the UK
The International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK) has published Tomorrow’s world: the future of ageing in the UK. This report sets out some of the key themes which emerged from the Future of Ageing conference held in November 2015 including the future population profile; the future of health and care in an ageing society; individual and societal wealth; work; and housing. It explores a number of issues within each theme, highlighting the views of the speakers at the conference and presenting further thoughts made up of analysis from ILC-UK reports, and information and analysis from guest blogs contributed for the ILC-UK website as part of the Future of Ageing initiative.
New guides to help improve health at home for older people
Public Health England and the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN) have published two new resources aimed at improving services around housing, and end of life care and on the built environment's role in promoting active ageing.
Additional link: PHE press release
Improving care in care homes
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has published The Right Medicine: improving care in care homes. This report concludes that pharmacist led medicine reviews in care homes can not only improve safety for elderly care home residents but also save the NHS money by preventing avoidable hospital admissions. The report includes a series of recommendations aimed at improve the care of residents by ensuring a pharmacist, as part of a multidisciplinary team, has responsibility for the whole system of medicines and their use within a care home.
Additional link: RCGP press release
Challenge on dementia 2020: implementation plan The Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia 2020 set out more than 50 specific commitments that aim to make England the world-leader in dementia care, research and awareness by 2020. The implementation plan sets out how these commitments will be met. It sets out priority actions, and the organisation responsible, across 4 themes: risk reduction; health and care; awareness; and social action. Plan
Death Certification Reforms
The has launched an open consultation on proposed changes to the death certification process in England and Wales. These changes include the introduction of independent medical examiners who will confirm cause of all deaths that do not need to be investigated by a coroner. The consultation also seeks views about making changes to cremation regulations.
6-PACK programme to decrease fall injuries in acute hospitals: cluster randomised controlled trial
Positive changes in falls prevention practice occurred following the introduction of the 6-PACK programme. However, no difference was seen in falls or fall injuries between groups. High quality evidence showing the effectiveness of falls prevention interventions in acute wards remains absent. Novel solutions to the problem of in-hospital falls are urgently needed.
Dementia care in hospitals
The Alzheimer’s Society has published Fix dementia care: hospitals. This report marks the start of a new Alzheimer’s Society campaign looking at the experiences of people affected by dementia in a range of health and care settings. It contains the results of freedom of information requests from hospital trusts across England; a survey completed by self-selecting sample of carers of people affected by dementia; and analysis of government and NHS data. The report sets out recommendations for the NHS and health regulators to improve the experiences of people affected by dementia in hospitals.
Additional link: BBC News report
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