Feature Articles

Extremely hot weather can be uncomfortable for everyone, even for those who usually like the sun. However, for vulnerable people, such as older people or those with chronic or severe illnesses, very high temperatures can be dangerous.

Loneliness Awareness Week, which is hosted by The Marmalade Trust, runs from 13 ̶ 19 June this year and focuses on raising awareness of the impact of loneliness on mental wellbeing. What exactly is loneliness, how does it impact mental health, and what can be done to address it in adult social care?

June is Pride Month. Many employers are using this time to display their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. But employers should not see this as a month-long exercise: continuous effort is needed to create a diverse and inclusive environment.

It’s easy to post a rainbow flag on social media for Pride month, but this act alone isn't going to help the fight for equality. You don't want to make a public gesture if you don't have a supportive environment to go with it.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published guidance in 2019 to address questions about relationships and sexuality among people using adult social care services. Progress on awareness of the issue was hampered during the pandemic but now there are indications that, as inspections return, there will be a renewed focus on how registered care providers should consider people's relationship and sexuality needs. Christine Grey investigates.

As cases of monkeypox begin to rise in the UK, there has been speculation that this will become the new coronavirus. However, this is far from the truth. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection, which is generally mild and self-limiting, and poses a very low threat to the wider public. It is not easily transmissible, full recovery is expected and treatment is available through the smallpox vaccine. This being said, it is still natural for employers to be prepared for what steps they need to take to manage this outbreak.

The number of individuals with dementia continues to rise. In the UK there are currently around 900,000 with the disease. It is projected by 2025 there will be over one million, potentially increasing to around 1.6 million in 2040. Dementia Action Week, which this year runs from 16 to 22 May, aims to raise awareness and encourage people to “act on dementia”.

When the pandemic created a need for healthcare professionals to consult remotely to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infection, the NHS soon saw the importance of good communications with the adult social care workforce. There have been calls for care home staff to be better trained in helping clinicians to monitor residents to improve the early detection and communication of certain health conditions, especially when the health of older people they care for rapidly deteriorates. One such example is how increased sepsis awareness in social care staff can support the early detection of the condition in the residents they care for.

The Government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities recently published its updated Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing surveillance report. This report looks at population mental health and wellbeing in England during the coronavirus pandemic. Its information is used when deciding on policy, planning and commissioning in health and social care. However, individual organisations can also benefit from the findings of the report and use these to develop their own HR strategies.

To commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, there will be changes to bank holidays in 2022. The late May Bank Holiday, which would have fallen on Monday 30 May 2022 will be moved to Thursday 2 June 2022 and there will be an additional Bank Holiday on Friday 3 June 2022. The adjustment will take effect in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.