11th Edition of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry now available online

Go to MyiLibrary

The newest edition of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry is now available online as part of the national core content of electronic books and journals provided to NHS staff in England.

To access the guidelines you will need to go to the MyiLibrary site and click the Athens link at the bottom of the page. Enter your Athens user name and password and you will then be able to access the book.

If you don't have an Athens account NHS staff and attached students can register for one online. If you have an account but have forgotten the password you can reset it here.

If you need more help in accessing this, or the many other electronic books available to you via your NHS Athens account, we have produced a guide on how to use them which you can find on our web site, along with additional guides to e-journals, databases and more.

NICE guidance app launched for smartphones

NICE has launched an app which allows free access to all of its recommendations and advice for healthcare professional users of Android and iPhone smartphones.
 
The app allows users to search, browse and explore 760 pieces of guidance produced by NICE. Guidance is arranged by clinical or public health topic and particular sections can be bookmarked for easy access, or sent via email.
 
Other features include receiving automatic updates and new guidance as soon as it is published on the NICE website, adjustable font size for readability, and the ability to 'swipe' between chapters when looking at guidance.
 
It can be downloaded from Apple's iStore and the Android Market but is not currently optimised for iPad users.

Northamptonshire child health and wellbeing information

Child & Maternal Health

As part of the national Child and Maternal Health Observatory’s (ChiMat) work with the East of England Public Health Observatory, updated Local Authority Child Health Profiles have been published. These provide a snapshot of child health and wellbeing in March 2012 and are designed to help you improve the health of children and tackle health inequalities by giving easy to digest information about the current picture of child health in your local area.

Each profile provides two types of information: background demographic information about the children in each area; and comparative analysis with other local authorities both nationally and more locally.

A number of changes and additions to the 2012 profiles compared with those issued in 2011. These include:

·         More information about mental health

·         Introduction of breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks where data are available

·         Trend information about hospital admissions for alcohol

·         Comparisons with statistical neighbours looking at teenage conceptions, teenage mothers, MMR immunisation and breastfeeding initiation

You can find the Northamptonshire profiles here:

• 2012 profile
• 2011 profile

 The site also offers an interactive profiles for local areas, and as well as child health, these also cover Healthy Schools, infant mortality and breastfeeding.

Eyes on Evidence - March

Eyes on Evidence - March:

Eyes on Evidence is a free monthly e-bulletin from NHS Evidence which covers significant new evidence as it emerges, with an explanation about what it means for current practice. The articles also contain hyperlinks to relevant articles, NHS Evidence and NICE Guidance.

In this month's issue:

• Behavioural strategies to influence antibiotic prescribing
• Health risks and benefits of bicycle sharing schemes
• Health checks for people with learning disabilities
• New risk prediction tool for venous thromboembolism
• NHS Evidence Resources - European Medicines Agency
• NHS Evidence QIPP case study: repeat measurement scheme for glaucoma
• Cochrane quality and productivity topics

To view the latest edition, browse the archive, or subscribe by email visit www.evidence.nhs.uk/about-us/publications

National No Smoking Day March 14th

It's No Smoking day today, a day when more than a million people will make the attempt to quit.

The No Smoking Day web site has lots of useful information for both health professionals and smokers, and there is even a fact sheet with information specific to the East Midlands.

For smokers who want to take the leap, there is the We Quit web site which is full of useful information, handy tips and support. There is also a discussion forum where quitters can talk about their experiences and ask questions.

Smokers who quit will find breathing becomes easier within 72 hours, your circulation begins to improve within 2 weeks, within 5 years your risk of a heart attack is halved and after 10 years your risk of contracting lung cancer is halved and your risk of having a heart attack is the same as a non-smoker. 

If you're a smoker, maybe it's time for you to take the leap...