Brexit poses seismic challenges for health and social care provision in the United Kingdom concerning the ongoing financial support available to fund health and social care within a post-Brexit economy. Alongside funding issues, there are potential concerns linked to the continued access to medical supplies and equipment which are linked to trading relationships within the European Union (EU). Changes to the context of legal frameworks and funding for research which result from Brexit are also serious concerns. Although many of these areas may have potential detrimental impacts on patient care, there is a particular concern about the loss of migrant health and social care workers, which may exacerbate the recruitment issues currently facing the UK health and social care workforce. Reflections from those who work within health and social care, such as the authors of this paper, can create insider perspectives about what Brexit means to individuals and their families. This can help organisations consider the challenges that their current EU migrant workers experience and explore ways of mitigating these impacts on both the individual and wider organisation to ensure patient care is not diluted, but instead enhanced.
Excess weight can become a particular health hazard with age, triggering cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, joint problems and other inflammatory conditions. This article looks at what can be done to help the elderly population maintain a healthy weight, while avoiding problems such as sarcopenia and bone loss. Weight tends to be carried more around the middle in the older person, which poses more of a risk for metabolic diseases than excess weight elsewhere — why this happens and how it can be avoided is discussed. This paper also looks at appropriate calorie intake and activity and explores weight loss and why it is harder and slower to lose weight with age. Preventing loss of strength and mobility is also important with aging, and, as immune function can decrease with age, how to avoid this declining significantly is also touched upon.
Lower limb ulceration is a common, debilitating and costly condition that accounts for over one third of chronic wounds in the UK. The most common underlying causes of leg and foot ulceration are venous insufficiency, arterial insufficiency, lymphoedema and diabetic neuropathy. More than half of leg ulcers do not have a recorded diagnosis and are unlikely to receive appropriate care. Poor care can cost up to ten times as much as appropriate care. The Legs Matter campaign aims to change this situation through a public health campaign supported by a website: http://legsmatter.org. The website provides clearly written, easily accessible information for patients, the public and generalist healthcare professionals along with signposts to reputable sources of information. In this way, the campaign aims to raise awareness that leg and foot conditions can be improved with the right care.
New drug treatments and licence extensions for existing osteoporosis treatments have emerged, although debate continues about drug treatment length and safety, particularly potential adverse effects. Alarming media reports regarding treatments and adverse effects appear regularly, heightening public anxiety. If doctor consultations are brief and there is little opportunity to explore treatment benefits and risks, and discuss uncertainty, it seems unsurprising that many patients consider abandoning their treatments altogether.
Rachel Ashcroft-Hands BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies, RGN is an Osteoporosis Nurse for the National Osteoporosis Society, Bath.
r.ashcroft-hands@nos.org.uk
Article accepted for publication: December 2012
Chronic wounds such as venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers are increasing in prevalence and impose a significant burden on patients and the NHS alike, particularly if complications related to delayed healing occur, such as infection, cellulitis or amputation. LQD® wound spray is a new primary dressing that contains chitosan FH02™. A multicentre evaluation was carried out across four centres in the UK to determine the efficacy of LQD in promoting wound healing in patients with long-standing venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers (n=39). The evaluation found that LQD promoted wound healing in almost half of the wounds (n=18), and 15 wounds made significant progress towards healing as measured by reduced wound dimensions and an increase in the healthy wound tissue present. Two wounds remained unchanged. Patients and clinicians reported that the use of LQD had a positive impact on wound progress.
In each issue we investigate a hot topic currently affecting you and your community practice.
While regulation is common in many walks of life — health care, the food industry, the building trade, to name but a few — it has become a national hobby to rail against the imposition of standards imposed from above. The phrase ‘health and safety gone mad’ has become common parlance, and is cheerfully bandied about whenever builders are asked to put on a hard-hat, chefs are ordered to wash their hands, or you require a triplicated insurance certificate to put up a shelf in your lounge (the last one is an exaggeration, obviously, but you get the point).
