COVID Oximetry @home evaluation Interpretation of findings

COVID Oximetry @home evaluation Interpretation of findings
Nuffield Trust November 2021

• This reports presents the interpretation of the findings across three independent separate evaluations into the impact of the COVID Oximetry @home (CO@h) programme.

The government’s preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk management

The government’s preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk management
NAO 19 November 2021

• This report sets out the facts on:
• the government’s approach to risk management and emergency planning (Part One);
• the actions the government took to identify the risk of a pandemic like COVID-19 (Part Two);
• the actions the government took to prepare for a pandemic like COVID-19 (Part Three); and
• recent developments (Part Four).

COVID-19 patient safety response

COVID-19 patient safety response
National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes September 2021

• An examination of the roll-out of COVID Oximetry @home and COVID virtual wards, both designed to allow vulnerable people’s care to be managed safely at home. The report highlights ten areas of learning from the process of setting up and spreading these programmes at pace, and practices that may be useful for the future delivery of rapid safer care initiatives.

Migration and Vulnerability during the Pandemic: Barriers to Wellbeing

Migration and Vulnerability during the Pandemic: Barriers to Wellbeing
Doctors of the World 13 September 2021

• This report reveals that refugees, asylum seekers and migrants reported higher levels of bad health and inadequate housing during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as difficulties registering with a GP and accessing remote health care services, suggesting significant unmet health care needs. The data used in this report comes from service user data collected by DOTW UK from their clinics.

What support do frontline workers want?

What support do frontline workers want? A qualitative study of health and social care workers' experiences and views of psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PLoS One. 2021 Sep 2;16(9):e0256454. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256454.

• This research explores UK frontline health and social care workers' own experiences and views of psychosocial support during the pandemic. Interviews with 25 front line workers from a variety of professional groups working in health and social care settings across the UK were carried out. Peer support was many workers' first line of support but could also be experienced as a burden. Workers were ambivalent about support shown by organisations, media and the public. Whilst workers valued psychological support services, there were many disparities in provision and barriers to access.

Health inequalities in a nutshell

Health inequalities in a nutshell
Kings Fund 20 August 2021

• Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people. This resource examines the data and what it says about the current impact on the population. It describes how inequalities are measured, the deprivation gap, influencing factors, and the effect of COVID-19.

Impact of COVID-19 on migrants’ access to primary care and implications for vaccine roll-out: a national qualitative study

Impact of COVID-19 on migrants’ access to primary care and implications for vaccine roll-out: a national qualitative study
British Journal of General Practice 2021; 71 (709): e583-e595. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2021.0028

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 64 primary care professionals (PCPs) and 17 recently arrived migrants in urban, suburban, and rural settings across England highlights a range of issues around pandemic related changes to primary care delivery and vaccine roll out.

Abstract

A perfect storm - health inequalities and the impact of COVID-19

A perfect storm - health inequalities and the impact of COVID-19
LGA 30 July 2021

• This report warns that Covid-19 has created a ‘perfect storm’ of existing inequality and disease, leading to higher rates of coronavirus infections and death among the most disadvantaged people. It says it is vital to act now and drive forward work programmes that reduce inequalities, prevent poor health and improve people’s opportunities to live healthier, more active lives. 
• Examples from local authorities are included, ranging from providing mental health services for tackling loneliness and isolation, to accessing essential items such as food, medicine and financial support.

Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery: The COVID-19 impact inquiry report

Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery: The COVID-19 impact inquiry report
Health Foundation 29 July 2021

• A comprehensive review of the factors that fuelled the UK’s COVID-19 death toll and opportunities to create a healthier more resilient society.
• See also the Health Foundation’s analysis: What geographic inequalities in COVID-19 mortality rates and health can tell us about levelling up

National Disability Strategy and related publications

National Disability Strategy
Disability Unity, Equality Hub, 28 July 2021

• This strategy sets out the actions the government will take to improve the everyday lives of all disabled people.
• Part 1 sets out immediate commitments we will make to improve every part of a disabled person’s day.
• Part 2 sets out changes to how we will work with and for disabled people into the future, putting disabled people at the heart of government policy-making and service delivery.
• Part 3 summarises the actions each government department will take, with ministerial champions setting out their personal commitment to the strategy.

See also

• UK Disability Survey research report, June 2021 - An analysis of responses to the UK Disability Survey 2021, and data tables with responses to all questions
•  Exploring the everyday lives of disabled people - Research into the lived experiences of disabled people carried out by the Disability Unit and Policy Lab.
•  The lived experience of disabled people during the COVID-19 pandemic – research to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of disabled people, to identify problems that could be resolved through policy changes and to make the changes necessary that would lead to positive outcomes.

COVID Wellbeing Inequalities Research Evidence Dashboard (Covid:WIRED)

COVID-19 Inequalities Dashboard (Covid:WIRED)
What Works Wellbeing 7 July 2021

• COVID Wellbeing Inequalities Research Evidence Dashboard (Covid:WIRED) is an online dashboard from looking at emerging research on the impact of the pandemic on different populations and on different outcomes starting with subjective wellbeing and its six drivers.

COVID-19 vaccination programme

COVID-19 vaccination programme
PHE updated 12 July 2021
A collection of documents relating to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme.
Contents

• Guidance -  the green book Chapter 14a, for healthcare practitioners, for employers
• Training resources
• Consent forms and letters
• Leaflets, posters and resources
• Surveillance
• Protocols and patient group directions (PGDs)
• Programme documents

Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery: The COVID-19 impact inquiry report

Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery: The COVID-19 impact inquiry report
Health Foundation 6 July 2021

• This report is a comprehensive review of the factors that fuelled the UK’s Covid-19 death toll. It finds working-age adults in England’s poorest areas were almost four times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those in the wealthiest areas. The Health Foundation calls on the government to learn the lessons from the financial crisis and invest in health, to rebuild the economy and prevent long-term scarring.

Increasing vaccine uptake - case studies

Increasing vaccine uptake
The Strategy Unit June 2021

• Examples of initiatives to increase local vaccine uptake. The examples focused on four target groups: place of residence, ethnicity, faith communities and health status.

What have we learned so far about COVID-19 volunteering in the UK? A rapid review of the literature

What have we learned so far about COVID-19 volunteering in the UK? A rapid review of the literature
medRxiv 2020.11.22.20236059; 23 November 2020, [Preprint, not peer reviewed] 

doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.22.20236059

• This article describes a systematic review of the literature focused on two broad questions: 
• What have we learned so far from COVID-19 volunteering both at the UK national level and the more local community level? 
• What have we learned from engagement with local communities and community champions during the COVID-19 period?

Abstract

Locked out: Digitally excluded people’s experiences of remote GP appointments

Locked out: Digitally excluded people’s experiences of remote GP appointments
HealthWatch 16 June 2021

• The move to more digitally-led healthcare has worked well for some but excluded others over the pandemic. This report explores how people have been excluded and what needs to happen to get the care they need.

Tackling loneliness - briefing

Tackling loneliness
House of Commons Library Research Briefing 14 June 2021

• This briefing covers research into the prevalence, causes and impact of loneliness and interventions to address the issue. Includes impact of COVID-19, Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness and UK Government Loneliness Strategy.

Happy to help: The welfare effects of a nationwide micro-volunteering programme

Happy to help:The welfare effects of a nationwide micro-volunteering programme
London School of Economics 31 May 2021

• In a survey of over 9,000 active participants on the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, the researchers found that even small acts of volunteering, including talking to at-risk individuals on the phone or helping to deliver groceries boosted participants sense of wellbeing and increased feelings of belonging within the local community.

Citizens’ Juries on Health Data Sharing in a Pandemic

Citizens’ Juries on Health Data Sharing in a Pandemic
NIHR ARC Greater Manchester May 2021

• Findings from three online citizens’ juries about health data sharing in a pandemic between March and May 2021. The juries each spent eight days listening to evidence and deliberating on three national data sharing initiatives which were introduced to tackle the pandemic. The juries concluded that the government was right to use emergency powers to share patient data during the Covid pandemic but greater transparency is needed.
• Press Release: ARC GM | More transparency key to public support for health data sharing, say citizens’ juries (nihr.ac.uk)

Quarterly reports on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities

Quarterly reports on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities
Race Disparity Unit, Government Equalities Unit, Equity Hub updated 26 May 2021

• Quarterly reports summarising work undertaken by the Minister for Equalities and government departments on COVID-19 disparities.
• The first report (22 October 2021) concluded that a range of socioeconomic and geographical factors coupled with pre-existing health conditions were contributing to the higher infection and mortality rates for ethnic minority groups. The second report (1 March 2021) looks at those causes in more detail and sets out some of the work undertaken to fill the gaps in our understanding and to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 infection. The third report (26 May 2021) summarises work across government to improve vaccine uptake among ethnic minorities.