Tags: illness

Our Air, My Lungs – Insights Xtra Webinar

On Thursday 17 April, we were delighted to host our latest Insight webinar. It was “Xtra” exciting as we were able to make the webinar open access and extend the duration to an hour and a half, with thanks to the generous funding from The Burdett Trust for Nursing.

The Insights Xtra focused on our latest project “Our Air, My Lungs” – exploring the important topic of air pollution and its effect on our health, as well as chronic respiratory disease in children under five years, specifically asthma, cystic fibrosis and preterm chronic lung disease. We also discussed the role of health visiting in supporting families.

The webinar gave an outline of the project and the insights we gained from health visitors and families on these topics. We were joined by a range of subject experts:

  • Alder Hey Clean Air Clinic, who provided an overview of each condition and shared their development of the first Clean Air Clinic in the UK. Speakers were:
    • Jennifer Holden, Clinical Respiratory Nurse Manager, Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioner
    • Carol Lawrence, Cystic Fibrosis Nurse Specialist, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
  • Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) with Fliss Stephenson, Climate Change Manager, who discussed air pollution and its effects on health, as well as sharing the RCPCH‘s new resource: Clean Air Companion

Our Insights Xtra also included a new video from Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, mother of Ella Kissi-Deborah and Founder, Director and Trustee of The Ella Roberta Foundation, developed for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The event finished with the iHV sharing BRAND NEW resources and training, which were co-produced as part of the project, followed by a Q&A with our panel of experts.

To watch our Insights Xtra “Our Air, My Lungs”, click here

Presentation Slideset: Our Air, My Lungs

Download your record of attendance/reflection for iHV Insights - Our Air, My Lungs

We will be presenting the project and findings at our Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Conference in Manchester on 8 May. This year’s iHV EBP Conference will showcase the latest health visiting research, evidence, clinical expertise and lived experiences, equipping practitioners with newfound knowledge and skills to ensure that all babies and children have a healthy beginning to their life.

Click here to see our exciting programme of speakers

And click here to book your tickets, if you haven’t already!

Institute supports smokefree legislation

On behalf of the Institute of Health Visiting, Alison Morton, iHV CEO, joined key stakeholders yesterday at a roundtable to discuss the government’s proposed smokefree legislation. The meeting was hosted by Public Health Minister, Neil O’Brien, and the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty. The group discussed the large body of evidence on smoking-related harms and also the challenges around youth vaping.

The group was convened following the government’s announcement on 12 October that they plan to create a ‘smokefree generation’ and will:

  • Legislate to raise the age of sale one year every year from 2027 onwards
  • Double the funding for local authority Stop Smoking Services from next year
  • Increase funding for awareness raising campaigns by £5 million this year and £15 million from next year onwards
  • Increase funding for enforcement on illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes by £30 million from next year
  • Launch a consultation shortly on specific measures to tackle the increase in youth vaping

At the roundtable, Public Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:

“Smoking kills, and this government is committed to taking action to protect a generation of children from ever experiencing the harms associated with tobacco. Working with our stakeholders to deliver this historic legislation will be vital, and I will continue to engage with these organisations to create legislation that prioritises the health of the next generation.”

Attendees included members of the Smokefree Action Coalition committed to ending smoking. The coalition is coordinated by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 deaths in England alone – costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year.

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said:

“Smoking causes significant health harms at every stage of life – including stillbirths, many cancers, heart disease, stroke and dementia.

“To improve smoking-related ill-health, it is important to both ensure people do not become addicted to smoking and that those who smoke are supported to overcome addition.”

Alison Morton, iHV CEO, said:

“Health visitors see first-hand the devastating impacts of smoking-related harms in pregnancy and childhood that are almost entirely preventable. They also work with parents who are addicted to nicotine – the majority regret starting smoking and they recognise how difficult it is to quit.

“The iHV fully supports this ground-breaking legislation which presents an historic opportunity to break the cycle and prevent the next generation from becoming addicted to this lethal product.

“We are also committed to play our part in driving this change by ensuring that all health visitors are equipped to support families with babies and young children to quit smoking and provide smokefree homes.”

An online consultation is currently open on the proposed actions the UK Government and devolved administrations will take to tackle smoking and youth vaping, which we would encourage people to complete and support the legislation.

Access the full DHSC press release

Read the government’s report on yesterday’s roundtable

Find out more about iHV projects to reduce smoking in pregnancy and its harms in childhood:

Updated Parent Tips

The cases of Chickenpox and Scarlet Fever have been rising throughout the UK – this can be worrying for families, and it can sometimes be difficult to know when you need to see your GP or get advice from your health visitor.

We are pleased to announce we have just updated our iHV Parent Tips on Chickenpox and Scarlet Fever. These leaflets will give you advice on what to look out for, how to look after your child or baby at home, and where you can get more information and support from.

Remember, if you are worried about your child or baby, contact your health visitor, GP or call NHS 111 for advice and support.

Go to PT - Coping with chickenpox

Go to PT - Coping with scarlet fever