BSA Today Issue 12

BSA

Today Blue Stream Academy’s Healthcare & Lifestyle Magazine Winter 2021 | Issue 12

Supporting eLearning and Compliance in General Practice Presenting the partnership between Blue Stream Academy and First Practice Management

Long COVID...

A GP’s Perspective Dr Toni Hazell GP, Medical Writer, Editor and Blogger

Look Who’s Talking:

Prioritising Wellbeing for Care Services Hilary Woodhead

National Activity Providers Association (NAPA)

BSA Today Issue 12 Front Cover

BSA Today is the exciting healthcare & lifestyle magazine from Blue Stream Academy - the UK’s leading provider of online training for GP Practices, Nursing & Care Homes, Hospices and Urgent and Tailored Care Centres.

Our mission is to standardise healthcare training to ensure consistent delivery of quality care through better staff education, learning and development.

Providing over 100 hours of CPD-certified eLearning, Blue Stream Academy’s suite of interactive training modules is easy to use, cost-effective and in line with CQC guidelines.

If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas for future articles, please feel free to contact our editor, Brady Braddock, by email: brady@bluestreamacademy.com Alternatively, you can write to us, phone us, or visit our website: Blue Stream Academy Suites 11, 12 & 16 Riverside Business Centre Foundry Lane Milford Derbyshire DE56 0RN 01773 822549 www.bluestreamacademy.com Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed within this publication are that of the original authors of the relevant content and do not necessarily reflect the official views and opinions of Blue Stream Academy Ltd. © 2021 Blue Stream Academy

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If so, you can join today at www.bluestreamacademy.com/subscribe.

Alternatively, you can phone us on 01773 822549 or drop us an email at bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com

In this issue BSA Today | Issue 12

From the Editor's Desk...

C

OVID has certainly shaped the future of routine care, and now the digital age of medicine is upon us – with a view to using resources more efficiently and effectively. Over the past 12 months, we’ve covered many important topics as a break-time health and social care magazine.

With the NHS landscape and the COVID-19 situation shifting every day, creating and commissioning relevant content as a quarterly publication has often been challenging – especially when that content is often ahead of the curve.

The passion, ideas and enthusiasm of the team behind BSA Today have driven the magazine’s transition from being a way of engaging with our vast customer base to a platform where health and social care professionals can voice the issues that matter to them most.

Although we’ve achieved a lot in terms of readership, interaction and exposure as a print (and now primarily digital) magazine, I still feel that one of our biggest successes has been the change in attitudes towards BSA Today.

Initially, although Blue Stream Academy had an excellent reputation for providing high-quality eLearning and management solutions, BSA Today was a new and untested concept, so it was difficult to persuade anyone to write for us at first.

We weren’t disheartened by this challenge though, and we understood it would take time to forge relationships. Fast-forward to 2021 and we have a pool of regular and respected contributors helping to attract our ever-growing readership across multiple sectors.

We’ve established links with major organisations, nursing and care providers, writers, and esteemed health and social care professionals in every sector.

On behalf of the BSA Today team, it has been extremely rewarding to print and promote your content with the same passion with which it was written, helping to raise awareness, voice opinions and – we hope – change things for the better in your respective fields.

So, as we wave goodbye to 2021, we’d like to thank you for your continued support and wish you a happy, safe and healthy 2022. Please read on to see what’s included in this year’s festive issue of BSA Today!

Season’s greetings,

Brady

Brady Braddock BSA Today Editor

Expert Panel

Our Team

Meet the experts who have contributed their information and insight to this issue of BSA Today.

EDITORIAL Brady Braddock | Editor Sian Ratcliffe | HR Lewis Cowlishaw | Content Development Stuart Walsh | Information Security Keely Jennings | Content Development

Dr Toni Hazell GP, freelance medical writer, blogger and editor

MQ: Mental Health Research Charity funding mental health research

ART & DESIGN Courteney Barlow-Ferguson | Graphic Designer Craig Goodall | Creative Services

Hilary Woodhead Executive Director, National Activity Providers Association (NAPA)

COMMUNICATIONS Abi Bowler | Marketing & Media

www.bluestreamacademy.com

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Cover Stories 08 Long Covid: A GP’s Perspective

Dr Toni Hazell, GP, freelance medical writer, blogger and editor talks to BSA Today about long COVID, or postCOVID-19 syndrome, and provides a GP’s insight into how to manage the condition at a practice level.

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Supporting eLearning and Compliance in General Practice

Read about our new partnership with First Practice Management (FPM), which integrates FPM’s general practice compliance into our renowned eLearning and Management of Information System.

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All Things Blue Stream 06

Eye on Healthcare

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Showcasing cutting-edge, academic content from The Conversation, we keep you up to date with our chosen hot topics from across health and social care, written by professionals who share a passion for reporting on the issues that matter most.

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A Spotlight On...

Postural Care

The festive season is a lucrative time of year for cyber-criminals. Stuart Walsh, our Chief Information Security Officer, shares some sound advice for safe online shopping this winter.

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In this edition, we look at how a 24-hour postural care plan can not only improve a person’s life in the short term, but also prevent illnesses and increase their quality of life in the long term.

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#TeamBSA & LiveChat Lounge

Catch up with what #TeamBSA have been up to since the last issue and check in with our support team for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on our LiveChat service.

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Data Watch: How to Stay Secure this Festive Season

@BlueStreamNews

Trusted training at your fingertips! Our industryrenowned Content Development Team keeps you up to date with all the latest Blue Stream Academy news, developments and module releases.

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08 Lifestyle & Wellness 10 Who is Your Twinkling Star?

Our local children’s hospice, Bluebell Wood, tells us about their latest fundraising appeal and ways to support them during the festive season.

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How Mental and Physical Health are Intertwined

Chronic physical conditions can accelerate poor mental health, and vice versa. In the first article in our new segment dedicated to mental health, we chat to MQ: Transforming Mental Health about the link between our bodies and our mental health.

30 How to Look After Your Mental Health this Festive Season

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For many, the festive period is not necessarily the season to be jolly.

Here, we’ve put together some ideas to help you care for your mental health and wellbeing this winter.

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Festive Treats with Two Greedy Gals

Did someone say, “Smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis”?

Peppermint hot chocolate, anyone?

Our local Instagram foodies, Two Greedy Gals, are back with a selection of delicious seasonal recipes, exclusively for BSA Today.

Enjoy!

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Look Who’s Talking

Prioritising Wellbeing for Care Home Residents

Hilary Woodhead, Executive Director of the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) chats to us about what COVID-19 has meant for the provision of activities in nursing and care homes.

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Alzheimer’s Disease: Measuring Brain Waves Could Diagnose Dementia Early - New Study

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ur visual memory system has a phenomenally large capacity. Flick through the image gallery on your phone, or fast forward through a previously watched movie, and notice how the briefly presented images trigger memories with little or no effort on your part. Well, my colleagues and I have harnessed this passive visual memory system to develop a test that might one day be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.

The person being tested is fitted with an electroencephalography (EEG) cap to record their brain activity and shown a series of images of everyday objects on a computer screen. They then watch a stream of different images, periodically interspersed with one of the images they saw initially.

The images are presented on the screen at a rate of three images per second (3Hz).

The pictures they were first shown appear as every fifth image. If the person remembers the image, the EEG readout shows a distinct neural response, and another one five images later, and so on.

By looking at the EEG signals for activity at this specific frequency (0.6Hz), we can measure the strength of a person’s memory response to previously seen images.

The beauty of this test is that it measures memory passively and objectively. People don’t provide any response and don’t even need to understand the task. They simply watch a series of pictures while wearing an EEG cap.

The task takes just two minutes.

And because it is passive, it is ideal for using with people with cognitive impairment who can’t follow complex task instructions.

By the time a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease – which is the most common form of dementia – they have usually had the disease for up to 20 years.

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Diagnosis is clearly not occurring early enough. Alzheimer’s is diagnosed using a combination of reports of memory decline from the patient and their family or carers, often involving tests administered in a clinic.

Alzheimer’s disease? A recent survey shows that, indeed, they would.

Nearly three-quarters of the respondents said they would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s disease, even if they were not yet experiencing symptoms.

These tests aren’t ideal because the patient’s anxiety can interfere with the result. They also require the person to be able to speak and write, which makes them ineffective for some people.

The earlier people know they are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, the sooner they can make simple lifestyle changes, such as exercising more and cutting back on alcohol, that can slow the progress of the disease.

We hope that our new test, called Fastball, provides a new tool that bypasses these biases and gives doctors and scientists a new way to quantify the changes that occur in memory as a consequence of the disease.

Our research, published in the journal Brain, shows that people with Alzheimer’s disease show a significantly reduced memory response compared with healthy older adults. Using responses from just a single, passive, two-minute Fastball task, we could discriminate 20 Alzheimer’s disease patients from 20 healthy older adult controls to an accuracy of 86%.

Author George Stothart Lecturer of Psychology University of Bath George Stothart receives funding from BRACE, registered charity no: 297965, grant number BR17/58.

The original article can be found at: https://theconversation.com/ alzheimers-disease-measuring-brainwaves-could-diagnose-dementia-earlynew-study-167741

And, in July 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Aduhelm, the first drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The effectiveness of Aduhelm, and future drugs, may be aided by an earlier and more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The effect of Aduhelm on cognitive function is not as clear as its effect on the physical hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain.

More sensitive markers of cognition, such as Fastball, may be better able to detect the effect a drug may be having on the brain’s function

This accuracy increases to 92% when we focus on a subset of electrodes in visual-processing areas.

We are also conducting a long-term study using this new technology in people with mild cognitive impairment. Early analyses – which are yet to be published – suggest that Fastball can pick up early memory impairment.

And we hope that this passive, objective measure of memory will be able to predict which of these people will later develop Alzheimer’s disease. We hope to publish our first report on the data in late 2022.

Benefits of an early diagnosis You may wonder if anyone would want to be diagnosed before they are even aware they have www.bluestreamacademy.com

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Long COVID: A GP’s Perspective

or most of 2020, the acute management of patients with COVID-19 was the top priority for the NHS. Over time, it became clear that at least 20% of patients would have symptoms that persisted for 5 weeks and 10% of patients would have symptoms for more than 12 weeks.[1] The term long COVID is acknowledged by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as commonly being used to describe signs and symptoms that persist for more than 4 weeks after the initial illness.[2]

Dr Toni Hazell GP, freelance medical writer, blogger and editor Toni is a GP in North London and works for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as an eLearning fellow, writing and editing eLearning.

She also does similar work for a variety of other organisations and is a regular presenter and chair at GP educational events. She is a GP appraiser and sits on her local individual funding review panel.

Her blog can be found online at www.tonihazell.co.uk

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Healthcare professionals with long COVID have described a range of experiences, including difficulty in accessing healthcare, varying patterns of symptoms and dismissive behaviour from health professionals.[3] A particular issue has been when patients are told that because they never had a positive COVID-19 test, or they do not have antibodies to the virus, their current symptoms cannot be due to long COVID. For much of 2020 only those admitted to hospital were tested,[4] so clearly it is possible that some patients with COVID-19 never acquired a positive test. We also know that levels of COVID-19 antibodies decrease over time[5],[6] and NICE[2] now clearly states that their guidance applies irrespective of previous COVID-19 test status or admission.

The aetiology of long COVID is unclear, but it may have an autoimmune element.[7] It is understandable that healthcare professionals may feel nervous or uncertain about encountering a patient with possible long COVID. This is a new disease, and it presents with a wide variety of symptoms (some of which are listed in the box below).

A return to first principles is therefore important – take a good history, starting with open questions to ensure that the patient feels heard and has an opportunity to tell you everything Cardiac/Respiratory shortness of breath, reduced exercise tolerance, chest pain, palpitations Neurological dizziness, memory loss, difficulty in concentrating, headache, sensory symptoms (pins and needles / numbness), delirium (more common in older patients) General fatigue, insomnia, ongoing fever Psychiatric anxiety, depression, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder Gastrointestinal diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain, reduced appetite and weight

that is going on. Then consider a more closed style of consultation in which you aim to rule out red flags for serious acute disease, such as venous thromboembolism, stroke and acute coronary syndrome. Your local hospital may be full to the brim and discouraging new admissions, but if the patient in front of you is acutely ill then they still need to go in.

At a practice level, consider having information on your website that encourages patients who think they have long COVID to present, and ensure that all healthcare professionals feel comfortable assessing patients with possible long COVID. A teaching session during a practice meeting may help to achieve this goal.

Signposting to the NHS website ‘Your COVID Recovery’[10] may also be helpful.

Those who employ healthcare professionals with long COVID should be aware of the rules for sickness absence. Agenda for Change staff should be paid as if they were working, rather than as if they were on sick pay, which is usually based on their basic salary only. Sickness absence due to COVID should be recorded separately and should not be counted for the purposes of any absence triggers or management policies.[11] For staff who are only entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP), this should be paid from day 1, not day 4 as is usual,[12] and employers are encouraged to offer more generous terms than SSP. Pay should not drop to half as it would usually, and mechanisms are in place to allow continued full pay after 1 year of absence.[13]

The full assessment of a patient with possible long COVID is beyond the scope of an article of this length, but NICE[3] suggests that it may include basic blood tests, a chest X-ray and a measure of exercise tolerance, such as the 1-minute sit-to-stand test.[8] The referral pathway for this group of patients varies from area to area, but it usually involves a long COVID clinic. These vary in their scope, and some have been criticised by healthcare professionals with long COVID for having an excessive focus on the psychological aspects of the disease.[3] It is, therefore, important that any long COVID clinic has access to the expertise and investigations needed to diagnose the 66% of patients with long COVID who have organ damage and the 25% who have damage to multiple organs.[9]

COVID-19 is not going away; we are going to have to learn to live with it and that will include living with long COVID. It is important that those who commission services make sure there are good pathways for these patients and that all healthcare professionals are aware of the issues they face

Once organ damage has been excluded or identified, individual rehabilitation plans should be made which give attention to both the physical and the psychological aspects of the disease.

Blue Stream Academy’s Long COVID eLearning module is available on our GP eLearning suite.

The module provides a summary of the most commonly reported symptoms of long COVID, information on caring for people with long COVID, and an overview of the NHS enhanced service specification for long COVID.

Skin rashes and chilblains on the toes (so-called ‘COVID toes’) Metabolic worsening of diabetes control

For more information on this module, please phone us on 01773 822549 or visit our website’s LiveChat feature (www.bluestreamacademy.com).

Musculoskeletal joint and muscle pain and weakness Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) tinnitus, sore throat, ear pain, hoarse voice, prolonged loss of taste and smell Autonomic thermal dysregulation, postural palpitations or dizziness due to tachycardia/hypotension

www.bluestreamacademy.com

You can also email info@bluestreamacademy.com 1.

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Office for National Statistics. (2020). The Prevalence of Long COVID Symptoms and COVID-19 Complications. www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/theprevalenceoflongcovidsymptomsandcovid19complications (Last accessed October 2021) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2020). COVID-19 Rapid Guideline: Managing the Long-term Effects of COVID-19. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng188/resources/covid19-rapid-guideline-managing-the-longterm-effects-of-covid19-pdf-66142028400325 (Last accessed October 2021) Gorna R et al. Long COVID Guidelines Need to Reflect Lived Experience. Lancet 2021; 397:455–57.

Scobe S. (2020). How Many Cases of COVID-19 Are There? A Q&A. www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/how-many-cases-of-covid-19-are-there-aq-a (Last accessed October 2021) Alford J. (2020). Coronavirus Antibody Prevalence Falling in England, REACT Study Shows. Imperial College London. www.imperial.ac.uk/news/207333/coronavirus-antibody-prevalence-falling-england-react (Last accessed October 2021) Department of Health and Social Care (2020). Largest COVID-19 Antibody Testing Programme Publishes Findings on Antibody Response Over Time. www.gov.uk/government/news/largest-covid-19-antibody-testing-programme-publishes-findings-on-antibody-response-over-time (Last accessed October 2021) Dani M et al. (2020). Autonomic Dysfunction in ‘Long COVID’: Rationale, Physiology and Management Strategies. Clin Med 2020; 21:e63–e67. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2020-0896.

Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals. (2021). One Minute Sit to Stand Test Instructions. www.rbht.nhs.uk/sites/nhs/files/Leaflets/One%20minute%20sit%20to%20stand%20test%20instructions%20-%20April%202021.pdf (Last accessed October 2021) Dennis A et al. Multi-organ Impairment in Low-risk Individuals With Long COVID. medRxiv 2020. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.14.20212555.

NHS England. Your COVID Recovery. www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk (Last accessed October 2021) NHS Employers. (2020). Sickness Absence During COVID-19. www.nhsemployers.org/articles/sickness-absence-during-covid-19 (Last accessed October 2021) LMC. (No date). COVID-19 Guidance for Practices. www.lmc.org.uk/visageimages/Covid-19/HR%20support%20Covid-19.pdf (Last accessed October 2021) NHS Employers. (2021). Guidance on Recording COVID-19 Sickness Beyond 365 Days. www.discover.esr.nhs.uk/publications/119-un3012-guidance-on-recording-covid-19-sickness-beyond-365-days/ file?fbclid=IwAR30CqZAX_Rl9zTtJKp3yjDtbKoYoJv6XP6QH3FQNShNcm6LlUDxo8_wYJc (Last accessed October 2021)

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Article Provided by Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice

Who is Your Twinkling Star?

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice is calling on our incredible Blue Stream Academy team to look to the stars this winter, and help raise much-needed funds by joining the charity’s Twinkle, twinkle appeal.

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he appeal gives people the opportunity to dedicate a star to someone they love, near or far, and in return they’ll receive an invitation to a moving virtual ceremony in December as well as a star to hang on their Christmas tree at home.

Each and every donation to Bluebell Wood’s Twinkle, twinkle appeal helps the charity be there for families who find Christmas incredibly challenging. Families like Sharon’s, who spent many happy years making memories at Bluebell Wood with her son, Saki, before he passed away at just 18 years old.

Now, almost two years after Saki died, Sharon is dedicating a 10

star in his name to launch the second year of Bluebell Wood’s Twinkle, twinkle appeal, and is asking Blue Stream Academy – and fundraisers far and wide – to join her.

“Saki always had a smile on his face. Even when he was poorly, he tried to see the lighter side of things. Despite having so many of his own problems, he always wanted to help other people.”

“Bluebell Wood was our safe place – our happy place.

It was somewhere to go where Saki wouldn’t be looked at any differently. It’s such a warm friendly atmosphere, and the staff will do anything for you. We met so many incredible people, and we’ve come away with some amazing friends.”

“After Saki died I didn’t grieve properly to start with. I struggled on for months but then I literally broke.

Bluebell Wood’s counsellor picked me up and put me back together again. Without her there’s a massive possibility I wouldn’t have been here today.”

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Bluebell Wood was our safe place – our happy place. It was somewhere to go where Saki wouldn’t be looked at any differently.

Bluebell Wood’s Twinkle, twinkle appeal is the perfect way to remember a loved one, or let the special people in our lives know they’re never far from our thoughts.

Supporting the hospice’s Christmas appeal also means they can be a real lifeline for local families, including those who sadly don’t know how many more Christmases they’ll have together.

So, as you reflect on those that mean so much to you this winter, please do support Twinkle, twinkle and help Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice make memories that the families in their care will always treasure.

Everything you need to know about Bluebell Wood’s Twinkle, twinkle appeal can be found at www.bluebellwood.org/twinkle

Give the Gift of Love and Laughter this Christmas It may not be quite time for Christmas carols just yet (we know that’s a very contentious subject in the office!), but you may want to start thinking about buying your Christmas cards, advent calendars, and presents.

This year Bluebell Wood’s range of cards and gifts is bigger than ever, and we’d love it if our colleagues thought about buying their cards from Blue Stream Academy’s local children’s hospice.

The profit from each item goes towards their vital care – helping children, young people and their families make magical memories, whether they have days, weeks, months or more together.

You can browse the hospice’s full range at www.bluebellwood.org/shop. www.bluestreamacademy.com

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A Spotlight On...

Postural Care

ry to sit or stand in an uncomfortable position while you read this article.

Sit on one of your legs, slump in your seat, or stand awkwardly.

This becomes even more important for people who have less mobility than we do, or whose senses may not work in the same way that ours do.

If you feel discomfort or pain at any point, assume a ‘proper’ seated or standing position.

In this module, we look at the various ways that posture can be affected throughout the day and night, and how we can help to slow those changes down – or even halt them, all together in some cases.

For many people, simply shifting their weight in a chair will be enough to alleviate any of the aches and pains that accumulate during the day.

Rob Bown Content Developer at Blue Stream Academy Hi there, I’m Rob, a Content Developer here at Blue Stream Academy. I am part of the team that researches and scripts the content you find in the eLearning modules.

I work alongside the Creative Services team and external subject matter experts to ensure the veracity of the content we deliver to you. In my spare time I like watching live music, playing guitar and (trying) to play golf.

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For others who are not as mobile, this becomes either extremely difficult or an impossibility.

Postural care refers to any attention we give our body position, or the body position of others, throughout the day. Despite how important this is, protecting our body shape is something we don’t often give a lot of thought to.

How comfortable are you after reading 100+ words?

If you’re starting to feel uncomfortable, that is your body’s way of telling you that you need to change your position.

Blue Stream Academy’s Postural Care module looks at how we protect our body shape throughout the day without even thinking about it.

We look at the short-and long-term effects of poor posture and how this can have life-altering consequences if it isn’t addressed in a timely and consistent manner.

We also explore what effect a destructive body shape has on specific parts of our bodies over time and how this can cause problems elsewhere.

The module provides all the necessary training required to help you become competent at making decisions about a person’s (or your own) postural care. It also enables you to spot common problems with poor posture and provide and implement strategies for improving it.

Have you ever woken up with a sore neck?

Next up is the importance of 24-hour postural care for everyone.

Often, postural care while we are asleep is overlooked. This can undo any progress with protecting our body shape that we achieved during the day.

Our module looks at how our overnight sleeping position can affect us, and how we can help improve someone’s long-term health by following a 24-hour postural care plan.

Are you still comfortable after 350+ words? Have you had to change position yet?

Being in the same position all day means you have to consider the equipment that you are using. Is your office chair ergonomic? Is it designed to make sure you stay comfortable all day?

Do you stand for periods of the day, and does this help you to maintain good posture?

Throughout your journey of postural care discovery, you will be shown the different types of equipment available for someone who cannot regulate their own body shape throughout the day.

This equipment forms a vital cornerstone in making sure a person doesn’t slip into destructive body positions.

Finally, the module discusses the different considerations for sitting, whether it’s the type of seat, strategies for making sure someone doesn’t assume a destructive body shape, or just making sure a seat fits properly.

In this section we also take a look at the main considerations for standing, and how standing up for periods of time can help with a variety of short- and longterm health issues – for example, by improving things like confidence, muscle and bone density, and digestion Want to Find Out More?

If you would like to enhance your awareness of postural care and learn about the skills and techniques that can help to boost knowledge – either for yourself or members of your team – please phone us on 01773 822549 or visit our website’s LiveChat feature (www.bluestreamacademy.com).

You can also email info@bluestreamacademy.com.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

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Supporting eLearning and Compliance in General Practice Presenting the partnership between Blue Stream Academy and First Practice Management

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uring the past 18 months, practices throughout the UK have adapted to new ways of working, creating a feel for the new digital era of general practice.

With over one and a half million modules being completed on Blue Stream Academy’s GP eLearning suite in 2020, and over one and a quarter million eLearning modules completed by the end of September 2021, it’s clear that the efficiency of digital compliance isn’t going to fade away anytime soon.

With organisation-wide safety remaining an area of key focus for many practices, training and compliance have never been more important.

In 2020, Blue Stream Academy and First Practice Management (FPM) united with the shared aim of improving user experience, increasing efficiency and offering cost-effective savings to organisations that subscribe to both platforms.

In September 2021, Blue Stream Academy and First Practice Management launched a market-leading partnership like no other.

The result is a seamless integration between our eLearning platform and FPM’s compliance solution: FPM Core. This allows FPM policies to be read, managed and linked to Blue Stream Academy modules from within our eLearning platform, with compliance data and staff details synchronised automatically, all while saving each organisation an average of 20% on subscriptions across the two platforms.

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With many managers reporting decreased efficiency through using multiple platforms and logins, alongside the ongoing financial frustration of paying for multiple costly packages, the Blue Stream Academy and FPM Core integration links the two platforms through a single sign-in, offering joint members a discounted rate across both services.

Each of Blue Stream Academy’s 120+ eLearning modules is clearly mapped against FPM’s 600+ policies, promoting best practice processes through an accessible and affordable solution.

Shelley McCart, CEO of Blue Stream Academy said:

“

Blue Stream Academy is thrilled about the partnership, we and FPM alike are committed to offering our customers an ever-expanding product range in order that they can save time and reduce costs whilst ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.”

With our respective experience, product ranges and commitment to quality, we’re looking forward to creating a strong connection that provides complete support for hard-working practice communities.”

We’re here to help! For more information, or if you have any questions, please get in touch with our team of in-house system support specialists via phone on 01773 822549 or visit our website’s LiveChat feature (www.bluestreamacademy.com). You can also email GP@bluestreamacademy.com

Matthew Wright, FPM Group General Manager, said:

“

We’re really excited about working with Blue Stream Academy as we have similar aims, those being to provide a quality service with the right support.

Both organisations are passionate about primary care and we know just how critical it is that practices across the country get the best value for money.

To support existing trainees in this streamlined partnership, we’ve invited FPM customers to benefit from an exclusive 25% discount on every eLearning subscription*, with FPM offering a 15% discount for existing Blue Stream Academy trainees. *Terms and conditions apply www.bluestreamacademy.com

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Look Who’s Talking:

Prioritising Wellbeing for Care Services The National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) is a national charity and membership organisation with 3000 care home members. NAPA supports care services to prioritise wellbeing by promoting activity, arts and engagement. We provide support services that give Activity Providers the knowledge, skills and resources required to provide person-centred, meaningful connections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we responded quickly, adapting our services to make them available digitally.

I Hilary Woodhead National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) Hilary Woodhead is the Executive Director of the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) and is responsible for all aspects of the association’s charities work.

Hilary first studied drama and later social care management, and her love of the arts and her commitment to providing arts-based activities for all has underpinned her career.

Before joining NAPA, Hilary led service improvement and workforce development programmes for health, housing and social care providers. She is passionate about dementia, engagement and practice development. She has worked in the sector for 30 years.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

n March 2020, the government recommended that people over 70 should be particularly stringent about following social distancing measures. People living in care homes were unable to see family and friends, informal carers, or healthcare professionals due to ‘no visitors’ policies. Group activities and communal dining were suspended to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, adding to the isolation that people experienced.

Over the following 18 months, care homes experienced an extraordinary period of challenge and change.

Applying social distancing in care homes challenged staff in many ways, and it became clear that new approaches to supporting wellbeing were needed.

At the forefront was the incredible effort and commitment shown

by Activity Providers, who rapidly adapted their approaches to improve residents’ wellbeing’. The most notable development was the greater use of digital approaches and tech-based activities, which meant more use of established platforms, more phone and video interactions, and a wider use of devices and apps to enable creative engagement. It is fair to say that there were initial barriers to digital

connection. Some NAPA members reported practical challenges, such as poor internet connection in rooms that were too far from the router, while others faced resistance to buying equipment or providing training.

At the start of the pandemic, several Activity Providers told us that they were using their own phones and tablets to enable residents to connect with family and friends. NAPA members reported that with the help of social media, local communities responded with donations of reconditioned electronic devices.

Without the support from wider communities, some care providers would have struggled to facilitate the social connections needed to maintain an individual’s wellbeing.

Later, as the confidence of care homes grew, the government provided an iPad for every care home to enable digital connection.

COVID-19 was the catalyst for NAPA’s own digital transformation.

To continue to offer our services, we also needed to be creative and innovative in our approach.

In March 2020 we made the decision to digitalise all NAPA support services.

Continued on Page 18

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Continued from Page 17

We suspended face-to-face training, audit and service reviews, conferences and support programmes, and we embarked on a period of transformation. After consulting our members, we developed the following digital solutions: eLearning and distance learning courses and qualifications, webinars, an online awards ceremony, and an online conference.

As the year progressed and we consulted with the sector, it became clear that there was a need for external support and advice for Activity Providers.

In July 2020, with grant support from The Rayne Foundation, we extended the Helpline service to include a free phone line, email service and online support group.

We transferred all our hard-copy resources to digital downloads, circulating free activity resources to care homes across the UK, and we extended our online presence across social media. This period of digital transformation was only possible thanks to the support of our members, partners and supporters; our entire focus was to be of use to our care home members at a time of crisis.

In April 2020, NAPA members called on us to publish our position on the importance of activity and engagement during lockdown. Following a period of rapid consultation and in line with government guidelines, we published our recommendations: a focus on the need for a ‘whole home’ approach, one-to-one connection, and the identification of key staff members responsible for maintaining contact between residents and their loved ones, facilitating digital connection through technology. In tandem, we published a series of resources encouraging socially distant activities and providing practical suggestions for one-to-one engagement and creative use of technology.

To date, the helpline service has received approximately 2000 contacts. Before the pandemic, our responders received calls and emails from care and activity staff, arts practitioners and family members keen to talk through their ideas or dilemmas.

Many of our calls were from lonely Activity Providers – lone voices attempting to embed wellbeing into care practice – or family members seeking advice on ways to engage a relative.

During the pandemic, the nature of the calls changed.

Approximately 90% of calls to the NAPA Helpline were about COVID-19 and the impact on activity provision.

Approximately 70% were directly related to tech and digital connections, and 30% included an element of discourse around tech-based activity.[1] Our Helpline responders reported a high number of comments or queries acknowledging the essential nature of digital connection, as though it was being recognised for the very first time.

“

This has been the hardest of times, in the early months of the pandemic I couldn’t see my sister who lives in a care home. Thank you for encouraging me to use FaceTime. I know it sounds silly but seeing her face on a screen and her seeing mine kept us connected. It isn’t the same as giving her a hug, but not seeing her at all was unbearable.”

Family carer

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“ “ “ “

There are many activities you can do with an Alexa, all by speaking to it. We do exercise to music – we start the day with some gentle exercise. To launch the programme, we just say ‘Alexa, start the 7-minute workout’ or ‘Alexa, start Engage workout’. Alexa talks us through the steps!”

Wellbeing practitioner Using the Wii has been so much fun! You can get really involved and move around or play from the comfort of your chair. It is also fairly simple to use once you get going!”

Activities co-ordinator Internet shopping has been a great way to enable the people we support to buy a gift or send a personalised card to a family member they have been unable to see.”

Activity assistant We have really enjoyed visiting cities all over the world from the comfort of our armchairs! Virtual tours are such fun, enabling people to see places they have dreamed of visiting in person, it can be really powerful!”

Care home manager

As the restrictions begin to lift, family members and friends are starting to visit loved ones again and communal activities in small groups are slowly being reinstated. We are delighted to see how the arts are being used to help residents express their experience.

As we return to in-person interaction, NAPA will continue to support care homes to embrace technology beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. We must share the lessons we have learned and ensure that care homes and Activity Providers have the skills and resources to further embed technology into activity provision.

Each time we use a tech-based approach we have an opportunity to explore new ways to connect with an individual’s interests, background, culture and sense of self, allowing us to be inclusive, to learn more about the person we support, and to enable them to remain connected to the people they love and the things that matter to them most

Thousands of care homes took part in the National Day of Arts in Care Homes on 24 September. The pandemic has forced us all to behave differently, and to connect digitally we had to embrace the technology that had previously baffled us. Care homes responded incredibly creatively to the countless challenges they faced.

We have all learned more about how to use technology, its benefits and its limitations.

Technology is now used out NAPA d out more ab fin To in care homes more ip, email APA membersh N d an s.co.uk frequently than napa-activitie @ ip h rs e b m me ever before. It will omes, Arts in Care H t u o never replace the ab re o m .uk To find out ncarehomes.co importance of visit www.artsi human connection, etting ee resource, G fr r u o ad lo n w but it can support co.uk/ To do apa-activities. n t si vi , ch te h personalised and Creative wit ree-resources membership/f person-centred ivity engagement and free NAPA Act e th ct ta n co To enhance the quality of elpline, phone port Service H p Su . life of people who live in 0800 1585503 care homes.

1.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

Based on internal data and a subscriber/membership survey.

19

Your Training.

Your Way. Introducing Our New Nursing & Care Home Suite Manager Hello, Nursing & Care community! My name is Natalie Lofthouse, and I am the new Nursing & Care Suite Manager at Blue Stream Academy.

So, here’s some information about me… I’m a bubbly redhead with a soft Yorkshire accent. In my spare time I enjoy playing the piano and spending time with my little pug. Having managed Blue Stream Academy’s GP Suite for 3 years, I bring a wealth of knowledge about our system and digital business solutions to my new role, along with lots of enthusiasm for assisting and supporting the Blue Stream Academy community across the UK. I’m passionate about enhancing the training and support we provide for our quarter of a million health and social care trainees. I’ve worked closely with our former Nursing & Care Suite Manager, Abbie, often sharing ideas about how we could develop the support we provide and improve benefits for our trainees.

Blue Stream Academy Market leading eLearning and digital business services, developed specifically for nursing, care, and social care professionals.

Why Choose Us? Blue Stream Academy is proud to be one of the only eLearning providers for nursing, care, and social care professionals to have achieved ISO127001:2013 certification, so you can be sure that your personal and organisational data are handled with the highest security.

Every Nursing & Care Home eLearning suite subscription includes: 110+ CPD-certified eLearning modules - both mandatory and non-mandatory Unlimited manager access to our market leading Management of Information System (MIS), including 15+ reports, a policy track-and-sign system feature, and automatic retraining resets

I’m really excited about working with a new suite and using my established skills to deliver highquality support for everyone in our Nursing & Care community. I’d love to hear from you and discuss how we can support your organisation. And now we’re finally able to reunite at conferences, exhibitions and meetings, I’m really looking forward to seeing many of you very soon!

Real-time customer support with our in-house team of system experts, available via telephone, LiveChat and email

For more information on our Nursing & Care Suite, please give me a call on 01773 822549 or visit our website’s LiveChat feature at bluestreamacademy.com.

You can also email nch@bluestreamacademy.com

Complimentary access to the Blue Connect video conferencing and the Blue Recruit vacancy management systems.

Complimentary training webinars for all system administrators Automatic access to every new eLearning module added throughout the year, all developed by our in-house team of content specialists

IS 704740

Presenting Our

Blue StreamNet Platform Training and Management Solutions at Your Fingertips

Over the years, as the healthcare landscape has changed and organisations have needed to adapt, many new challenges have arisen for managers, their organisations, and the staff who power them.

At Blue Stream Academy, we have listened carefully to our customers to ensure that the system we provide contains the features that are needed. Our aim has always been to improve user experience, reduce wasted time and be as economical as possible.

We have now developed Blue StreamNet to help streamline an organisation’s business needs into one easy-to-use platform. It couldn’t be easier!

Our team is on hand to discuss the different ways that we can support your organisation and transform your daily processes. Please get in touch by emailing info@bluestreamacademy.com to find out more about our effective, efficient and easy-to-use platform.

How to Stay Secure this Festive Season The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant rise in online shopping, with spending in the UK increasing by 56.2% – or £18,626 million – from 2019 to 20201. In turn, this has created more opportunities for cyber-criminals.

W

ith the festive season now here, there may be plenty of bargains to be had, it’s also a favourite time of year for fraudsters.

Stuart Walsh Chief Information Security Officer at Blue Stream Academy As the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Blue Stream Academy, Stuart provides an article for each issue of BSA Today to highlight how we strongly believe that promoting better information security practices improves the threat landscape for all organisations that work alongside us.

1. Centre for Retail Research. (2020). Shopping for Christmas 2020.

2. www.retailresearch.org/shopping-for-christmas.html (Last accessed September 2021)

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Here are some top tips to help you stay safe when shopping online – during the festive season and beyond.

If It Looks Too Good to Be True…

As the old saying goes, if something looks too good to be true then it probably is. Use common sense and be immediately suspicious of any deals that look ‘outstanding’.

Only Use Reputable Websites Be cautious about buying from websites that you’re not familiar with, out the reviews (and make sure they’re genuine), ask friends for recommendations and, if it’s a wellknown high street store, make sure you’re visiting their official website.

Only Use Reputable Websites • Use Google’s Safe Browsing Transparency Report, a service that identifies unsafe websites.

• Check the quality of the content: are there lots of grammar and spelling errors?

• Find out who owns the domain: free tools like Who.is and Whois. net provide information about who owns a site and when it was registered. Does it sound legit?

• Check their social media presence: fake websites may have Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter icons without links to real accounts.

• Read independent reviews of user experiences, which may provide information about service and product quality and warn you about scams.

Be Wary of Fake Reviews Ascertaining the legitimacy of a website can be laborious, and you not get a definitive answer even if you follow the advice above; you’re not 100% confident, don’t share any of your personal/financial details.

Check the Website is Secure Reputable websites use technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt your data before transmitting it across the internet.

To see if a website uses SSL, look for the padlock icon and ‘https’ (instead of ‘http’) in the address bar.

If it doesn’t, use SSL, don’t enter a password or make transactions through the site, because criminals could intercept and use your unprotected data.

Never Use the Same Password for Multiple Accounts Using the same password for more than one account online significantly increases your risk of being a victim of fraud. Instead, consider using a password manager to generate and safely store strong, complex passwords.

Use Two-factor Authentication or Multi-factor Authentication Two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are extra layers of security designed to make sure that only you can access your accounts.

• Location Something only available in the user’s area such as an IP address or device location.

• Behaviour Something only the user does, such as pattern or picture unlocks.

Avoid Free Wi-Fi in Public Spaces Never shop online using free public Wi-Fi, no matter how familiar you are with the location, because these transactions can be easily intercepted by other people using the same network.

Use a Virtual Private Network A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts everything you send online, so even if someone manages to intercept your online transactions, the data will be encrypted so they won’t be able to use it.

Update Your Browser, Operating System and Anti-virus Software Malware and spyware can easily compromise your online interactions with retailers. The best defence is to make sure your browser, operating system and antivirus software are always up to date.

Don’t Click on Unexpected Emails, Messages or Links If you receive an email or text that you aren’t expecting and it contains a link to an offer, the link could take you to an imitation website that’s designed to steal your personal information.

Continued on Page 24

2FA, often referred to as two-step verification or dual-factor authentication, is a method which requires users to validate their identity by using two separate authentication processes for users to validate themselves.

MFA, which incorporates 2FA, functions in the same way, but often requires more than two separate authentication to validate themselves.

These processes are typically: • Knowledge Something only the user knows, such as a password or a personal identification number (PIN).

• Possession Something only the user has, such as a phone (SMS or app) or secure token.

• Inherence Something only the user is, which could involve thumb or palm prints or retina, voice or facial scans. www.bluestreamacademy.com

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Continued from Page 23

If you’re not sure that an email or text is from who it claims to be from, or you don’t recognise the sender, don’t click on the link – instead, visit the website by typing in the official address to see if the offer exists.

If you receive a suspicious email, you can report it by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk. You can report suspicious texts by forwarding the original message to 7726, which spells SPAM on your keypad.

Use a Credit Card A credit card typically offers better consumer protection: if you do lose money through fraud after making a credit-card payment, it’s usually easier to recover the money than it would be if you’d paid by debit card or bank transfer. Use just one credit card for all your online purchases, and consider using a pre-paid credit card to limit your risk even more.

Don’t Save Your Card Information on Your Accounts It can be convenient to store your credit or debit card information on websites you buy from regularly, but it only takes someone getting hold of your log-in details for them to make fraudulent purchases from your account. The website could also suffer a data breach, exposing some or all of the personal data stored on the site. If you have added your payment details to use when you visit the website again, a data breach could reveal your details to criminals.

Monitor Your Bank Account Regularly monitoring your bank account will help you spot any fraudulent activity quickly, will give you more chance of getting your money back, and might even help to capture the offender.

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When criminals steal your payment information, they sometimes charge a small amount (which you’re less likely to notice) to test whether the payment will be processed before they take a larger sum. Vigilance over your bank accounts can help to prevent this. If you see any transactions that you don’t recognise, contact your bank immediately.

Deliver Items to a Secure Location The rise in home deliveries has led to the emergence of ‘porch pirates’ who steal packages from outside people’s homes or businesses when no one is around to accept the delivery. Amazon, FedEx and UPS all have lockers available for secure deliveries – consider using these services if you or someone you trust won’t be available to receive the delivery at work or at home.

Report Fraud Anyone can fall victim to fraud, and the methods used today can be extremely convincing. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040

GP eLearning Suite

First Practice Management Integration Blue Stream Academy is pleased to announce a market-leading partnership with First Practice Management (FPM) - seamlessly linking the Blue Stream Academy Training Dashboard and FPM Core at the touch of a button.

Blue Stream Academy training and compliance records with FPM’s policies, procedures and protocols - creating a continuous compliance system with no additional setup required.

Blue Stream Academy trainees subscribed to FPM Core will have the ability to link their

Why First Practice Management?

As the leading providers of eLearning and General Practice resources throughout the UK, the Blue Stream Academy and First Practice Management partnership demonstrates a natural integration, prioritising an efficient and effective patient-led approach to General Practice Management.

With over 600 FPM policies and procedures available, what’s not to love?

If you would like to find out more information please contact us on the following details, a member of the team will be happy to help: www.bluestreamacademy.com 01773 822549 gp@bluestreamacademy.com

BSA LiveChat:

We’re Here to Help!

Here at Blue Stream Academy HQ, we pride ourselves on exceptional customer support that is hosted in-house by our friendly team of system specialists. Each year, our LiveChat team handles around 25,000 queries, resolving 95% of these within 24 hours.

Throughout the year, members of the team have gone above and beyond to support health and social care professionals across the UK. We understand that any issues need to be sorted quickly and easily, and sometimes you might not want to call us at the office. So, if you ever get stuck, be sure to visit our website and speak with one of our team, who will be more than happy to assist.

Below are just a few of the kind comments left by people who used our LiveChat service in 2020.

From all at Team BSA, thank you to all of the health and social care professionals who have been working so hard, day and night, throughout 2020!

“

Brilliant, so good to get a real person responding and so quick too.

“

Sorted perfectly with zero fuss!

“

Supportive and amazing! It was very quick and was a simple solution.

“

As always issue solved in no time.

Many thanks!

“

Very helpful and sorted out my query in double quick time, allowing me to get back to eLearning.

“

Simple, quick and straight to the point!

“

Brilliant. I’ll use it again if I need to because it was really easy to do, and the person I spoke to was so helpful.

“

Brilliant service 10 out of 10.

“

Really helpful and able to answer all my queries with very quick responses.

Our LiveChat service is available Monday Friday between 9:00 - 17:30 www.bluestreamacademy.com

13

How Mental and Physical Health are Intertwined It has long been known that physical and mental health are closely linked.

In fact, chronic physical conditions can accelerate poor mental health, and vice versa.

T

However, it wasn’t until Dr Golam Khandaker started to investigate that inflammation mechanisms were identified as the link.

his area of study is a growing focus for scientists around the world. Some of the fascinating ongoing research includes:

MQ: Mental Health Research www.mqmentalhealth.org Up to one in four of us experience mental illness every year, yet our knowledge about the causes and the conditions is nowhere near where it needs to be.

Far less money is invested into mental health research than other physical health conditions. MQ, the leading mental health research charity, refuses to accept this as a status quo. MQ invests in cutting edge scientific research into the causes and treatments of mental health conditions so that we can better understand them, and one day even prevent them.

To find out more about MQ, and to find out how you can get involved and support their work, just visit www.mqmentalhealth.org www.bluestreamacademy.com

Inflammation The link between heart disease and depression is well documented.

People with heart disease are more likely to suffer from depression, and the opposite is also true.

In 2019 scientists at the University of Cambridge identified a link between these two conditions: inflammation.

“We analysed the data of over 367,000 people from the UK Biobank cohort and identified two important things,” says Dr Khandaker.

“

While inflammation is a natural response needed to fight off infection, chronic inflammation – which may result from psychological stress as well as lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol and physical inactivity – is harmful.

People who have a heart attack are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing depression, and people who report at least one parent having died of heart disease are 20% more likely to develop depression at some point in their life.

Our body state influences the way we feel and react.

Strong emotion such as anxiety is made more intense by the feeling of our heart racing.

“Firstly, the reason people often experience heart disease and depression at the same time arises largely from shared environmental risk factors, rather than shared genetic factors.

“This finding is important from a public health perspective because we can start to give advice that could help people reduce their risk of developing these conditions – for example, exercising and quitting smoking.

Continued on Page 28

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Continued from Page 27

“Second, triglycerides, which are a fat present in our blood, and IL-6 and CRP, which are proteins from our blood that indicate inflammation, are both likely to be underlying risk factors for depression.

“This is really vital new knowledge because it suggests to us that inflammation could be a key cause of both depression and heart disease. There are a number of ongoing studies (including our own ongoing clinical trial in Cambridge, the Insight study) testing things like if anti-inflammatory treatment could help some people with depression – and this finding suggests we are on the right track.”

Joints and Movement Around half a million people in the UK have rheumatoid arthritis, and it is thought that one-third of them also have mental illness.

Research aims to uncover more about this fascinating relationship between joints, movement and our mental health.

At the other end of this spectrum of movement, people with hypermobility (an unusually wide range of movement in one or more joints) are more likely to have neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as anxiety, than people in the general population.

Dr Sam Norton from King’s College London is being funded

by Arthritis Research UK and MQ Mental Health to develop a new app that can help healthcare professionals track physical and mental health symptoms in people with arthritis, so they can identify who is at risk of ongoing problems.

“The goal is to develop a digital application to graphically display important clinical information and other factors related to persistent : n o issues, enabling a wider range Gone too So of important variables to be rious eople with a se considered in the time available On average, p ay aw condition pass lth ea h l ta for outpatient consultations,” en m al than the gener r ie rl ea s ar ye says Dr Norton.

14 e to ough partly du le population. Alth b ta trac “I have collaborated with the mostly due to suicidality, it is ding an st er d n U s. se development of an app for physical illnes d an al ic ys h p w o patients to track symptoms and more about h will improve d ke lin e store information regarding ar lth mental hea in four of e n o e th r their care (medication, fo outcomes nce ie er p ex o h w appointments, etc) with a us each year physician dashboard. mental illness.

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This has been made available to patients at King’s College Hospital, with an evaluation underway to examine app usage and the validity of the mental and physical health symptom tracking to monitor treatment initiation.”

MQ has also funded Dr Jennifer Eccles from the University of Sussex to develop and trial a new targeted treatment for reducing anxiety among people with hypermobility.

“Our body state influences the way we feel and react. Strong emotion, such as anxiety, is made more intense by the feeling of our heart racing,” says Dr Eccles.

“The way in which people differ physically can affect how much their body reacts and how likely they are to experience anxiety symptoms.

Some of these differences can be related to flexible ‘hypermobile’ joints.”

Dr Eccles hopes that the novel treatment that she and her team are trialling will be able to ease symptoms of anxiety for people who are hypermobile.

Epilepsy and Mental Health People who have epilepsy, a condition that affects the brain and tends to cause seizures, often also experience mental health conditions (such as psychosis) and neurodevelopmental conditions (such as autism).

It is thought that genetics are key to understanding why that is the case, and this is the focus of research being done by Dr Symon Kariuki from the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust programme in Kenya.

Dr Kariuki is studying the overlap of genetic factors in epilepsy, autism and psychotic disorders through DNA extraction and quantification, sequencing, and genotyping. www.bluestreamacademy.com

“These three conditions are very common in Africa. Their causes are not fully understood, affected people do not receive appropriate treatment, and the conditions often co-exist, reasons for which are not fully understood,” says Dr Kariuki.

“I aim to determine if genetic factors discovered elsewhere have any contribution to the risk of epilepsy, autism and psychotic disorders in our Kilifi cohorts here in Africa.

“I will also study if genetic factors for one condition – say, epilepsy – are also frequently common in autism or psychotic disorders, and vice versa, which may suggest that these conditions are related.

This work will complement our earlier findings from community surveys which showed that mental health problems are comorbid with acute symptomatic seizures and with epilepsy in Africa.”

All these studies are supported

by MQ Mental Health Research.

The charity, funded by donations, aims to improve our understanding about mental health so that people can receive a diagnosis more quickly, treatments can be improved, and prevention methods can be developed.

To find out more about these studies, and the many other studies that MQ supports, head to www.mqmentalhealth.org

1. Hare DL et al. Eur Heart J 2014;35:1365-1372.

2. Khandaker GM et al. Mol Psychiatry 2020;25:1477-1486.

3. National Audit Office 2009. Services for people with rheumatoid arthritis https://www.nao.org.uk/ report/services-for-people-with-rheumatoid-arthritis/ (Accessed October 2021).

4.

Norton S et al. J Psychosom Res 2011;71:290-295.

5.

Csecs JL et al. medRxiv 2020 (Preprint).

6.

Mallorquí-Bagué N et al. Front Psychol 2014 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01162 (Accessed October 2021).

7.

Kariuki SM et al. Epilepsy Behav 2012;23:41-46.

8.

Kariuki SM et al. Epilepsia 2015;56:577-584.

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How to Look After Your Mental Health This Festive Season For many people, the festive period isn’t necessarily the season to be jolly. Whether or not the festivities are part of your life, your mental health might be affected by what is happening around you, as it may add to the pressure and expectations you experience.

A

2015 survey conducted by Mind[1] showed that more than a third of people with mental health problems (1100 surveyed) have self-harmed to cope with the pressures of the festive season. Far more worrying is the fact that 45% also considered taking their own life over the festive period. Reasons given for struggling included getting into debt (41%), feeling lonely (83%) and stress (81%).

But there are some things we can do to reduce the mental harm caused by these pressures. Here are a few ways to nurture yourself and your mental health this winter:[2] Be Gentle and Patient with Yourself It’s OK to prioritise what’s best for you. Tackle things one at a time, and challenge the assumption that everything ‘needs’ to happen over the holidays. Balance your sense of social obligation with your need for self-care.

Look After Yourself Set your boundaries and give yourself permission to say no to plans that aren’t helpful for you. Find time for yourself – take a long bath, go for a gentle walk, exercise, or wrap up in the garden with a hot drink for a brief boost of winter sun.

or to change the subject. It might help to practise what you’ll say and plan some answers in advance.

Express Gratitude Take the time to thank someone who has supported you or shown kindness. By thanking someone else, you can help them feel lighter too. Remember the small acts of kindness you’ve received over the past year and pay it forward; it could be as simple as donating food to a charity or buying a cup of coffee for the next person in line.

Talk About It Let people know if you’re struggling: it can often feel like it’s just you, when in reality it’s not. It doesn’t have to be with people already in your life – you could join an online community of people who understand what you’re going through, such as Mind’s Side by Side.

Remember, you don’t have to justify yourself to others, even if you feel pressured to

1.

Mind. (2015). Mind Warns That People With Mental Health Problems Struggle With Self-harm and Suicidal Feelings due to the Pressure of Christmas. www. mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/mind-warns-that-people-with-mental-health-problems-struggle-with-self-harm-and-suicidal-feelings-due-to-the-pressureof-christmas (Last accessed September 2021)

2.

Mental Health Foundation. (2020). You and Your Mental Health Still Matter This Christmas. www.mentalhealth.org.uk/christmas/blog/you-and-your-mentalhealth-still-matter-christmas (Last accessed September 2021)

3.

Mind. (2020). Christmas and Mental Health. www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/christmas-and-mental-health/useful-contacts (Last accessed September 2021)

Manage Relationships If being around family is tough, plan something to look forward to with your ‘chosen family’ (friends, neighbours, etc).

Think about how to end difficult conversations – it’s OK to tell someone you don’t want to talk about something Useful Contacts[3]

• • • • •

Mind – 0300 123 3393 (9:00–18:00, Monday to Friday) Samaritans – 116 123 (24/7) SANEline – 0300 304 700 (16:30–22:30, every day) National Suicide Prevention – 0800 689 5652 (24/7) CALM – 0800 58 58 58 (17:00–midnight, every day)

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Festive Treats with

TWO GREEDY GALS Our local Instagram foodies, Two Greedy Gals, have created some delicious festive treats for you to share with your family and friends. We hope you enjoy these tasty recipes – bon appétit!

SMOKED SALMON & CREAM CHEESE BLINIS Makes 18 (serves 6)

Time 30 mins

Directions 1. Tip the flour into a bowl and season well. Make a well and add the egg yolk in the middle along with half the milk.

2. Whisk the mixture until smooth and gradually add the remaining milk, then the melted butter and chopped chives.

3. Whisk the egg white until it begins to stiffen, and then fold into the batter.

4. Lightly grease a frying pan with the sunflower oil, then add the mixture to the blini a teaspoon at a time, frying each one for 2–3 mins on each side until golden brown.

Top Tip: flip the blini when it begins to bubble!

5. Set the blinis aside to cool.

6. Whilst the blinis cool, shred the smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients • 100g plain flour • 1 egg, separated • 150ml semi-skimmed milk • 25g butter, melted • Bunch of chives, chopped

• 1tbsp sunflower oil • Salt and pepper to season • 150g full fat cream cheese • 200g smoked salmon • Bunch of dill, chopped (for garnish)

7. Once the blinis have fully cooled, use a butter knife to cover with a thin layer of cream cheese, and evenly distribute the smoked salmon and dill to garnish.

8. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!

Nutritional Values Per Serving (3 Blinins)

www.bluestreamacademy.com

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SAUSAGE ROLL & CAMEMBERT RING Serves 8

Time 1 hour

Directions 1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (conventional) / 180C (fan). Unroll your puff pastry sheets and score a faint line horizontally across each sheet.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together your sausage meat, caramelised onion chutney, dried parsley, salt and pepper.

3. Separate the mixture into two halves and form into long sausage shapes along one side of each puff pastry sheet.

4. Flip the excess pastry over the sausage meat to create one long sausage roll and crimp the edges together.

Top Tip: use a fork to create a uniform crimp!

5. Place the camembert in the middle of a tray lined with baking paper.

6. Grab the long sausage rolls and place around the camembert to create a ring (any extra, simply cut off and make individual sausage rolls).

Ingredients • 500g good-quality sausage meat • 1 camembert (250- 300g) • 2 puff pastry sheets (320g each) • 4tbsp caramelised onion chutney • 3tsp dried parsley Nutritional Values Per Serving

• Salt and pepper to taste • 1 egg (beaten) • 1tbsp olive oil • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional garnish) • Sesame seeds (optional garnish)

7. With a sharp knife, score a cross on the top of the camembert and drizzle on the olive oil. Then, at intervals of around 3–4cm, cut two-thirds of the way into the large sausage rolls to create a fan effect.

8. In a small bowl, beat the egg and then egg-wash the sausage roll ring. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt if desired.

9. Bake for around 30–35 minutes, or until your sausage rolls are golden and crispy and your camembert is nice and oozy!

10. Top with sprigs of fresh rosemary for a real crowd-pleasing sharing board – enjoy!

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PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE Serves 6

Time 5 mins

Directions 1. Warm a saucepan of water over the hob until it is simmering. Place a glass bowl over the saucepan once the water has heated and pour the milk into the bowl.

2. While the milk gently heats, stir in the chocolate.

3. Add 2 or 3 drops of peppermint extract to the mixture and keep stirring until the chocolate has thoroughly melted and the milk begins to steam.

4. Once the milk is steaming, remove the bowl and saucepan from the heat and pour the pot of cream into the bowl – stir until the milk, chocolate and cream are all one smooth mixture.

5. After this, pour your hot chocolate into 6 heat-proof mugs and add a teaspoon of sugar to each if desired.

6. Once the drinks have been poured, cover the top of each mug with a squirt of whipped cream and sprinkle a small handful of marshmallows over the top.

7. Add a peppermint candy cane to each drink and, voila - you’ll have a delicious homemade peppermint hot chocolate to keep you warm this winter!

Ingredients • 200g bar plain chocolate (broken into chunks) • 600ml semi-skimmed milk • 150ml pot single cream • 2-3 drops peppermint extract • 6tsp sugar (optional)

• 250g can light ‘squirty’ whipped cream • 150g mini marshmallows • 6 peppermint candy canes

Nutritional Values Per Serving

www.bluestreamacademy.com

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#TeamBSA

T

his autumn, Team BSA have been busy travelling up and down the UK attending lots of great exhibitions and events, meeting so many extraordinary health and care professionals.

We’ve had an exciting events season showcasing our brand-new exhibition stand – lighting up venues around the UK!

processes, which is then automatically reflected in Blue Stream Academy and FPM reports.

We’re also excited to announce our new partnership with FourteenFish.

By integrating our market-leading digital solutions with FourteenFish’s comprehensive revalidation platform, we’ll be able to deliver even more benefits for GPs and nurses across the UK. This unique collaboration enables accessible revalidation for GPs and nurses, providing an unbeatable solution with savings of up to 32% on standard market rates.*

Our unbeatable system integration with First Practice Management (FPM) is now live, allowing system administrators to allocate their FPM Core documents to individual Blue Stream Academy eLearning modules. This link creates an invaluable requirement for trainees to read and agree to relevant

LiveChat

From all at Team BSA, thanks to every one of our quarter of a million trainees for another year of your support. We look forward to continuing to support extraordinary health and social care professionals like you in 2022. *Saving correct as of 24 September 2021, based on GP revalidation pricing structures at standard rates.

Lounge We checked in with our support team to see what questions they’ve been answering in our LiveChat feature. Here’s one they shared with us for this edition:

Q

Hello, I’m hoping you can help.

I am a Nurse Practitioner and I use Blue Stream Academy at my current surgery. I will be moving jobs to another local surgery in a few weeks’ time, and they also happen to use Blue Stream Academy. Will I be able to transfer my account and training records to my new surgery, or will I need to complete all of my modules again?

Many thanks, Nurse Practitioner, Sussex.

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A

Key Awareness Days

01

World AIDS Day An international day dedicated to showing support for people living with HIV and to honour those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.

17

Brew Monday Organised by the Samaritans, Brew Monday encourages people to get together for a cuppa and a chat so that they can help people feel a little less lonely on what is commonly recognised as ‘Blue Monday’.

04

Wear Red Day Wear Red Day supports the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund which helps to care for children and adults born with congenital heart disease.

04

World Cancer Day A global initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control to raise awareness and improve education around cancer.

DEC 2021

JAN 2022

FEB 2022

FEB 2022

Hi there!

Thanks for getting in touch.

You’ll be pleased to hear that you can absolutely transfer your training across to your new employer.

When you start at your new surgery, they’ll just need to create a training account for you on their Blue Stream Academy eLearning suite.

Once you have your new username, simply get in touch with us to let us know the usernames and addresses of your old and new surgeries. We can then transfer your training records across so they appear on your new account.

Your new employer may require you to complete some training as part of your induction, but this should avoid you having to repeat the modules you’ve already done.

All the best in your new role!

Team BSA

@BlueStreamNews

A

s the leading provider of CPD-certified eLearning for health and care professionals throughout the UK, we’d like to update you on our latest module releases.

RESTORE2 mini

Blue Stream Academy is pleased to announce the release of a new RESTORE2mini eLearning module, created and developed alongside experts from the South West Academic Health Science Network (SW AHSN).

RESTORE2mini has grown from nationally recognised deterioration methodologies such as the national early warning score (NEWS2), early recognition (Soft Signs) and structured communications (SBARD).

As the market leader in health and care eLearning, we recognised the great importance of RESTORE2mini to empower carers with improved knowledge and understanding of the people for whom they care.

For this reason, we’ve made this module complimentary for every carer in the UK and, with the help of SW AHSN, we feel this is a number 1 resource for all carers.

Key New Releases and Updates for 2021

These include: • Awareness of Visual Impairments in Older People • Confidence Building Awareness • Supporting Confidence Building Awareness in a Team • Postural Care • Seasonal Influenza Vaccination • Falls Prevention (Hospice eLearning Suite Only) • Basic Life Support Level 1 • Adult Basic Life Support Level 2 • Paediatric Basic Life Support Level 2 • Long COVID

What’s New for 2022...

We are looking forward to some important module releases in the new year. These include our new First Aid module and a Parkinson’s Awareness module which provides essential information on what Parkinson’s is, how to support someone with Parkinson’s, treatment options, and person-centred care. www.bluestreamacademy.com

If you would like more information on these new releases, or on any of our available modules, our team is always on hand and happy to help via email at info@bluestreamacademy.com, or by phone on 01773 822549.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@BlueStreamNews) to get our updates and module announcements as soon as they happen!

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Blue Stream Academy

DO IT ALL FOR YOU! Are you getting the best possible training experience for your money? Want to move training provider, but don’t have the time to switch?

Why not let Blue Stream Academy do it all for you?

As a company, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our customers in any way that we can. Our dedicated team is on hand to upload any external training, documents or policies you have, completely free of charge, so you don’t have to.

SEND OVER YOUR DOCUMENTS

WE’LL UPLOAD THEM FOR YOU

YOU’RE READY TO SWITCH!

Don’t just take our word for it, take a read through our customer feedback below!

“

The Blue Stream team have been a delight to work with, with quick responses to any queries. The direct support provided to Gloucestershire Locums for their training has really relieved pressure on Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub and been invaluable.

Nothing is too much trouble, and the whole team is professional, friendly and highly responsive.

Mark Thompson Development Support Manager Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub

“

“

As a business of 6 care homes and a domiciliary care service, it has been essential for us to ensure our staff teams are fully trained – particularly during the challenges that have arisen alongside the pandemic. The team at Blue Stream Academy have been there to support us at every turn; they are incredibly friendly, always respond in a short period of time and will answer any query we throw at them. The platform itself is outstanding in the services and reporting tools it offers, but the customer service is what makes me recommend Blue Stream to others in the care sector; in my experience it is unmatched. From Ascot Care: thank you to Blue Stream, for your endless support.

As an organisation we are really impressed with the user friendly nature of the online training modules, and the platform is now thoroughly embedded across our organisation. The management system offers a quick and easy way for training records to be regularly monitored across departments and the organisation as a whole to ensure continued compliance.

The set-up process was smooth and efficient and any support that we have needed from Blue Stream along the way has always been provided promptly.

Beth Reeve Ascot Care

Josie Bades Bury Hospice

For more information, get in touch with us on 01773 822549 or at info@bluestreamacademy.com