Dementia campaign launched

The Department of Health has launched a campaign, supported by the Alzheimer’s Society, to encourage people to talk to loved ones showing signs of dementia. The three-month campaign in England, launched on World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September), will raise awareness of the condition, early signs and symptoms and how to seek help.

New suicide strategy and £1.5 million into prevention research

A new Suicide Prevention Strategy will focus on supporting bereaved families and preventing suicide amongst at risk groups and is backed by a call to action led by the Samaritans and up to £1.5 million for new research. Launched on World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) by Care Services Minister Norman Lamb, the Strategy is the first in more than 10 years and aims to reduce the suicide rate in England and better support those who have been bereaved or affected by suicide.

Improving access to psychological therapies for severe mental illness

The improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) for severe mental illness project is seeking applications from services that can demonstrate innovative and collaborative work, in providing NICE recommended psychological therapies for psychosis, bipolar disorder and personality disorder.

Join in the conversation on how to strengthen the NHS Constitution

The NHS Future Forum is talking about what the NHS Constitution means to them and is keen to hear your views. .

Guidance on sharing information to tackle violence

This guidance highlights how Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) made up of local authorities, the Police and other local agencies can reduce violence in their communities by encouraging A&Es to collect and share information on time, type and location of assault. Information can be anonymised, aggregated and shared with local CSPs to identify where violence is happening and inform local interventions to tackle it.

NHS hospitals using innovative solutions to prevent missed appointments

There were around 5.5 million missed appointments in the NHS last year. NHS hospital trusts have been using innovative, yet simple, ideas to reduce the number of missed appointments, contributing to an overall drop in missed outpatient appointments of over 250,000 last year. Some local NHS organisations have been using text messages, Skype and other methods to stay in contact and treat patients.