This policy paper builds on an evidence review, set out in our companion report The Covid decade: understanding the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19, which concluded that there are nine interconnected areas of long-term societal impact arising from the pandemic which could play out over the coming COVID decade, ranging from the rising importance of local communities, to exacerbated
(Edited publisher abstract)
This policy paper builds on an evidence review, set out in our companion report The Covid decade: understanding the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19, which concluded that there are nine interconnected areas of long-term societal impact arising from the pandemic which could play out over the coming COVID decade, ranging from the rising importance of local communities, to exacerbated inequalities and a renewed awareness of education and skills in an uncertain economic climate. From those areas of impact we identified a range of policy issues for consideration by actors across society, about how to respond to these social, economic and cultural challenges beyond the immediate short-term crisis. These are: build multi-level governance structures based on empowering participation, engagement and cooperation to strengthen the capacity to identify and respond to local needs; improve the way we develop, share and communicate knowledge, data and information to enable all decision-makers to work from shared understanding of the facts; prioritise investment in digital infrastructure as a critical service to eliminate the digital divide, improve communication and joint problem solving, and create a more equitable basis for education and employment; reimagine urban spaces to support sustainable and adaptable local businesses, amenities, and lifestyles; create a more agile, responsive education and training system capable of meeting the needs of a new social and economic environment and acting as a catalyst to develop and enhance our future; strengthen and expand community-led social infrastructure that underpins the vital services and support structures needed to enhance local resilience, particularly in the most deprived areas; empower a range of actors, including business and civil society, to work together with a sense of social purpose to help drive a solid strategy for recovery across the economy and society.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, government policy, place-based approach, policy formulation, community development, asset based approach, digital technology, education, training, resilience;
British Journal of Social Work, 52(3), 2022, pp.1765-1782.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This article presents a thematic analysis of 100 articles which appeared in 'SW2020 under COVID-19' online magazine, authored by people with lived experience, practitioners, students and academics. The magazine was founded by an editorial collective of the authors of this article and ran as a free online magazine during the period of the first UK COVID-19 lockdown period (March-July 2020...
(Edited publisher abstract)
This article presents a thematic analysis of 100 articles which appeared in 'SW2020 under COVID-19' online magazine, authored by people with lived experience, practitioners, students and academics. The magazine was founded by an editorial collective of the authors of this article and ran as a free online magazine during the period of the first UK COVID-19 lockdown period (March-July 2020). It contained a far higher proportion of submissions from the first three groups of contributors, above, than traditional journals. The analysis is organised under four analytic themes: 'Hidden populations; Life, loss and hope; Practising differently and Policy and system change'. The article concludes by describing the apparent divergence between accounts that primarily suggest evidence of improved working relationships between social workers and those they serve via digital practices, and accounts suggesting that an increasingly authoritarian social work practice has emerged under COVID-19. We argue that, notwithstanding this divergence, an upsurge in activism within social work internationally during the pandemic provides a basis for believing that the emergence of a community-situated, socially engaged social work is possible post-pandemic.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, social work, literature reviews, critical thinking, digital technology, research;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 17(2-3), 2021, pp.158-163.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
The arrival of COVID-19 brought about many disruptions to our world and communities. The hospital visitation restrictions were one of the more, if not most, challenging aspects of psychosocial care for patients and families. It was difficult to anticipate the emotional toll that visitation restrictions would take on patients, families, and staff. Once hospital visitation restrictions were...
(Edited publisher abstract)
The arrival of COVID-19 brought about many disruptions to our world and communities. The hospital visitation restrictions were one of the more, if not most, challenging aspects of psychosocial care for patients and families. It was difficult to anticipate the emotional toll that visitation restrictions would take on patients, families, and staff. Once hospital visitation restrictions were in place, new strategies for patient/family connection and team communication had to be established. The Palliative Care team at a large, urban, Midwestern academic medical center created an interprofessional Family Support Team in the spring of 2020 to address the psychosocial needs of the families of critically ill COVID-19 patients.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
family support, bereavement, hospitals, Covid-19, psychosocial intervention, palliative care, social work;
British Journal of Health Psychology, 26(4), 2021, pp.1238-1257.
Publisher:
Wiley
Objectives: The Scientific Pandemic Insights group on Behaviours (SPI-B) as part of England’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE), were commissioned by the UK Cabinet Office to identify strategies to embed infection control behaviours to minimize Covid-19 transmission in the long term. Methods: With minimal direct evidence available, three sources of information were used to develop...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: The Scientific Pandemic Insights group on Behaviours (SPI-B) as part of England’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE), were commissioned by the UK Cabinet Office to identify strategies to embed infection control behaviours to minimize Covid-19 transmission in the long term. Methods: With minimal direct evidence available, three sources of information were used to develop a set of proposals: (1) a scoping review of literature on sustaining behaviour change, (2) a review of key principles used in risk and safety management, and (3) prior reports and reviews on behaviour change from SPI-B. The information was collated and refined through discussion with SPI-B and SAGE colleagues to finalize the proposals. Results: Embedding infection control behaviours in the long-term will require changes to the financial, social, and physical infrastructure so that people in all sections of society have the capability, opportunity, and motivation needed to underpin those behaviours. This will involve building Covid-safe educational programmes, regulating to ensure minimum standards of safety in public spaces and workspaces, using communications and social marketing to develop a Covid-safe culture and identity, and providing resources so that all sections of society can build Covid-safe behaviours into their daily lives. Conclusions: Embedding ‘Covid-safe’ behaviours into people’s everyday routines will require a co-ordinated programme to shape the financial, physical, and social infrastructure in the United Kingdom. Education, regulation, communications, and social marketing, and provision of resources will be required to ensure that all sections of society have the capability, opportunity, and motivation to enact the behaviours long term.
(Edited publisher abstract)
British Journal of Health Psychology, 26(2), 2021, pp.588-605.
Publisher:
Wiley
Objectives: This study examined the impact of the COVID‐19 lockdown on the physical activity (PA) of UK adults and potential motivational determinants of such behaviour. Design and methods: A survey was conducted with 1,521 UK adults recruited through Prolific.co in early June 2020. Along with demographic information, questions assessed current PA, changes in PA modalities (i.e., overall, around...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: This study examined the impact of the COVID‐19 lockdown on the physical activity (PA) of UK adults and potential motivational determinants of such behaviour. Design and methods: A survey was conducted with 1,521 UK adults recruited through Prolific.co in early June 2020. Along with demographic information, questions assessed current PA, changes in PA modalities (i.e., overall, around the home, for transport, in the workplace, in the local neighbourhood, at recreation/sport facilities) related to the lockdown, and beliefs about capabilities, opportunities, and motivations according to the COM‐B model. A series of logistic regressions were constructed to examine associations between shifts in the PA modalities and the COM‐B components. Results: The majority of respondents (57%) had either maintained or increased their levels of PA during the COVID‐19 lockdown. However, the proportion meeting PA guidelines (31%) was low and engagement in sedentary‐related behaviour for both work and leisure increased substantially during the lockdown. The components of the COM‐B model were associated with shifts in PA. In particular, physical opportunity (odds ratios ranging from 1.14 to 1.20) and reflective motivation (odds ratios ranging from 1.11 to 1.25) appeared to be the most consistent predictors of behaviour. Conclusions: If UK adults believed they had the physical opportunity and were motivated, they were more likely to have maintained or increased their PA during the COVID‐19 lockdown. However, the majority of adults are not meeting the UK guidelines on PA and the prevalence of PA is substantially lower than national surveys prior to the pandemic.
(Edited publisher abstract)
...for future pandemics. We found that the pandemic has harmed people's physical and mental health and worsened health inequalities: poor population health and worsening health inequalities before the pandemic made the UK's experience of COVID-19 worse; opportunities had been missed before the pandemic to improve population health and address health inequalities; by July 2022, more than 200,000 people had
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report looks at the impact of the pandemic on population health and health inequalities in the UK. It discusses how the pandemic has affected the nation's physical and mental health, as well as social determinants of health such as education and employment. A call for evidence survey was conducted to set out the experience of the medical profession during the pandemic and to learn lessons for future pandemics. We found that the pandemic has harmed people's physical and mental health and worsened health inequalities: poor population health and worsening health inequalities before the pandemic made the UK's experience of COVID-19 worse; opportunities had been missed before the pandemic to improve population health and address health inequalities; by July 2022, more than 200,000 people had lost their lives, while millions have seen their quality of life affected by long COVID; many people have also reported poorer mental health because of the pandemic; however, none of this has been felt equally, with ethnicity, age, disability status, and other factors meaning some social groups have been more affected than others; the pandemic also affected the social determinants of health - as workplaces and schools closed, and business stalled, people's financial security and future career prospects were threatened and those already struggling before the pandemic were often worse affected. The report argues that we must learn from the positive developments during the pandemic such as the speedy development, approval, and NHS-led roll out of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the hugely effective schemes to house rough sleepers - although there has been variability as to how well both programmes have been sustained and benefited their target population.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, health inequalities, socioeconomic groups, poverty, ethnicity, older people, black and minority ethnic people, disabilities;
...of COVID-19 on health services may have reduced staff ability to make sure they are being recorded appropriately. Systems with higher rates of not known and not stated will not be able to effectively understand, and in turn address, inequalities in the care being provided.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This monthly report looks at data on staff vacancies in care homes, and the quality of ethnicity data recording for mental health services. The care home staff vacancy rate has continued to steadily increase throughout 2021 in England. The rate nearly doubled from 6% at the end of April, to 11.5% at the end of December 2021. The quarter 3 figures show that the south generally has higher care home staff vacancy rates than the north. The regions with vacancy rates higher than the England average are the South East, the South West, the East of England and London, whereas the regions with lower than average rates are the Midlands, the North East and Yorkshire and the North West. The analysis of the quality of ethnicity coding for mental health services who report to the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS) reveals that there was a substantial and growing proportion of patients whose ethnicity was recorded as ‘not known’ and ‘not stated’. In the most recent month analysed (May 2021), the ethnicity of nearly one in six patients (15.2%) was recorded under these categories. It is not clear why these categories have increasingly been reported. It is possible that the unprecedented demands of COVID-19 on health services may have reduced staff ability to make sure they are being recorded appropriately. Systems with higher rates of not known and not stated will not be able to effectively understand, and in turn address, inequalities in the care being provided.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
care homes, staffing levels, staff retention, recruitment, ethnicity, data collection, black and minority ethnic people, health inequalities;
This insight report looks at data on death notifications involving COVID-19 received from individual care homes; infection prevention and control (IPC) in NHS trusts and how risks can build into a closed culture. Data on the number of death notifications involving COVID-19 of care home residents across regions of England is presented alongside government data on all COVID-19 deaths, so...
(Edited publisher abstract)
This insight report looks at data on death notifications involving COVID-19 received from individual care homes; infection prevention and control (IPC) in NHS trusts and how risks can build into a closed culture. Data on the number of death notifications involving COVID-19 of care home residents across regions of England is presented alongside government data on all COVID-19 deaths, so that people can view care home deaths against deaths in the wider community (which include deaths of care home residents) to help understand the wider impact of COVID-19 in their areas. Data is also presented on death notification of people detained under the Mental Health Act and of people in services caring for peoplewith a learning disability or autistic people. Learning from unannounced inspections within acute NHS services to monitor IPC highlighted that good IPC practices have been implemented in most trusts inspected. They have adapted existing guidance and processes to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of staff and patients. Common features of closed cultures included: incidents of abuse and restrictive practice; issues with staff competence and training; cover-up culture; lack of leadership and management oversight; poor-quality care; and poor-quality reporting.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Initial findings from a provider collaboration review exploring the care for people with a learning disability who live in the community, and what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them and the services they receive. Many of the issues emerging from review are not new. In a lot of cases, the pandemic has simply served to shine a light on pre-existing challenges, gaps and poor-quality care
(Edited publisher abstract)
Initial findings from a provider collaboration review exploring the care for people with a learning disability who live in the community, and what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them and the services they receive. Many of the issues emerging from review are not new. In a lot of cases, the pandemic has simply served to shine a light on pre-existing challenges, gaps and poor-quality care. There are some approaches to care delivery that can provide people with the care that they need, in a way that enables them to lead their best lives. For example: giving people choice, control and independence; access to the right care and support at the right time; and collaboration between services, and with the person and their families. The findings of this provider collaboration review support our wider ambitions to improve our regulation of services for people with a learning disability and autistic people. The document also updates data on: the number of deaths of people in care homes; and the number of deaths of people detained under the Mental Health Act.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, service provision, regulation, integrated care, access to services, quality assurance, joint working;
This monthly report looks at the impact of the pandemic on access to dental services, and gives examples of the innovative ways that local services have collaborated to care for people with cancer, or suspected cancer. The report examines the findings from CQC analysis of how dental practices have managed and supported people to access appropriate treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples
(Edited publisher abstract)
This monthly report looks at the impact of the pandemic on access to dental services, and gives examples of the innovative ways that local services have collaborated to care for people with cancer, or suspected cancer. The report examines the findings from CQC analysis of how dental practices have managed and supported people to access appropriate treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of the innovation and positive ways in which services in local areas have worked collaboratively to care for people with cancer, or suspected cancer, focus on: engaging with local communities; innovation and collaboration in the community; and recovery. The report also provides up to date data on: the number of deaths of people in care homes; and the number of deaths of people detained under the Mental Health Act.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, integrated care, collaboration, mortality, service provision, cancer, health care, care homes, mental health services;