ABOUT THIS EPISODE
“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.”
– Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath (1952)
Things in the library The Knowledge and Library Hub has had a makeover!You may have noticed that the Knowledge and Library Hub has changed a bit – while it still works in the same way, it has been given a shiny new interface! See the sidebar on the left for useful links and your user dashboard. We’ve also added some custom links for our Trust’s staff – these are in our own library colours, and link to useful forms and resources, such as the literature search request form and the library catalogue. If you need any help using the new Hub, drop by or send us an email!
Our new Knowledge and Library Hub, featuring our custom links in our library colours! Connect with us on social media!The library is on an array of social media platforms, including Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, and our newest venture, Instagram. Each one serves a different purpose:
- On Bluesky, you’ll find a stream of updates on new research, news, policies and more relevant to paediatrics as they’re released, as well as library updates
- On LinkedIn, you’ll see posts celebrating our Trust’s research output
- On YouTube, you’re able to view training videos in your own time on topics including reference management and finding full-text articles (this is still in development!)
- On Instagram, we will be posting visual content including library updates, new books, and short, informative reels to supplement library training programmes
Follow us on one (or all!) of these to engage with us and stay up to date.
This month’s reading group bookThis month’s book is Orbital by Samantha Harvey. The winner of last year’s Booker Prize, it tells the story of a group of astronauts orbiting the Earth in a spacecraft; when news reaches them of the death of one crewmember’s mother, it prompts them to reflect on humanity and its relationship with the Earth. The meeting will take place in person and on Teams on Wednesday 27 August; contact the library to join.
This month’s pick is The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford. A comedic coming-of-age story, it follows a group of aristocratic sisters trying to find love in the fractious period between the First and Second World Wars. First published in 1945, it celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. Find this, and other modern classics, in the leisure reading section of the library.
Following are a selection of awareness days and events happening in the coming month:
- National Road Victim Month – founded in 1998 by RoadPeace, this is an event to highlight the number of people killed on UK roads every year, and remember and support road crash victims and their families.
- World Breastfeeding Week – running from 1-7 August, this week focuses on supporting women and babies around the world in their breastfeeding journey and making sure they have access to support and information.
- International Youth Day – held on 12 August, this is a day to celebrate the power of young people worldwide in driving change.
A new briefing from the Child Poverty Action Group and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health lays bare the impacts of rising child poverty on children’s health, according to professionals working within the NHS. Drawing on survey responses from 371 paediatricians in the UK, findings include the alarming statistic that 99% of respondents feel child poverty is contributing to ill health among the children they treat.
Joe Wicks joins forces with the government to get children movingIn partnership with the UK government, Joe Wicks is presenting a new series of videos on YouTube aimed to get children moving in short, 5-minute bursts. The series, featuring Wicks as an animated character accompanied by a team of characters known as ‘Activators’, features upbeat music and easy-to-follow exercises. Episodes are to be released weekly during the summer holidays, continuing into the new school year.
Premature babies to be vaccinated against RSVFrom September, thousands of premature babies at risk of respiratory syncytial virus will be eligible to receive a dose of nirsevimab. The vaccination will be available to babies born before 32 weeks, as they are more vulnerable to infections such as RSV. A single dose of nirsevimab will provide up to six months’ protection, and is shown to be more than 80% effective.
Briefing: Understanding recent trends in young people’s mental healthA new briefing from Youth Futures Foundation examines the drivers of a recent trend showing a decrease in young people’s mental health. Likely contributors to this are suggested, including worsening sleep quality, lack of stability in employment, the ubiquity of social media and smartphones, and a reduction in services for children and young people. The briefing also includes suggestions for policymakers to tackle this worrying trend.
Proportion of young people aged 14-24 in England with a presentation to primary care for a mental health problem, 2000-2023. Source: Youth Futures Foundation New recommendations for PAs and AAsFollowing the recent publication of the Leng review, looking at physician associates, NHS England has released a series of recommendations for trusts to implement immediately. This includes an update to titles, with the two professions formerly known as ‘physician associate’ and ‘anaesthesia associate’ now known as ‘physician assistant’ and ‘physician assistant in anaesthesia’, respectively. PAs entering employment in primary care must also have completed at least 2 years’ employment in a secondary care setting; those working in primary care must not triage patients or see or treat undifferentiated patients.
The rise of nicotine pouches, or ‘snus’, among teensDentists and other professionals working with children are reporting a rise in the numbers of young people using nicotine pouches, or ‘snus’, to get a concentrated hit of nicotine. The pouches, which are not subject to age restrictions in the UK, can contain anywhere from 1.5mg to 150mg of nicotine; like vapes, they come in a variety of flavours. Dentists are reporting damage to gums in some users; one young user was quoted as saying he had “peeled half [his] gum off”.
Update on global childhood vaccination ratesThe World Health Organization and UNICEF have released global immunization coverage data for the previous year, showing that 89% of infants around the world received at least one dose of the vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. However, over 14 million have missed out on this vaccination altogether; children might remain unvaccinated due to a range of factors, including limited access to these services, war and conflict, and misinformation around vaccination.
Report: Palliative and end-of-life care for childrenA new report from the National Child Mortality Database analyses deaths of infants, children, and young people with life-limiting conditions and palliative and end-of-life care needs. It looks at the characteristics of children who die with life-limiting conditions and makes recommendations for improving care services for these patients. It also includes stories from the families of children who have died with such conditions, discussing their memories of their children and the quality of the care they received.
Things around Sheffield Tramlines is this weekend!This weekend, Hillsborough Park will once again play host to the Tramlines Festival! You can see the line-up here – alternatively, if you’re in the city centre, you can visit Devonshire Green for the Fringe at Tramlines. Other venues around the city are also hosting their own Fringe line-ups.
Source: Sheffield Cathedral Dinosaurs take over Sheffield CathedralPerfect for if you need to occupy children during the summer holidays, from 21 July until 4 August, DINOTRAIL is on at Sheffield Cathedral. A self-guided dinosaur hunt, participants are encouraged to follow the clues to uncover the dinosaurs and claim their prize. No advance booking needed, and only £2 per child.
Joe Scarborough retrospective exhibitionFrom 28 July to 19 September, Showroom Cinema Workstation is showing a retrospective exhibition of over 60 years of paintings by Sheffield artist Joe Scarborough. The works feature Sheffield scenes over the years, with characters making recurrent appearances in different pieces.
Recipe of the month Source: Good FoodThis recipe for apple crumble is exceptionally simple but has become a repeat request from my partner. It reminds me of food tech classes at school, where a fruit crumble was the first thing we were taught to make – probably because it’s near impossible to mess up! We have it with vanilla ice cream; other alternatives include double cream or custard.
Next monthSeptember’s post will be published on Friday 29 August – keep an eye out for it then!
