Themed Reviews

Download the PDF  Foreword The last thirty years has seen big changes in health and social care to support people with learning disabilities. This includes a move from long-stay hospitals to supporting more people to live well in the community. But it is not easy – and we still have a long way to go ...

Health and Care services for people with learning disabilities Easy read summary     This Report is about research into learning disabilities. This research was paid for by the National Institute for Health Research. This is the Easy Read Summary. There is more information in the full report.       Contents Why is this report ...

Summary Both staff and patients want feedback from patients about the care to be heard and acted upon and the NHS has clear policies to encourage this. Doing this in practice is, however, complex and challenging. This report features nine new research studies about using patient experience data in the NHS.  These show what organisations ...

The NIHR physical activity evidence review will be an invaluable tool to anyone working in practice or policy. Evidence should be one of the key building blocks for any decisions. It helps decision makers determine what works and what doesn’t, what should be commissioned and prioritised, and (equally important) what should be stopped. The beauty ...

Download the PDF Summary The nature of patient needs and ward activity  is changing. Inpatients tend to be more ill than they used to be, many with complex needs often arising from multiple long-term conditions. At the same time, hospitals face the challenges of a shortage and high turnover of registered nurses. This review presents ...

Download PDF  Summary More people are living longer with complex conditions and needs. Technology can help people to stay living well and safely at home as they get older. But technology is changing rapidly and it can be challenging to get the right technology for the right person with the right support. There has been ...

Musculoskeletal problems are the leading cause of pain and disability in the UK. Characterised by pain and loss of function, these conditions can diminish quality of life, impact on family and social relationships, make everyday activities difficult and limit a person’s capacity to work. Physiotherapy is important for preventing and reducing the negative impacts of musculoskeletal conditions. Moving Forward provides an overview of research ...

Severe mental illness (SMI) affects somewhere between one in one hundred and one in two hundred adults. People with severe mental illness, like schizophrenia, psychosis or bipolar disorder, often experience poorer health and, as a result, die sooner than others. Psychotic illnesses can have a profound effect on people and their families, and appropriate and ...

People are living longer and many are enjoying healthy lives. However, a significant percentage of older people are particularly vulnerable to even relatively minor changes in their circumstances, and so need particular attention when admitted to a hospital. Comprehensive Care looks at the concept of ‘frailty’ in older people living in hospital. It brings together NIHR ...

There are more than twice as many people living in care homes in England and Wales, than there are people staying in hospital. Yet we know far more about effective treatments in hospital and less about what works most effectively to improve care for older people in care homes. Research in care homes is a ...

Stroke is a devastating disease affecting many people as well as being an area of substantial health and care spend. It represents around 5% of total NHS costs and is the fourth largest cause of death in the UK. Recent years have seen huge improvements in the clinical management of people with stroke with early assessment, use of thrombolysis ...

Being healthy is the best start to pregnancy for a woman and child. Preparing for pregnancy can focus attention on health, such as eating a healthy balanced diet or losing excess weight, as well as avoiding risks from smoking, alcohol and drug use. Ensuring the best care for long-term physical and mental health conditions is important for a healthy ...

Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition. It doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, is the most common reason for severe kidney disease and is the second most common cause of blindness in working age adults. The disease is a major public health challenge, with many people not knowing they have diabetes and many more ...

The role and the scope of ambulance services has changed radically over recent decades. The ambulance service is now expected to provide complete pre-hospital care. The majority of 999 calls are not traffic accidents or heart attacks. More typically, calls involve people with complex and ongoing health problems experiencing a crisis. This could be an ...

Helping people to die with dignity, compassion and comfort is an important goal of any health service. Recent accounts have provided rich insights into some of the challenges for healthcare professionals trying to meet the needs of people at the end of life, ranging from reports of inequalities in access to specialist palliative care to skills and ...