Working out what works workbook

DH has published another output from its Health Inequalities National Support Team programme: A Generic Diagnostic Framework for Addressing Inequalities in Outcome at Population Level from Evidence-based Interventions which is designed to help commissioners and others assess how services work as regards inequalities and how to deal with the gaps. The workbook, is distilled from the work of each of the specialist NSTs, can be used in a workshop context and could be useful for Joint Strategic Needs Assessment or Health and Wellbeing Strategy development.

Childcare support

More on how to offer families benefits more effectively. Last month's OECD report on child poverty suggested that the general approach taken by Nordic countries to offer benefits in kind (particularly childcare) rather than in cash tends to work better. The Department for Education has just published reports on its childcare costs affordability pilots, an attempt by DfE and HMRC (under the previous government) to assess how far childcare costs are a barrier to parents getting back to work. Two of the pilot projects, which were conducted in London, were brought to an early close as part of the Government's spending cuts. There are reports on the three strands: the 100% costs pilot, the actual costs pilot and the disabled children's pilot. The Daycare Trust responds positively to the reports' findings and calls on the government to reconsider its recent cut in levels of childcare costs covered in the tax credit system (down from 80% to 70%).

Drug and alcohol round-up

From the Department for Education, a cost benefit analysis of specialist drug and alcohol services for young people. Key findings from the Alcohol Harm Reduction National Support Team visits up to the end of the programme in March this year focus substantially on organisational and leadership aspects with emphasis on design of services, integration and assessment. The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health includes a study on the ethnic density effect on alcohol use amongs ethnic minority people in the UK.

Migrant health

Local Government Improvement and Development has issued guidance on how to include migrants in Joint Strategic Needs Assessments. More good practice emerges from a survey of healthcare professionals who work with migrants in 16 European countries. A qualitiative study from the Netherlands looks at negative health care experiences amongst immigrants using hospital services. Being an immigrant in a high-income country is a serious risk factor for mental health problems, a team from Sweden has confirmed, adding that refugee status for women increases that risk.

UK child poverty snakes and ladders

The improvements in child poverty levels made by the UK prior to the global financial crisis could well be reversed under present circumstances, a report from the OECD suggests. In its survey of family wellbeing across OECD countries, the thinktank shows that UK child poverty levels fell more than any other OECD country, from 17.5% in 1995 to 10.5% in 2005, below the OECD average of 12.7% . Between 2003 and 2007, UK government spending on families was higher than most of its peers. However, the OECD warns that cutting back on early years services could threaten this progress, as it limits the ability of parents to get back into work. Childcare costs are one of the biggest barriers, the OECD argues, but not the only factor. Interviewed in the Guardian, one of the report's authors also suggested that how the government spends is as important as how much, comparing the UK with Nordic countries' child poverty interventions and outcomes, where "in kind" support (such as childcare) rather than direct financial support tends to be the preferred option.

Beside the seaside

The Department of Communities and Local Government has published a useful benchmarking report on smaller seaside towns, comparing data with regional and rural as well as national figures. This follows an earlier report on larger seaside towns and covers towns with a population of up to 10 000.

Diabetes care

Ethnicity disparities in diabetes management are starting to be addressed effectively, according to a study of patients with diabetes in North West London. The study's authors conclude that, along with specific attendtion being paid to South Asian groups, all ethnic groups in the population benefit from recent quality improvement measures. A systematic review of physical activity and dietary interventions for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes found that the most effective interventions were associated with higher levels of contact frequency and certain types of behaviour change techniques (goal-setting, self-monitoring)