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 Contents

  1. NHS Choices - Learning how to survive exams
  2. Fit over Fifty - Open Day
  3. Improving Mental Health Services for Deaf people
  4. Latest Care Quality Commission Report
  5. New Standards for Pharmacy Professionals
  6. Health App of the Week - One You Days Off

NHS Choices - Learning how to survive exams

Getting through exams can be a challenge, but try not to panic. There are ways to beat exam stress and make sure you get the best possible results.
Video: how to cope with exams
Revision tips
It sounds obvious, but revision really is the key to exam success. Being well prepared for your exams is the best way to overcome stress and anxiety, and gives you the best chance of getting the best grades you can.
Before you start revising, the amount of work you have to do can seem overwhelming. You may have to study for lots of different subjects at once, and it's easy to feel daunted.
Make a realistic revision schedule. Work out how much you have to do and the time you have to do it in, then break it down into manageable chunks. Aim to do a few hours of revision each day, and mix up your subjects so you don't get bored.
Find a revision style that suits you. Studying alone in a quiet room suits some people, but not everyone likes working in silence. Try playing music quietly in the background, or revising with a friend (but don't let them distract you!).
Customise your notes to make them more personal. Experiment with colour coding, notes on postcards, diagrams or whatever helps you learn your topic.
Make sure you understand everything. If you come across something you don't understand, try to find a new source of information that will help you understand it. Just memorising it won't help you in your exam. Don't be afraid to ask your teacher or a friend for help if you need it.
Look at past exam papers. It means you can familiarise yourself with the layout and type of questions you'll be asked. Practise completing exam papers in the set time limit to improve your exam technique.
Get some rest and relaxation
Revision is an important part of exam success, but it's also important that you don't overdo it. Studying for hours and hours will only make you tired and ruin your concentration, which may make you even more anxious.
Stress is a natural feeling that's designed to help us cope in difficult situations. In small amounts, it's good for you because it pushes you to work hard and do your very best.
But too much stress can cause headaches and other problems. Taking regular short breaks while you're working may help. A break every 45 to 60 minutes is about right.
During your breaks, do something relaxing, such as reading a book or going for a short walk. Taking your mind off your work will help you come back to it feeling refreshed. It can also help if you reward yourself after each revision session. For example, you could take a long bath or watch a good DVD.   
When you're not revising, use your spare time to get away from your books and do something physical. Exercise is good for taking your mind off stress and keeping you positive, and it will help you sleep better.
If you're still feeling stressed, it's important to talk to someone you trust, such as a family member, teacher or a friend. Many people find exams difficult to deal with, so don't be embarrassed to ask for support.
How to handle exam days
It's natural to be nervous on exam days, but don't let your nerves take over. Start the day with a good breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam hall. Remember to take everything you need, including pencils, pens and a calculator. A bottle of water and some tissues are also useful.
Once the exam has started, take a few minutes to read the instructions and questions so you know exactly what's expected of you. Ask an exam supervisor if anything is unclear – they're there to help you.
Plan how much time you'll need for each question. Don't panic if you get stuck on a question, but try to leave yourself enough time at the end to come back to it. Even if you're really stumped, an educated guess is better than leaving it blank.
When the exam is over, don't spend too much time going over it in your head or worrying about it. Resist the temptation to compare your answers with those of your friends. If you have more exams to come, focus on the next one instead.

 

Fit over Fifty - Open Day

If you work with people over the age of 50 in a professional or voluntary capacity or are over 50 yourself and would like to know more about Fit Over Fifty, then you are invited to come along to their open day:
Tuesday, 6th June, 12pm - 3pm, at St Andrews House Medical Centre, 
2 Waterloo Rd, Stalybridge, SK15 2AU for a chat and a cuppa!
Fit Over Fifty will be on hand to tell you more about its expansion plans. The social enterprise wants to find out about your group / organisation and how it can work with you to help support the needs of older people.
Fit Over Fifty is a local not-for-profit community interest group that is now offering more support for people over the age of 50 living in Tameside. The organisation has been supplying a chaperone service and chair based exercise clubs in and around Tameside for over four years, but due to demand it is now providing more support. Amongst the new services on offer are bereavement support, help with participating in hobbies, hospital aftercare, light cooking and day to day domestic support.
Please let Fit Over Fifty know if you will be popping in for a chat on 0800 061 4151 or email office@fitoverfifty.org.

Improving Mental Health Services for Deaf people

The Royal College of Psychiatrists and Deaf charity SignHealth have published guidance to improve mental health services for Deaf people.http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/default.aspx?page=18468
As many as two in three Deaf people in the UK struggle with mental health problems, but most find it too difficult to access psychological therapy.
The difficulties Deaf people face when seeking mental health help are often misunderstood and it is frequently assumed that booking an interpreter is enough. This does not work for most deaf people and can often make mental health treatments less effective.
The guide’s recommendations, namely that Deaf people should be able to access a therapist fluent in sign language, have potential to make a significant change to the mental health of many Deaf people.
Ten key messages for commissioners of mental health services for Deaf people:
1.Deaf people find it difficult to access healthcare, face communication barriers and consequently, have poorer mental and physical health than the rest of the population.
2.Everyone who uses mental health services should have equitable access to effective interventions, and equitable experiences and outcomes. Under the Equality Act 2010 deaf people are included as having ‘protected characteristics’.
3.Due to their unique life experiences, Deaf people require different primary mental health care. Commissioners should commission appropriate cultural and linguistic provisions when planning services for Deaf people.
4.Psychological therapy in British Sign Language (BSL) is as cost effective, if not more so, than a hearing therapist using a BSL/English interpreter.
5.Deaf people should be able to choose to receive primary care psychological therapy services in BSL directly from a BSL practitioner, without needing a sign language interpreter, if that is their choice.
6.A comprehensive commissioning strategy is required to enable an appropriate BSL psychological therapy service to be available.
7.Commissioners need to ensure that Deaf people have a clear care pathway that is equitable to the general population.
8.Commissioners need to include Deaf professionals in their workforce planning strategy.
9.Deaf people need to be involved with the ongoing development of Deaf primary care mental health services.
10.Where services are commissioned that require sign language interpretation, commissioners must ensure the provision of interpreters is of high a standard, as highlighted in NHS England’s Quality standards based on the Principles for High Quality Interpreting and Translation Services in Primary Care 2016.

Latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) Report

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England.
They make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and they encourage care services to improve. Whenever a report of an inspection is published, Healthwatch Tameside receive an email listing those in our area.   
We will put these into an ebulletin with links to the full reports.
This week, reports have been published regarding an inspection at:

New Standards for Pharmacy Professionals

The General Pharmaceutical Council regulates pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and registered pharmacies in Great Britain.
They have brought out new standards pharmacy professionals which come into effect today.
These are the core standards that all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Great Britain will have to meet to ensure that people using pharmacy services receive safe and effective care and to uphold public trust and confidence in pharmacy.
Over the past two years they have engaged with thousands of pharmacy professionals, professional bodies, stakeholders and members of the public in an effort to review and update the standards.
Based on the feedback they received, they have developed nine new standards for pharmacy professionals.
All pharmacy professionals contribute to delivering and improving the health,safety and wellbeing of patients and
the public. Professionalism and safe and effective practice are central to that role.
Pharmacy professionals must:
1. provide person-centred care
2. work in partnership with others
3. communicate effectively
4. maintain, develop and use their professional
knowledge and skills
5. use professional judgement
6. behave in a professional manner
7. respect and maintain the person’s
confidentiality and privacy
8. speak up when they have concerns or when
things go wrong
9. demonstrate leadership
For full report click here new standards for pharmacy professionals
Watch their video to find out about the key themes in the new standards

Health App of the week - One You Days Off


*Please note that Healthwatch Tameside does not endorse the applications mentioned in this eBulletin. We simply provide information to allow you to make an informed decision whether it would be an application which may be beneficial.*
Developers Description
The One You Days Off app is a simple and easy way to track the days you drink alcohol and the days you don't.

Feel healthier, lose weight and save money – simply nominate days to take off drinking and get practical, daily support to help you stick to it.

Read more and download the apps at https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/apps#7KttTlYlkVfOZXW1.99
 

@HealthwatchTame


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