New Documents Bulletin

ABOUT THIS BLOG

2009-12-09T14:56:00.000Z

This bulletin highlights recently produced documents that have appeared on websites. The aim is to trawl the web and produce a fortnightly review of what is found (coverage may not be comprehensive). If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this Bulletin, please send an email to library.pct@sthk.nhs.uk. All links are correct at time of publishing. Some documents are large and may take time to open so please be patient when waiting for links to open. If a link is incorrect please email me and I will correct the link and send you the document.

For those that are receiving this through an email or through a third party you can view the original Bulletin at http://www.newdocumentsbulletin.blogspot.com/ and also sign up to receive the Bulletin by RSS.

ACTS/BILLS

2009-12-09T14:55:00.000Z

Personal Care at Home Bill 2009-10 (25th November 2009)
This Bill was presented to Parliament today. The Bill will provide for those with the greatest care needs to be offered free personal care at home.
Bill

ACUTE TRUSTS

2009-12-09T14:54:00.000Z

The Hospital Guide 2009 (29th November 2009)
The Hospital Guide highlights some dramatic improvements in the NHS but also serious concern about the variations between hospitals. This year’s Hospital guide focuses on safety and previews Dr Foster quality accounts.
Publication

ALCOHOL

2009-12-09T14:53:00.000Z

Understanding college students' alcohol-related social norms in Sefton: Interim Findings (30th November 2009)
This report builds on previous research conducted in schools in Sefton into social drinking norms in young people.

The survey results showed that 97.3% of respondents had consumed alcohol. Their motivations to drink alcohol were:

pressure from friends (12.4%)
celebrate special occasions (95%)
it was fun (79%)
to get drunk (62%)
to cheer themselves up (49%)
to feel more confident (44%)
to forget their worries (30%)

Report

Lancashire: Brief Intervention Online Training Evaluation - Final Report (30th November 2009)
This report, by Centre for Public Health, evaluates the online training programme that NHS Central Lancashire commissioned DeltaNet International Limited to construct, on the theory and practice of delivering brief interventions (BIs) that aimed to reach a wide audience.

The two central recommendations are:
Commissioners and/or DeltaNet International Limited should examine the IT systems used to house the program and make recommendations to the participants regarding the technical specifications of equipment and basic computing skills required.
Commissioners should examine whether the profile of the participants who took part matched the intended target audience as many participants found the material basic.
Report

Impact of Alcohol in Greater Manchester, quarter one: September 2009/10 (30th November 2009)
This report identifies available alcohol intelligence from across Greater Manchester. The data are separated into six categories:
consumption
health related impacts of alcohol
crime
young people, and
examples of interventions to tackle excessive alcohol consumption
Report

Why do people drink at home? An exploration of the perceptions of adult home consumption practice (November 2009)
The first Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (The Prime Ministers Strategy Unit 2004) made no mention of the challenges posed by drinking away from licensed premises. However the most recent strategy (Home Office 2007) recognises that home drinkers do present a significant health burden.

This report uses a qualitative methodology to examine some of the reasons put forward by male and female participants age range 15-75 for drinking away from licensed premises. The authors are defining an adult as 16 and above. This is the age when it is legal to drink alcohol accompanied by a meal.
Final Report
Related Insight No. 68

ANNUAL REPORT

2009-12-09T14:52:00.000Z

DH International annual report 2008-09 (3rd December 2009)
DH International is the specialist team supporting health initiatives overseas, working in partnership with all major stakeholders. DH International sits within the Department of Health's International Division, which has overall responsibility for the strategic direction of the Department's global and EU business.
Annual Report

Cancer reform strategy: achieving local implementation - second annual report (1st December 2009)
In the second annual report of the Cancer Reform Strategy, Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, sets out the progress made in implementing the strategy since its publication in December 2007. As with the first annual report, this report covers a wide range of actions that were set out in the strategy, highlighting areas of particular progress and setting out a range of priorities for the future. This report also provides detailed information on meeting local progress, especially regarding standards which should now have been met.
Annual Report

BLOOD

2009-12-09T14:51:00.000Z

Emergency planning: development of an integrated plan for the management of blood shortages (25th November 2009)
This paper updates the integrated plan for blood shortages released in 2004 and the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) external document ESD/PCS/HL/001/012 released in January 2005. The original plan was prepared by the Chief Medical Officers National Blood Transfusion Committees (NBTC) subgroup on contingency planning, and lists actions to be taken by both NHSBT, then the National Blood Service, and hospitals in the event of a potential or actual red cell shortage.
Paper

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

2009-12-09T14:50:00.000Z

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 47 (27th November 2009)

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 48 (4th December 2009)

Telecare eNewsletter November 2009 (3rd December 2009)

National Mental Health Development Unit Briefing - Issue 2, December 2009 (December 2009)

National Cancer Programme Bulletin, Issue 2, December 2009 (9th December 2009)

AHP Bulletin, Issue 74, November 2009 (27th November 2009)

CDO update, December 2009 (8th December 2009)

CNO Bulletin, Issue 83, November 2009 (1st December 2009)

Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin, edition 57 (December 2009)

Medical directors' bulletin, Issue 98, November 2009 (30th November 2009)

CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

2009-12-09T14:49:00.000Z

Performance judgements for adult social services (3rd December 2009)
The Care Quality Commission has praised improvements in adult social care but called for a renewed effort to eliminate poor quality services.
The main findings are:

95% of local authorities are performing either excellently or well in their commissioning of adult social care (compared to 87% in the previous year).
One quarter of councils are rated only adequate in terms of giving people choice and control over their care.
A third of councils must do more to care for people with dignity and respect.
77% of care homes, home care agencies, nursing agencies and shared lives schemes are rated excellent or good (compared to 69% in 2008).
Around 400 regulated adult social care services are rated as poor and 3,500 as adequate.
In care homes for older people, a fifth fail to meet the standard on social contact and activities.

Reports

Guidance on meeting new essential standards of quality and safety (8th December 2009)
The Care Quality Commission is today launching guidance for all health and adult social care providers on meeting new essential standards of quality and safety that will apply across the care sector.

Providers must show they are meeting essential standards as part of a new registration system which focuses on people rather than policies, on outcomes rather than systems.
Guidance

Oneplace for an independent overview of local public services (9th December 2009)
A new website for Comprehensive Area Assessment has been launched. Oneplace is for those who pay for local services, those who provide them and those who use them.
Resource

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

2009-12-09T14:48:00.000Z

Click Clever, Click Safe. The first UK Child Internet Safety Strategy (8th December 2009)
A coalition of Government, industry and charities will today launch the first UK internet safety strategy to help children and young people stay safe online. The strategy, drawn up by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), will be launched at the first UKCCIS Summit today in London.
Press Release
Strategy
Other Documents from the Summit

Staying Safe Survey 2009 - Children and Parents' Attitudes around Internet Safety (8th December 2009)
The Staying Safe Survey is the Department for Children, Schools and Families; new tracking survey of young people and parents' attitudes and confidence around a number of safety issues. The results in this report were commissioned specifically to inform their work on child internet safety.
Report

CHOOSE AND BOOK

2009-12-09T14:47:00.000Z

Responsibilities and operational requirements for the correct use of choose and book (8th December 2009)
This guidance helps organisations to understand the importance of using Choose and Book correctly to ensure that all patients wherever they are in England experience the same high quality access to NHS care.
Guidance

COMMISSIONING

2009-12-09T14:46:00.000Z

World Class Commissioning for the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities (25th November 2009)
Recent inquiries have demonstrated the health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities; and the reasonable adjustments needed to overcome them. This is a practical guide to support commissioners to meet the needs of this group, and ensure they are fulfilling their duty to promote equality.
Publication

The Commissioning Friend for Mental Health Services. A guide for health and social care commissioners (2nd December 2009)
This guide, published by Commissioning Support for London and the National Mental Health Development Unit, covers mental health services across England and will act as a useful reference tool on key issues to support commissioners to carry out their day to day work.
Guide

How to use NICE guidance to commission high quality services (3rd December 2009)
A new guide has been launched at the NICE conference which explains how NICE guidance supports the commissioning of high quality services and describes how the guidance can be used throughout the commissioning cycle.
Guide

Commissioning for quality (2nd December 2009)
Primary care trusts (PCTs) have two key roles as commissioners: to drive up the quality of care as advocates for patients; and to drive efficiency and productivity as custodians for the taxpayer.

The NHS Confederations recent discussion paper, Commissioning in a cold climate, considered what commissioners need to do to prepare their health economies for the financial challenges now facing the NHS.

This paper focuses on commissioners' other key role: acting on behalf of the populations they serve to ensure local healthcare services are safe, effective and accessible and that quality of care in and patients’ experience of the NHS continues to improve.
Paper

A commissioner's guide to service user involvement in the re-commissioning of day and vocational services for people with mental health conditions (1st December 2009)
This is a concise guide for health and social care commissioners on how to involve people with direct experience of using mental health services in the re-commissioning of day and vocational services. It is based on the experiences of commissioners and service users who collaborated on re-designing and modernising local services.
Guide

Resources to support commissioners of services for women and girls who are victims of violence (December 2009)
NHS Primary Care Commissioning have a new web page to support commissioners of services for women and girls who are victims of violence.
Resources

PBC Connection - what's new (26th November 2009)
New resources, including Commissioning for COPD, have been added to the PBC Connection website to aid commissioners.
Resources

COMMUNITY SAFETY

2009-12-09T14:45:00.001Z

Healthy children, safer communities - a strategy to promote the health and well-being of children and young people in contact with the youth justice system (8th December 2009)
This cross government strategy aims to help tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour, and contribute to community safety in England. It sets out a strategic approach to inform the work of the Healthy Children, Safer Communities Programme Board to fulfil the vision that children and young people will be safer, healthier and stay away from crime.
Strategy

COMMUNITY SERVICES

2009-12-09T14:44:00.000Z

Improving information for stakeholders: a report of a PCT and SHA working group to improve community information (2nd December 2009)
This report sets out the findings of a joint DH/SHA/PCT working group to improve community information. The report provides a framework for commissioners and providers to improve information on community services and include a number of case studies from NHS organisations.
Report

Quality framework for community services: directory of indicators. Draft version (1st December 2009)
This directory sets out a list of quality indicators that are currently being developed for publication. The Department is piloting these indicators at 23 sites and is looking to publish amendments or changes to these at the end of the year.
Publication

CONSULTATIONS

2009-12-09T14:43:00.000Z

Pharmacy in England: building on strengths - delivering the future - Draft regulations under the Health Act 2009: pharmaceutical needs assessments. Consultation document (1st December 2009)
Following consultation in Autumn 2008, two clauses were introduced in the Health Bill 2009 (now the Health Act 2009).

to require Primary Care Trusts to develop and publish pharmaceutical needs assessments (PNAs); and
then to use PNAs as the basis for determining market entry to NHS pharmaceutical services provision

In July 2009, a regulatory Advisory Group drawn from interested parties was set up, chaired by Paul Burns. The first set of draft regulations regarding PNAs have now been prepared by the Department of Health with assistance from the Group and are available for consultation.

Closing date for comments is 28th February 2010.
Consultation

A Consultation on proposals for the Innovation Pass pilot (28th November 2009)
In July the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) published the ‘Life Sciences Blueprint’ which announced a package of measures to help maintain a competitive life science sector. One of the initiatives announced in the blueprint was the introduction of an ‘Innovation Pass’.

This consultation seeks views from the NHS, industry and other stakeholders on the Government’s proposals for an Innovation Pass pilot. These proposals will be revised in light of comments received as part of this consultation and will be used to inform the first set of decisions for the pilot in 2010/1

Closing date for comments is 8th February 2010.
Consultation

Personal care at home: a consultation on proposals for regulations and guidance (25th November 2009)
A consultation document containing proposals for regulations and guidance made under the Personal Care At Home Bill has been published today. An impact assessment accompanying the consultation is also available. An easy read version will be available soon.

Although closing date for comments is 23rd February 2010, the Department of Health would like, if possible, comments to reach them by 26th January 2010.
Consultation

Provision of calorie labelling at point of choice in catering outlets (3rd December 2009)
The Food Standards Agency is seeking views on how a voluntary scheme to display calorie information on menus would work best in practice.

A calorie labelling scheme would help people make healthier choices when they are eating out, by letting them see the number of calories in the food and drink they order – whether they are in restaurants, coffee and sandwich shops, pubs, leisure attractions or staff restaurants.

Closing date for comments is 11th March 2010.
Press Release
Consultation

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

2009-12-09T14:42:00.000Z

Response to the consultation, and final guidance, to deal with nuisance and disturbance on NHS premises (30th November 2009)
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 provides a power to remove those causing a nuisance or disturbance on hospital premises in England.

This response to the consultation produces a final version of the guidance for the use of these powers, which gives NHS bodies a framework in which to use this legislation.
Consultation Response

Summary of Responses to the Consultation on the Additional Uses of Patient Data (30th November 2009)
This document reports the findings of the responses received from the: “Consultation on the Public’s, Patients’ and Other Interested Parties’ Views on Additional Uses of Patient Data”. The consultation, which was carried out on behalf of NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CFH), closed on 12 December 2008.
Responses

CONTROLLED DRUGS

2009-12-09T14:41:00.000Z

Safe management and use of controlled drugs (25th November 2009)
Letter highlighting the recommendations in the recently published annual report of the Care Quality Commission on the safer management of controlled drugs, and the responsibilities of trust Chief Executives to support their Accountable Officers in their day-to-day role in delivering these recommendations.
Information

DATA PROTECTION

2009-12-09T14:40:00.000Z

Guide to Data Protection (26th November 2009)
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has produced a new guide to handling personal information.

The Guide offers practical advice to those with day-to-day responsibility for data protection, taking a straight-forward look at the principles of the Data Protection Act, helping organisations safeguard personal data.
Press Release
Guide

DENTAL

2009-12-09T14:39:00.000Z

Local self-assessment audit for assessing implementation of HTM 01-05: decontamination in primary care dental practices and related infection prevention and control issues (1st December 2009)
The Department of Health and Infection Prevention Society (DH/IPS) audit tool has been produced jointly by the Department and the Infection Prevention Society to allow practices to assess their level of compliance with HTM 01-05. It will allow practices to identify areas where they need to improve the quality of the decontamination process to achieve essential quality requirements and best practice as identified in the guidance document.

The Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices is also available.
Audit Tool

DIET/NUTRITION

2009-12-09T14:38:00.000Z

Food Standards Agency's Strategy for 2010-2015 (7th December 2009)
Consumers should expect to be eating safer food and be choosing healthier and more balanced meals by 2015 as a result of the Food Standards Agency’s Strategy for 2010–2015, published today.

The five outcomes the Agency aims to deliver are:

food produced or sold in the UK is safe to eat
imported food is safe to eat
consumers understand about safe food and healthy eating, and have the information they need to make informed choices
food products and catering meals are healthier
regulation is effective, risk-based and proportionate, is clear about the responsibilities of food business operators and others, and protects consumers and their interests from fraud and other risks

Strategy

DISEASES AND DISORDERS

2009-12-09T14:37:00.000Z

Tuberculosis in the UK: Annual report on tuberculosis surveillance in the UK 2009 (2nd December 2009)
In 2008 in the UK, 8,655 cases of tuberculosis were reported, a rate of 14.1 per 100,000 population. This represents an increase of 2.2% in the rate of disease compared with 2007.

The main burden of disease was concentrated in major urban areas; 39% of cases were reported from London, a rate of 44.3 cases per 100,000. Nineteen primary care organisations had a rate of 40 per 100,000 or over, all of which covered major urban areas.
Report

DOCTORS

2009-12-09T14:36:00.000Z

An in depth investigation into causes of prescribing errors by foundation trainees in relation their medical education. EQUIP study (3rd December 2009)
Prescribing errors in hospitals could be reduced if a standardised prescription chart was introduced in all UK hospitals, according to research commissioned by the General Medical Council (GMC).

An in-depth study into the causes and prevalence of prescribing errors made by Foundation Year 1 doctors (first year foundation trainees) has found that prescription errors are not solely, or even primarily, a problem of the most junior trainees and that doctors at all levels, including consultants, make mistakes.

The five main targets for interventions to improve patient safety by minimising prescribing errors are:

clinical working environments
undergraduate medical education programmes
Foundation Year 1 education
Other parts of the medical education continuum
Interprofessional education

Press Release
Report

EDUCATION/SCHOOLS

2009-12-09T14:35:00.000Z

Carlisle's Lifestyle on the Road (2nd December 2009)
Carlisle's LifeStyle on the Road project provides public health and fitness provision to schools and the community. It uses a unique van for specialist coaches and fitness equipment to be transported to venues.
Information

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

2009-12-09T14:34:00.000Z

Getting On: Well-being in later life (1st December 2009)
There is a lively policy debate about later life, dominated by how to improve pensions and social care, and who will foot the bill. But there is much less information about people’s experiences of growing older: their quality of life, their expectations and their emotional wellbeing. ippr’s work on ‘the politics of ageing’ seeks to plug this gap, and, further, to place a clearer focus on inequalities in older people’s wellbeing.

This report sets out a wider agenda for policymakers and practitioners. It reviews UK policies for older people and international practice, as well as the priorities of older people in urban versus rural locations. It concludes with recommendations for action, which signal a fresh approach to later life and seek to challenge outdated assumptions.
Report

FINANCE

2009-12-09T14:33:00.000Z

The Quarter: quarter 2, 2009/10 (8th December 2009)
David Flory has released his second quarterly report of 2009/10, which details NHS finance and operational performance. It shows that the NHS has built on a strong start to 2009/10 by sustaining delivery on key priorities such as reducing waiting times and healthcare associated infections (HCAIs), increasing access to primary care and maintaining good financial health. However, there are still a few organisations struggling to balance their finances and attention will be focused on these. Against a background of good overall operational performance, there also remain some organisations still not delivering standards on a consistent basis. Such deficiencies in performance need to be addressed locally.
Report

FORCED MARRIAGE

2009-12-09T14:32:00.000Z

One year on: initial impact of the Forced Marriage Act 2007 (3rd December 2009)
A report reviewing the impact of the Act in its first year of operation.

The 2007 Act enables a number of family courts to make a Forced Marriage Protection Order to prevent a forced marriage from occurring or to protect the victim and help remove them from a situation where a marriage has already taken place.

Forced marriage is not the same as an arranged marriage where both spouses can choose whether or not to accept the arrangement. In forced marriage, one or both spouses do not, or cannot consent to the marriage and duress is involved.
Report

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

2009-12-09T14:31:00.000Z

Shaping personal health budgets: a view from the top (3rd December 2009)
Personalisation is a key aspect of future health policy, but how close is it to becoming a reality? This report presents the opinions of local health and social care leaders on the future of personal health budgets. It portrays their understanding of the key issues, as well as their expectations, hopes and doubts.
Publication

HEALTH INEQUALITIES

2009-12-09T14:30:00.000Z

Tackling health inequalities: 2006-08 policy and data update for the 2010 national target (3rd December 2009)
This document provides an update on progress to meet the health inequalities national target to reduce the gap as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy, by 10% by 2010. It includes an assessment of whether the 70 spearhead area local authorities, which map to 62 PCTs, are on track to meet the life expectancy target.
Report

HIV AND AIDS

2009-12-09T14:29:00.000Z

HIV in the United Kingdom: 2009 Report (27th November 2009)
The number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to rise, with an estimated 83,000 infected at the end of 2008, of whom over a quarter (27%) were unaware of their infection.

During 2008, there were 7,298 new diagnoses of HIV in the UK. This represents a slight decline on previous years, predominantly due to fewer diagnoses among black African women who acquired their infection abroad.
Report

HOMELESSNESS

2009-12-09T14:28:00.000Z

No One Left Out: communities ending rough sleeping - An annual progress report: November 2008-November 2009 (27th November 2009)
The government's new rough sleeping strategy No One Left Out: communities ending rough sleeping was launched on 18 November 2008. Building on the success in reducing the numbers of people sleeping rough by two thirds over the last 10 years, the strategy sets out a new ambitious objective of ending rough sleeping in England by 2012.

The strategy was backed by a 15 point action plan. This report reflects on the progress during the first year of the strategy's delivery.
Report

IMPACT ASSESSMENT

2009-12-09T14:27:00.000Z

Impact assessment for Personal Care at Home Bill (25th November 2009)

LEARNING DISABILITIES

2009-12-09T14:26:00.000Z

Equal access? A practical guide for the NHS: creating a Single Equality Scheme that includes improving access for people with learning disabilities (7th December 2009)
This is a guide to support the NHS to include people with learning disabilities in their equality schemes, with practical examples of reasonable adjustments to achieve equality of access.
Guidance

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

2009-12-09T14:25:00.000Z

LAC (DH) (2009)8 Autism strategy: improving services for people with autistic spectrum conditions (7th December 2009)
This circular highlights arrangements for the design and delivery of a new national strategy for adults with autistic spectrum conditions.
Publication

Valuing health: business case literature review (8th December 2009)
The Healthy Communities programme has produced a literature review which summarises the available evidence and research on the financial and non-financial impact of health improvement activity. This review highlights the need for a greater focus on the financial impact of health improvement activity on local government services, but does indicate that there are a number of areas where local authorities could expect to make efficiency savings. These include older people’s health and independence, workforce health and climate change and sustainability.
Report

Assessments relating to people with learning difficulties: Guidance to Local Authorities (November 2009)
The transition from school to a new learning establishment can be a difficult time for any young person. Those with learning difficulties are at particular risk of not making a successful transition. As a result, young people with learning difficulties are less likely to participate in education or training post-16 as those without, and are twice as likely to be NEET (not in education, training or employment).

The guidance is designed to help local authorities make consistent, effective and robust decisions but does not tell them what to do in each individual case. The guidance is current to March 2010 when new guidance published in Spring 2010, reflecting changes brought about by the ASCL Act, comes into effect.
Guidance

Assessments relating to people with learning difficulties: Guidance to Local Authorities - Analysis of consultation responses (November 2009)
The Education and Skills Act 2008 section 80 states that “in exercising its functions under this section, an authority must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State”.

The Education and Skills Act 2008 inserted Sections 139A to 139C into the Learning and Skills Act 2000 which placed a statutory responsibility on local authorities in relation to assessments relating to learning difficulties. The purpose of this consultation was to seek views on the draft statutory guidance.

The consultation ran from 23 April to 16 July 2009. A total of 70 responses were received. A summary of responses to each question is provided and a list of the respondents is included in the Annex.
Responses

Safeguarding children and young people: a new scrutiny guide (4th December 2009)
The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) have published a new guide to support overview and scrutiny committees in fulfilling their critical role in relation to safeguarding children.

The guide is designed to assist both councillors and officers in shaping and developing local safe services. The document includes:

suggestions for approaches to scrutiny
key references and advice for further reading
a series of questions that committee members may want to consider when testing whether local arrangements are robust.

Guide

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

2009-12-09T14:24:00.000Z

'Your health, your way - a guide to long term conditions and self care' for social care professionals (3rd December 2009)
A brief overview of ‘Your health, your way – a guide to long term conditions and self care’ for social care professionals. It discusses the concept of personalised support planning for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) and supported self care with points for consideration when starting the support planning process.
Guidance

MATERNITY/MIDWIFERY

2009-12-09T14:23:00.000Z

The Family Nurse Partnership Programme (3rd December 2009)
This letter from Ann Keen and Dawn Primarolo informs about the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) Programme. FNP is an evidence-based, preventive programme for vulnerable first-time young parents, delivered from early pregnancy until the child is two. Extensive evidence points to short and long term benefits for children and parents.
Information

Birth and beyond: stakeholder perceptions of current antenatal education provision in England (8th December 2009)
This research examined stakeholder perspectives about current NHS ante-natal education across ten strategic health authorities in England. The views expressed in this report are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health.
Report

Birth and beyond: a review of the evidence about antenatal education (8th December 2009)
The aim of this study was to synthesise published evidence concerning the cost and effectiveness of antenatal education, alongside evidence about stakeholder perspectives.
Report

Getting Maternity Services right for pregnant teenagers and young fathers - 2nd edition (November 2009)
This guide is aimed at practitioners working in mainstream services or areas where the prevalence of teenage pregnancy is relatively low and where there are no dedicated services for pregnant teenagers. It sets out the reasons why it is important to improve the maternity service offered to young parents, and offers practical guidance on working with pregnant teenagers and young fathers.

This guide, originally produced in 2008, has been revised following feedback from midwives and other maternity workers saying that they would welcome more guidance on ways of effectively engaging with young mothers. The content has been revised with the close involvement of the Fatherhood Institute and offers practical guidance on working with pregnant teenagers, young mothers and young fathers.
Guide

MENTAL HEALTH

2009-12-09T14:22:00.001Z

New Horizons: a shared vision for mental health (7th December 2009)
New Horizons is a cross-government programme of action with the twin aims to:

improve the mental health and well-being of the population
improve the quality and accessibility of services for people with poor mental health.

New Horizons sets out an intention across a wide range of agencies to move towards a society where people understand that their mental well-being is as important as their physical health if they are to live their lives to the full. It describes some of the factors that affect well-being and some everyday strategies for preserving and boosting it. It also sets out the benefits, including economic benefits, of doing so.
Guidance

Working our way to better mental health: a framework for action (7th December 2009)
The Government has launched the first ever national mental health and employment strategy.

The framework is designed to:

Improve well-being at work for everyone, and
Deliver significantly better employment results for people with mental health conditions, supporting them into work, helping them to stay in work and assisting them to return to work more quickly after sickness absences.

Framework

Realising ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition (7th December 2009)
This report sets out the reviewers’ vision for change to ensure the Government can better help more people with mental health conditions who are workless into sustained employment.

It sets out a number of recommendations for Government. These fall in to three broad groups:

increasing capacity and dispelling myths within existing structures so they are better able to meet the needs of people with a mental health condition
“model of more support”: implementing Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in a Great Britain context
establishing effective systems for monitoring outcomes and driving change.

Report

Work, Recovery and Inclusion: Employment support for people in contact with secondary mental health services (7th December 2009)
Work, Recovery and Inclusion is a new government delivery strategy that sets out a series of actions that will help meet the aspirations of people in contact with secondary mental health services who want to work. It is deliberately challenging and aspirational and aims to bring about significant changes in outcomes.

The strategy looks to a future where people who are in contact with secondary mental health services are helped to get jobs, where they are equally valued for their contributions to the workplace, and where having a mental health condition is not seen as a barrier to work.
Strategy

Mental health clinical costing standards 2009/10 (4th December 2009)
Best practice guidance for organisations using and implementing Patient Level Costing and Information Systems (PLICS) in a mental health setting.
Guidance

Revision of Preventing Suicide: A toolkit for mental health services (25th November 2009)
The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has launched a revision of "Preventing Suicide: A toolkit for mental health service". The toolkit was originally published in 2003 and has been amended to reflect recent policy changes and has had input from key stakeholders, service users, carers and experts.
Toolkit

At a glance 18: Personalisation briefing: implications for community mental health services (November 2009)
This briefing, from Social Care Institute for Excellence, examines the implications of the personalisation agenda for practitioners and managers in community mental health services.
Briefing (Web Page)
Briefing (PDF)

NHS

2009-12-09T14:21:00.000Z

Guidance on provisions to deal with nuisance or disturbance behaviour on NHS premises in England (30th November 2009)
Guidance to provide NHS bodies with a framework in which to use the power of removal in dealing with nuisance or disturbance behaviour on NHS premises in England through the use of powers contained in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.
Guidance

Applying the NHS Performance Framework to Mental Health Trusts (26th November 2009)
This document informs mental health trusts, PCTs and SHAs of the criteria against which mental health performance will be assessed. It should be read alongside Implementing the NHS Performance Framework.
Guidance

Interventional radiology: improving quality and outcomes for patients. A report from the National Imaging Board (25th November 2009)
The National Imaging programme is lead by Dr Erika Denton, National Clinical Lead for Diagnostic Imaging and chair of the National Imaging Board.

A sub-group of the National Imaging Board, has produced this report to inform and stimulate discussion about how Interventional Radiology (IR) Services can support the quality and productivity agenda. The document has been produced by interventional radiologists, nurses, radiographers, a patient representative and members of the Department of Health and National Imaging Board.

The report illustrates how the NHS can improve quality, safety and productivity while delivering comparable or better outcomes for patients with shorter hospital stays and fewer major complications. It suggests and describes how IR services can help to ensure patient safety whilst delivering the highest quality care.'
Report

Windmill 2009. NHS response to the financial storm (3rd December 2009)
It is clear that the era of unprecedented investment in health care is over, and prospects for future funding now look bleak. But just how the NHS will respond to this is uncertain. To test how those in the system might respond, KingsFund used a behavioural simulation – Windmill 2009, designed by Loop2. From this event, and discussions with policy-makers, regulators, commissioners and providers, managers and clinicians, they developed an analysis of what will be required if health and social care systems are to respond effectively to the major challenges that lie ahead. They identify key themes and recommendations for action in each of these.
Report

NHS CONSTITUTION

2009-12-09T14:20:00.000Z

The NHS Constitution - The State of Readiness Group (SoRG) report (2nd December 2009)
From January 2010, all providers and commissioners of NHS care will be under a new legal obligation to have regard to the NHS Constitution in all their decisions and actions. This means that the Constitution, its pledges, principles, values and responsibilities need to be fully embedded and ingrained into everything the NHS does. The State of Readiness Group (SoRG), convened at the request of the NHS Management Board, has produced a report containing recommendations and examples of good practice designed to help.
Report

NICE

2009-12-09T14:19:00.000Z

Tools to aid implementation of latest guidance:

PH21 Reducing the differences in the uptake of immunisations: audit support, Guide to Resources and Frequently Asked Questions

PH22 Promoting mental wellbeing at work: advice for small and medium-sized businesses

IPG320 Photochemical corneal collagen cross-linkage using riboflavin and ultraviolent A for keratoconus: audit support

IPG319 Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal therapy for low back pain: audit support

TA184 Lung cancer (small-cell) - topotecan: audit support

IPG318 Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with airway valves for advanced emphysema: audit support

IPG321 Lateral (including extreme, extra and direct lateral) interbody in the lumbar spine: audit support

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

2009-12-09T14:18:00.000Z

Advice from the H1N1 Critical Care Clinical Group (2nd December 2009)
Letter introducing documents prepared by the Clinical Group to support the NHS in ensuring that critical care arrangements are strengthened during both the current H1N1 pandemic and any future, potentially more serious, pandemic strain.
Information

Flowchart for triage: swine flu patients - for GP practice managers and receptions (2nd December 2009)
The Department of Health and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have produced a flowchart to assist GP receptionists to determine which symptomatic swine flu patients should be seen most urgently - particularly in the case of patients referred by the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS)
Guidance

Swine flu: updated guidance for mental health services (26th November 2009)
This is updated guidance for Mental Health services and partners on planning and responding to the Swine Flu H1N1 pandemic.
Guidance

Swine flu and rough sleepers for organisations working with rough sleepers in England (25th November 2009)
This information has been prepared for those who are working with or providing services for rough sleepers during the swine flu pandemic. It provides advice on how to support rough sleepers and signposts to guidance and other useful sources.
Guidance

A(H1N1) swine flu influenza: phase two of the vaccination programme; children over 6 months and under 5 years (8th December 2009)
Ian Dalton, National Director for NHS Flu Resilience, has today written out to Chief Executives of Primary Care Trusts in England to update them on plans for phase two of the swine flu vaccination programme.
Information

PARENTING

2009-12-09T14:17:00.000Z

Barnsley's Community Parents (2nd December 2009)
After an assessment showed that parents with young families suffered from social isolation, depression and anxiety about parenthood, the Community Parents programme was developed. Funded by Communities for Health, it essentially involved training volunteer local parents – also known as Community Parents – to help other local parents. It was piloted in Darfield successfully and is administered by Barnsley Primary Care Trust (PCT).
Information

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

2009-12-09T14:16:00.000Z

Joint Committee on Human Rights - Legislative scrutiny: Child Poverty Bill - Twenty-eight Report of Session 2008-09 (26th November 2009)

PATIENT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION

2009-12-09T14:15:00.000Z

Buying food when you have a food allergy or food intolerance. Helping you make the right choices (1st December 2009)
An advice leaflet for people who have been newly diagnosed with a food allergy has been published by the Food Standards Agency in collaboration with six allergy and nutrition organisations.

The leaflet, ‘Buying food when you have a food allergy or intolerance’, guides people with a food allergy or intolerance, including coeliac disease, through the steps to remember when buying food and when eating out. The topics covered include:

checking the label on pre-packed food
what to look out for when foods aren't pre-packed
talking to restaurant staff about your allergy
what to watch out for when using self-service restaurants

Press Release
Leaflet

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2009-12-09T14:14:00.000Z

Blackburn with Darwen - re:fresh(ing) news (2nd December 2009)
re:fresh is a campaign by NHS Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the local council. It aims to improve the health and wellbeing, including mental and emotional wellbeing, of locals by encouraging more participation in activities. The PCT and council committed to provide £6 million over three years, and received a Communities for Health grant of £100,000.
Information

Couch kids - the nation's future (23rd November 2009)
This report, from British Heart Foundation, shows that despite efforts to get kids more active, a disturbingly high number of young people across the UK aren't reaching the target of 60 minutes physical activity each day.
Press Release

POVERTY

2009-12-09T14:13:00.000Z

Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2009 (3rd December 2009)
The New Policy Institute has produced its twelfth annual report of indicators of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom, providing a comprehensive analysis of trends and differences between groups. This is the first report to be written in an economic downturn, and the recession is the focus of much of the analysis.
Report and Summary

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

2009-12-09T14:12:00.000Z

Safeguarding children and primary medical care (1st December 2009)
This letter seeks to provide clarity on the specific actions PCTs should take with regard to their primary medical services, to outline the actions that GPs themselves should be taking and the steps that PCTs should take to support GPs, in response to Recommendation 34 of the report The protection of children in England; a progress report (Lord Laming, March 2009).
Information

PROVIDERS

2009-12-09T14:11:00.000Z

NHS Stop Smoking Services: service and monitoring guidance 2010/11 (4th December 2009)
This document provides best practice guidance relevant to the provision of all NHS stop smoking interventions and sets out fundamental quality principles for the delivery of services which can be used to inform the development of local commissioning arrangements. It also includes full details of the data reporting requirements for NHS Stop Smoking Services.
Guidance

PUBLIC HEALTH

2009-12-09T14:10:00.000Z

Evaluating the use of APHO Disease Prevalence Models in PCTs - Final Report (December 2009)
Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) on behalf of the Department of Health (DH), commissioned York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) to carry out an evaluation of the use, by PCTs nationally, of six disease prevalence models developed by the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO). This is the report of the evaluation..

The six models evaluated were:

Chronic Kidney Disease (Interim)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
PBS Diabetes Phase 3
Hypertension
Stroke

Report

Recycling and Public Health (26th November 2009)
This report, produced by the Centre for Public Health for HIA Gateway, examines the evidence for the health impacts of recycling.
Report

SCREENING

2009-12-09T14:09:00.000Z

Screening programmes across Cheshire and Merseyside primary care trusts (26th November 2009)
This is a report of the review of screening programmes across primary care trusts in Cheshire and Merseyside which was commissioned by the Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Network (ChaMPs).
Report

SEXUAL HEALTH

2009-12-09T14:08:00.000Z

Top Tips for Sexual Health Promotion (30th November 2009)
The full report of the summary that was published in October, is now available.

This is the fourth in a series of "Top Tips" documents aimed at promoting public health. The top tips provide a common sense approach to sexual health issues with practical suggestions that will make a positive difference both at home and in the workplace.
Full Report

SMOKING/TOBACCO

2009-12-09T14:07:00.000Z

Halton - Smoke-free programme (27th November 2009)
The aim of this programme is to reduce local health inequalities by taking advantage of the July 2007 Smoke Free England ban, and the predicted increase of 1,500 residents who want to quit.
Information

Pendle - Smoke-free workplaces (27th November 2009)
Pendle Borough Council used Communities for Health funding to help prepare businesses for the smoking ban in July 2007. The council worked in partnership with East Lancashire PCT on the project.
Information

SOCIAL CARE

2009-12-09T14:06:00.000Z

Building a safe, confident future: the final report of the Social Work Task Force (1st December 2009)
The Social Work Task Force has published its final report, Building a safe, confident future, which sets out 15 recommendations. The Government has accepted this radical package of recommendations to transform social work and public understanding of social workers’ crucial contribution to our society.
Report

Safeguarding and social care research 2009-10 (December 2009)
The Every Child Matters website has a new section that contains recent research relating to safeguarding and social care issues that are of particular relevance to the children's workforce. It is regularly updated with the most recently published appearing first.
Resource

STATISTICS

2009-12-09T14:05:00.000Z

Homelessness Prevention and Relief: England 2008/09 (26th November 2009)

Mortality target monitoring (infant mortality, inequalities) update to include data for 2008 (3rd December 2009)

NHS cancer waiting times figures, July to September 2009 (27th November 2009)

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures, 31 October 2009, and revisions for the period April 2008 to September 2009 (27th November 2009)

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting events, quarter ended 30 September 2009 (27th November 2009)

Practice based commissioning group and independent leads survey: wave 1 (8th December 2009)

Quarterly analyses: Mandatory MRSA bacteraemia & Clostridium difficile infections (July 2007 to September 2009 (3rd December 2009)

NHS Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activities, October 2009 (9th December 2009)

Hospital Episode Statistics: Admitted patient care - Provisional Monthly HES for Admitted patient care and outpatient data April-July 2009/10 (9th December 2009)

Primary Care Trust Prescribing Data - July 2009-September 2009 (8th December 2009)

Sickness Absence Rates in the NHS, April-June 2009, Experimental Statistics (8th December 2009)

ONS Population Trends - No. 138 (8th December 2009)

Birth statistics, England and Wales (Series FM1) - No. 37 2008 (8th December 2009)

Social Trends 40 - Households and families (4th December 2009)

Social Trends 40 - Labour market (4th December 2009)

Social Trends 40 - Population (4th December 2009)

Housing Statistics 2009 (3rd December 2009)

Quarterly Population Estimates (experimental) - Q3 2009 (27th November 2009)

The environment in your pocket 2009 (26th November 2009)

NHS Dental Statistics for England - Quarter 1: 30th June 2009 (26th November 2009)

Statistics on Drug Misuse, England - 2009 Report (26th November 2009)

Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMDS) Data Quality (Trust Analysis) Report 2008/09 annual data (25th November 2009)

Mental Health Bulletin - Third report from Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMDS) annual returns, 2004-2009 (25th November 2009)

STRATEGIC HEALTH AUTHORITY

2009-12-09T14:04:00.000Z

SHA process for PCTs to be listed in the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) Authorisation Directions 2008 as amended (2nd December 2009)
This letter and supporting documents have been issued to set out the process that all SHAs will need to follow to request Secretary of State directions, to enable PCTs to authorise their primary medical services contractors or any practice established by the PCT to use Release 2 of the Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions (ETP) service.
Information

STROKE

2009-12-09T14:03:00.000Z

ARTICLE - Short-term and long-term risk of incident ischemic stroke after Transient Ischemic Attack (3rd December 2009)
Most previous studies of stroke did not include comparison groups and so the relative risk of ischemic stroke associated with TIA is not well defined. This study sought to estimate short-term and long-term relative risks of ischemic stroke associated with clinically diagnosed Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). The conclusion from the study is that for TIA diagnosed within the past 3 months, the relative risk of ischemic stroke was high and moderately high for TIA diagnosed >5 years in the past compared with no history of clinically diagnosed TIA.
Please contact your local health library for the full text of the article. To find your local health library please click here.
Abstract

WOMEN'S HEALTH

2009-12-09T14:02:00.000Z

Together we can end violence against women and girls: a strategy (25th November 2009)
This cross-government strategy sets out a range of actions for the police, councils, the NHS and other government departments across three key areas: prevention, provision and protection.
Strategy

It only takes a minute girl - women's perceptions of cervical screening in Blackpool (26th November 2009)
This report is the first part of a larger project to increase coverage of cervical cancer screening in Blackpool. Approximately 32% of eligible women between the ages of 25-34 years, living in Blackpool have never attended for cervical smear test. The project aimed to find out what young women aged 25-34 years in Blackpool value and want. Some of the recommendations arising from the focus groups are:

Display messages through a wide range of media
Create a website to provide more information
Set up "Facebook" group
Open up well woman clinics/sexual health services as drop-in for smears
Consider the possibility of making the walk-in centre more flexible
Attempt to overcome perceptions of poor treatment by reviewing the whole service experience
Reflect on how best to create a positive service experience

Summary

WORKFORCE/WORKPLACE

2009-12-09T14:01:00.000Z

Pandemic influenza: indemnity cover and associated issues in England (3rd December 2009)
This document describes the provisions in place regarding indemnity cover for staff working during times of pandemic in England. The arrangements by which staff are, or may be, indemnified for their actions largely depends on who they are employed by and this document expands upon this principle, detailing some specific points of note.
Guidance

GMC affiliates pilots: final report of the KPMG evaluation (30th November 2009)
In July 2008 the Department commissioned KPMG to undertake an independent evaluation of two pilots introducing a system of GMC Affiliates aimed at closing the regulatory gap between local workplace management of doctors and national professional regulation. The purpose of this evaluation is to produce feedback and provide an assessment of the feasibility, potential benefits, costs and wider impacts of the introduction of GMC Affiliates at a national level.
Report

NHS Workforce Planning. Limitations and possibilities (26th November 2009)
Workforce planning for the NHS is a large undertaking. The NHS in England employs approximately 1.3 million staff, 70 per cent of recurrent NHS costs relate to staffing, and more than £4 billion is spent annually on staff training.

This report considers the degree to which NHS workforce planning in England is likely to support the delivery of a workforce that is fit for the future. To inform this assessment, the authors examine current developments at national and regional level, highlight relevant international experience, and propose ways in which planning could be made more effective.
Report

WORLD HEALTH

2009-12-09T14:00:00.000Z

Health at a Glance (8th December 2009)
New internationally comparable indicators on quality of care show progress in treating serious conditions such as cancer. However, despite increasing rates of chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes, care for these conditions falls short of good practices in too many countries, resulting in deteriorating health and higher medical costs.
Press Release

ABOUT THIS BLOG

2009-11-25T10:37:00.000Z

ACTS/BILLS

2009-11-25T10:36:00.000Z

Autism Act 2009 (12th November 2009)
An Act to make provision about meeting the needs of adults with autistic spectrum conditions; and for connected purposes.
Act

Health Act 2009 (12th November 2009)
Primary care trusts are already able to offer personal health budgets that do not involve giving money directly to individuals. The Health Act - which received Royal Assent on 12 November 2009 - will extend these options by allowing selected primary care trust sites to test direct payments as part of a pilot. The aim is to give patients more choice and control over the care they receive.
Information

ALCOHOL

2009-11-25T10:35:00.000Z

Identifying effective interventions for preventing underage alcohol consumption (24th November 2009)
A report identifying a range of effective interventions aimed at preventing/reducing alcohol use in young people, and particularly underage drinkers.
Report

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

2009-11-25T10:34:00.000Z

FSA News No. 92, November 2009 (10th November 2009)

Environmental Public Health Quarterly Bulletin, issue 15, November 2009 (16th November 2009)

Health Protection Report, Vol. 3 No. 45 (13th November 2009)

Health Protection Report, Vol. 3 No. 46 (20th November 2009)

RCGP News - November 2009 (November 2009)

Emergency Care Bulletin, Issue 63, November 2009 (11th November 2009)

CSO Bulletin, Issue 5, November 2009 (23rd November 2009)

GP and Practice Team Bulletin, Issue 89, November 2009 (19th November 2009)

Social Care Bulletin, Issue 12, November 2009 (November 2009)

CANCER

2009-11-25T10:33:00.000Z

2009 Annual Evidence Update on Lung Cancer (16th November 2009)
This is the fourth Annual Evidence Update (AEU) on Lung Cancer prepared by NHS Evidence - cancer. It includes the systematic reviews and guidance that have been published since November 2008.
Update

CAM National Baseline Report (18th November 2009)
A baseline population-based survey using the CRUK Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) developed by the University College London was undertaken in September and October 2008 and included a general sample of 2,216 members of the public. A separate study focused on ethnic minority communities recruited 1,500 respondents from six ethnic groups.

The results showed that with the exception of “a lump or swelling”, less than 30% of the public surveyed were able to recall common cancer symptoms. Awareness of cancer symptoms was lower in men, younger people, those from a lower socioeconomic status group and ethnic minorities. On average, people were only able to recall 2 cancer signs or symptoms.
Report

Children's cancer measures for the Manual for Cancer Services (17th November 2009)
Following a three month consultation period , this is the final version of the children's measures for inclusion in the Manual of Cancer Services 2008.
Manual and covering letter

CARE/CARERS

2009-11-25T10:32:00.000Z

Dignity in care: input assessment - DH Interventions (10th November 2009)
In May 2009, Opinion Leader were commissioned to undertake an independent review of the Dignity in Care Campaign.

This report sets out the range of interventions employed by Department of Health (DH) in taking forward the Dignity in Care Campaign to support Opinion Leader’s analysis of interventions at a national level.
Report

Older people's vision for long term care (18th November 2009)
How can we ensure a 'better life' for older people in residential and nursing care homes when their voices are rarely heard?

This study examined the experiences and aspirations of these older people and highlights their ambition to increasingly influence decisions about care, support and wider issues such as:

Whether or not to move to a care home
What helps to enhance their quality of life
What is needed to promote their inclusion in care home, family and wider community life

Report

With Respect - Dignity in Homecare and Residential Care (19th November 2009)
This training pack will help residential care home owners and domiciliary care providers 'dignity-proof' the care their staff offer, and to raise awareness of the importance of providing services that respect people's privacy, confidentiality and dignity.
Training Pack

Walk a mile in my shoes. Scrutiny of dignity and respect for individuals in health and social care services: a guide (12th November 2009)
This guide, from the Centre for Public Scrutiny, will assist Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) to raise awareness and understanding of dignity and respect for individuals who are receiving health and social care services. Using the guide, OSCs should be in a position to:

review local leadership and partnerships to judge whether services respect the dignity of service users
promote dignity and respect for individuals and the role of the OSC
help ensure local health and care services are commissioned and delivered with dignity as a central aspect of care
gather local intelligence and provide evidence which can be reflected in local reviews of services.

Guide

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

2009-11-25T10:31:00.000Z

Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children - revised statutory guidance (16th November 2009)
Revised Guidance on Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children has been published jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. It replaces the guidance, Promoting the Health of Looked After Children, published by the Department of Health in 2002, which was statutory on local authorities. The revised guidance is statutory on local authorities and also on Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities.
Guidance

Evaluation of Wirral Life Education Centre on the health and wellbeing of primary school children (12th November 2009)
An evaluation of a national charity working locally with primary schools, parents and carers, and others in the community to help children make healthy choices.
Report

COMMISSIONING

2009-11-25T10:30:00.000Z

Commercial and procurement skills (November 2009)
It is vital that commissioners of children's services have access to the commercial and procurement skills needed to develop markets and procure services effectively. Every Child Matters have collated resources which signposts commissioners to online commercial and procurement tools, case studies, guidance and sources of information for skill development that have been used or recommended by other professionals working in this field.
Resources

Service for people at risk of developing glaucoma (November 2009)
NICE have added this commissioning guide to their other commissioning guides. The guide focuses on the referral and monitoring of people who have ocular hypertension or suspected chronic open angle glaucoma and should be read with NICE clinical guideline CG85.
Guide

Beyond Practice-based Commissioning: the local clinical partnership (24th November 2009)
Practice-based commissioning (PBC) has been a cornerstone of the government’s health service reforms in England since it was introduced in 2005, but it has so far had limited success. With the NHS about to enter a period in which growth in its budget will be severely constrained, it is vital that clinicians, especially doctors, are engaged in decisions about how patient services are designed and delivered and how NHS money is spent.

With the future of PbC in the balance, this joint paper by the Nuffield Trust and the NHS Alliance examines how PBC can be developed. While there may be many ways this could happen, this paper considers one broad model – that of multi-specialty groups of clinicians – for example GPs as well as hospital-based specialists – taking responsibility for the provision and commissioning of local healthcare.
Paper

User and carer involvement in Commissioning - an opportunity for PCTs to be world class (November 2009)
The Mental Health Improvement Programme (MHIP) and the National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) are about to launch a project of work targeting PCTs to develop and refine methods and processes for increasing engagement and involvement of service users, carers and the public in key areas of the commissioning cycle for mental health and related services.

In the coming weeks PCTs will be invited to collaborate in this initiative as contribution to World Class Commissioning Competency.
Information

CONSULTATIONS

2009-11-25T10:29:00.000Z

Age equality in health and social care: a consultation on preparing the NHS and social care in England for the age requirements in the Equality Bill that affect the provision of services and exercise of public functions (23rd November 2009)
In April 2009, the then Secretary of State for Health asked Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Chief Executive of NHS South West, and Jan Ormondroyd, Chief Executive of Bristol City Council, to undertake a review of age discrimination and age equality in the health and social care sector.The review was set up to help health and social care meet the ban on age discrimination and the new public sector equality duty in the Equality Bill.

The review published its report to the Secretary of State, Achieving age equality in health and social care, on 22 October 2009 and the consultation paper now invites views on the recommendations and conclusions made that are not directly tied to the legislation.

Closing date for comments is 15th February 2010.
Consultation

Drugs: Guidance for Schools (13th November 2009)
The purpose of this consultation is to gather views on the draft document, Drugs: Guidance for Schools. This document provides guidance to maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) in England on all matter relating to drug education and the management of drugs within the school community. It is relevant to all staff, particularly senior managers and those responsible for co-ordinating, teaching and supporting the delivery of drug education. Headteachers and governing bodies are required by law to have regard to the guidance.

Closing date for comments is 15th February 2010.
Consultation

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

2009-11-25T10:28:00.001Z

Pacesetters equality impact assessment consultation response (23rd November 2009)
The Pacesetters Equality Impact Assessment Consultation response provides feedback on the outcome of the Pacesetters Equality Impact Assessment consultation. The responses from the consultation will be used to inform the future direction of the Pacesetters Programme. The responses will also be fed into a Department of Health/Strategic Health Authority action plan to support the dissemination and sustaining of learning and good practice within the Department and the NHS.
Consultation response

Fees for the registration of pharmacy premises: consultation report (20th November 2009)
Report on a consultation about the level of the fees to be charged by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for the registration of pharmacy premises, from 1 January 2010.
Consultation response

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

2009-11-25T10:27:00.001Z

Department of Health identity guidelines (19th November 2009)
This publication contains identity guidelines on the Department of Health, including layout, logo, colour palette, choice of typefaces, images, incorrect usages, communication with disability groups,different audiences, policy, consultation and delivery, the brand, layouts and templates.
Guidance

DIRECTIONS

2009-11-25T10:26:00.000Z

Directions about reports on consultation with regard to commissioning decisions and relevant decisions 2009 (13th November 2009)
These Directions are issued under sections 17A and 24A, and section 8, of the NHS Act 2006, and trigger the duty on primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to produce reports each year on consultation in relation to commissioning decisions, with effect from April 2010. The first reports will cover the period April 2009 to March 2010 and will be produced before the end of September 2010.
Directions

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

2009-11-25T10:25:00.000Z

Improving safety, Reducing harm: Children, young people and domestic violence (18th November 2009)
This toolkit provides specific information about children, domestic violence and related issues; an overview of Every Child Matters and the tiers of intervention; principles of commissioning services; risk assessment and safety planning information; guidance for schools; clear explanations of key standards and policies; sample forms and key fact sheets.
Toolkit

EDUCATION/SCHOOLS

2009-11-25T10:24:00.000Z

The characteristics of bullying victims in schools (12th November 2009)
This study represents the first in-depth investigation of pupil and school characteristics in relation to bullying of secondary school pupils aged 14 to 16 in England. This summary presents the topline findings from the full report which is due to be published in January 2010.
Summary

FINANCE

2009-11-25T10:23:00.000Z

More for less: Are productivity and efficiency improving in the NHS? (12th November 2009)
This analytical briefing looks at how NHS money has been spent, whether primary care trusts have been successful in keeping more patients out of hospital, and whether hospitals have become more efficient. It highlights that the NHS is treating more patients at lower cost and trusts are starting to meet the challenges of the future. It suggests NHS trusts are increasing productivity and reducing unit costs. But overall, there is no sign yet that primary care trusts have been successful in moving care from hospitals closer to patients' homes.
Summary
Full Report

Auditors' Local Evaluation (ALE) 2009/10 (11th November 2009)
The supporting documentation for the Auditors' Local Evaluation (ALE) 2009/10 is now available from the Audit Commission website. This includes the overview and the key lines of enquiry (KLOE) and guidance.
Documents

HEALTH

2009-11-25T10:22:00.000Z

Improving health, supporting justice: the national delivery plan of the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board (17th November 2009)
The Government's national delivery plan for health and criminal justice as developed by the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board, building on Lord Bradley's 2009 review of mental health and learning disability in the criminal justice system. This delivery plan contributes to key Government initiatives around protecting the public, reducing health inequalities, reducing reoffending and health improvement and protection.
Guidance

Tackling Health Related Worklessness (13th November 2009)
The health of the working age population who are out of work forms for focus of this synthesis report. Relevant policy, evidence and intelligence are brought together to highlight to scale of ill health preventing people from working, including policy and examples of best practice interventions for preparing the out of work for employment. A second report focusing on the health and wellbeing of the working age population who are in work will follow in spring 2010.
Report

HEALTHCARE

2009-11-25T10:21:00.001Z

Achieving better value for money in health care (9th November 2009)
Rising public health care spending remains a problem in virtually all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) member countries. As a consequence, there is growing interest in policies that will ease this pressure through improved health system performance. This report report examines selected policies that may help countries better achieve the goal of improved health system efficiency and thus better value for money.

The report is only available to buy, however the introduction and the table of contents are available to view.
Introduction

HIV AND AIDS

2009-11-25T10:20:00.000Z

2009 AIDS epidemic update (24th November 2009)
According to new data in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years. Since 2001, when the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed, the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 15% lower, which is about 400,000 fewer infections in 2008. In East Asia new HIV infections declined by nearly 25% and in South and South East Asia by 10% in the same time period. In Eastern Europe, after a dramatic increase in new infections among injecting drug users, the epidemic has leveled off considerably. However, in some countries there are signs that new HIV infections are rising again.
Report

HOUSING

2009-11-25T10:19:00.000Z

The development of social well-being in new extra care housing schemes (19th November 2009)
Extra care schemes help older people remain independent. But they also aim to provide social opportunities that prevent residents feeling isolated.

This research, which examined how social well-being developed in 15 new-build housing schemes, revealed the following:

Communal facilities and a diverse range of organised activities need to be available when schemes open as they help residents interact
Residents involved in running social activities found it gave them ownership of their social lives, supported their independence and encouraged others to join in
Adequate staff time and resources to support social activities are crucial at the start of a scheme but also over time as some residents become frailer

Report

KeyRing: Living Support Networks (LSN) (18th November 2009)
LSNs are networks of people who provide support to each other, aided by a volunteer who helps ensure network members realise their full potential and talents.

Care Services Efficiency Delivery's (CSED's) case study looks at three different schemes in separate locations and reviews the potential cost effective nature of LSNs. Each of the schemes helps network members to build their own skills with the support of a volunteer rather than being overly reliant on expensive professional staff and assisting access to universal services rather than costly specialist day services. As well as demonstrating average annual net savings of approximately £1,500 per person, the experience of those using the service underlines the successful nature of this approach.
Information
Case Study

IMPACT ASSESSMENT

2009-11-25T10:18:00.000Z

Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA): 18 weeks referral to treatment standard (13th November 2009)
This Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) provides an assessment of the impact of the 18 weeks referral to treatment standard on the six key equality dimensions of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.
Impact Assessment

LEARNING DISABILITIES

2009-11-25T10:17:00.000Z

Taking a closer look: Child Poverty and Disability (20th November 2009)
A new report from Save the Children and The Family Fund reveals that 27% of disabled children across the UK are living in poverty.

The report shows the number of disabled children living in poverty is higher than previous figures have suggested.
Report

MATERNITY/MIDWIFERY

2009-11-25T10:16:00.000Z

Green-top Guideline No. 37. Reducing the risk of thrombosis and embolism during pregnancy and the puerperium (18th November 2009)
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have published the second edition of this guideline, which was originally published in 2004 under the title Thromboprophylaxis During Pregnancy, Labour and after Vaginal Delivery.
Guideline

MEDICINES

2009-11-25T10:15:00.000Z

Joint statement on key legal and ethical obligations for the medicines' supply chain (13th November 2009)
The guidance sets out the key legal and ethical obligations that manufacturers, wholesalers, NHS Trusts, registered pharmacies and dispensing doctors have in the supply and trading of medicines. Recent increases in the export of medicines are a major contributor to supply problems and risk jeopardising patient care. It was developed jointly with ten organisations including the Department of Health representing the different parts of the supply chain.
Guidance

MENTAL HEALTH

2009-11-25T10:14:00.000Z

EVENT: Service line reporting and management in mental health (4th November 2009)
The presentations from this event that was held at the Congress Centre, London for mental health foundation trusts are now available to download from the Audit Commission.
Presentations

Report on the prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia (12th November 2009)
In recognition of widespread concern about the over-prescription of anti-psychotic drugs, and as part of the priority being given to improving care for people with dementia, Professor Sube Banerjee was asked to undertake an independent clinical review of the use of anti-psychotic drugs. Professor Banerjee has completed his review and the Government has issued its response to his findings.
Report

Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards (17th November 2009)
This new report from Alzheimer's Society's reveals unacceptable variations in the quality of care for people with dementia in hospital.

It reveals people with dementia often spend longer in hospital than other people without the condition receiving the same treatment and nursing staff are ill-equipped to provide the specialist dementia care that they need.
Report

The Chance of a Lifetime - Preventing early conduct problems and reducing crime (23rd November 2009)
The most common childhood mental health difficulties are conduct problems. A very high proportion of those who have the most serious conduct problems during childhood will go on to become involved in criminal activity. Overall, we estimate that around 80% of all criminal activity is attributable to people who had conduct problems in childhood and adolescence.

This paper examines the links between early conduct problems and subsequent offending. It makes the case for greatly increased investment in evidence-based programmes to reduce the prevalence and severity of conduct problems in childhood. It shows that, in addition to improvements in the quality of life for many individuals and their families, the potential long-term benefits to society as a whole are enormous, particularly in terms of crime prevention.
Paper

Getting to a good place: partnership working for mental health patients (16th November 2009)
This Briefing explores how ambulance services and mental health services can work together to provide the best care for patients with mental health problems.

It sets out the key findings from a joint Ambulance Service Network and Mental Health Network project that looked at the challenges and opportunities for partnership working, including developing alternative care pathways for patients with mental health problems, improving training on mental heath issues for frontline ambulance staff,and encouraging the sharing of information.

Please note that you will need to register with the NHS Confederation website to access this.
Briefing

Mental health and the economic downturn (12th November 2009)
In September 2009 a one-day meeting on mental health and the economic downturn was held in London. The meeting was convened by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Mental Health Network, the NHS Confederation and the London School of Economics and Political Science. The meeting explored the impact the downturn was having on mental health as well as where some of the solutions may lie for those working at a local and national level in service provision and policy.

This briefing builds on the outcomes of that meeting. It outlines the challenges facing the sector and sets out how policy makers, organisational leaders and health and social care professionals should respond.
Briefing

NHS

2009-11-25T10:13:00.000Z

Real accountability: guidance on the NHS duty to report on consultation (13th November 2009)
New legislation will come into force in April 2010. The NHS duty to report on consultations will require all PCTs and SHAs that commission services to explain how they have acted upon feedback from patients and the public. ‘Real Accountability’ aims to help the NHS get ready for the legislation. The guidance explains the legal obligations and provides practical help and advice in terms of preparing and publishing reports.
Guidance

NICE

2009-11-25T10:12:00.000Z

Interventional Procedures Guideline IPG319. Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal therapy for low back pain (23rd November 2009)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has reviewed this guidance, after consultation, which was originally issued in August 2004. The guidance has now been updated and published along with the consultation comments and audit support.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guideline IPG318. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with airway valves for advanced emphysema (23rd November 2009)
Emphysema is a disease of the lungs in which the walls of the air sacs become weak and disintegrate, leaving behind abnormally large air spaces that stay filled with air even when the person breathes out. The lungs also become less able to get enough oxygen into the blood, so the person can feel tired and breathless.

The aim of lung volume reduction surgery is to limit airflow to the part of the lung that's working least well, so that the effort of breathing can be concentrated on the part of the lung that's working better. The procedure is undertaken via a small flexible camera inserted down the wind pipe and placing small, one-way valves in the airways. A typical procedure involves placing 3-4 valves.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG320. Photochemical corneal collagen cross-linkage using riboflavin and ultraviolet A for keratoconus (25th November 2009)
Keratoconus is a degenerative condition that usually involves both eyes. It affects the shape of the eyeball and causes blurred vision and light sensitivity. Wearing spectacles or contact lenses can help some people who have this condition. Photochemical corneal collagen cross-linkage is an outpatient procedure. First a local anaesthetic is given in the form of eye drops. Then riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops are applied to the eye, and it is exposed to ultraviolet light. This procedure aims to stabilise the outer coating of the eyeball, called the cornea, with the intention of preventing further changes to its shape.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG321. Lateral (including extreme, extra and direct lateral) interbody fusion in the lumbar spine (25th November 2009)
As a person gets older, the discs between the back bones that provide support can deteriorate because of wear and tear. Sometimes this causes such severe pain and disability that surgery is considered.

Lateral interbody spinal fusion involves the removal of all, or part, of the damaged disc and the insertion of a supportive structure, together with a fragment of bone from the hip. It aims to join the two back bones together to prevent movement of the painful joint. The procedure is done through a cut in the patient’s side.
Guidance

Technology Appraisal TA184. Lung cancer (small-cell) - topotecan (25th November 2009)
Oral topotecan is recommended as a possible treatment for people with relapsed small-cell lung cancer if:

re-treatment with the previous treatment is not considered appropriate and
there is a medical reason why they cannot take the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and vincristine (CAV)

Intravenous topotecan is not recommended for people with relapsed small-cell lung cancer.
Guidance

ORGAN DONATION

2009-11-25T10:11:00.000Z

Legal issues relevant to non-heartbeating organ donation (20th November 2009)
The Department of Health's view of the legal position in relation to the action that can be lawfully taken prior to death to support non-heartbeating donation, produced in response to Recommendation 3 of the Organ Donation Taskforce Report which states that 'urgent attention is required to resolve outstanding legal, ethical and professional issues in order to ensure that all clinicians are supported and are able to work within a clear and unambiguous framework of good practice.' The intention is that those working in this area will be able to use it to draw up more detailed guidance to support clinical practice. This guidance is only applicable in England and Wales.
Guidance

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

2009-11-25T10:10:00.001Z

Exercise peak practice: national summary (23rd November 2009)
This report of Exercise Peak Practice is a national summary providing an overview of the ten regional exercises, and documents the high-level areas for further action identified by the delegates who attended. Nationally, Exercise Peak Practice reaffirmed the extent and depth of planning that had already taken place in the NHS in readiness for an influenza pandemic and demonstrated considerable leadership, commitment and planning undertaken by both clinical and managerial staff across the NHS.
Report

Swine Influenza: Guidance on vaccination programme payment, data collection and communications (11th November 2009)
This is a letter from National Director for Social Care Flu Resilience Roy Taylor to all directors of adult social services. It contains important information for social care workers on the vaccination programme payment, data collection and a communications toolkit.
Information

Extending the H1N1 swine flu vaccination programme 2009/10 (19th November 2009)
This letter provides information on the extension of the H1N1 swine flu vaccination programme, which will be extended to offer the vaccine to all children over six months of age and under 5 years old.
Information

A (H1N1) Swine influenza: Phase Two of the vaccination programme - letter from Roy Taylor (19th November 2009)
Letter to update on extending the swine flu vaccination programme.
Information

A (H1N1) swine influenza: Phase Two of the vaccination programme - letter from Ian Dalton (19th November 2009)
Update on extending the swine flu vaccination programme beyond the initial priority groups.
Information

Dosage of oseltamivir in children under 6 months of age in the swine flu pandemic (19th November 2009)
This letter provides information about changes to the dose of oseltamivir in children under 6 months of age during an influenza pandemic outbreak and the steps that need to be taken to ensure a safe transition to the new dosage.
Information

Swine flu H1N1: Update on guidance for preparing maternity services toolkit (20th November 2009)
Information and links to other guidance and advice relevant for all services to pregnant women and care for new mothers to enable the continuity of services during this H1N1 pandemic.
Guidance

Authorisation of antiviral medicines - guidance on the use of FP10SS forms and Antiviral Authorisation Vouchers during H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic in England (20th November 2009)
The guidance has been updated to inform the NHS about the new Antiviral Authorisation Vouchers for children under 1 year of age issued in November 2009.
Guidance

The swine flu vaccination programme: prisoners in the clinical risk groups - 2009-2010 (20th November 2009)
This letter provides information for prison health care teams, to assist them in delivering the swine flu (influenza A (H1N1v) 2009) vaccine to those prisoners in the clinical priority groups.
Information

Swine flu vaccine deliveries and distribution - frequently asked questions (19th November 2009)
A document that has been developed to answer frequently asked questions (FAQ) relating to the supply of swine flu vaccine and the ordering of further stocks via the ImmForm website
FAQ

Swine flu vaccination: social care communications toolkit (12th November 2009)
It is important that all organisations ensure that their staff have a sound understanding of the rationale behind staff vaccination, so that they can make an informed decision about having it. To help local communications teams inform and encourage frontline staff vaccination, the Department of Health has produced a range of communication products, for both adult and children’s social services, to support staff engagement.
Toolkit

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

2009-11-25T10:09:00.000Z

Joint Committee on Human Rights - Children's Rights - Twenty-fifth Report of Session 2008-09 (20th November 2009)

Joint Committee on Human Rights - Legislative Scrutiny: Equality Bill - Twenty Sixth Report of Session 2008-09 (12th November 2009)

PATIENT SAFETY

2009-11-25T10:08:00.000Z

Being open: communicating patient safety incidents with patients, their families and carers (19th November 2009)
In 2005, the National Reporting and Learning Service (NRLS) issued guidance on communicating effectively with patients when things go wrong. Following changes to the NHS since the launch, the NRLS has reviewed the guidance and developed a new Being open framework.

The new framework is a best practice guide for all healthcare staff, including boards, clinicians and PALS. It explains the principles behind Being open and outlines how to communicate with patients, their families and carers following harm.
Framework

Patient Safety Fact Sheets (17th November 2009)
The NHS Confederation has produced a range of fact sheets detailing seven questions that board members of various NHS organisations should ask about patient safety.

Please note that you need to be registered with the NHS Confederation to access these.
Acute Sector
Ambulance Services
Mental Health Services
PCT Commissioners
PCT Providers

PATIENT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION

2009-11-25T10:07:00.001Z

For those who served: Meeting the healthcare needs of veterans in England (13th November 2009)
This leaflet has been produced by the Department of Health in partnership with the Royal British Legion. It is aimed at military veterans and provides information on accessing priority treatment (subject to clinical need). It also signposts where additional help can be provided in relation to mental health issues.
Leaflet

Swine flu and pregnancy: How to protect yourself and your baby (11th November 2009)
This leaflet gives information about:

the swine flu vaccination that you can have during pregnancy to help protect you and your baby
precautions you can take to reduce your risk of infection
treatments that are available if you do become ill.

Leaflet

PROVIDERS

2009-11-25T10:07:00.000Z

Guidance for providers: How the Standards for Better Health link to the new registration regulations (13th November 2009)
The aim of this guide is to help NHS trusts, including Primary Care Trust (PCT) providers, to begin to consider the new registration regulations which come into force on 1 April 2010.

Please note that you will need to register with NHS Confederation website to access this.
Guide

PUBLIC HEALTH

2009-11-25T10:06:00.000Z

EVENT: Working with partners to fight Gastrointestinal infection in Children and Merseyside (11th November 2009)
The presentations from the above event that was held at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes are now available for download.
Programme
Presentations

Population forecasting models updated (18th November 2009)
Projecting Older People Population Information System (POPPI) and Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information (PANSI) have been updated and new pages for household growth, hearing impairment and diabetes have been added.
Information

SEXUAL HEALTH

2009-11-25T10:05:00.000Z

Review of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (12th November 2009)
In December 2008, the Department of Health asked Dr Ruth Hussey, Regional Director of Public Health in the North West, to review the impact of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme and whether the programme is achieving its aims. Dr Hussey's report makes comments on the current programme arrangements, support and drive for delivery. The report is for information so that the NHS can benefit from awareness of the recommendations. We will take forward the recommendations in conjunction with the Public Accounts Committee recommendations that will be published early next year.
Report

Young People's sexual health: the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (12th November 2009)
The delivery of the Government’s programme to control chlamydia infection in young people to date has not demonstrated value for money, a report by the National Audit Office found today. The Department of Health implemented the Programme in three phases. In 2008-09, six years after the Programme’s launch, testing levels were only just beginning to reach the point where they are likely to significantly reduce the prevalence of chlamydia. The devolved delivery, through Primary Care Trusts, has resulted in duplication and inefficiency.
Report

SOCIAL CARE

2009-11-25T10:04:00.000Z

SocCon (Social Care Condition) reporting guidance for social care: assessing service pressures in a pandemic(13th November 2009)
This guidance outlines the need and process for social care services to report a pressures report (named Social care Condition, i.e., SocCon) to the Cabinet Office during the course of the pandemic. This reporting process is also intended to provide a legacy system for monitoring and reporting service capacity issues from social care services in any emergency - not just a pandemic.
Guidance and covering letter

STATISTICS

2009-11-25T10:03:00.001Z

NHS Cancelled operations, quarter ending 30 September 2009 (13th November 2009)

General Pharmaceutical Services in England 1999-2000 to 2008-09 (24th November 2009)

Accident and Emergency - patient journey - further analysis of the published 2007-08 A & E HES data (experimental statistics) (18th November 2009)

Data on written complaints in the NHS 2008-08 (11th November 2009)

Monthly Digest of Statistics - November 2009 (24th November 2009)

Health Statistics Quarterly - No. 44 Winter 2009 (24th November 2009)

I nfant and perinatal mortality in England and Wales by social and biological factors - 2008 (24th November 2009)

Quarterly Conceptions to Women aged under 18, England and Wales - Q3 2008 (24th November 2009)

Excess Winter Mortality in England and Wales, 2008/09 (provisional) and 2007/08 (final) (24th November 2009)

Genito-urinary medicine access monthly monitoring - September 2009 (19th November 2009)

NHS Referral to Treatment Waiting Times - September 2009 (19th November 2009)

Direct Access Audiology Waiting Times - September 2009 (19th November 2009)

National Population Projections - 2008 based additional variant population projections (18th November 2009)

Accident and Emergency Activity - Quarter ending September 2009 (13th November 2009)

Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) PCT Performance Data from VSMR - Quarter ending September 2009 (13th November 2009)

Supporting People - Quarterly Client Records and Outcomes - April to September 2009 (11th November 2009)

Labour Market Statistics November 2009 (11th November 2009)

Regional Labour Market Statistics - November 2009 North West (11th November 2009)

STROKE

2009-11-25T10:02:00.000Z

Stroke vital sign: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) (17th November 2009)
A number of different clinical and pathway scenarios, and individual points of clarity have now been addressed to aid in the interpretation of the vital signs monitoring return guidance. However, several guiding principles have also been established based on the feedback that has been given to date:

The FAQ does not deal with clinical issues (e.g. what is the definition of a stroke unit? or what blood tests should patients be given?) Those questions are addressed in the relevant guidance such as the RCP's National Clinical Guideline for Stroke (third edition) and The National Stroke Strategy.
A revised version of the full Vital Signs Monitoring Return guidance for stroke has been published and is available on the Unify2 web-site. If you are in doubt about whether you are using the latest version, please download it again. Among other changes, the revised version contains more detailed information about TIA clinics.
This guidance, like The Stroke Strategy itself, applies and refers to adult patients only.

FAQ

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

2009-11-25T10:01:00.000Z

Future health: sustainable places for health and well-being (17th November 2009)
Drawing on examples and research, Future health shows how good planning can have a positive impact on public health, how health trusts can cut carbon and costs by co-locating services, and how designers can influence people's well-being.

Summary

WORKFORCE/WORKPLACE

2009-11-25T10:00:00.000Z

NHS Health and well-being review (23rd November 2009)
The Department of Health commissioned an independent review of the health and well-being of NHS staff in November 2008. This review gathered and analysed evidence relating to health and well-being across the service, to provide the Department with a better understanding of health and well-being in the NHS, and its links to productivity, efficiency, and patient experience. Dr Steve Boorman, who led this review, published an interim report in August 2009, and has now produced a final report of his findings.
Report

The contribution of medical students to services in pandemic flu (11th November 2009)
Medical students and doctors in training may need to take a more active part in delivering services at a time of national emergency, in order to maintain safe services for patients. This paper provides national guidance about the contribution of medical students (in this case UK wide) but with scope for local interpretation - 'consistent flexibility'.
Guidance

The role of healthcare students (England) in pandemic flu - excluding medical students (11th November 2009)
Healthcare students can make a helpful contribution to the service during pandemic flu. This guidance covers the potential deployment of nursing, midwifery and other healthcare students.
Guidance

ABOUT THIS BLOG

2009-11-11T14:38:00.000Z

ALCOHOL

2009-11-11T14:37:00.000Z

Children, young people and alcohol: how they learn and how to prevent excessive use (30th October 2009)
A review of research into how young people learn to drink reveals that parents and alcohol's representation in the media have the strongest influence on drinking habits, whereas peers have the least. The report, published today (30 October) by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found that of all the methods which have been tried to encourage young people to drink responsibly, ones based on the family are the most effective.
Summary
Full Report Part One (Influences on how children and young people learn about and behave towards alcohol - a review of the literature)
Full Report Part Two (Alcohol prevention programmes - a review of the literature)

Alcohol Outcomes Star (4th November 2009)
Alcohol Concern has launched the Alcohol Star, a new version of the Outcomes star for alcohol misuse services.
Alcohol Outcomes Star: Organisation Guide
Alcohol Outcomes Star: Star Chart
Alcohol Outcomes Star: User Guide

Untold Damage. Children's accounts of living with harmful parental drinking (9th November 2009)
New research, carried out by Childline and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) highlights children's accounts of the severe negative impacts of harmful parental drinking on their lives including emotional stress, physical abuse and neglect.
Report

Alcohol Insight Number 65. The Orientation and Integration of Local and National Alcohol Policy in England and Wales (27th October 2009)
The study, from the Alcohol Education and Research Council (AERC), was multi-dimensional and employed qualitative documentary analysis and semi-structured interview methods to explore the roles, responsibilities and viewpoints of a range of stakeholders operating at the national or local level.
Report

ARTICLE - A randomized controlled trial of an internet-based intervention for alcohol abusers (9th November 2009)
This study looked at an internet-based intervention, with research evidence supporting its efficacy to reduce alcohol consumption. The conclusion was that the internet could increase the range of help-seeking options available because it takes treatment to the problem drinker rather than making the problem drinker come to the internet.
Article

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

2009-11-11T14:36:00.000Z

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 43 (30th October 2009)

Health Protection Report Vol. 2 No. 44 (6th November 2009)

National Cancer Programme Bulletin, Issue 1, October 2009 (10th November 2009)

Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin Edition 56 November 2009 (November 2009)

CANCER

2009-11-11T14:35:00.000Z

National Bowel Cancer Audit 2009 (October 2009)
The information Centre has published the National Bowel Cancer Audit which presents findings on data collected for both the 2006/07 and 2007/08 reporting periods, and includes patients with a diagnosis date from 1 April 2006 to 31 July 2008. Among the recommendations are:

Trusts should establish mechanisms for reviewing their audit data and ensure maximum data completeness of the essential dataset
All bowel cancer patients should be seen by a clinical nurse specialist
Trusts and Networks should review their 30 day post operative mortality rates and explore significant variance from Network and national figures
Trust Service Improvement or Clinical Governance teams should utilise the draft National Bowel Cancer Audit local action plan in support of their service improvement, clinical governance and cancer peer review activity
Networks and Cancer Service Commissioners should use the findings of this report and its recommendations to support monitoring, review and contracting activity in relation to bowel cancer services.

Executive Summary
Report

National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit 2009 (October 2009)
Figures from this audit reveal that just under half of women (48%) are being offered immediate breast reconstructive surgery when they have a mastectomy. 21% of women having a mastectomy as part of their treatment for breast choose to have the procedure.
Audit

Reviewing the Lung Cancer Plan: Are we emerging from the shadow of lung cancer>? (2nd November 2009)
The NHS is still failing lung cancer patients, according to the results of the first national review of lung cancer services, published today (2 November 2009) by the UK Lung Cancer Coalition. Despite headway in UK lung cancer prevention, disease awareness and screening, key areas such as diagnosis, treatment rates and access to specialists are still ‘woefully inadequate’ say the UK’s leading lung cancer experts.
Report