ALCOHOL

Alcohol & Public Health (2nd August 2008)
This briefing, from the Faculty of Public Health, describes the association between alcohol (and its misuse) and violence. It summarises the impact on individuals and society, as well as outlines the distinctive contribution public health can make to tackling this issue.
Click here for the Briefing

ANNUAL REPORTS

National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England - Annual Report 2007 (July 2008)

The safer management of controlled drugs - Annual Report 2007 (1st August 2008)

Better Outcomes. Audit Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 (30th July 2008)
Annual Report
Annual Review

ASYLUM

The health needs of asylum seekers (2nd August 2008)
This briefing, from the Faculty of Public Health, gives an overview of the issues faced by asylum seekers and the health and social care organisations that care for them. It summarises the impact on individuals and the NHS within the context of the asylum process.
Click here for the Briefing

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

The Month: issue 11, July 2008 (31st July 2008)

Health Protection Report Vol. 2 No. 31 (1st August 2008)

Health Protection Report Vol. 2 No. 32 (8th August 2008)

CSIP Telecare eNewsletter July 2008 (1st August 2008)

CARE/CARERS

EVENT - National Carers Strategy - regional events (31st July 2008)
The purpose of each event is to help create a common sense of purpose and foster collective responsibility to ensure that carers have the services they need in their caring role whilst being enabled to have a life outside caring. The event will do this through: engaging with local partners in early thinking on the development of pilots to be initiated in 2009/10; encouraging partnership working across the board, from health to housing, for carers; and sharing learning from models of good practice within regions.
Click here for Details

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

Have your say about the Government’s new Child Health Strategy. A report on the findings from NCB’s on-line survey with children and young people on health and well-being (30th July 2008)
The Government is creating a new strategy that aims to help children, young people and their families live healthier lives. It will help children and young people to keep well and also help those who are sick or have conditions requiring life long treatment and support. The Department of Health (DH) asked National Children’s Bureau (NCB) to run an on-line survey with children and young people to ensure their views inform the development of the child health strategy. This is the report of that survey.
Click here for the Report

COMMUNITIES

‘Reaching Out - Community Engagement and Health’ (11th August 2008)
This is the third in a series of publications from the IDeA’s (Improvement and Development Agency) Healthy Communities programme, this time written in conjunction with NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). The document explores the importance of engaging communities in health promotion and health services, and the health benefits that this can bring.
Click here for the Publication

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

Report to Department of Health & Community Health Partnerships - Profiling Community Hospitals in England 1998-2008 (June 2008)
Community Health Partnerships commissioned a study from the Community Hospital Association (CHA) to provide a profile of community hospitals in England from 1998 to 2008, demonstrating changes over the 10 year period and making suggestions for achieving regular and routine profiling of community hospitals. The report contains listings of community hospitals and case studies of a variety of facilities. The CHA has developed 4 new classifications of community hospitals, to reflect their increasing diversity.
Report
Presentation

CONSULTATIONS

Changes to arrangements for regulating NHS bodies in relation to healthcare associated infections for 2009/10: a consultation for the NHS (11th August 2008)
The current inspection programme against the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI) by the Healthcare Commission, provides reassurance to the public and patients that the required standards are being met in relation to infection control. It also reassures organisations that they are taking the necessary measures to prevent and control infections, highlighting any steps that need to be taken to improve their services and patient care. From April 2009, the Care Quality Commission will take over responsibility for health and social care regulation. It will continue to monitor compliance on HCAI by the NHS, but will be able to use additional enforcement powers and take prompt action where patients are at risk. This document launches a ten-week consultation with the NHS on proposals for how the Care Quality Commission will carry out these functions in 2009/10 and improve services for patients across England. Closing date for comments is 20th October 2008.
Consultation document
Impact Assessment

Communities in control: Real people, real power: improving local accountability (7th August 2008)
Improving local accountability consultation is the first in a series of Communities in Control consultations flowing from the recent white paper (July 2008). The consultation also covers implementation of the overview and scrutiny provisions in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Views are sought on proposals for developing and strengthening overview and scrutiny, new powers to hold local officers to account and facilitating the work of councillors. Closing date for comments is 30th October 2008.
Click here for the Consultation

Revised Statutory Guidance for local authorities in England to identify children not receiving a suitable education (7th August 2008)
This draft revised guidance aims to provide practitioners across all relevant agencies and the voluntary and community sector with information about how to implement the duty placed on local authorities by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to identify those children not receiving a suitable education. It will replace the current version of statutory guidance which was issued in 2007. Closing date for comments is 24th October 2008.
Click here for the Consultation

DISEASES AND DISORDERS

Learning Network for Vascular Checks (7th August 2008)
This letter provides information about preventive checks being offered, from 2009/10, to people aged between 40 - 74 to assess and manage risk of vascular disease.
Letter
Proforma

DOCTORS

Review of Tomorrow’s Doctors (5th August 2008)
This is the first of five bulletins, published by the GMC (General Medical Council) profiling the work taking place surrounding Tomorrow’s Doctors. Tomorrow’s Doctors sets out the GMC’s standards for the knowledge, skills and behaviours that undergraduate medical students in the UK should learn. These standards provide the framework that UK medical schools use to design their own details curricula and schemes of assessment.
Click here for the Bulletin

Reporting Knife Wounds (7th August 2008)
The GMC and Department of Health have this week jointly published interim guidance for doctors on reporting knife wounds. The GMC will be consulting on advice about reporting knife and gunshot wounds from September as part of the review of their confidentiality guidance.
Click here for the Guidance

DRUGS

Delivering the Drug Strategy - highlights from the NTA conference 11th June 2008 (7th August 2008)
This booklet contains highlights from the speeches and presentations given at the conference.
Click here for the Booklet

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

UK Older People’s Day 2008 (8th August 2008)
The UK Older People’s Day is on 1st October 2008. Here you will find an “Ideas toolkit”, press release and poster templates to help with planning events and activities for the day.
Click here for the Resources

Undiagnosed, untreated, at risk - The experiences of older people with depression (12th August 2008)
More than two million older people over the age of 65 in England have symptoms of depression, but the vast majority are denied any help, according to a new report published today by Age Concern. The charity found that shocking ageist attitudes held by many people, including GPs, and ageist rules in the NHS mean that an astounding eight out of ten older people with clinical depression don’t get any treatment. Most mental health services for depression exclude people aged 65 and older, despite the risk of depression increasing with age in later life.
Click here for the Report

EMERGENCIES

The National Risk Register (8th August 2008)
The National Risk Register is intended to capture the range of emergencies that might have a major impact on all, or significant parts of, the UK. It provides a national picture of the risks we face, and is designed to complement Community Risk Registers, already produced and published locally by emergency planners.
Click here for the Document

FOOD SAFETY

Listeria - keeping food safe (31st July 2008)
The Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency are reminding those involved in the provision of food in healthcare settings of key steps they can take to minimise the risk of listeriosis. There have been recent incidents involving clusters of listeriosis cases in which chilled ready-to-eat foods served in healthcare settings were investigated as possible sources. In addition, the Health Protection Agency has identified an increase in listeriosis, predominantly involving the over 60’s with underlying medical conditions, in England and Wales since 2001.
Click here for the Guidance

HEALTHCARE

Quality in and Equality of access to healthcare services in England (August 2008)
The purpose of this report, from the Centre for Health Economics, is to identify and analyze barriers to access to health care services which are faced by vulnerable groups in society, and especially those most exposed to social exclusion. In addition, the report reviews the policy initiatives aimed at improving access and equity of access, highlighting the features that appear to be most promising in achieving these aims. This report addresses only the specific aims of the project brief and therefore does not cover the full range of issues related to access and quality.
Click here for the Report

HEALTHCARE COMMISSION

National Survey of local health services 2008 (31st July 2008)
More patients are saying they are “completely satisfied” with care in GP practices and health centres, with high proportions saying they are treated with dignity and listened to carefully. This is according to a major survey of primary care services, published today (Thursday) by the Healthcare Commission. Between January and April this year, more than 69,000 people in England were asked about their experiences of GP practices and health centres and about access to dentists.
Full Results
More Results

HOMELESSNESS

Private Access, Public Gain: The use of private rented sector schemes to house single homeless people (July 2008)
This report provides a business case for using private rented sector access schemes to house homeless and vulnerable people who may not meet the criteria for statutory homelessness.
Click here for the Report

Private rented sector access schemes in London: Outcomes, costs and success factors (July 2008)
Private rented sector access schemes are playing an increasing role in preventing and responding to homelessness in London and elsewhere. Crisis and the London Housing Foundation are interested in the role that such schemes can play in providing sustainable housing outcomes for single homeless people and other vulnerable groups. They have commissioned this research jointly to identify: the outcomes achieved by deposit schemes; the costs of delivering schemes; key factors of success; and the strategic benefits of deposit schemes.
Click here for the Document

HOUSING

Housing Association Inspection Report - Halton Housing Trust Limited (31st July 2008)
Halton Housing Trust provides a fair service with promising prospects for improvement. Some services have improved from a low point at transfer but improvement is needed in areas.
Click here for the Report

Moving into affordable housing (7th August 2008)
The profile of those moving into social housing is dependent on two inter-related factors. First, on who applies for social housing, and secondly on the lettings schemes which, in most parts of the country, prioritise those in greatest housing need. This paper is mainly concerned with the first factor - who applies for social housing, and why some households apply and others do not. The final part of the paper examines in more detail the profile of those actually moving into the sector.
Click here for the Paper

IMMUNISATION

PL/CMO/2008/5, PL/CPHO/2008/3, PL/CNO/2008/4 - The MMR vaccination catch-up programme (7th August 2008)
This letter provides important information about the urgent action needed to reduce the risk of a measles epidemic.
PL/CMO/2008/5
PL/CPHO/2008/3
PL/CNO/2008/4

INFECTION CONTROL

MRSA Screening - operational guidance (31st July 2008)
This guidance is to support NHS trusts in introducing MRSA screening for all elective patients by the end of March 2009.
Click here for the Guidance

The Impact of Organisation and Management Factors on Infection Control in Hospitals: a Scoping Review (29th July 2008)
This report gives the results of a rapid scoping review to identify evidence about organisational and management factors affecting infection control in general hospital settings. The review identified organisational characteristics that should be considered ‘risk factors’ for infection including: team stability and morale, workloads, negative leadership.
Click here for the Report

ESAC-Pr New Technologies Working Group: report on prion inactivating agents (5th August 2008)
The report gives advice on the applicability of the various anti-prion technologies that are on, or close to market as part of the surgical instrument decontamination cycle.
Click here for the Report

INFORMATION PRESCRIPTIONS

Evaluation of information prescriptions (7th August 2008)
Report of an independent evaluation of pilot sites to test and provide evidence on the effectiveness and impact of information prescriptions on users, carers, professionals and organisations, including the voluntary sector.
Interim Report (November 2007)
Final Summary Report (March 2008)

LEARNING DISABILITIES

Healthcare for all. Report of the Independent Inquiry into Access to Healthcare for people with Learning Disabilities (29th July 2008)
The Inquiry, led by Sir Jonathan Michael, sought to identify the action needed to ensure adults and children with learning disabilities receive appropriate treatment in acute and primary healthcare in England. The establishment of the Inquiry followed the publication of Death by indifference by Mencap and the Disability Rights Commission’s Formal Investigation into health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems.
Report
Easy Read Version

LEGISLATION

Impact assessment of moving ahead with electronic prescription service (release 2) and enabling completely electronic prescriptions in primary care (30th July 2008)
With prescription volumes rising at 5% per year, these are a rising and indirect cost to NHS organisations and primary care contractors. Electronic prescriptions would reduce these problems.
Click here for the Impact Assessment

National Health Service Litigation Authority (Primary Medical Services - General Practice Systems of Choice Primary Care Trust - Practice Agreement - Dispute Resolution) Directions 2008 (7th August 2008)
The Secretary of State for Health, makes the following Directions in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 7(1) and 8 of the National Health Service Act 2006(a).
Click here for the Directions

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

Specialist rehabilitation for neurological conditions: literature review and mapping study (August 2008)
This study discusses the scope and structure of existing services, what we know about their effectiveness and how the current gaps in our knowledge might be filled in future.
Report
Summary

MATERNITY/MIDWIFERY

NHS Online Pregnancy Guide (August 2008)
The first NHS online maternity guide, offering a wealth of information on pregnancy and birth, at just the click of a mouse, has been launched. The new Pregnancy Care Planner gives the latest and most comprehensive advice on all aspects of pregnancy, from getting pregnant, early pregnancy, the scans, to the birth, and the most up to date comparative guides to what is on offer at local maternity units.
Click here for the Resource

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health in Parliament (16th July 2008)
A new report, published by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health, shows that one in five MPs has experience of a mental health problem but fears disclosing this because of stigma and discrimination about mental health.
Click here for the Report

The Mental Health Act 2007 (Commencement no. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008. Statutory Instrument - draft (31st July 2008)
This draft statutory instrument sets out the functions and responsibilities of the proposed commencement order.
Click here for the Publication

Mental Health Act 1983 Approved Clinician (General) Directions 2008 (6th August 2008)
Directions in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 7, 8 and 273 of the National Health Service Act 2006(a).
Click here for the Directions

Implementation of the Mental Health Act 2007: transitional arrangements (31st July 2008)
Transitional arrangements required to implement the changes made by the Mental Health Act 2007 to the Mental Health Act 1983, with effect from 3 November 2008.
Click here for the Publication

NHS

NHS Bursary Scheme - ninth edition (6th August 2008)
The ninth edition of the NHS Bursary Scheme outlines the support arrangements for the academic years starting on or after 1 September 2008 and before 1 September 2009.
Click here for the Document

The ESCAPE multi-centre evaluation of the role of chest pain units in the NHS (August 2008)
This research paper reports on ESCAPE (Effectiveness and Safety of Chest Pain Assessment to Prevent Emergency admissions) trial. This was a randomised controlled trial of hospitals to evaluate whether CPU (Chest Pain Unit) care provided an acceptable, effective and cost-effective alternative to routine care.
Report
Summary

NICE

Renal cell carcinoma - bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and temsirolimus: appraisal consultation (7th August 2008)
The Department of Health has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE or the Institute) to conduct a multiple technology appraisal of bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and temsirolimus and provide guidance on their use to the NHS in England and Wales. The Appraisal Committee has had its first meeting to consider both the evidence submitted and the views put forward by non-manufacturer consultees and commentators, and by the clinical specialist and patient expert representatives nominated for this appraisal by non-manufacturer consultees and commentators. The Committee has developed preliminary recommendations on the use of bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and temsirolimus. Closing date for comments is 29th August 2008.
Consultation
Evaluation Report

Rheumatoid arthritis in adults: consultation on the draft guideline (8th August 2008)
A clinical practice guideline on Rheumatoid Arthritis is being developed for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to comment on the provisional recommendations. Although individuals and organisations not registered as stakeholders are able to comment, NICE recommend that you contact the registered stakeholder organisation that most closely represents your interests and pass your comments to them. Closing date for comments is 3rd October 2008.
Full Guideline
NICE Guideline
Evidence tables
Algorithms
Health Economic evidence tables

Antisocial personality disorders (ASPD): Consultation on the draft guideline (8th August 2008)
A clinical practice guideline on Antisocial personality disorders is being developed for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to comment on the provisional recommendations. .Although individuals and organisations not registered as stakeholders are able to comment, NICE recommend that you contact the registered stakeholder organisation that most closely represents your interests and pass your comments to them. Closing date for comments is 2nd October 2008.
Full Guideline
NICE Guideline
Comments proforma
Appendices

Influenza (prophylaxis) - amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir: final appraisal determination (8th August 2008)
After considering the feedback from consultation, the Appraisal Committee has prepared a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) on Influenza (prophylaxis) - amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir and submitted it to the Institute. The FAD has been sent to the formal consultees for this appraisal who have 15 working days to consider whether they wish to appeal against it. Subject to any appeal by consultees, the FAD may be used as the basis for the Institute's guidance on the use of the appraised technology in the NHS in England and Wales. Please note that the appeal period for this appraisal will close at 5pm on 22 August 2008.
Final appraisal determination
Response to consultee, commentator and public comments
Consultee and commentator comments

Latest Implementation Tools (13th August 2008)

Stroke
Costing Template

Diabetes - insulin pump therapy
Costing Template
Audit Support

Direct skeletal fixation of prosthethes using intraosseous transcutaneous implants
Audit support

Induction of labour
Costing Statement

Preventing the uptake of smoking by children and young people
Costing Template

Coronary artery disease - drug-eluting stents
Costing Template
Audit Support

Respiratory tract infections
Costing Template

NURSING

e-Health policy documents (25th July 2008)
The RCN has this week launched two e-Health policy documents entitled “Consent to access, share and create eHealth records” and “Nursing content of electronic patient / client records”. The documents cover a wide range of e-Health issues such as the definition of consent, obtaining consent to access records, standards and the structure expected for nursing content and safety. Emphasis is placed on patient care being the primary driver for deciding on all electronic nursing content. The briefings were published following joint work produced from the RCN Information in Nursing Forum and RCN staff.
Consent to access, share and create e-Health records
Nursing content of electronic patient/client records

Adolescence: boundaries and connections. An RCN guide (4th August 2008)
Adolescence boundaries and connections - an RCN guide is designed to support all nurses and health care practitioners in their work with young people and to demystify the process, it may be particularly helpful to those who do not routinely work with young people. The guide resulted from the RCN survey Adolescence: boundaries, connections and dilemmas (publication code 003 225). The survey highlighted the need for person-centred, adolescent care and has resulted in this publication being a useful and insightful resource for practitioners. It aims to support the care of young people as they move in to the adult world. The guide includes practical tips that nurses can use in their daily work and addresses issues such as adolescent development, confidentiality, consent and local resources. It also includes comments from young people themselves.
Click here for the Document

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

Pandemic influenza: guidance on the management of death certification and cremation certification (6th August 2008)
This document proposes changes to the procedures for death and cremation certification that could be used in a severe influenza pandemic, in order to enable doctors to spend as much time as possible on the care of the living, and to ensure that processes for death and cremation certification can be managed as effectively as possible during a pandemic.
Click here for the Document

Pandemic flu: human resources guidance for the NHS (6th August 2008)
This document is designed to give an overall framework for local organisations to build on/work within, and deals in more detail with the workforce and human resource issues that may arise in the pandemic.
Click here for the Document

Pandemic influenza: guidance for planning for vulnerable groups - draft for comment (6th August 2008)
This guidance is to aid organisations in their planning for vulnerable groups in the event of a pandemic flu. This is a draft document and there is a list of questions that need to be considered.
Click here for the Draft Guidance

Pandemic influenza: guidance on preparing maternity services in England - draft for comment (6th August 2008)
This document identifies key issues and provides a guidance framework to enable and support the decisions on prioritisation that maternity service providers in hospitals, general practices and community care will need to take during a pandemic, covering the period from conception to just after birth. We are seeking wider comments on this draft and would particularly welcome views and contributions by 30 September 2008 from those individuals and organisations involved in pandemic influenza planning and preparedness.
Click here for the Draft Guidance

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Joint Committee on Human Rights - A Bill of Rights for the UK? - Twenty-ninth Report of Session 2007-08 (10th August 2008)
Vol. I
Vol. II

PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Code of Conduct for LINks (July 2008)
A ‘Code of Conduct’ for LINks’ visits has been published. The document sets out the principles and practical considerations relating to LINks’ ability to enter and view certain health and care services.
Code of Conduct
Appendix 1 - LINks regulations 2008
Appendix 2 - LINks entry regulations 2008
Appendix 3 - Directions in respect of LINks
Appendix 4 - Nolan Principles

PATIENT SAFETY

HSC 2008/001: Updated national guidance on the safe administration of intrathecal chemotherapy (11th August 2008)
This circular covers the updated National Guidance on the Safe Administration of Intrathecal Chemotherapy. This updated guidance replaces HSC 2003/010. It sets out the minimum that should be expected of an NHS Trust providing an intrathecal chemotherapy service. It also sets out what to do in the exceptional circumstance where an intrathecal chemotherapy procedure needs to take place in a Trust that should not normally provide this service.
Click here for the Guidance

PAYMENT BY RESULTS

Ensuring PbR supports delivery of effective cancer services (7th August 2008)
The PA Consulting Group were commissioned to undertake a review of PbR tariffs and how they impact on cancer services, and how they could be best developed to support cancer services. Key findings and priorities within the report were used to inform the Cancer Reform Strategy. A copy of their full report has been made available for information purposes. The Department is currently considering the recommendations in the report. Although this report does not have an independent Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA), it arises from work commissioned by the national Cancer Action Team and the Department of Health as part of the Cancer Reform Strategy's drive to improve cancer services and reduce inequalities in the provision of cancer care . The Cancer Reform Strategy has published a full EQIA. Any actions taken in response to the recommendations in this report will be subject to an EQIA as appropriate.
Click here for the Report

POVERTY

Women and poverty: experiences, empowerment and engagement (30th July 2008)
While the Government has developed strategies to combat poverty, especially for children and pensioners, there is no strategy to challenge women’s poverty specifically. This project set out to support women living in poverty so that they could go beyond being ‘witnesses’ to poverty to become actively involved in policy development. It allowed them to develop ideas to improve their lives and better understand how policy is made.
Report
Findings

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

The National Child Measurement Programme Guidance for PCTs: 2008/09 school year (4th August 2008)
This guidance has been developed following wide consultation with primary care trusts (PCTs), schools and parents. It provides advice to PCTs on: arrangements for measuring the height and weight of primary and middle school children as part of the National Child Measurement Programme; sending parents their child’s results – whether routinely or on a request-only basis; and submitting data to the NHS Information Centre for inclusion in the national database.
Guidance
Headteacher and governor letter
Opt-out letter for parents - request only approach
Opt-out and feedback request letter for parents - routine feedback approach

PUBLIC HEALTH

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) core dataset (1st August 2008)
The core dataset provides a list of indicators which can assist partners in preparing their JSNA, with detailed information on each indicator. The dataset takes into account the National Indicator Set and Vital Signs and provides a good foundation which can be supplemented with local data and information. Work on the core dataset is ongoing and as the work evolves, indicators may be added, removed or amended.
Click here for the Dataset

REGENERATION

Cities Unlimited - Making urban regeneration work (13th August 2008)
A decade of regeneration policies has failed to stop the inequality of opportunity between towns and cities in the North and those in the South East increasing. In this third report in the series on regeneration in the UK, the authors recommend a series of radical proposals that would reverse the trend and inject a much needed momentum back into regeneration policy. The key recommendations from the report are to increase the size of London by allowing landowners the right to convert industrial land into residential land in areas of above average employment; expand Oxford and Cambridge and for the Government to roll up current regeneration funding streams and allocate the money direct to local authorities.
Click here for the Report

RENAL

Renal supportive and end of life care: a one day workshop organised by the Department of Health on Monday 14th April 2008 (6th August 2008)
This is the report of a workshop on renal supportive and end of life care held on 14 April 2008. The aim of the workshop was to consult on the possible contents of an action plan to assist the NHS in implementing the renal national service framework over the next 18 months to two years. The action plan will be published later in 2008.
Click here for the Report

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Disability definition and data (1st August 2008)
This short paper explains the Disability Discrimination Act definition of 'disability', which will be relevant to partnerships planning to conduct primary (e.g. survey) research in this field.
Click here for the Paper

SMOKING/TOBACCO

Mental Health and Smoking (2nd August 2008)
People with mental health problems have higher levels of smoking, which is responsible for a large proportion of the excess mortality of people with mental illness. This statement, from the Faculty of Public Health, highlights the health inequalities faced by people with mental health problems who smoke. It then sets out what needs to happen to ensure that people with mental health problems who smoke are given adequate support to quit, and that their physical health protected.
Click here for the Statement

SOCIAL CARE

The protection of Vulnerable Adults list: an investigation of referral patterns and approaches to decision-making (31st July 2008)
As part of the implementation of the Care Standards Act (2000), the Department of Health introduced the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list on 26 July 2004, as a complement to the requirement for the development of local multi-agency adult protection policies and procedures. This research was undertaken by the Social Care Workforce Research Unit, funded by the Department of Health. However, the views expressed in the publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Health.
Report
Summary

Towards a Skills Academy for Social Care: The Proposal for National Skills Academy Status (5th August 2008)
This publication outlines the content of the Expression of Interest in becoming a National Skills Academy for Social Care that was submitted to the Learning and Skills Council. It gives details of the proposed programmes, structure and way of working together with an updated timetable.
Click here for the Publication

Putting people first: Equality and Diversity Matters 2 - providing appropriate services for black and minority ethnic people (4th August 2008)
This bulletin is the second in a series of three designed to help service providers meet the personalisation agenda in social care by addressing equality and diversity matters. This bulletin focuses on black and minority ethnic people using services. Whilst this bulletin is primarily written to assist social care providers, it may also be of interest to commissioners of adult care services and people using services.
Click here for the Bulletin

STATISTICS

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures, 30 June 2008 (1st August 2008)

Smokefree legislation compliance data, quarter ending June 2008 (31st July 2008)
Report
Technical Annex

Diagnostic tests waiting times and activity data: month ending 30th June 2008 (6th August 2008)
Commissioner based
Provider based

Dental reform monitoring, April to June 2008 (6th August 2008)

Youth Cohort Study & Longitudinal Study of Young People in England: The Activities and Experiences of 16 year olds: England 2007 (11th August 2008)

Road casualties in Great Britain: Quarterly Provisional Estimates Q1 2008 (7th August 2008)
Complete document
Data Tables

Road casualties in Great Britain: 2007 provisional estimates for accidents involving illegal alcohol levels (7th August 2008)
Complete document
Table A

Monthly drug treatment statistics (1st August 2008)

Sustainable development indicators in your pocket 2008 (31st July 2008)

Prescriptions dispensed in the Community 1997-2007 (31st July 2008)
Report
Tables

Local area labour markets: statistical indicators July 2008 (31st July 2008)

Mortality statistics: childhood, infant and perinatal (31st July 2008)

GP extended opening hours, July 2008 (12th August 2008)

SUBSTANCE MISUSE

Needs Assessment with Homeless Drug & Alcohol Users in Liverpool (7th August 2008)
An assessment of the health and social care and substance use treatment needs of homeless drug and alcohol users in Liverpool.
Click here for the Document

SURVEYS

Continence Care Survey (28th July 2008)
A recent AHPMA (Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacturers Association) survey among continence care professionals has painted a bleak picture on the current state of many continence services in the UK, largely due to lack of Government funding. The survey finds that continence care staff are striving for quality care within extremely limited resources.
Click here for the Survey