ANTIBODIES

Programme to maintain the security of supply of immunoglobulin (4th June 2008)
This letter provides guidance on recommended actions for all Trust Chief Executives and Medical Directors in order to manage the demand and maintain the supply of immunoglobulin products.
Click here for the Letter

Clinical guidelines for immunoglobulin use (2nd edition) (4th June 2008)
The goal of these clinical guidelines is to ensure best practice in the use of IVIg across all indications, based on available evidence and expert opinion. This supports the DH-initiated National Demand Management Progamme for Immunoglobulin to provide guidance on appropriate use, to manage demand and to ensure supply for patients for whom immunoglobulin is life-saving.
Click here for the Guidelines

Demand management plan for immunoglobulin use (2nd edition) (4th June 2008)
In 2006, the Department initiated the National Demand Management Programme for Immunoglobulin to provide guidance on appropriate use, to manage demand and to ensure supply for patients for whom immunoglobulin is life-saving.
Click here for the Document

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

The Quarter: quarter 4, 2007-08 (6th June 2008)

Health Protection Report Vol. 2 No. 23 (6th June 2008)

CARE/CARERS

Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities: a caring system on your side, a life of your own (10th June 2008)
The carers' strategy sets out the Government's short-term agenda and long-term vision for the future care and support of carers. The carers' strategy is underpinned by £255 million to implement some immediate steps alongside with medium and long-term plans. New commitments in the carers’ strategy include: £150 million towards planned short breaks for carers; £38 million towards supporting carers to enter or re-enter the job market and £6 million towards improving support for young carers. Other schemes include the piloting of annual health checks for carers to help them stay well and training for GPs to recognise and support carers. A more integrated and personalised support service for carers will be offered through easily accessible information, targeted training for key professionals to support carers, and pilots to examine how the NHS can better support carers.
Click here for Strategy

Click here for Summary

Click here for Health Impact Assessment

Click here for Work and Pensions Impact Assessment

Self care: a national view in 2007 compared to 2004/05 (10th June 2008)
The Department of Health commissioned Ipsos MORI to undertake a longitudinal study, exploring attitudes of the public towards self care. This report presents the results of the 2007 study. A further study will be carried out in 2009.
Click here for Executive Summary

Click here for Part 1 - Views of the general public

Click here for Part 2 - Views of people with long term conditions

Click here for Part 3 - Attachments

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

Making sense of health (June 2008)
Making Sense of Health is an educational and community health resource for teachers and students in primary and secondary education and also for parents and public health professionals. It is a preventative health resource that aims to empower children and young people to make better lifestyle choices, engage with community health issues, become better informed patients, and use the NHS more appropriately.
Click here for the Website

CLINICAL AUDIT

National Clinical Audit (5th June 2008)
In 2006 the Chief Medical Officer’s report, Good Doctors, Safer Patients called for the reinvigoration of clinical audit to enable it to reach its potential as a rich source of information to support service improvement, better information for patients and other activities such as revalidation of clinicians. In February 2007 the White Paper ‘Trust Assurance and Safety’ agreed with this analysis.
Click here for Information

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Code of Practice and regulations: report on consultation (10th June 2008)
A report on a consultation exercise that took place between September 2007 and December 2007 relating to draft Code of Practice guidance and two sets of draft regulations concerning the deprivation of liberty safeguards introduced into the Mental Capacity Act 2005 by the Mental Health Act 2007.
Click here for the Response

CONSULTATIONS

Proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances and related services in primary care (9th June 2008)
This consultation is part of the Department of Health's ongoing review of the arrangements under Part lX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances - and related services - in primary care. The Department last consulted on proposals regarding these arrangements in September 2007. Given those responses, the Department sat down with interested parties in February and March 2008 in order to discuss their responses - as this would allow it to explore approaches that would help to inform policy and, consequently, allow the review to be concluded. Those meetings, and responses to the September 2007 consultation, helped to inform the proposals set out in this consultation document. Closing date for comments is 8th September 2008.
Click here for the Consultation

EDUCATION/SCHOOLS

The National Challenge: Raising standards, supporting schools (10th June 2008)
The National Challenge will support schools with the lowest GCSE results, so that by 2011 in every secondary school at least 30 per cent of students will achieve five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics. The National Challenge will focus greater attention, help and resources on schools that are currently below this benchmark. A School Improvement Strategy, Promoting excellence for all, is published alongside the toolkit.
Toolkit

A School Improvement Strategy

Map, by local authority of National Challenge schools based on 2007 results (very large file)

List of National Challenge schools by local authority

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

My Home Life (June 2008)
This is a new initiative aimed at improving the quality of life of those who are living, dying, visiting and working in care homes for older people.
Click here for Website

FOOD SAFETY

Food Safety Week (9th June 2008)
Food Safety Week is an annual event held to promote the importance of good food hygiene in the home. This year the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have launched its latest food hygiene campaign ‘GermWatch’ to coincide with it.
Click here for Resources

GUIDANCE/GUIDELINES

Pre-registration education and funding for paramedics: guidance for SHAs, PCTs and ambulance services (4th June 2008)
This guidance is designed for use by SHAs, PCTs and ambulance services seeking to make the transition to higher education for paramedics. Higher education for paramedics is central to achieving a modernised ambulance workforce that is able to provide a greater range of mobile urgent care, as set out in the ambulance review 'Taking healthcare to the patient'. Making the transition will equip ambulance clinicians with a greater range of competences and underpinning knowledge whilst maintaining the vocational nature of their training. It will also aid integration with the wider NHS, making it easier for staff to move to and from ambulance roles within their careers. The guidance sets out the reasons for change and the broad education model, and gives advice on how to commission and fund education programmes.
Click here for the Document
Click here for the Impact Assessment

HEALTH INEQUALITIES

Health inequalities: progress and next steps (9th June 2008)
This document outlines the Government’s approach to hit the 2010 health inequalities Public Service Agreement targets, assessing what has and has not worked, and setting the direction of travel beyond 2010. The partial equality impact assessment sets out some of the current health inequalities and potential interventions to reduce and eliminate these inequalities.
Click here for the Document
Click here for the Equality Impact Assessment

HOUSING

Disabled Children and Housing (4th June 2008)
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) has launched a new campaign briefing that says families with disabled children may be the worst housed families in Britain. It highlights that fewer than half of disabled children live in housing suitable to their needs - a lower proportion than for any other age group of disabled people.
Click here for the Briefing

Housing and Disabled Children (4th June 2008)
In recent years the issue of housing and disabled children has moved up the policy agenda, and there are currently opportunities for change at both the national and local policy level. This round-up, from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, provides an overview of what is known about the housing circumstances of disabled children and their families.
Click here for the Summary

Life in Affordable Housing (4th June 2008)
This second paper in the Planning for the Future series examines what kind of affordable housing people want, which aspects of their homes they like and don’t like, and highlights issues that need to be addressed to improve housing to better meet the needs of the tenants (and shared owners) of today and tomorrow. It has looked at research from the private sector as well as exploring the main priorities of social tenants.
Click here for the Paper

Towards an ageing society (4th June 2008)
This is a final evaluation report of the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust's housing programme for older people.
Click here for the Report

HUMAN RESOURCES

Data Protection Good Practice Note - Disclosure of employee information under TUPE (4th June 2008)
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has today published new guidance to help organisations comply with the Data Protection Act when providing information about their employees under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE).

Click here for the Note

MATERNITY/MIDWIFERY

Maternity Services: Future of Small Units (May 2008)
This paper, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), explores the future of small maternity units. The RCOG believe this is where the biggest change is necessary affecting services provided in the hospital setting by obstetricians.
Click here for the Paper

NHS

Developing the NHS Performance Regime (4th June 2008)
This document is designed to afford greater transparency and consistency across the NHS in relation to: identifying underperformance; interventions to address turnaround; and managing failure. This vision document is the first stage of our work, and has been tested with key stakeholders - including the NHS Management Board, NHS Confederation, the Healthcare Commission and Monitor - and we would welcome any feedback. The second stage of work will involve engagement with colleagues in the service and across Government to further develop the detail of the NHS Performance Regime, and which will be implemented under the 2009/10 Operating Framework.
Click here for the Document
Click here for the Video Introduction
Click here for the Transcript of Video Introduction

Extending Professional Working Group Interim Report: Protecting the public by ensuring that workforce standards are met (6th June 2008)
This interim report outlines progress of the Extending Professional Regulation Working Group. The Working Group are one of the workstreams taking forward recommendations proposed in the White paper 'Trust, Assurance, Safety'.
Click here for the Report

NICE

Autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation for improved glycaemic control after pancreatectomy (interventional procedures consultation) (28th May 2008)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is examining autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation for improved glycaemic control after pancreatectomy and will publish guidance on its safety and efficacy to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Institute's Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee has considered the available evidence and the views of Specialist Advisers, who are consultants with knowledge of the procedure. The Advisory Committee has made provisional recommendations about autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation for improved glycaemic control after pancreatectomy. Closing date for comments is 25th June 2008.
Click here for the consultation

Balloon catheter dilation of paranasal sinus for chronic sinusitis (second interventional procedures consultation) (28th May 2008)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is examining balloon catheter dilation of paranasal sinus ostia for chronic sinusitis and will publish guidance on its safety and efficacy to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Institute's Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee has considered the available evidence and the views of Specialist Advisers, who are consultants with knowledge of the procedure. The Advisory Committee has made provisional recommendations about balloon catheter dilation of paranasal sinus ostia for chronic sinusitis. Closing date for comments is 25th June 2008.
Click here for the Consultation

Personality disorders - borderline: consultation on the draft guideline (9th June 2008)
A clinical practice guideline on Borderline personality disorder 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. Closing date for comments is 4th August 2008.
Click here for the Full Guideline
Click here for the NICE Guideline
Click here for the Comments Proforma
Click here for the Appendices

Latest Implementation Tools (11th June 2008)

Surgical management of OME
Click here for Audit Support

Diabetes - type 2 (update)
Click here for Costing Statement
Click here for Slide Set

Lipid modification
Click here for Costing Template
Click here for Slide Set

Anaemia (cancer-treatment induced) - erythropoietin (alpha and beta) and darbepoetin
Click here for Costing Statement
Click here for Audit Support

Antenatal care
Click here for Audit Support

Promoting physical activity in the workplace
Click here for Business Case

Ankylosing spondylitis - adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab
Click here for Cost Template
Click here for Audit Support

Diabetes in pregnancy
Click here for Audit Support

Maternal and Child Nutrition
Click here for Audit Support

Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis
Click here for Audit Support

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Public Accounts Committee - Report on the NHS Summarised Accounts, 2006-07: Achieving Financial Balance - Twenty-third Report of Session 2007-08 (5th June 2008)

POLYCLINICS

Under One Roof: Will polyclinics deliver integrated care? (5th June 2008)
Government policy is driving a fundamental shift of care from hospitals to more community-based settings. There is a growing expectation that this shift will be supported by the development of a network of new facilities in which primary, community and secondary care services are co-located, often referred to as polyclinics. Will this model improve the quality and accessibility of health care and deliver cost savings? Drawing on published information and original research into facilities similar to the polyclinic model in the United Kingdom and abroad, this report identifies and explores both opportunities and risks in relation to: quality of care, accessibility of services and cost.
Click here for the Document

PRESCRIBING

Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) guidelines for LCP Drug Prescribing in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease (9th June 2008)
Prescribing guidelines to ensure best practice in the care of kidney patients during the last weeks or days of their lives. Part of the LCP programme to extend LCP to kidney disease. The guidelines were developed by an expert project group, overseen by the LCP Renal Steering Group, and have been endorsed by the Department of Health, the Renal Association and the British Renal Society.
Click here for the Guidelines

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

PCT Board Development Framework - specification (4th June 2008)
PCT board development has been identified has a key priority as part of the Department of Health’s world class commissioning programme. Following discussion with the ten Strategic Health Authorities, DH has committed to leading this work at a national level. A board development specification has now been produced which PCTs can use locally to procure a board development programme.
Click here for the Document

STATISTICS

Households below average income. An analysis of the income distribution 1994/95-2006-07 (10th June 2008)

Marked differences between UK’s four National Health Services (9th June 2008)

NHS Dental Statistics for England: Quarter 3: 31 December 2007 (5th June 2008)
Click here for the Report
Click here for Annex 2a - PCT Factsheet
Click here for Annex 2b - SHA Factsheet
Click here for Annex 3
Click here for Annex 4