1 October 2008

18 WEEK PROGRAMME

SUS Pilots: Sharing the Learning (September 2008)
The Secondary Uses Service (SUS) pilot and early adopter organisations have published emerging lessons as they go through the process of changing their systems so that they can submit 18-week Referral To Treatment data to SUS. This will be in the Commissioning Data Set version 6 format to support the national SUS 18-week reporting application.
Documents

ALCOHOL

Alcohol Profile for the Liverpool City Region (18th September 2008)
The North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO) provided up-to-date, evidence-based research support to the Liverpool City Region Health is Wealth Commission, which was established to examine the growing gap between the City Region’s booming economic performance and its worsening public health status and to look at why this might be happening, and to make recommendations as to what might be done to help improve the situation. One of the Commission's key themes was alcohol, and so NWPHO produced this summary report profiling the impact of alcohol-related harm in the area to assist the Commission in producing such recommendations. The full Report of Health is Wealth is available in this Bulletin under Public Health.
Document

ANNUAL REPORTS

NICE Annual Report 2007/08 (September 2008)
The report describes how NICE is making more guidance available more quickly. For example, more single technology appraisals are being produced closer to the point at which they become available in the NHS. In addition, 2007/08 saw the introduction of a ‘short’ clinical guideline process which helps NICE respond faster to urgent NHS questions relating to a specific part of any given care pathway.
Annual Report

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTER

CANCER

Improving patients’ experience of prostate cancer care (September 2008)
In England, improvement of cancer services is a policy priority, and improving patients’ experience of cancer care is an important element of this policy. National surveys of patient experience of cancer care have shown that patients with prostate cancer report less positive experiences of care than patients with other cancers. strategies to improve patients’ experience of prostate cancer care are being implemented at national and local levels. However, we still lack good quality information in this area about patients’ as well as carers’ experience of care. This summary is based on research conducted by a team led by Richard Baker at the University of Leicester (Baker et al. 2007) and commissioned by the NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation Programme (SDO). It is for any health professionals interested in improving the quality of care for patients with prostate cancer and their carers, including clinicians, policy makers, health managers and those in the voluntary sector.
Research Summary

CARE/CARERS

Calculating a fair market price for care: A toolkit for residential and nursing homes (3rd edition) (17th September 2008)
Updated study to calculate reasonable fees, based on the operating costs of efficient care homes for older people in England. The demands resulting from an ageing population means that more care homes will be needed in the future. However, most public sector funding agencies do not currently offer fees that are sufficient to encourage care home operators to invest in new capacity for state-funded clients. Calculating a fair market price for care offers a transparent and evidence-based mechanism for working out what such fees should be, based on the costs borne by care homes in the financial year 2008/09. Updates for the third edition include: A new and simplified approach to working out ‘floor’ and ‘ceiling’ fair fees; New staff input and other cost benchmarks derived from a survey of major corporate operators of care homes in 2008; and A downward revision in the target rate of return on capital from 13% to 12%.
Report

What future for care? (18th September 2008)

Care is a contentious policy concept. Numbers of people needing care are rising. Radical change is planned for care policy to increase choice and control through ‘personalisation’. A new conceptual framework is now needed to take forward policy and practice for the twentyfirst century if people’s rights and needs are to be met.
Document

Does anyone care about fairness in adult social care? (25th September 2008)

This Viewpoint reviews some of the key proposals in adult social care of the last ten years from an equity perspective. It uses the analysis to argue that we can develop practical policies that are informed by clearly stated equity principles which serve to ensure that the most disadvantaged groups of people are treated more fairly.
Document

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

Literature review of children and young people’s gambling (26th September 2008)
This review was commissioned to summarise international evidence about: children and young people’s participation in different types of gambling activities; their motivations to gamble; the prevalence of problem gambling among children; and the harms caused to children by gambling (including in later life). It also briefly summarises the regulatory frameworks in place to protect children across a range of international jurisdictions and makes recommendations for further research.
Review

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Development of a Survey on Services for Disabled Children (25th September 2008)
This report sets out a feasible and effective methodology for a survey to measure a Disabled Children’s Services Indicator and an approach to its calculation and reporting. The project involved focus groups comprising government policy leads, disability lobby groups and parents of disabled children. In addition, telephone interviews were held with staff in local authorities and primary care trusts and desk research was carried out looking at appropriate survey designs and sample frames.
Full Report
Brief

COMMISSIONING

ARTICLE - Shopping for Services (September 2008)
This article, recently published in Health Management, helps PCT commissioners and managers on both sides of the procurement process understand what’s involved in commissioning and contracting for services.
Article

NHS Supply2Health (September 2008)

NHS Supply2Health is an online resource that advertises opportunities to provide Part B clinical services commissioned by the NHS in England. NHS Supply2Health lets you search for opportunities for Part B clinical services announced by NHS service commissioners in England and find information about NHS contracts awarded for Part B clinical services in England. From 30th September 2008 it will be mandatory for all PCTs to use NHS Supply2Health and each PCT will be required to have at least two people certified to use the system.
Website
Primary Care Contracting Training Resources


Integrated commissioning to improve care and dignity (September 2008)
Strengthening the commissioning process in social care is a top national and local priority. Warrington Borough Council has made a concerted effort to use commissioning to lever improvement in services by adult social care providers and to increase dignity for service users, as defined by the Department of Health’s Dignity Challenge.
Document

COMMUNITIES

Evidence Gathering: Housing in Multiple Occupation and possible planning responses - Final Report (26th September 2008)
This report provides the outcome of an evidence gathering exercise which was undertaken to review the problems caused by high concentrations of houses in multiple occupation. This has been highlighted as a problem in a number of towns and cities across the country. 'Studentification' of university towns is a real concern especially during the summer months when neighbourhoods are left dormant because too many properties (Houses in Multiple Occupation, HMOs) in one area are rented to groups of students. The independent research sets out a series of cross cutting measures that could tackle and stop the complex causes and symptoms of concentrated student neighbourhoods. The measures include new planning mechanisms and the widespread adoption of a number of the best common sense local solutions that can be easily adopted.
Report

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Does Neighbourhood Watch reduce crime? (17th September 2008)
Considering such large investments of resources and community involvement in the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, it is important to ask whether it is effective in reducing crime. Therefore, this report reviewed all available studies evaluating the effectiveness of Neighbourhood Watch programmes in reducing crime. The publication summarises the findings of this review and discusses policy implications.
Document

‘What Works’ to tackle alcohol-related disorder? (17th September 2008)

This guide aims to provide guidance about ‘What works?’ for borough Community Safety Partnerships, the London ASB Joint Action Group and the London Community Safety Partnership. It outlines the nature and extent of alcohol-related ASB, the tools and powers being used to tackle these issues and the effectiveness of such interventions.
Guide

CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on public, patients’, and other interested parties’ views on additional uses of patient data (17th September 2008)
NHS Connecting for Health are gathering people’s views to help them make important decisions about the ways the NHS can use information it collects about patients. Such patient data is mainly used to provide care and treatment but can also have additional uses such as research, auditing the quality and safety of care, management planning, etc. This consultation is focusing on additional uses. Closing date for comments is 12th December 2008.
Online Version Questionnaire
Email Version Questionnaire
Paper Version Questionnaire

Support Information
Impact Assessment and Equality Impact Assessment

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

Flagship or Flagging? The impact of Pension Credit five years on (26th September 2008)
More than half of older people are cutting back on essentials such as heating and food, and one in 10 of the poorest pensioners have been forced into debt by the rising cost of living, according to a new report by Age Concern. With a third of those eligible still missing out on the Government’s flagship benefit Pension Credit five years since its introduction – the charity is calling for urgent government action to increase take-up. To overcome the deeply ingrained barriers to claiming benefits, Age Concern wants the Government to introduce a new system of automatic payments as soon as possible – an idea supported by seven in 10 older people – and reform the benefits system to help the poorest pensioners cope with their escalating household bills.
Document

Older People’s Experiences of Falls and Bone Health Services (England) (18th September 2008)

A Royal College of Physicians (RCP) survey of 40 patients in England who had attended a falls clinic following a fall shows that while patients felt the clinics had helped them, they were not always sure about the purpose of the clinic and how it related to their own needs. This misunderstanding leads to patients not continuing with exercises and other activities which could help prevent another fall. In addition, patients were not always given the results of health tests or told about ways of reducing their risk of falling again, and were often unaware of what services were available.
Survey
Summary

GOVERNMENT

Government response to the House of Lords European Union Committee Report on Increasing the supply of donor organs within the European Union, 17th Report of Session 2007-08 (17th September 2008)
The Government welcomes the opportunity to respond to the House of Lords European Union Committee Report. The Committee’s report provides an excellent body of evidence as work towards a European Directive in the area of organ donation proceeds. It also provides support for the implementation of the Organ Donation Taskforce Report recommendations published in January 2008.
Document

GUIDANCE/GUIDELINES

Flu immunisation campaign: local information pack (19th September 2008)
Support and guidance on raising awareness of the annual flu immunisation campaign running from September to December 2008. The pack contains advice, materials, and features to get the message out quickly and easily. It will be updated at a later date once supporting materials for the national campaign have been finalised, and these will be available for use locally.
Guidance
Press release templates
Patient letter templates


Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment (18th September 2008)

One of the main recommendations from the April 2007 expert working group report was that all hospitalised patients receive a VTE risk assessment upon admission to hospital. The VTE Implementation Working Group, with input from stakeholders and key partners have developed a VTE risk assessment for use in all hospitals.
Risk Assessment

HEALTHCARE

Human rights in healthcare: reports from learning events (30th September 2008)
Reports from three human rights in healthcare learning events held nationally. The reports provide an overview of the learning event and highlights key learning and discussion from the event.
Liverpool Event
Birmingham Event
Southwark Event

HEALTHCARE COMMISSION

Not just a matter of time. A review of urgent and emergency care services in England (26th September 2008)
The Healthcare Commission today (Friday) calls for a new drive to improve the system for delivering urgent and emergency care across England. The call comes as it publishes a major review covering all urgent and emergency services, which for the first time assesses how the whole system works together. The review includes ambulance services, A&E, out-of-hours GP services, NHS Direct, urgent care provided by GPs, and urgent care centres including walk-in centres and minor injuries units.
Report
Press Release
Documents

HIV AND AIDS

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis: guidance from the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (19th September 2008)
This document provides updated guidance on occupational HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) from the UK Chief Medical Officers' Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA) issued in February 2004 and the interim update following the withdrawal of Viracept (nelfinavir) published in July 2007. It should be read in conjunction with local needlestick injury policy.
Guidance
Equality Impact Assessment


New Guidelines for HIV testing and areas where wider HIV testing policies should be considered (18th September 2008)

New guidelines from the British HIV Association (BHIVA), the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and the British Infection Society (BIS) aiming to increase the offer of HIV testing to ensure fewer people go undiagnosed have been welcomed by the Health Protection Agency. The guidelines recommend that wider HIV testing should be considered in those areas of the country where the numbers of undiagnosed infections are likely to be greatest. To assist planning by Trusts, the Health Protection Agency is releasing information from its HIV surveillance systems showing those places where undiagnosed infections are concentrated.
Guidelines

HOUSING

Housing in England 2006/07: A report based on the 2006/07 Survey of English Housing (18th September 2008)
This report is based on information from the 17,849 households interviewed for the Survey of English Housing (SEH) in the year beginning April 2006. It also contains some analysis of housing-related data from the Labour Force Survey and the Family Resources Survey.
Report


In brief: The need for a common language to describe older people’s housing (26th September 2008)
A discussion paper from phase one of the Towards a Common Currency project noted that elderly people are often confused by the definitions and descriptions used to describe housing and other support. In this part of the project researchers discovered that most social housing landlords did not give sufficiently detailed descriptions of housing developments or schemes to elderly people or those acting on their behalf.
Brief
Report


In brief: The housing, care and support needs of South Asian elders (24th September 2008)
This research project looks at some of the practical challenges that South Asian elders face in meeting their housing and support needs. The project also captures some of the positive work being done by voluntary and community organisations, local authorities and housing associations on their behalf. This Innovation and Good Practice report for the Housing Corporation makes recommendations for policy makers and providers for the long term benefits of all concerned.
Brief
Report


Government response to the Communities and Local Government Committee’s report: The Supply of Rented Housing (18th September 2008)
This report contains the Government responses to 66 recommendations made by the CLG Select Committee in areas of housing covering: the experience of tenants; the social rented sector; the private rented sector, and housing providers.
Report


Developing and sustaining mixed tenure housing developments (25th September 2008)
This Round-up evaluates the strategic and policy context for housing development and neighbourhood renewal. The authors argue that integrating different housing tenures is an important prerequisite for developing ‘housing of choice’, but that there are many other aspects of sustainable communities which need to be given equal weight.
Document

INCAPACITY BENEFIT

Incapacity Benefit Profile for the Liverpool City Region (18th September 2008)
The North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO) provided up-to-date, evidence-based research support to the Liverpool City Region Health is Wealth Commission, which was established to examine the growing gap between the City Region’s booming economic performance and its worsening public health status and to look at why this might be happening, and to make recommendations as to what might be done to help improve the situation. One of the Commission's key themes was incapacity benefit, and so NWPHO produced this summary report profiling incapacity benefit in the area to assist the Commission in such recommendations. The full Report of Health is Wealth is available in this Bulletin under Public Health.
Report

MENTAL HEALTH

In the Dark: The Mental Health Implications of Imprisonment for Public Protection (18th September 2008)
People sentenced to imprisonment for public protection (IPP) have high rates of mental ill health and are getting inadequate help to put their lives back on track, says a major report published today by Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. The report finds that IPP prisoners are much more likely than other prisoners to have mental health problems. Being on IPP appears to be making this worse because of the uncertainty and hopelessness it creates.
Report

The 2007/08 national survey of investment in mental health services (29th September 2008)

This is the sixth annual report presenting the results of the finance mapping exercise carried out as part of the autumn review process. It provides details of the level of investment in adult mental health services in England for 2007/08 and compares it with the reported results in the five previous years.
Report

Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act 1983 (17th September 2008)

The aim of this guide is to set out the main provisions of the Act and the associated secondary legislation, as they will stand at 3 November 2008 (which is when the majority of the amendments made by the Mental Health Act 2007 take effect). The reference guide replaces the Memorandum on Parts I to VI, VIII and X of the Act last published by the Department of Health and the Welsh Office in 1998 (but the reference guide is only about the Act as it applies in England.
Guide

MIDWIFERY/MATERNITY

Oracle Children’s Study (19th September 2008)
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and the Chief Pharmaceutical Office (CPHO) issued letters regarding a report on the Oracle Children Study, which was published online today by The Lancet. This is a 7-year follow-up study of a randomised controlled trial of the use of erythromycin and/or co- amoxiclav for women presenting in premature labour.
PL/CMO/2008/6
PL/CNO/2008/6

PL/CPHO/2008/4

NHS

Letter from the Prime Minister to all NHS Staff (18th September 2008)
Gordon Brown has written an open letter to the NHS to congratulate them on their success in going beyond the Government’s target of halving MRSA bloodstream infections across England. As latest quarterly figures published today show, the number of MRSA bloodstream infections has fallen by 57% compared to the level in 2003/4 when the target was set. Alan Johnson also paid tribute to the tremendous efforts of NHS staff which have made this significant improvement in patient care.
Letter

NICE

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Clinical Guideline CG72 (24th September 2008)
The advice in the NICE guideline covers: the care, treatment and support that children, young people and adults with ADHD should be offered; and how families and carers can support people with ADHD. It does not specifically look at: the treatment of children younger than 3 years and the treatment of conditions other than ADHD.
NICE Guideline
Full Guideline

Gull Guideline Appendices
Quick Reference Guide
Understanding NICE Guidance
Costing Template
Costing Report


Autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation for improved glycaemic control after pancreatectomy - Intervention Procedure Guidance IPG274 (24th September 2008)

Patients with chronic pancreatitis or some pancreatic tumours may require the surgical removal of all, or part, of their pancreas. As the pancreas is responsible for insulin production, surgical removal of the pancreas causes these patients to develop insulin-dependent diabetes. Autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation involves the removal of parts of the patient's own pancreas (the islet cells, which are responsible for insulin production), after the pancreas has been removed. These cells are then inserted into the patient's liver to restart insulin production within the body.
Guidance
Understanding NICE Guidance
Audit Support

Consultation Comments


Balloon catheter dilation of paranasal sinus ostia for chronic sinusitis - Intervention Procedure Guidance IPG273 (24th September 2008)

Sinusitis occurs when air-filled cavities of the face (the sinuses) become inflamed. Balloon catheter dilation aims to help keep the sinus passages open and unobstructed by gently inflating a small balloon, which is introduced through the nose via a flexible tube.
Guidance
Understanding NICE Guidance
Consultation Comments


Chronic Kidney Disease - Clinical Guideline CG73 (24th September 2008)

The advice in the NICE guideline covers: the tests doctors should use to diagnose long-term kidney problems (chronic kidney disease); the best treatment and care for adults diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and when they should be referred to specialist renal services; and the general management of chronic kidney disease from a variety of causes including diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. It does not specifically look at the care of: children (aged under 16 years); people receiving kidney dialysis or who have had a kidney transplant; pregnant women with chronic kidney disease; and people with short-lasting damage to their kidneys.
NICE Guideline
Full Guideline
Full Guideline Appendices
Quick Reference Guide
Understanding NICE Guidance
Costing Report
Costing Template


Identifying and supporting people most at risk of dying prematurely - Public Health Intervention Guidance PH15 (24th September 2008)
This guidance aims to identify what works in driving down population mortality rates in disadvantaged areas, where risk of early death is higher than average, with particular reference to proactive case finding and retention and access to services. The recommendations have been developed for smoking cessation services and the provision of statins. Although the referral specified a focus on people in disadvantaged areas, the recommendations are relevant for all those who are disadvantaged, regardless of where they live.
Guidance
Quick Reference Guide (professionals)
Quick Reference Guide (public)
Costing Statement


Influenza (prophylaxis) - amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir - Technology Appraisal TA158 (24th September 2008)

NICE has said that its recommendations about oseltamivir and zanamivir should not reduce efforts to give vaccination (also called the flu jab) to people for whom it is recommended in national guidelines. The guidance does not cover widespread epidemics. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are recommended to prevent flu if all of the following apply: The amount of flu virus going around is enough that if someone has a flu-like illness it is likely that it has been caused by the flu virus; The person is in an at-risk group (see page 4); The person has been in contact with someone with a flu-like illness and can start treatment within 36 hours (for zanamivir) or within 48 hours (for oseltamivir); and The person has not been effectively protected by vaccination.
Guidance
Quick Reference Guide
Understanding NICE Guidance
Audit Support
Cost Template


Venous Thromboembolism - dabigatran - Technology Appraisal TA157 (24th September 2008)
Dabigatran etexilate is recommended as a possible treatment to reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism in adults who have surgery to replace their hip or knee joint.
Guidance
Quick Reference Guide
Understanding NICE Guidance
Costing Statement

Audit Support

PATIENT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION

Drinking, you and your mates: how does your night end? (30th September 2008)
For many of us, drinking alcohol is a part of life. But how much do you know about how alcohol affects your body, or how being drunk can affect people around us? How does your night end? This leaflet will help you make choices about how much you drink. It tells you how alcohol can affect you, explains how you can stay safe when drinking and what to do if someone is in trouble after drinking too much. It’s not about stopping drinking, but it’s about making you aware of what some of the consequences could be of regular binge drinking and making sure alcohol plays a more positive part in your day-to-day life.
Leaflet

Birth after previous caesarean: information for you (September 2008)

This information sheet has been produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Information Sheet

Venous thrombosis in pregnancy and after birth: information for you (September 2008)

This information sheet has been produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Information Sheet

POVERTY

This is Child Poverty (24th September 2008)
A report out today from national charity Citizens Advice gives a new insight into the financial, emotional and physical impact of poverty on children in modern Britain. It also outlines the steps that are needed if the government is to meet its target of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020. Official figures show that one in three children in the UK now live in poverty, and the figures are rising again.
Report

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

GP Access Programme (September 2008)
Dr Mike Warburton, National Director for GP Access will now be publishing a refreshed regular update on the three strands of the GP Access Programme - extended opening hours, local procurements of practices and health centres, and the wider responsiveness of commissioners and providers. To receive this update, registration is required at the below link.
Programme Registration

PUBLIC HEALTH

Health is Wealth. The Liverpool City-region. Health is Wealth Commission. Final Report (18th September 2008)
The Commission was established to examine the growing gap between the City-region’s booming economic performance and its worsening public health status; to look at why this might be happening and to make recommendations as to what might be done to help improve the situation. The Commission was set four key questions: What more can be done to achieve measurably greater aspiration and commitment to improving health and wellbeing amongst local people, communities and businesses? How can the region reduce the current health inequalities that exist across the region and better exploit the diverse assets and talents that lie underused as a result? How can the region strengthen its presence as an internationally renowned centre for health science and better exploit those assets for the benefit of local people? What more can be done to maximise the economic benefit of the health services sector to the region through, for example, procurement, recruitment and enlightened corporate social responsibility?
Report

ChaMPs Public Health Network Strategy 2008-2013 (25th September 2008)

16 months to midnight - meeting the 2010 challenge (September 2008)
This is the programme and one of the presentations from this event that was held on 16th September 2008 at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes.
Programme
Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps - A Critical Response

PUBLIC SECTOR

The use of sanctions and rewards in the public sector (17th September 2008)
This report is a review of the use of sanctions and rewards based on academic research and an NAOsurvey of their use in central government. They undertook this to inform the debate on incentivising public sector performance. While many commentators discuss pubic sector performance, they have not systematically reviewed the use of sanctions for failure or rewards for success. The purpose of this report is to bring together the evidence on the effectiveness of sanctions and rewards, summarise the results of our survey on their use in central government, and to provide a practical guide on how to use them well.
Report

SOCIAL CARE

Improved reporting of adult social care finance and activity data - revisions to PSS Ex1 return (23rd September 2008)
This report reviews the PSS EX1 return and the needs for improved finance and activity data for adult social care, both locally and nationally. Key objectives for the review included the need for more relevant linked financial and activity data to be generated as contemporaneously as possible and to be directly useable by local managers. Some initial issues have been identified on page 22 where views are formally sought from councils and other interested parties. . The timetable for the anticipated workplan for revisions to PSS EX1 and the development of the proposed extraction tool is set out in Annex A. Please email any feedback by 20th October 2008 to pssex1@dh.gsi.org.uk
Report

SOCIETY

Unkind, risk averse and untrusting - if this is today’s society, can we change it? (24th September 2008)
The JRF’s recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern ‘social evils’ on the theme of ‘a decline in values’. Julia Neuberger argues that we can change society for the better by deliberately rebuilding trust, opening up our institutions, and stopping the ‘blame culture’ from preventing simple acts of kindness and altruism.
Document

Social evils and social good (24th September 2008)

The JRF’s recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern ‘social evils’ on the theme of ‘a decline in values’. Anthony Grayling argues that it is the responsibility of each of us to confront such difficulties by getting them in proportion; working out if they really are problems; and deciding what we can do about them, individually and collectively.
Document

Has there been a decline in values in British society? (24th September 2008)

The JRF’s recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern ‘social evils’ on the theme of ‘a decline in values’. Anthony Browne argues that, in the face of an unprecedented and unsettling decline in values, discussing the problem and its causes is the first step towards making things better.
Document

STATISTICS

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures, 31 August 2008 (26th September 2008)
Full Release
Additional Tables

Imaging and radiodiagnostic activity, 2007/08 (26th September 2008)

Quarterly reporting results for Clostridium difficile infections, MRSA bacteraemia and GRE bacteraemia (18th September 2008)

Referral to treatment statistics (admitted patients, July 2008 (25th September 2008)
Commissioner Based
Provider Based

Bed availability and occupancy 2007-2008 (26th September 2008)

National Quality and Outcomes Framework achievement data for England, 2007-08 (30th September 2008)
Online Database
Bulletin

Data Tables


Qresearch report on trends in consultation rates in General Practices 1995-2008 (30th September 2008)
Trends in Consultation Rates in General Practice 1995-1997
Consultation Report Calendar year Jan 1995-Dec 1997
Trends in Consultation Rates in General Practice 1995/96 to 2007/08

Consultation Report Financial Year 1995/96 to 2007/08


Older people enjoy longer, healthier and more active lives (30th September 2008)

More women in work, but half in part-time jobs (26th September 2008)

Monthly Digest of Statistics, September 2008 (26th September 2008)

Road Casualties Great Britain: 2007 Annual Report (26th September 2008)
Full Report
Summary


NHS Maternity Statistics, England: 2006-07 (25th September 2008)

Home births continue gradual increase (25th September 2008)

North-South divide in mothers’ age (25th September 2008)

NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2007-08 (24th September 2008)
Bulletin
Tables


NHS Staff Earnings Estimates, April to June 2008 (24th September 2008)
Bulletin
Tables
Methodology

WORKFORCE/WORKPLACE

More than just staffing numbers - A workbook for acute care workforce redesign and development (23rd September 2008)
Acute care mental health services have made considerable progress since the launch of the National Service Framework and the subsequent Policy Implementation Guidance on crisis resolution home treatment and acute inpatient services but there is still much to be done. More than Just Staffing Numbers is a welcome and timely addition to the range of acute care service improvement tools and initiatives that have been produced in recent years. It should prove very helpful to Trusts in addressing the key workforce issues within their local action plans arising from the recent Healthcare Commission review of acute inpatient services.
Document

WORLD HEALTH

Health is global: a UK Government strategy 2008-13 (30th September 2008)
Health is global is the first cross-government strategy to highlight the breath of challenges that face us in the area of global health. The strategy outlines a set of principles and actions that the UK Government will focus on over the next five years to improve the health of across the world, including the UK. The strategy highlights the importance of coherence and consistency in government policy and identifies ways to work even more effectively with our partners to deliver better health outcomes.
Strategy
Summary
Annexes
Impact Assessments