Older People's Experiences of Falls Prevention Services (24th February 2010)In a new survey of over 1,000 patients from the Royal College of Physicians, three-quarters (76% - 767 of 1,028 total respondents) felt that their experience of falls prevention services had been positive.
However, among the 24% of respondents reporting a less than positive experience, the majority of issues were related to communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and many of the physical exercise programmes described in the results were not evidence-based, which limits their effectiveness.
Key findings:
At least 3 out of 4 people from the total sample group:
- Knew why they had been referred to the service (95%)
- Felt they had been seen quickly enough to help with their recovery (78%)
- Felt they received a thorough health check up (85%)
- Felt they had been involved in deciding what actions should be taken after being seen (80%)
- Were fully satisfied that good communication took place (85%)
- Found it easy or fairly easy to travel to appointments (76%)
- Were asked about their experiences of losing their balance or falling (84%)
Report
Maternity and Early Years - Making a good start to family life (16th March 2010)The Government has today announced the launch of a strategic vision for the further transformation of maternity services and early years services. “Maternity and Early Years - Making a Good Start to Family Life”
The document has been developed jointly by the Department of Health, The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, drawing on the views of mothers and fathers, children’s centre staff, local health practitioners and children.
Document
Fracture prevention services: an economic evaluation (15th December 2009)This economic evaluation models the costs and benefits from establishing a fracture liaison service, to reduce the risk of secondary fractures.
Report
Independent Sector Treatment Centres (1st October 2009)Independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) provide services to NHS patients but are owned and run by organisations outside the NHS. This briefing paper explains why ISTCs were introduced, and how they are funded, staffed and regulated. It assesses their impact so far, including the quality of their services and whether they provide good value for money. Finally, it examines what their future may be now that the contracts ISTC providers hold with the Department of Health are beginning to expire.
Briefing
Health and public sector professionals to help improve health services for victims of domestic violence (11th September 2009)Health and public sector professionals are being asked for their views on how the NHS can improve its services for women and girls who have been victims of violence and sexual assault.
Health and public sector professionals will be asked for their views on areas including:
- Service delivery - early identification, access to healthcare services, staff awareness and attitudes maximising NHS resources
- Service commissioning – needs assessment, NHS commissioning, joint commissioning, commissioning from non-NHS providers
- Partnership working – information sharing, service level agreements and protocols, collaborative service delivery
Press Release
Taskforce page
Chemotherapy Services in England: Ensuring Quality and Safety (21st August 2009)The final report from the National Chemotherapy Advisory Group takes account of the responses received during the consultation period.
The report aims to bring about a step change in the quality and safety of chemotherapy services for adult patients with either solid cancers or haematological malignancies and many of the recommendations are applicable in the care of children and young people. It highlights the need to improve both elective chemotherapy services and acute oncology services.
Report Projection of Mesothelioma Mortality in Great Britain (24th August 2009)This research makes projections on the number of deaths from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It uses and refines a statistical model based on a simple birth-cohort model, which assumes that the risk of mesothelioma depends on age and years of exposure and that an individual’s asbestos exposure depends on the year of exposure.
Report
Services for people with rheumatoid arthritis (15th July 2009)Too many people with rheumatoid arthritis are not being diagnosed or treated quickly enough, and some services for people with the disease are not coordinated enough, according to a report published today by the National Audit Office. Delay in treatment is detrimental to patients’ health, their quality of life and, with three quarters of people of working age when diagnosed, the economy. The estimated cost to the economy of sick leave and work-related disability for people with rheumatoid arthritis is £1.8 billion a year.
Report Improving Eye Health Services (17th July 2009)This document is part of the ongoing Primary Care and Community Strategy to support the NHS in relation to World Class Commissioning and focuses on eye health services. It provides practical advice on how PCTs can: assess their current performance; identify their vision for the future and commission services that meet the needs of their local communities.
Guidance
Heart to Heart: Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions Services. A Needs Assessment and Service Review (July 2009)This new report from the Foundation for Genomics and Population Health (PHG Foundation), provides an overview of current service provision and an assessment of needs for patients and families affected by inherited cardiac conditions in the UK.
Report
Summary
The gender and access to Health Services study: final report (18th December 2008)
The Department of Health commissioned the Men’s Health Forum to undertake a study into the different ways women and men access health services with a view to providing an evidence base to help determine key gender health priorities for the Department and the NHS.
Document
