NHS

General Election - Guidance (11th March 2010)
Two letters have been produced to provide chief executives with information on handling the General Election period, once it starts. It includes links to previous guidance and advice.
Letter for Arms Length Bodies
Letter for NHS Trust AND PCT

The handbook to the NHS Constitution for England (8th March 2010)
This Handbook is designed to give NHS staff and patients all the information they need about the NHS Constitution for England. It outlines the roles we all have to play in protecting and developing the NHS and will help you understand our rights, pledges, values and responsibilities.
Document

Getting the most out of PROMs. Putting health outcomes at the heart of NHS decision-making (11th March 2010)
More than 100 years ago Florence Nightingale suggested a health-related outcome measure for her patients: relieved, unrelieved and dead. Despite the developments in medical technology since then, attempts to measure the positive outcomes of health care have been slow in coming. An important step forward was made in 2009 when the English NHS began collecting patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for four elective procedures.

The aim of this report, from the Kings Fund, is to provoke and encourage thinking about the wide range of ways in which PROMs data can be used to inform decisions. It draws on Bupa’s example to discuss how providers can use PROMs data to improve clinical performance. It also offers practical advice for commissioners in using PROMs data to assess value for money and decide how to purchase health care systems.
Report

Rising to the challenge: health priorities for government and the NHS (11th March 2010)
The document sets out what the NHS Confederation see as the major priorities facing the NHS, what they think NHS leaders can do now to help develop the system and enhance patient care, and what a new government will need to do post-election to facilitate this and create the necessary conditions for progress.
Document

The NHS Constitution for England (8th March 2010)
This Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively. All NHS bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions.
Document

Guidance on the attribution of NHS non-commercial Research costs, Support costs and treatment costs (ReSeT Guidance) (15th March 2010)
This document clarifies the distinction between the three categories of costs associated with non-commercial research studies: Research Costs, NHS Support Costs and Treatment Costs. It is supported by two annexes – Annex A provides an exemplar set of common activities that have been attributed to the three specific cost categories and Annex B provides a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The first section of the FAQs relates to FAQs that are generic across the United Kingdom and the second section to country specific questions. These Annexes will be updated on a regular basis and users need to ensure that they have the latest version (please refer to individual Health Department websites for their country specific FAQs).
Document

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

New research published by the SDO programme (27th January 2010)
The reports of five projects funded by the National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation (NIHR SDO) programme have been published:

• The REFER Project - Realist Effective Facilitation of Elective Referral: an assessment of the current use of referral tools for referral from primary to secondary care for elective surgical assessment & design of new tools
• In-patient alternatives to traditional in-patient care
• Mobility of health professionals in Europe (PROFMOBILITY) - UK case study
• The role and effectiveness of public-Private partnerships (NHS LIFT) in the development of enhanced primary care premises and services
• Synthesis and conceptual analysis of the SDO programme's research on continuity of care

Reports

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health fact sheet: patient safety (8th October 2009)
Seven questions every board member should ask about patient safety in organisations providing mental health services.
Fact Sheet

Dementia: ethical issues (1st October 2009)
This report presents an ethical framework to help those who face dilemmas in connection with the everyday care of someone with dementia. The framework forms the basis for a number of recommendations to policy makers in the following areas:

• promoting autonomy and well-being through an ethical approach to dementia care
• including people with dementia in society
• making decisions about the care and treatment of people with dementia
• dealing with day-to-day ethical dilemmas in care
• recognising the needs of carers
• research funding and participation

Report

The Mental Capacity Act: fact sheet for social scientists (30th September 2009)
The Department has today published a fact sheet to assist social scientists meet the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act when carrying out social science research that includes people who lack capacity.
Fact Sheet

Guide to consent to treatment and admission for under 16s and 16 and 17 year olds (13th October 2009)
The law on consent for 16 and 17 year olds changed in January 2008. The revised Code of Practice also detailed guidance on consent for under 16 year olds. The issues regarding consent for treatment and admission are complex and are extensively explored in the The Legal Aspect of the Care and Treatment of Young People with Mental Disorder: A Guide for Professionals which is available to download or in hard copy.
These flowcharts have been designed for adult and CAMHS wards, and should be viewed in conjunction with the guide.
Documents

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2008-09 (9th July 2009)
Presented to Parliament pursuant to section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970

The report covers research and development work carried out by or on behalf of any government department in relation to equipment that might increase the range and independence of older and disabled people.
Report

Audience Analysis Toolkit (July 2009)

The Audience Analysis Toolkit for public sector bodies has been developed for the Strategic Content Alliance. The toolkit is aimed at practitioners and policy makers in public sector organisations and has a focus on researching users and non-users of digital resources and services in particular, although most of the approaches and methods could apply when researching users of other types of service.
Toolkit

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Guidance on funding excess treatment costs related to non-commercial research studies and applying for a subvention (7th April 2009)
This guidance for funding excess treatment costs and subventions clarifies the directions set out in HSG(97)32. It relates to non-commercial research studies eligible for entry onto the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network Portfolio database or studies funded through the NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs), Biomedical Research Centre and Biomedical Research Unit funding schemes.
Guidance

NURSING

Research ethics. RCN guidance for nurses (23rd March 2009)
Many nurses are now undertaking research in a range of settings; therefore it is important to ensure that any research you are involved in is safe, robust and ethical. There are many different types of research: service evaluations, clinical trials or action research studies, but the ethical principles that should guide those involved remain constant. This updated guidance provides an introduction to these as well as providing nurses with an overview of recent developments in research ethics.
Guidance

Mental health in children and young people: An RCN toolkit for nurses who are not mental health specialists (18th March 2009)
One in 10 children and young people will experience behavioural, emotional and mental health problems at some point in their lives. However, identifying mental health problems and responding appropriately can prove challenging for nurses working with children and young people. The RCN has prepared this publication to assist those nurses who are not mental health specialists who work with children and young people in community and hospital settings. It will help them in identifying the skills and knowledge they need to recognise and, if necessary, refer children who have problems affecting their mental health.
Toolkit

Defending Dignity - challenges and opportunities for nursing (March 2009)
Underpinning the thinking behind the RCN's Dignity campaign is a survey, which took place over a three-week period from February 2008. Attracting more than 2,000 participants, the study explored the attitudes and experiences of RCN members about this crucial aspect of care. Amongst the survey’s significant findings are:

• more than eight out of 10 respondents say they always or sometimes feel upset or distressed because they are unable to give the dignified care they know they should
• 65 per cent say they sometimes or never have enough time to devote to the dignity of their patients or clients
• meanwhile more than 98 per cent say that the dignity of their patients and clients is important to them.

Respondents cite several issues that prevent dignified care being given. Looking at the physical environment, these include:

• overcrowded wards
• the layout of the clinical area
• the curtains around beds
• noisy and disruptive environments
• mixed sex wards.

Organisationally, these include:

• resources and staffing levels
• overwhelming paperwork
• targets and statistics
• a lack of leadership on this issue.

Report

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Guidance for R & D annual reports 2009: guidance for completion of annual reports on the performance management and future planning of R & D activity within NHS organisations (4th February 2009)

The submission of an annual report remains a contractual requirement for all recipients of Transitional R and D Funding. This guidance is to help organisations write their annual report and improve the data returned.
Guidance

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research governance in health and social care: NHS permission for research and development involving NHS patients (second edition) (27th November 2008)
This document clarifies what primary care trusts need to consider before granting permission for research that involves NHS patients. For research under the Clinical Trials Regulations, the NHS decision to give permission should normally be a formality, provided sponsors confirm who is authorised to act on their behalf, supply evidence that the project has received the favourable opinion of a research ethics committee, authorisation by the MHRA and independent expert review, and give details of provisions to cover any liabilities.
Document
Permission Form for Industry Trials

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

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2007-08. Presented pursuant to section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (7th July 2008)
The report covers research and development work carried out by or on behalf of any government department in relation to equipment that might increase the range and independence of older and disabled people.
Click here for the Report

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Guidance for R&D annual reports 2008 (23rd April 2008)
An annual report is required from all recipients of Transitional R&D Funding. This guidance will help organisations in receipt of Transitional R&D funding to write their annual report and improve the data returned. Completed reports should be submitted by noon Tuesday 1st July 2008.
Click here for the Guidance

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The impact of the NHS R&D Strategy on Mental Health Services and Research in England – response document (22nd February 2008)
This document is the Government's response to a review of the impact of Best Research for Best Health on mental health research in England.
Click here for the Response to the recommendations

Click here for the Document

Click here for Appendix 2

Click here for Appendix 7

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Transforming health research: the first two years – National Institute for Health Research progress report 2006-2008 (17th January 2008)
The report describes the progress made by the National Institute for Health Research in implementing the Government's Best Research for Best Health research strategy.
Click here for the Report

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Radiation Protection Research Programme (15th January 2008)
DH funds a programme of research into the health effects of exposure to ionising radiation and to electromagnetic fields. This is known as the Radiation Protection Research programme. The purpose of the programme is to help guide Government policy in the field of radiation protection. The overall research strategy, and information on the projects including duration, costs, the research teams involved and project summaries are given.
Click here for the Report