Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy: For better, for worse? (November 2008)This National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) report highlights the process of care of patients who died within 30 days of receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT). It takes a critical look at areas where the care of patients might have been improved. Remediable factors have been identified in the clinical and the organisational care of these patients.
Report
Executive Summary
Slides
Self assessment checklist for trusts
Other presentations and to order a hard copyControl of pain in adults with cancer – a national clinical guideline (November 2008)This guideline from Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in the management of pain in adult patients who have cancer. It excludes treatment of pain in children under the age of 12 years.
GuidelineNew measures for the Manual for Cancer Services 2004 (18th November 2008)Revised UGI, urology, breast and lung measures accompanying the Manual for Cancer Services.
Cover letter
UGI measures
Urology measures
Breast measures
Lung measures
Equality impact assessment
PL/CMO/2008/8, PL/CNO/2008/8: Recognising Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – ‘Think CO’ (13th November 2008)The Chief Medical Officer issued a joint letter with the Chief Nursing Officer, to encourage health professionals to raise awareness of the risk of CO poisoning. There are approximately 50 accidental deaths and over 200 cases of recorded non-fatal injuries per year in the UK from CO poisoning.
Letter
Equality Impact Assessment
Developing the use of MDS-RAI reports for UK care homes (21st November 2008)The MDS-RAI (the Minimum Data Set Resident Assessment Instrument) is a standardised assessment system developed by interRAI used internationally to raise standards of care in long-term care homes. Implementation in the UK has been sparse and currently there are no well-established demonstration sites for use in long-term care (although Cheshire has adopted and successfully implemented the MDS-HC (the Minimum Data Set Home Care) for community care). Successful implementation of the MDS-RAI requires a methodical approach and commitment: it is a way of developing best practice that goes far beyond just gathering information about care needs. This project aimed to develop an implementation process model for MDS-RAI use in three UK care homes through an iterative and collaborative process.
Report
Findings
What is a Children’s Trust? (19th November 2008)A summary leaflet has been produced setting out what Children's Trusts are, what they do, and the role the NHS has to play in them. New developments include a Commissioning Support Programme available to all Children's Trust partners and the new Centre for Excellence and Outcomes (C4EO), which will draw together evidence to support Childrens' Trusts improve cross-sector service delivery.
Leaflet
Equality impact assessment: World class commissioning assurance framework, World class commissioning of primary medical care guidance (21st November 2008)This report provides an in-depth assessment of the impact of the World class commissioning assurance framework and the related World class commissioning of primary medical care, on the six key equality dimensions of race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.
ReportThe role of the Primary Care Trust board in world class commissioning (18th November 2008)This document forms part of the wider WCC board development programme. It provides an update on the role and purpose of the PCT board in the context of world class commissioning.
DocumentWorld Class Commissioning Programme – October Update (14th November 2008)Monthly progress report on the world class commissioning programme.
UpdatePutting prevention first – vascular checks: risk assessment and management – next steps guidance for primary care trusts (13th November 2008)Putting prevention first, published in April 2008, outlined proposals for a system of vascular checks to be carried out in primary care. This document has been developed in consultation with PCT commissioners, those who will be carrying out the checks and the Learning Network, which has been set up to share learning across the NHS on vascular risk assessment and management. It draws on some real life case studies and examples of how PCTs have already implemented vascular checks in their areas. It provides practical tools to support commissioning and links to existing resources and guidance.
GuidancePerson-centred commissioning – now (28th October 2008)This document explores some examples of what is working well nationally in learning disability commissioning - and how that learning could be used to develop a person-centred commissioning pathway for the future. No one area claims to have everything right, but each example shows a part of the pathway being implemented successfully, and within a person-centred approach. Ajibola Awogboro, Adults Commissioning and Business Service Manager at Greenwich Council, described the document as: "Useful for commissioners, especially to focus them on developing action plans for the way forward."
Document
Vascular checks economic modelling technical consultation – response summary (13th November 2008)This document provides a summary of the main points raised by the respondents during the technical consultation and details how we are taking these points further.
Summary of responses
Technical consultation document: Economic modelling for vascular checksThe Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) draft Regulations 2008: consultation report (14th November 2008)A summary response to the public consultation on the draft regulations setting out proposals for the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (Appointment, Procedure etc.) Regulations 2008.
Consultation report
Original consultation
Chemotherapy Services in England, ensuring quality and safety: a report from the National Chemotherapy Advisory Group, draft for consultation (12th November 2008)The aim of this report is to bring about a step change in the quality and safety of chemotherapy services for adult patients with either solid cancers or haematological malignancies. The report sets out a framework for planning and monitoring services based on a care pathway model and the actions that need to be taken by commissioners and providers to ensure high quality care. Closing date for comments is 4th February 2009.
Covering letter
Consultation document
Improving the process of death certification in England and Wales: overview of programme (20th November 2008)This document provides a general overview of the Death Certification Programme and an update on current progress.
Document
InformAll Database (November 2008)The InformAll Database is a searchable database with information on allergenic foods which has been developed with funding from the European Union.
Database
Putting prevention first: vascular checks risk assessment and management – impact assessment (14th November 2008)Vascular diseases include heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. A significant amount of vascular morbidity and mortality could be prevented through primary prevention and early detection of these diseases. A universal risk assessment and management programme could significantly increase uptake of the preventative interventions, and offers a real opportunity to reduce health inequalities.
Impact AssessmentNational COPD Audit 2008 (19th November 2008)The Royal College of Physicians has reported that NHS services for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have improved over the past five years but the quality of services offered varies considerably and often falls short of national quality standards. This is the main finding of the latest national audit into the acute care of COPD. The disease is the fifth biggest killer in the UK, the second most common cause of emergency admission to hospital and one of the most costly in-patient conditions treated within the NHS. The National COPD Audit 2008 measures what progress has been made into the care of the condition since the last audit in 2003.
Report
Other Information
Anti-Bullying Guidance for Schools (17th November 2008)The National Healthy Schools Programme and 11 Million launched this new guidance to coincide with National Anti-Bullying week. The guidance takes a honest look at the problem of bullying and how it affects children and young people, drawing together key evidence on anti-bullying including research by academics at the University of York conducted for the Children’s Commissioner for England.
Guidancee-Bug (18th November 2008)As part of a new campaign to control the spread of antibiotic resistant infections, children are to be taught in schools about prudent antibiotic use and the importance of good hygiene. "e-Bug", a European Commission (DG-SANCO) sponsored project, developed by the Health Protection Agency and European partners, is an educational resource that will be available for schools in Europe, including the UK, to use from next year (2009/2010).
Website
Equality impact assessment: summary tool and guidance for policy makers (18th November 2008)Equality impact assessment (EqIA) is the process by which the DH seeks to meet its legal requirements in conjunction with the DH Single Equality Scheme (SES) and to narrow the health inequalities that exist in England between people from different ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, men and women (including transgendered people), people with different sexual orientations, people in different age groups, and people with different religions or beliefs. Policymakers must screen all new (and eventually, all existing) policies for their impact on people from each of these groups.
Summary Tool
Vital Signs Monitoring Return (VSMR) – Commissioner based (21st November 2008)This VSMR – commissioner based, associated with stroke has been published by the Department of Health’s stroke website.
DocumentBest practice guidance for Your guide to local health services (20th November 2008)This best practice guidance presents items for inclusion in Your guide to local health services to help primary care trusts ensure that patients receive local information about primary care trust services.
Letter
GuidanceSocial Enterprise – Making a difference: a guide to the Right to Request (20th November 2008)The ‘right to request’ is part of a bigger vision for the future of the NHS as set out in High Quality Care For All: NHS Next Stage Review Final Report published in June 2008. This recognised that we will only succeed in placing quality at the heart of everything we do if frontline NHS staff are given the freedom to use their talents to find innovative ways to improve quality of care for patients. It identifies the need to enable NHS services everywhere to best respond to the needs of their local communities and the need for a new accountability. This guide aims to support NHS staff who are thinking of taking up the ‘right to request’ and setting up a social enterprise to deliver healthcare services to NHS patients, free at the point of delivery.
Guide
Summary leaflet
Workshops
Improving health and work: changing lives (25th November 2008)Improving health and work: changing lives, published on 25 November 2008, is the Government’s response to Working for a Healthier Tomorrow (published March 2008), Dame Carol Black’s Review of the health of Britain’s working age population. The initiatives set out in this Response are designed to contribute to the health and well-being of the working-age population, their families and communities, and to benefit Britain’s economic performance overall.
Report
Working for a Healthier Tomorrow
Feedback events on the new single complaints system (25th November 2008)From 1 April 2009 a single complaints system will cover all of health and adult social care services in England. A number of events will be taking place in December 2008 to allow NHS and adult social care complaint /customer service managers, patient advice and liaison service staff and the public to comment and offer their views on the proposed new complaints arrangements.
Information
Catch it, Bin it, Kill it – respiratory and hand hygiene campaign (24th November 2008)The second phase of this communications campaign began on 24 November 2008 and runs until early 2009. It aims to encourage the public to practise correct respiratory and hand hygiene when coughing and sneezing, to prevent the spread of germs particularly during the cold and flu season. The 2008/2009 campaign particularly targets mothers with children under 11 years of age, as influencers within the family.
Campaign
How well are acute trusts following the hygiene code? (24th November 2008)This publication describes the Healthcare Commissions findings from 51 inspections of acute NHS trusts (about 30% of the acute sector) to assess their performance regarding cleanliness and infection control. The Healthcare Commission praised NHS trusts for showing increasing commitment to reducing healthcare-associated infections. However, the NHS must maintain the pressure, because the spotchecks revealed gaps in many trusts’ systems.
Publication
No One Left Out – Communities ending rough sleeping (18th November 2008)This is a 15-point action plan, which has been developed with leading rough sleeping charities, to prevent rough sleeping, and to support those already there to rebuild their lives away from the streets. The plan calls on communities to get more involved in supporting those in their area at risk of rough sleeping.
Action PlanRough Sleeping 10 Years On: From the streets to independent living and opportunity: Analysis of responses to discussion paper (18th November 2008)In April 2008 Communities and Local Government published the discussion paper Rough Sleeping 10 years on: From the streets to independent living and opportunity, to inform development of an updated government strategy. These documents report on the responses we received to this discussion paper. The quality of the responses to the discussion paper was very high, and some clear themes emerged.
Executive Summary
Ultra Executive Summary
