This bulletin highlights recently produced documents that have appeared on websites. The aim is to trawl the web and produce a fortnightly review of what is found (coverage may not be comprehensive). If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this Bulletin, please send an email to library.pct@sthk.nhs.uk. All links are correct at time of publishing. Some documents are large and may take time to open so please be patient when waiting for links to open. If a link is incorrect please email me and I will correct the link and send you the document.
Local Routes: Guidance for developing alcohol treatment pathways (1st December 2009)This document provides good practice guidance on the development of integrated care pathways for people with alcohol problems – alcohol treatment pathways (ATPs). It is illustrated with a number of examples but is not intended to provide an exhaustive resource of off-the-shelf pathways.
Guidance Guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people. A report by the Chief Medical Officer (17th December 2009)In April 2008 the Chief Medical Officer was asked by the Secretaries of State for Health and for Children, Schools and Families to prepare guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people.
This guidance was published initially in draft form as part of a consultation on advice and information for children, young people and alcohol, being facilitated in England by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The findings from this consultation have been collated and utilised in the development of this final version of the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance.
Guidance Off Measure: How we underestimate the amount we drink (18th December 2009)A new analysis, carried out by Liverpool John Moores University, finds that the discrepancy between alcohol surveys calculating consumption and actual alcohol sales equals 430 million units a week. This is the equivalent of a bottle of wine per adult drinker per week going unaccounted for in the UK.
Report
Key messages for ovarian cancer for health professionals (23rd December 2009)Ovarian cancer can be difficult to diagnose. The Department of Health has developed key messages on ovarian cancer for health professionals to support early diagnosis and better progress for patients.
Information
Specialist inpatient learning disability services. Follow-up audit of services 2008/09 (15th December 2009)In 2007 the first national audit of specialist inpatient services for people with learning disabilities took place. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a report and planned to follow up the report with inspections of these services.
From September 2008 to January 2009 they inspected 43 NHS and independent healthcare services and asked them to tell the CQC how they would improve their services following CQC's recommendations. CQC found that services for people with learning disabilities was mixed.
Report
Strategic plan 2010-2015 - position statement and action plan for learning disability (15th December 2009)
In direct response to the "Specialist inpatient learning disability services" follow up review which was published today, the CQC have published a five year plan outlining how it will drive up standards on behalf of people with learning disabilities. The Plan is also available in an easy read version.
Strategic Plan
Training materials for the revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS funded Nursing Care (10th December 2009)These slides have been developed to support local training. Individual groups of slides can be used for training on specific issues. Speaker notes are attached.
The slides are for general advice and training and should not be taken as a full and authoritative statement of the law and policy.
Slides
Young people and sexual exploitation: an exploration of young people's workers' experiences of providing support in Merseyside (10th December 2009)This research aimed to explore young people's workers' experience of supporting young people who have been sexually exploited in both broad and subtle ways.
Young people were not consulted for this research and this should be taken into account when considering the following recommendations from the report:
- Young people’s workers should have access to specialist training regarding sexual exploitation and training needs assessments regarding sexual exploitation should be conducted.
- The Sexual Exploitation: Risk Assessment (SERA) should be used to increase young people’s workers’ awareness of the signs that young people may be being sexually exploited or at risk of sexual exploitation.
- Consideration should be given to how the sexual exploitation of young people could be minimised via the introduction of compulsory sex and relationship education as part of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).
- The perspectives of young people, who have been sexually exploited and live in Merseyside, regarding how young people become sexually exploited and effective methods of support should be obtained. Young people’s well-being should be prioritised throughout the research process.
Report The Children's Plan Two Years On: a progress report (December 2009)The Children’s Plan built on the enormous achievements of the Every Child Matters framework and a decade of reform and investment in schools, health and children’s services. Much has been achieved.
In this Two Years On document the Government takes the opportunity to chart the progress that has been made so far and share their next steps.
The Children’s Plan Expert Groups were asked to review the progress that has been made and advise on the challenges ahead, both for Government, and for all those working with children and young people.
Report The Impact of the Commercial World on Children's Wellbeing: Report of an Independent Assessment (December 2009)In The Children's Plan the DCSF gave a commitment to commission an independent review of the impact of the commercial world on children's wellbeing. That assessment, conducted by Professor David Buckingham and a panel of experts, is now complete and this report presents their findings.
The assessment was launched with an online call for evidence, which was widely circulated to relevant stakeholder groups. This resulted in a range of submissions from businesses, trade associations, non-government organisations, consumer groups, teacher unions, campaigners, and others.
Report The Prince's Trust YouGov Youth Index 2010 (4th January 2010)Older teenagers and young adults who are out of work face poorer health and lower happiness, with one in 10 claiming that unemployment drove them to drugs or alcohol, according to new research.
A Princes Trust study, based on interviews with over 2,000 unemployed 16 to 25 year olds, also found out-of-work young people were more likely to feel ashamed, rejected and unloved. If the current economic downturn mirrors previous recessions these could become ‘permanent psychological scars’, the charity warned.
Survey
PCT Spend and Outcome Factsheets and Tool (SPOT) (December 2009)The Department of Health commissioned the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) to develop a tool which helps commissioners to link health outcomes and expenditure. Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory led the development of the tool and a factsheet for every Primary Care Trust (PCT) in England. The tool, factsheet and user guide are now available.
Tool World Class Commissioning - December 2009 update (17th December 2009)Monthly progress report on the world class commissioning programme.
Update Cancer commissioning guidance - updates (16th December 2009)The cancer commissioning guidance announced as part of the Cancer Reform Strategy has been developed to support world-class commissioning of cancer services across the NHS. This guidance sets out, in an easy-to-use format, key issues and questions that commissioners and cancer network teams will want to take into consideration when assessing health needs, reviewing services, developing their contract service specifications and monitoring performance.
Guidance Cheshire and Merseyside Partners in Public Health Contribution to World Class Commissioning (23rd December 2009)This paper builds on the work of individual PCTs across Cheshire and Merseyside and their collective programmes through the Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Network. The purpose of the paper is to:
- Illustrate through network outcomes, evidence, approaches and innovative practices how the network clearly supports C&M PCTs world class commissioning assessments
- Reflects public health challenges and progress that exist in Cheshire and Merseyside and the contribution ChaMPs provides through well-established national, regional and local collaborations
- Provides acknowledgement of the good, and signposts the steps required to move to great
Paper Service for the treatment and management of schizophrenia in adults (December 2009)This commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning, and is a resource to help health and social care professionals in England to commission an effective service for the treatment and management of schizophrenia in adults (18 years and over) with an established diagnosis of schizophrenia with onset before age 60.
GuideService for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults (December 2009)This commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning, and is a resource to help health professionals in England to commission an effective service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults.
The Topic-specific Advisory Group identified that at presentation the diagnosis of RA may not be readily apparent, yet early intervention is important. Therefore patients referred to this service are likely to include people with early inflammatory arthritis. The principles of commissioning a service for people with RA may also be applied to the commissioning of services for people with early inflammatory arthritis.
Guide
Response to the consultation on the revision of the Fair Access to Care Services guidance to support councils to determine eligibility for social care services (16th December 2009)A public consultation on revised guidance on eligibility for social care closed on 6th October 2009. This report is a summary of the consultation responses. The revised guidance will replace the 2003 Fair Access to Care Services guidance and aims to support fair and transparent implementation of eligibility criteria, within the new policy context of personalisation and prevention set out in Putting People First.
Consultation Response
NHS Car Parking: Consultation on Improving Access for Patients (29th December 2009)This consultation seeks views on the implementation of free NHS hospital car parking for inpatients.
Closing date for comments is 23rd February 2010.
Consultation Strengthening national commissioning: a consultation document (11th December 2009)This consultation seeks views from the NHS, industry and other stakeholders on the Government's proposals for an incremental development of some of the arrangements proposed in the Carter Review, in particular reshaping the membership and role of the National Commissioning Group (NCG).
Closing date for comments is 19th February 2010.
Consultation Mainstreaming the commissioning of local services to address violence against women and girls (22nd December 2009)Following the publication of the cross-government strategy "Together we can end violence against women and girls" on 25 November 2009, the Home Office have produced draft commissioning guidance to support local commissioners and partnerships. It will help them develop the best approach to commissioning services to prevent violence against women and girls, protect victims and potential victims and provide services to victims and perpetrators in local areas.
Closing date for comments is 15th March 2010.
Consultation Responding to Lord Laming's recommendations for further guidance on effective practice for Local Safeguarding Children Boards - A Summary Outline for consultation and a call for evidence (December 2009)In "The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report" published by Lord Laming on 12th March 2009, he recommended that the Department for Children, Schools and Families must provide further guidance to Local Safeguarding Boards on how to operate as effectively as possible.
This summary outline builds on the progress already made in addressing Lord Laming's recommendations. The National Safeguarding Delivery Unit welcomes views on the proposed outline and issues that the practice guidance should cover.
Closing date for comments is 29th January 2010.
Consultation Working Together to Safeguard Children (18th December 2009)In "The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report" Lord Laming made a number of recommendations which the Government has proposed to address through the revision of Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance. This revised draft guidance addresses 17 of Lord Laming's recommendations, as indicated in the National Safeguarding Delivery Unit's earlier pre-consultation. The revised draft also updates the guidance to reflect changes to the policy and legislative landscape since Working Together was last published in 2006.
Closing date for comments is 11th February 2010.
Consultation The proposals to implement 'generic substitution' in primary care, further to the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) 2009. Consultation document (5th January 2009)Consultation document asking for views on options for the implementation of generic substitution in England.
Closing date for comments is 30th March 2009.
Consultation
Simplification plan: year four 2009 (14th December 2009)This is the fourth annual Simplification Plan. It describes the Department of Healths continuing efforts to deliver the Government's 25 per cent target for reducing the administrative burden of compliance with regulations affecting the private sector. Work also continues to reform the regulatory framework for health and adult social care over the next year. The new regulator, the Care Quality Commission, created on 1 April 2009, replacing three previous regulatory bodies, has the ambition to be a truly world class regulator that acts in a proportionate, targeted, consistent, transparent and accountable way to ensure the effective protection of patients, clients and the public.
Report Department of Health autumn performance report 2009 (10th December 2009)The 2009 Autumn Performance Report - an annual HM Treasury requirement - details progress made on the 44 indicators measuring the Department's Departmental Strategic Objectives and two Public Service Agreements, agreed for the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR07). It also reports on progress made against the CSR07 Value for Money target from the work on the Operational Efficiency Programme, Public Value Programme and QIPP.
Report
Aiming high for disabled children: improving data (15th December 2009)York Health Economics Consortium were commissioned by the Department of Health to explore how data on disabled children is collected, managed and used at a local level. The focus of the research was fieldwork across eight health economies in England, underpinned by a review of peer-reviewed literature. The report of the research project sets out key findings on:
- the definitions of disability used by different agencies and services
- the information about disabled children that is captured.
- how such information is collected and stored.
- how such information is shared.
Report
Hepatitis C in the UK: 2009 Report (11th December 2009)According to latest figures released by the Health Protection Agency, more than 8,000 people were diagnosed with hepatitis C last year in England.
Figures from the agency's yearly report on Hepatitis C for 2009 show that laboratory reporting of newly diagnosed hepatitis C infections in England increased in 2008 by 6% compared to 2007, with 8,196 new cases reported in 2008.
Report
Project Argus - Health (9th December 2009)This is a letter from Richard Hampton, Head of NHS Security Management Service; Chris Phillips Head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and Andy Cobb, CONTEST and CNI Lead, Emergency Preparedness Division, Department of Health. It highlights the launch of Project Argus – Health: a multimedia presentation which explores the possible consequences for the health sector in the aftermath of a terrorist attack and the risks it itself may face.
Letter
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
HPV Vaccination programme: update (18th December 2009)Final update regarding the death of the young girl from Coventry who died after receiving an HPV vaccine.
Letter
The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice for health and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance (16th December 1998)The Code of Practice, which comes into force on 1 April 2010 for the NHS and October 2010 for all other registered providers, sets out the criteria against which a registered provider will be assessed by the Care Quality Commission. It also provides guidance on how the provider can meet the registration requirement relating to healthcare associated infections set out in the regulations.
Guidance MRSA objective for 2010-11 (11th December 2009)Following a recommendation from the National Quality Board, from April 2010, NHS organisations will be set an objective for reducing MRSA infections, relative to the median, with the best-performers setting their objectives locally.
The MRSA objective reflects a zero tolerance approach to preventable infections and the aim of reducing variation in performance on MRSA bloodstream infections.
Publication
Informatics Planning 2010/11 (17th December 2009)The operating framework 2010/11 confirms that informatics will be included in operational plans and this document provides guidance on the informatics components of these plans. National expectations for the NHS for delivery of national and local objectives are set out, building on existing investments to strengthen local information and data management.
Framework
Use of Resources Good Practice and Case Studies (17th December 2009)To help auditors and audited bodies identify good practice, the Audit Commission have published some case studies from the 2008/09 auditors' use of resources work.
Case Studies Leading Together Better (29th December 2009)During the summer of 2009, the IDeA’s Healthy Communities programme sponsored a research project by Shared Intelligence. This explored the nature of partnership working between directors of public health, adults’ services and children’s services. The project arose after the first joint conference between the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS) and Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS). The conference report reveals well-established partnership relationships between all three directors.
The IDeA has distributed the report to local authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs). It hopes that this will stimulate local discussion on the nature of partnership working for health and wellbeing and how it can be improved.
Document
The second year of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service: 2008/09 (23rd December 2009)The Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service was created under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It started in 2007 and this is the annual report of its second year in operation.
Report
