Primary Care Service Framework: Alcohol Services in Primary Care (June 2008)
The purpose of this Primary Care Service Framework is: to equip commissioners, providers and practitioners with the necessary background knowledge, service and implementation details to safely deliver support for alcohol interventions in primary care; as a means of improving the health and quality of life of people whose health may be compromised by their use of alcohol by providing patient-centred, systematic and on-going support.
Click here for the Framework
National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit. An audit of the care received by people with Oesophago-Gastric Cancer in England and Wales. First Annual Report 2008 (13th June 2008)
Patients with one of the most devastating forms of cancer are surviving longer due to better services, but more work still needs to be done to improve organisation of palliative care, says the first national Oesophago-Gastric (OG) Cancer Audit. Each year, in England and Wales, approximately 13,500 people are diagnosed with either oesophageal or gastric cancer, making it the fifth most common type of cancer. The condition typically afflicts more elderly people and the prognosis for survival is poor with overall five-year survival rates in England and Wales, around seven per cent for oesophageal cancer and 13 per cent for gastric cancer.
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Young Runaways Action Plan (16th June 2008)
Around 100,000 young people under the age of 16 run away from home or care each year across the UK. The Department for Children, Schools and Families has taken the lead in coordinating policy developments across Government to ensure appropriate services are in place to respond to the needs of those who run away, in partnership with the Home Office, the Department of Communities and Local Government. The proposals in this joint action plan aim to build on examples of good practice and kick-start long-term improvements to services for young runaways.
Click here for the Action Plan
About Time. Commissioning to transform day and vocational services (12th June 2008)
About Time is the first step-by-step guide that shows how commissioners can turn their services around to offer people the support they need to live the lives they want. It shows that involving service users from the start of a process of radical change is crucial to its success.
Click here for the Summary
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006/Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007: Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme consultation document - formal Government response (10th June 2008)
Report on consultation carried out by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Home Office and the Department of Health.
Click here for the Response
The NHS Resilience and Business Continuity Management Guidance 2008: interim strategic national guidance for NHS organisations (12th June 2008)
The purpose of this best practice guidance is to give National Health Service (NHS) organisations support in developing and refining Business Continuity Management (BCM) processes. This Guidance has been prepared under the auspices of the Department of Health’s NHS Resilience Project with expert input of a workshop event that met in London in November 2007. This is interim guidance and will be developed, refined and revised. Closing date for comments is 30th September 2008.
Click here for the Consultation
Click here for the Initial scoping assessment and action plan
Click here for the Questionnaire
The Extra Mile - How schools succeed in raising aspirations in deprived communities (11th June 2008)
This publication focuses on children whose families have been poor for generations. It looks at ways of raising the aspirations of children from deprived communities, and engaging them in their education.
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Quality and Outcomes Framework Guidance for GMS contract 2008/09 - Delivering investment in general practice (June 2008)
This guidance has been produced jointly by NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee and forms part of the contract changes for the General Medical Services Contract for 2008/09. It replaces Annex 1: Quality and Outcomes Framework guidance in the document called Revisions to the GMS contract 2006/07.
Click here for Guidance
NHS Trust Declarations on standards for 2007/08 (16th June 2008)
The Healthcare Commission today (Monday) said it would carry out a thorough check of NHS trusts’ public declarations on whether they meet the government’s standards for healthcare. In the 2006/2007 annual performance assessment of the NHS, 33 trusts scored ‘weak’ for quality of services. During the 2007/2008 year, the commission visited these trusts to check on the progress being made to improve standards. Of the 33 trusts, 24 had been rated as 'not met' in 2006/2007 against core standards. All but two of these trusts have declared higher levels of compliance in 2007/2008.
Click here for Full Results Tables
Click here for Briefing Note
Click here for Declaration Spreadsheet
Evaluation of Social HomeBuy Pilot Scheme for Affordable Housing: Final Report (12th June 2008)
This report outlines the progress made to December 2007 in implementing Social HomeBuy. In particular it focuses on the motivations behind the involvement of participating landlords and their experience of barriers to the implementation of the scheme both from an organisational and a tenant perspective. The report provides an insight into the perceptions of landlords who are not currently participating in the scheme and reports the barriers they perceive in offering this scheme.
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Mental Capacity Act 2005: Deprivation of liberty safeguards - Code of Practice to supplement the main Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice (13th June 2008)
This Code of Practice has been prepared and was laid in draft before Parliament by the Lord Chancellor on 13 June 2008, in accordance with sections 42 and 43 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, after having consulted Welsh Ministers and such other persons as he considered appropriate. Subject to successful passage through parliament, the legislation will come into force in April 2009. The Code contains guidance on the Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The Code is particularly intended to provide guidance for professionals involved in administering and delivering the safeguards who are under a duty to have regard to the Code.
Click here for the Code of Practice
Is the Treatment Working? Progress with the NHS System Reform Programme (12th June 2008)
The report looks at the ambitious programme of market-style reforms that aim to improve efficiency and effectiveness and were first set out in the NHS Plan of 2000. It evaluates the key elements: giving patients more choice; greater NHS use of the independent sector; the creation of foundation trusts; practice based commissioning; and Payment by Results. It also reviews the impact of major changes to employment contracts with NHS staff.
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Click here for Summary
Globalisation. How will it affect the NHS? (June 2008)
This paper looks at the challenge of serving a population that is increasingly subject to global influences. It considers the impact of rising public expectations as information on global healthcare systems becomes increasingly accessible, as well as the effect of ethnic diversity in the UK and what it means for commissioners and providers. The paper challenges NHS leaders to design services for the future that genuinely respond to the needs of the populations they serve.
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Topping up. Should it be allowed in the NHS? (June 2008)
This paper looks at the issues surrounding whether or not patients should be able to buy additional treatments not offered by the NHS. It critically evaluates the present system, highlighting how the current inconsistencies must be addressed so that the NHS is not undermined.
Click here for the Paper
Lessons from outsourcing adult social care: the workforce issues (10th June 2008)
This report presents the findings of a study commissioned by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) to explore outsourcing within adult social care. It examines how this has affected the workforce and the lessons for the rest of local government.
Click here for the Report
