ABOUT THIS BLOG

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.

For those that are receiving this through an email or through a third party you can view the original Bulletin at http://www.newdocumentsbulletin.blogspot.com/ and also sign up to receive the Bulletin by RSS.

Due to annual leave the next issue of the Bulletin will be published w/c 31/08/09.

ALTERNATIVE/COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Assessing complementary practice. Building Consensus on appropriate research methods (10th August 2009)
Despite the increasing popularity and use of complementary practice, it is difficult to assess its effectiveness. Lack of research – and lack of agreement on research methods – has led to criticism from branches of conventional medicine.

The King’s Fund set up an advisory group, chaired by Professor Dame Carol Black, to consider how to develop and apply a robust evidence base for complementary practice. The group drew on the experience of a wide range of academics, researchers, practitioners and funders, much of it shared in a two-day participative conference.

This report of the group’s deliberations points out that complementary practice presents researchers with a unique set of challenges.
Report

ANNUAL REPORTS

Health Protection Agency - Annual Report and Accounts 2009 (7th August 2009)
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has today published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2009.

The report highlights HPA's involvement in a widening range of activities, by laying out the key aims of its main health protection priorities and providing detailed updates on achievements in these areas.
Report

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 31 (7th August 2009)

Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin, August 2009, Edition 53 (August 2009)

COMMISSIONING

NHS Cross-Regional SHA Social Value Commissioning Project Bulletin No. 1 - July 2009 (August 2009)
Managers and commissioners within the NHS and local government are caught in a ‘value squeeze’ (i.e. increasing pressure to do more with less) as they seek to deliver more and better services under tighter budget constraints. Within this context, the development of social value will add an additional dimension to both existing service provision and also services that are at the procurement stage.

What this project aims to do is two-fold:

• Develop a framework within which the social value of the current commissioning and procurement activity can be captured and articulated - this will allow the NHS to show its ‘true’ value across the public sector; and
• Embed the use of social value concepts in commissioning and procurement activities - this will allow commissioners to ‘manage’ social value across a whole system and to work more effectively with their partners to deliver social value outcomes.

Bulletin

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Learning Together to be Safe: A toolkit to help colleges contribute to the prevention of violent extremism (7th August 2009)
This toolkit provides information about what can cause violent extremism, about preventative actions taking place locally and nationally and about where colleges can get additional information and advice.
Toolkit

An Action Plan for Tackling Violence 2008-11 - One Year On (5th August 2009)
This report shows the government's progress on tackling violence and introduces a new wider commitment to reduce all violence with injury.
Report

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care: consultation. Response to the consultation (11th August 2009)
This response document is in response to 'Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care' consultation. It sets out messages heard during the consultation process through nine regional workshops held around England, an on-line questionnaire; and detailed written responses received by the Department of Health. This document sets out key themes identified, an analysis of the feedback received, and outlines how we intend to take forward work to develop a substantive strategy on volunteering in health and social care.
Consultation Response

CONSULTATIONS

Safety and Security Directions - High Secure Psychiatric Services - Proposals for consultation (10th August 2009)
The aim of this consultation is to gather views on the proposed revision of The High Security Psychiatric Services (Arrangements for Safety and Security at Ashworth, Broadmoor and Rampton Hospitals) Directions 2009 and associated guidance, by inviting the views of key stakeholder. Closing date for comments is 2nd November 2009.
Consultation

Fees for the registration of pharmacy premises: A consultation on the level of fees to be charged from 1 January 2010 (7th August 2009)
The level of the fee charged by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for the registration of pharmacy premises is being reviewed. You are invited to give your views on the level of fee, which will come into force from 1 January 2010.
Consultation

DIET/NUTRITION

Food Route: a journey through food (10th August 2009)
The Food Standards Agency has published a new range of resources to enable young people to learn essential food-related skills and knowledge.

'Food route: a journey through food' is a range of colourful age-appropriate workbooks designed and developed to bring the Agency's food competences to life. The materials are supported by teachers' user guides and downloadable certificates, which can be awarded on completion of the various activities.
Resources

DOCTORS

Changes to the GMC's Fitness to Practice Rules (7th August 2009)
A number of amendments to the GMC’s Fitness to Practise Rules take effect on 7 August. The changes follow a consultation earlier this year.

The changes result from our experience of the rules since their introduction in 2004 and from legal advice, and are intended to enhance the effective operation of the GMC's procedures.
Document

DRUGS

Breaking the Link (6th August 2009)
This report, from the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, examines how the drug treatment system is expanding and working closely with criminal justice agencies to ensure that problem drug users in prisons have the same quality of treatment as those in the community. It is also about the efforts being made to ensure that all those who come into treatment through criminal justice routes get the opportunity to recover and reintegrate back into society.
Report

Routes to Recovery (3rd August 2009)
A summary of the latest resources in the Routes to Recovery series is now available. These include good practice guides on diversity, clinical governance and towards successful treatment completion.
Summary

GENERAL PRACTICE

Guide to the Revalidation of General Practitioners (updated 5th August 2009)
The Royal College of General Practitioners have released the second version of this guide. Key changes have been highlighted in blue.
Guide

HEALTH INEQUALITIES

Tackling health inequalities in Fenland (August 2009)
Fenland District Council has its own set of unique issues to deal with when catering to the needs of the local community. The sprawling rural area of Fenland has a population of just 100,000, which throws up among other things issues of isolation. There are more people over 60 in Fenland than under 18, hence the Golden Age Fairs that have helped older people access information and services since 2003. There is also a 50,000-strong Gypsy and Traveller community that has specific needs. Fenland District Council's challenge will be to respond to the diversity within the area and develop bespoke responses accordingly.
Video Podcast

Kettering walk-in centre (5th August 2009)
Eleven organisations led by Kettering Borough Council have set up a walk-in facility aimed at reducing health inequalities.
Information

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Independent Review of NHS and Social Care IT (August 2009)
This review was commissioned by the Conservative Party and chaired by Dr Glyn Hayes. The report finds that the National Programme for IT should not be abandons but adapted to meet the needs of patients.
Report

Conservative Party response to the Independent Review of NHS IT (10th August 2009)
The key proposals of the Conservatives response are:

• Dismantle the central NHS IT infrastructure and use local systems instead
• Halt and renegotiate the contracts for IT service providers
• Stop imposing central IT systems on the NHS
• Encourage the use of open source across the public sector

Response

Response to Conservative Party's independent review (10th August 2009)
A Department of Health spokesperson has said, in response to the independent review of NHS IT, "The report highlights nothing new - we already know that quality healthcare can be delivered through the effective use of IT."
Response

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

Local authorities' use of carers grant. A report prepared for the Department of Health (6th August 2009)
This is the report of a study undertaken by the University of Leeds and commissioned by the Department of Health that aimed to get a better understanding of how local authorities in England spent their Carers' Grant allocations between 2005 and 2007 and how it enabled them to improve support for carers in their area.

First introduced in April 1999, the Carers' Grant is provided to all councils with responsibility for social services in recognition of the support carers need for breaks and other services.
Report

Corby's health MOT bus (6th August 2009)
With Community for Health funding, Corby Borough Council has commissioned a mobile health clinic to tackle health inequalities in the borough.

A fully equipped bus visits residents where they live, work or go shopping to provide a personal ‘MOT’ – a review of their overall health. People are also signposted to healthcare or other support services that they may need.
Information

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental ill health - a common issue (5th August 2009)
Local government in the 21st century is often about working in partnerships and commissioning other bodies to deliver services. Not only has Staffordshire County Council excelled in this, but it has done so in one of the most neglected areas of public service, mental health care.
Information

NICE

Online Educational Tools (August 2009)

In collaboration with BMJ Learning, NICE offers a series of free educational modules suitable for all clinical staff in the healthcare team, as well as doctors. You do not have to be a BMA member or a BMJ subscriber.
Tools

NICE publishes first menu of potential indicators for 2010/11 QOF (10th August 2009)
On 10 August the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published the first menu of potential indicators for the 2010/11 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) together with recommendations on indicators to be considered for retirement.
QOF Indicators

Lung cancer (non-small-cell, first line treatment) - pemetrexed: final appraisal determination (6th August 2009)
After considering the feedback from consultation, the Appraisal Committee has prepared a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) on Lung cancer (non-small-cell, first line treatment) - pemetrexedand submitted it to the Institute.

The FAD has been sent to the formal consultees for this appraisal who have 15 working days to consider whether they wish to appeal against it. Subject to any appeal by consultees, the FAD may be used as the basis for the Institute's guidance on the use of the appraised technology in the NHS in England and Wales.

Closing date of the appeal is 21st August 2009.
FAD

Self-harm (longer term management): scope consultation (7th August 2009)
NICE have been asked to develop a clinical practice guideline on Self-harm (longer term management) for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The draft scope defines what aspects of care the guideline will cover and to whom it will apply. Registered stakeholders for the Self-harm (longer term management) guideline are invited to submit comments on the scope and may suggest clinical questions that could be answered in the guideline.

Closing date for comments is 4th September 2009.
Consultation

Latest Implementation Tools (12th August 2009)
Tools to aid implementation of recently published NICE guidance.

When to suspect child maltreatment: Costing Statement

Low back pain: Audit Support and Commissioning Fact Sheet

Diabetes Type 2 (new drugs) update: Audit Support - Organisational Criteria and Audit Support - Clinical Criteria

Coeliac Disease: Audit Support, Commissioning Factsheet and Guide to Resources

Hepatitis B - Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate: Audit Support and Costing Tools

Leukaemia (Chronic Lymphocystic, first line) - Rituximab: Audit Support and Costing Tools

Image-guided Radiofrequency Excision Biopsy of Breast Lesion: Audit Support

Sinus Tarsi Implant Insertion for Mobile Flatfoot: Audit Support

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

Pandemic influenza: guidance on meeting the needs of those who are or may become vulnerable during the pandemic (5th August 2009)
This is an update of draft guidance published in August 2008. This updated guidance is to support organisations in their planning for those people who are or may become vulnerable during the pandemic.
Guidance

PARENTING

Free online service helps first-time parents (10th August 2009)
A new interactive website to help parents and carers keep their babies healthy, happy and safe is being rolled out nationally today by the Department of Health. NHS Baby LifeCheck is designed to provide information and advice to mums, dads and carers of babies aged five to eight months.
Information

PRESCRIBING

Allied health professions prescribing and medicines supply mechanisms scoping project report (10th August 2009)
A report of an initial piece of work to determine if there is an evidence base for further work to extend prescribing and medicines supply mechanisms by allied health professions. The report makes recommendations for future phased work.
Report

SOCIAL CARE

Market Facilitation - Transforming the Market for Social Care (4th August 2009)
In order to transform social care to make it fit for the purpose of meeting changing needs and the more challenging agenda of a more personalised approach to service provision, commissioners are tasked with the role of influencing and shaping local care markets. A series of papers on different aspects of facilitating markets has been commissioned by the Better Commissioning Programme.
Papers

STATISTICS

Stomach cancer cases almost halve over the last 30 years (6th August 2009)
Table
Press Release

Report on the National Patient Choice Survey, England - March 2009 (6th August 2009)

Imaging and radiodiagnostic activity, 2008/09 (5th August 2009)

Effectiveness of child and adolescent mental health services (6th August)

NHS Vacancy Survey - England, 31 March 2009 (6th August 2009)

GP Practice Vacancies Survey 2009 (6th August 2009)

Dental Earnings and Expenses, Northern Ireland, 2007/08, Experimental Statistics (4th August 2009)

GP Extended Opening Hours - July 2009 (11th August 2009)

Hospital Episode Statistics: Admitted patient care - Provisional Monthly HES for Admitted patient care and outpatient data April - April 2009/10 (11th August 2009)

Dental Commissioning 09/10 June (6th August 2009)

Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain: Provisional Estimates - Quarter 1 2009 (6th August 2009)

Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain: Provisional Estimates for Accidents and Casualties Involving Illegal Alcohol Levels - 2008 (6th August 2009)

ABOUT THIS BLOG

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.

For those that are receiving this through an email or through a third party you can view the original Bulletin at http://www.newdocumentsbulletin.blogspot.com/ and also sign up to receive the Bulletin by RSS.

There will be an extra issue of the Bulletin next week as I am on annual leave for 2 weeks w/c 17/08/09.

ALCOHOL

Young People and Alcohol: Meanings, practices and contexts (30th July 2009)
This report aims to develop new understandings of the role of alcohol in young people’s lives. It examines how young people (particularly those at risk) view the use and misuse of alcohol and how its use relates to personal, social, familial and cultural factors.
Report

ANNUAL REPORTS

The Patient Information Advisory Group (PIAG) Annual Report 2007-2008 (3rd August 2009)
This is the sixth annual report of the Patient Information Advisory Group.
Report

National Clinical Audit Advisory Group annual report 2008-09 (28th July 2009)
The report summarises the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group's (NCAAG's) key achievements over the last year and outlines its forward plan for 2009/10. It is a succinct and straightforward report about the practical action NCAAG has taken to improve and reinvigorate clinical audit.
Report

National Oversight Group annual report 2008-09 (27th July 2009)
First annual report of the National Oversight Group for High Secure Services, which brings together significant stakeholders to provide oversight for the high secure services on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health.
Report

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) Annual Report 2008-09 (28th July 2009)
The increasing availability and potential harm of 'legal highs' are one of the key priorities of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).

The ACMD annual report also looks at the work of the council between April 2008 and March 2009. During this time the ACMD carried out many reviews and gave advice on classification of cannabis, MDMA (ecstasy), GBL, BZP and 24 various steroids.
Report

NICE Annual Report 2008/09 (July 2009)
The publication of the NICE 2008/09 Annual Report and annual accounts marks the Institute’s 10th anniversary year.

The report includes sections on NICE’s clinical guidelines, technology appraisals, interventional procedures and public health guidance. Each is illustrated with case studies highlighting the key issues tackled or how the guidance will be put into practice.
Report

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 29 (24th July 2009)

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 30 (31st July 2009)

DH Care Networks Telecare eNewsletter June/July 2009 (27th July 2009)

Medical Director's Bulletin, Issue 95, August 2009 (29th July 2009)

The Month: issue 23, July 2009 (30th July 2009)

AHP Bulletin, Issue 72, July/August 2009 (30th July 2009)

GP and Practice Team Bulletin, Issue 86, July 2009 (23rd July 2009)

CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

Annual Reports and Accounts 2008-09 (20th July 2009)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) was formed following the merger of three previous health and social care commissions:

• The Commission for Social Care Inspection
• The Healthcare Commission
• The Mental Health Act Commission

These reports show the work of the organisations to improve health and social care over their final year in operation. Also published is the CQC six month report and accounts.
Reports

CARE/CARERS

The national framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS funded nursing care - July 2009 (revised) (22nd July 2009)
The revised framework has been produced as a result of a commitment to review the national framework within 12 months of its publication. It clarifies and supports consistency in the determination of eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS funded nursing care. NHS bodies and local authorities are encouraged to work together to prepare for implementation in October 2009.
Guidance

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

Safeguarding the Young and Vulnerable: The joint chief inspectors' recommendations and the government's responses one year on (31st July 2009)
This report sets out the Government’s annual update on progress against the specific recommendations in the joint chief inspectors’ report on safeguarding children.
Report

North West Children and Young People's Health Indicators 2009 Summary Report (24th July 2009)
This summary report marks the last update of the North West Children and Young People's Health Indicators online tool. It builds upon the summary found in the North West Children and Young People's Health Indicators report (published in April 2008) and summarises 50 measures relating to the health and wellbeing of children and young people. A total of 37 out of the 50 indicators have been updated since the report and online tool were first published. This summary report is to be used in conjunction with the July 2009 update of the Children and Young People's Healthy Weight Indicators tool, which is available at www.nwph.net/cayphi.
Report

COMMISSIONING

The evidence base to guide development of Tier 4 CAMHS (29th July 2009)
Until recently the idea of Tier 4 specialist CAMHS was synonymous with psychiatric inpatient provision, sometimes with day hospitals attached. Tier 4 has more recently come to be understood as multi-faceted with multi-agency services that can include inreach, outreach, intensive and crisis community initiatives, day provision, therapeutic fostering and other services that may be described as 'wrap around'. What has been seen over the past few years are innovative approaches in assessment and treatment of this most complex group of young people and the development of new intensive community focused services.

The purpose of this paper is to present the latest information on these new developments and share with commissioners and providers the evidence base for development of effective services in this area.
Paper

Pharmacy-based stop smoking services: optimising commissioning (July 2009)
Stop smoking services are one of the most cost effective of all health interventions in the NHS. This guidance covers the key areas for primary care trusts (PCTs) when commissioning 'world class' pharmacy-based stop smoking services.
Guidance

COMMUNITIES

Reaching out - Community engagement and health (July 2009)
This is the third in a series of publications from the IDeA’s Healthy Communities programme, this time written in conjunction with NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). The document explores the importance of engaging communities in health promotion and health services, and the health benefits that this can bring.
Publication

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Governance arrangements to support PCT provider committees (30th July 2009)
This governance guidance is intended to help support PCT provider committees implement strong robust governance arrangements in order to deliver the transformation of community services.
Guidance

CONSENT

Reference guide to consent for examination or treatment, second edition 2009 (4th August 2009)
This document updates that issued in 2001 and provides a guide to the legal framework that all health professionals need to take account of in obtaining valid consent for any examination, treatment or care that they propose to undertake.
Document

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Young People and Alcohol Guidance (23rd July 2009)
This is a summary of responses to a consultation on alcohol guidance, advice and information for parents, children and young people.
Responses

CONSULTATIONS

PbR data assurance framework 2010/11 onwards - consultation (3rd August 2009)
The Audit Commission have launched this consultation to review the programme that has been running for three years. Some of the things that are being proposed are:

• Primary care trusts should be more integral in determining risks and the local audit programme
• Greater appreciation of local knowledge, information and management arrangements should be built into future processes
• The programme should enable the Audit Commission to discharge their responsibility to provide national assurance of the quality of data underpinning PbR and other key systems.

Closing date for comments is 2nd October 2009.
Consultation

A joint consultation on the Report to Ministers from the DH Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK (3rd August 2009)
This consultation is launched jointly by the four health departments in the UK.

The consultation seeks respondents’ views on whether, and if so how, to regulate acupuncturists, herbal medicine practitioners and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners. It focuses on the purpose of regulation – public protection - explains the difference between professional regulation (whether statutory or voluntary) and system regulation, and explores the links between the work of the DH Steering Group on the statutory regulation of acupuncture, herbal medicine and TCM and the Regulation White Paper Working Group on Extending Professional Regulation. Closing date for comments is 2nd November 2009.
Consultation

Consultation on the de-authorisation of NHS foundation trusts (27th July 2009)
The overwhelming majority of foundation trust hospitals are high performing, providing patients with the highest quality of care. But their status must always be seen as a privilege and not a one-way ticket. Foundation trusts should not retain their freedoms where they are clearly failing their patients and where a loss of public confidence has occurred. The failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust exposed a need for changes to the current regulations and the Government is therefore consulting on changes to:

• enable Monitor, in certain circumstances, to de-authorise a foundation trust and remove its foundation status, subject to agreement of the Secretary of State; and
• enable the Secretary of State, in certain circumstances, to request formally that Monitor takes specific action to intervene in or de-authorise a foundation trust. If Monitor decides not to de-authorise, or take the other action requested by the Secretary of State, then the regulator would be required to fully justify this in a written public report and set out the alternative steps it will take.

Closing date for comments is 18th September 2009.
Consultation

New Horizons: towards a shared vision for mental health - consultation (23rd July 2009)
Good mental health is fundamental to the well-being and prosperity of England. In the last decade, greater investment and reforms have transformed mental health care, but now we need to go further.

We need to target the root causes of mental illness and support the local development of higher quality, more personalised services.

New Horizons sets out ideas for achieving this. It explores the prevention of mental illness and earlier intervention when things go wrong. It also looks at how services can become more innovative and work more effectively together. Closing date for comments is 15th October 2009.
Consultation

Front-of-pack nutrition labelling for pre-packed foods sold through retail outlets in the UK (30th July 2009)
This consultation seeks views on practical issues that need to be resolved for an integrated front-of-pack nutrition labelling approach to work in real-life settings and help consumers to make healthier choices. Closing date for comments is 5th November 2009.
Consultation

DIET/NUTRITION

Spreading the healthy eating message in Northumberland (22nd July 2009)
To really understand the importance of healthy eating, it helps to appreciate where food comes from. And that is just what school children in Northumberland have been learning about through the ‘Roots and Shoots’ project.
Information

Footballers help children shoot for healthy lifestyles (22nd July 2009)
Footballers can often find themselves in the headlines for the wrong reasons. But Newcastle United’s stars are showing they can be positive role models by encouraging children to adopt healthier lifestyles. The club has teamed up with the local city council and primary care trust (PCT) to run activities in schools. They focus on the importance of healthy eating and staying active.
Information

DIRECTIONS

Directions to the National Patient Safety Agency (24th July 2009)
These directions are given to the National Patient Safety Agency. They deal with implementing a number of measures to improve the safety of NHS patients.
Directions

DISEASES AND DISORDERS

Independent validation of QRISK on the THIN database (24th July 2009)
QRISK is a new cardiovascular disease risk prediction algorithm published in 2007. This document is looking at an independent validation of the QRISK algorithm on the The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database. THIN has created a medical research database of anonymised patient records from information entered by general practices.
Document

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

Prevention package for older people (22nd July 2009)
The prevention package raises the focus on prevention as a means of ensuring good health, well-being and independence in later life, by promoting and encouraging uptake of comprehensive health and social care services for older people.

As health and well-being are major concerns for people in later years the health prevention package forms the Department of Health’s main contribution to the government’s ageing strategy Building a Society for All Ages which was launched on 13 July 2009 by Phil Hope, Minister of State for Care Services and Angela Eagle, Minister of State for Pensions and an Ageing Society.
Publication

FINANCE

2007-08 National Survey of Investment in Adult Mental Health services (23rd July 2009)
This is the seventh annual report presenting the results of the finance mapping exercise carried out as part of the autumn review process. It provides details of the level of investment in adult mental health services in England for 2007/08 and compares it with the reported results in the five previous years.
Report

GENERAL PRACTICE

Good Medical Practice in Action (27th July 2009)
The General Medical Council (GMC) has launched a series of challenging online tutorials that tackle tricky ethical scenarios.

The tutorials which include child protection, whistle-blowing and addiction will be added to existing scenarios.
Tutorials
News story

HOSPITAL CARE

The Point of Care. Measures of patients' experience in hospital: purpose, methods and uses (3rd August 2009)
Ensuring that you are measuring the things that matter most to patients is an essential component of a successful strategy for improving patients’ experience. It is important to choose methods that are fit for purpose. This paper provides a brief guide to these to help trust boards and other interested parties decide which measurement and feedback tools are appropriate for their requirements.
Document

INFECTIONS

The risk of secondary vCJD infection of patients receiving a high number of blood transfusions (24th July 2009)
This paper provides estimates of the risk of secondary variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD) infections for patients receiving a high number of blood transfusions.

This paper is as originally presented to the CJD Incidents Panel on 19 January 2006 except for the addition of a disclaimer and a more recent reference. It is placed here for wider reference.
Paper

INFORMATION

National Renal Dataset (4th August 2009)
The National Renal Dataset provides the specification of information to be collected by the NHS to support implementation of the National Service Framework for Renal Services. This information will be used by kidney care services to assess their achievement of the quality standards and to improve kidney care for patients. Implementation of the dataset will take place in two stages: collection of 693 data items for May 2009 and a further 188 data items from April 2011.
Dataset

LEARNING DISABILITIES

Estimating future numbers of adults with profound multiple learning disabilities in England (23th July 2009)
The work in this report was conducted by the Centre for Disability Research (CeDR) at Lancaster University on behalf of the Department of Health. The aim of the project was to estimate change in the future numbers of adults with profound multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) in England over the period 2009 to 2026.
Report

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

New innovation: Rapid Health Impact Assessments (27th July 2009)
Imagine a local authority where housing, planning, engineering and regeneration staff routinely assess the health impacts of the policies and projects they are working on, and then do something to address them.

Luton Borough Council is trying to do just that by training officers to do rapid health impact assessments (HIA)
Information

MENTAL HEALTH

Planning for the psychosocial and mental health care of people affected by major incidents and disasters: Interim national strategic guidance (31st July 2009)
This interim strategic guidance provides best practice in planning, preparing and managing psychosocial and mental health services in response to traumatic events and all types of emergencies resulting in an abnormal situation that poses any threat to the health of the community or in providing services for psychosocial care following such events.
Guidance

Living well with dementia: a National Dementia Strategy implementation plan (22nd July 2009)
The National Dementia Strategy Implementation Plan describes the implementation task, arrangements for national and regional support, and the programmes that have been put in place to support delivery of Living well with dementia: a National Dementia Strategy. This refreshed plan replaces the one that was issued alongside the Strategy on 3 February 2009.
Guidance

Talkwell (30th July 2009)

This is a conversation training resource for mental health workers which will help staff to become better listeners, enjoy and feel able to manage conversations and generally have richer relationships with patients. It is a conversation training resource for mental health workers which will help staff to become better listeners, enjoy and feel able to manage conversations and generally have richer relationships with patients.

It is a lively and practical way to help staff to:

• become better listeners
• enjoy and feel able to manage conversations about anything from Coronation Street to coping with compulsions
• have a greater awareness of what’s happening in patients’ minds and their own
• have richer relationships with patients

Resource

Improving access to child and adolescent mental health services (4th August 2009)
This joint DH/DCSF guide states how the 18 weeks referral to treatment standard, (NHS Operating Framework for 2009/10) applies to non-emergency consultant-led CAMHS services and pathways. This guide does not set any new standards or targets. It shows how accessible low-wait CAMHS can be achieved and provides good practice examples.
Guide

NHS

NHS Winter report 2008/09 (27th July 2009)
The annual winter report describes how the NHS performed through the previous winter period.
Report

Psychosocial care for NHS staff during an influenza pandemic (22nd July 2009)
The purpose of the guidance is to set out the psychosocial care strategy that NHS and social care organisations need to have in place for supporting staff resilience. The guidance emphasises the need to manage the psychosocial resilience in NHS staff who are working over a sustained period on flu pandemic.
Guidance

NICE

1999-2009: A decade of excellence (30th July 2009)
This booklet has been published to celebrate NICE's 10th anniversary. It covers the key milestones in NICE's development, from the creation in 1999 and publication of the first guidance on 2000 (on removing wisdom teeth) to their expanded role as a result of Lord Darzi's 2008 report 'High Quality Care for All'.
Booklet
News story

Appraising the value of innovation and other benefits. A short study for NICE (22nd July 2009)
In January 2009, NICE commissioned Professor Sir Ian Kennedy to carry out a short study of valuing innovation aimed at addressing the following questions:

• What approach should be adopted by NICE to ensure that innovation is properly taken into account when establishing the value of new health technologies?
• Should particular forms of value be considered more important than others?
• How should innovation in health technologies be defined?
• What is the relationship between innovation and value?

The report was presented to the Board of NICE at its public meeting on 22nd July 2009.
Report

Vagus nerve stimulation for severe depression (interventional procedures consultation) (23rd July 2009)
Depression is associated with feelings of sadness, despair, helplessness, hopelessness and lack of interest in life. People with severe depression may be unable to eat or sleep or to take part in social activities, and they may become completely withdrawn. Vagus nerve stimulation aims to improve mood regulation and reduce depression by stimulating the nerve in the neck that carries signals to the brain areas involved. A generator implanted under the skin in the chest area is used to provide electrical stimulation to the nerve.

This document summarises the procedure and sets out the provisional recommendations made by the Advisory Committee. Closing date for comments is 20th August 2009.
Consultation

Balloon catheter insertion for Bartholin's cyst or abscess (interventional procedures consultation) 23rd July 2009
The Bartholin’s glands are at the entrance of the vagina. A cyst or abscess can form in the Bartholin’s duct (which drains the glands) if it becomes blocked or infected. Cysts are usually treated either by ‘incision and drainage’ or ‘marsupialisation’, which involves cutting into the cyst and placing stitches to make a permanent opening so that the gland can drain freely. Insertion of a balloon catheter is a non-surgical alternative to incision and drainage or marsupialisation.

This document summarises the procedure and sets out the provisional recommendations made by the Advisory Committee. Closing date for comments is 20th August 2009.
Consultation

Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of colorectal metastases in the liver (interventional procedures consultation) (23rd July 2009)
Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the bowel (including the colon and rectum). In some patients, cancer cells could spread from the bowel to other parts of the body to form one or more ‘secondary tumours’, also known as ‘metastases’. For bowel cancer, most commonly secondary tumours occur in the liver.

Radiofrequency ablation uses heat to destroy cancer cells in the liver. It involves placing one or more electrodes into the tumour. The electrodes are used to heat the tumour with the aim of destroying it. Radiofrequency ablation can be applied through the skin or during surgery.

This document summarises the procedure and sets out the provisional recommendations made by the Advisory Committee. Closing date for comments is 20th August 2009.
Consultation

Suction diathermy adenoidectomy (interventional procedures consultation) (23rd July 2009)
Adenoids are small lumps of lymphoid tissue at the back of the nose, which are part of the immune system. They are largest in young children and usually disappear by adulthood. An adenoidectomy is an operation to remove the adenoids if they become enlarged and are thought to be causing health problems such as ‘glue ear’. Suction diathermy adenoidectomy is a type of surgery to remove the adenoids using heat and suction.

This document summarises the procedure and sets out the provisional recommendations made by the Advisory Committee. Closing date for comments is 20th August 2009.
Consultation

Multiple pregnancy: scope consultation (28th July 2009)
NICE have been asked to develop a clinical practice guideline on Multiple pregnancy for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The draft scope defines what aspects of care the guideline will cover and to whom it will apply. Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to submit comments on the scope and may suggest clinical questions that could be answered in the guideline. Closing date for comments is 24th August 2009.
Consultation

Myelodysplastic syndromes - azacitidine: appraisal consultation (3rd August 2009)
The Department of Health has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce guidance on using azacitidine in the NHS in England and Wales. The Appraisal Committee has considered the evidence submitted by the manufacturer and the views of non-manufacturer consultees and commentators, and clinical specialists and patient experts.

This document has been prepared for consultation with the consultees. Closing date for comments is 24th August 2009.
Consultation

NURSING

Policy+. From bench to bedside. What role for nurses in helping the NHS make better and quicker use of technological innovations? (July 2009)
The adoption of innovative healthcare technologies with a proven ability to deliver increased patient benefits and significant efficiencies is perceived as slower and more variable in the NHS than other healthcare systems. Nurses are the largest workforce in the NHS and end users of much technology at the bedside. Drawing on a recently completed systematic review (1), this Policy Plus summarises what we know – and do not know – about the nurses’ role in adopting and assimilating such innovations into routine clinical care and considers the challenges for nurse leaders.
Publication

ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

Allocation of organs to non-UK EU residents (31st July 2009)
This independent report to clarify the rules on organ transplants for NHS patients and non-UK EU residents was commissioned by the former Health Secretary Alan Johnson in March 2009, following concerns about the number of organs from deceased UK donors being transplanted into non-UK resident EU nationals each year. The report’s recommendations, which have been broadly accepted by the Department of Health, will help to ensure public confidence in the fairness and transparency of the organ allocation system.
Report

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

Pandemic influenza awareness programme (21st July 2009)
The Pandemic Influenza Awareness Programme was written by Tower Hamlets PCT and its aim is to give NHS staff, both clinical and non clinical an overall general awareness of pandemic influenza from the history of the virus, through to infection control, signs & symptoms, and caring for a patient. It consists of 3 modules, is interactive and each module ends with an assessment to ensure learning has taken place.
Guidance

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Public Accounts Committee - Reducing Alcohol Harm: health services in England for alcohol misuse - Forty-seventh Report of Session 2008-09 (30th July 2009)

Work and Pensions Committee- Tackling Pensioner Poverty - Fifth Report of Session 2008-09 (30th July 2009)
Vol. I
Vol. II

PRISONS/PRISON HEALTH

Working with Older Prisoners (31st July 2009)
The Nacro and Department of Health Working with Older Prisoners pack was created so that peer support workers, disability liaison officers, older offender and wing officers could use its contents to implement good practice ideas and set up activities in their establishments for older prisoners. It is also intended to act as a useful reference on different organisations to encourage prison workers to contact other agencies for information and improve the quality of their information, advice and guidance service for older prisoners. The pack should also be used to raise awareness among colleagues of the health problems the older prisoner population is prone to and of some of the practical things they can do to make their lives easier.
Resource Pack

Mental Health Care and the Criminal Justice System - Briefing Paper 39 (22nd July 2009)
The quality of mental health care available in our prisons is frequently poor.

This briefing paper provides an overview of the mental health care available in prisons. It examines how mental health problems are identified in prison, how prison inreach teams work, transfers to NHS care, alternatives to prison, and what care is available to prisoners after their release.
Paper

PUBLIC HEALTH

Intelligent Commissioning (July 2009)
This report gives examples of the work of the Association of Public Health, Public Health and Themed Observatories to support commissioning and looks at the way forward.
Report

Practical predictive modelling (15th July 2009)
These are the presentations from the above event that was held at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes.
Presentations

Creating a performance management framework for a minimal alcohol dataset for PCTs in Cheshire and Merseyside (27th July 2009)
The Cheshire and Merseyside Partnerships for Health (ChaMPs) commissioned the Centre for Public Health (CPH) Research Directorate to identify possible data providers from a range of agencies who are able to provide intelligence regarding the impact of alcohol in Cheshire and Merseyside. The aim of the project was to develop a performance management framework which can provide a minimal dataset to be collected on a range of alcohol-related issues across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Report

UK/WHO growth charts seminar (22nd July 2009)
The presentations are now available from this seminar that was held at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes.
Programme
Practical examples
Best Start for Life Guidelines
An Introduction to the new UK/WHO Growth Charts

SEXUAL HEALTH

Making sexual health services accessible for young adults (21st July 2009)
Encouraging young people to use sexual health services is one of the trickiest challenges the NHS faces. But experts in Leeds have managed to do it by redesigning services to make them more appealing and convenient for the under-25s.
Information

SOCIAL CARE

Common Assessment Framework for Adults Demonstrator Site Programme: Prospectus for Phase 2 Applications (30th July 2009)
This provides an overview of the Common Assessment for Adults Demonstrator Site Programme.
Documents

Social Care Bulletin Green Paper special issue (31st July 2009)
This special bulletin marks the publication of 'Shaping the future of Care Together', the Green Paper on the reform of adult care and support in England.
Bulletin

Shaping the future of care together (29th July 2009)
The long-awaited green paper, Shaping the future of care together, looks at the future of care and support in England.

It proposes a National Care Service to ensure common standards and puts forward options for care funding.

This Briefing summarises the key features of the green paper.
Briefing