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.

ALCOHOL

Too much of the hard stuff: what alcohol costs the NHS (1st January 2010)
Consumption of alcohol in the UK has increased by 19 per cent over the last three decades and is now higher than in any other European country. Recent reports indicate that 10.5 million adults in England drink above sensible limits and around 1.1 million have a level of alcohol addiction. Alcohol is the third leading cause of disease burden in developed countries and, as a result, the cost of providing alcohol-related services is escalating. The burden on the NHS will be unsustainable if this continues.

This Briefing, produced with the Royal College of Physicians, outlines the extent of the problem and gives examples of where the NHS is managing problem drinkers effectively and efficiently.
Briefing

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

The Emerging Leaders Newsletter: Issue 1 (12th January 2010)

Health Protection Report Vol. 4 No. 1 (8th January 2010)

Health Protection Report Vol. 4 No. 2 (15th January 2010)

Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin (January 2010)

Emergency Care, Issue 64, January 2010 (12th January 2010)

CANCER

National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) vision (19th January 2010)
The vision document provides an update on the first year of the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI), which was announced in the Cancer Reform Strategy (2007) and formally launched in September 2008.

The document describes the emerging vision for improved care and support for people living with and beyond cancer, and brings together the work of service users, carers, clinicians, commissioners, charities and researchers.
Document

CARE/CARERS

The revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care (13th January 2010)
This letter draws the attention of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to two aspects of the revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care in terms of governance and commissioning.
Framework

COMMISSIONING

Improving the health and well-being of people with long-term conditions. world class services for people with long term conditions: information tool for commissioners (14th January 2010)
The main aim of the information tool is to share a common vision of what a good service for people with LTCs, and to provide some practical suggestions for commissioners to help them achieve that vision.
Publication

Benchmark figures for the likely demand for PETCT scans by indication (8th January 2010)
As the key recommendations contained in the Framework for the Development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Services in England have now been implemented, the framework is no longer current. In order to help Specialised Commissioners in their ongoing planning for PET services, this document sets out benchmark figures for the likely demand for PETCT scans by indication.
Document

Commissioning for recovery. Drug treatment, reintegration and recovery in the community and prisons: a guide for drug partnerships (January 2010)
This document, published by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA), aims to give practical advice on how local commissioners may seek to continually develop effective, evidence-based treatment options with a focus on enabling service users to reintegrate into society and recover as soon as is practicable.
Document

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Overarching report of findings from the Adult Autism Strategy consultation (11th January 2010)
The consultation on the future strategy for adults with autustic spectrum conditions (ASC) closed on 15 September 2009. Over 1,100 responses were received, including from people with ASC, families and carers, voluntary sector organisations and health and social care bodies. This document is a summary of the findings from the consultation, setting out the approach taken, and the key themes and priority actions identified by respondents.
Publication

Adult autism strategy consultation. A summary of the submissions received in response to the online consultation (19th January 2010)
The consultation on the future strategy for adults with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) closed on 15 September 2009. Over 1,100 responses were received, including people with ASC, families and carers, voluntary sector organisations and health and social care bodies. This report highlights the findings from the consultation including the importance of training, awareness raising and better diagnosis pathways.
Report

Health protection regulations: response to the consultation (13th January 2010)
This is the response to a Department of Health consultation which sought comments on proposals for three sets of regulations to be made under the amended Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, taking forward the modernisation of health protection law. The regulations cover notification of hazards, safeguards for individuals and updated local authority powers. The consultation began on 8 July and closed on 30 September 2009. Subject to Parliament, it is planned that the regulations will come into force on 6 April 2010 (except certain provisions in the Notification Regulations which are planned to come into force on 1 October 2010).
Consultation Response

General Pharmaceutical Council (Constitution) Order 2009, consultation report (12th January 2010)
The General Pharmaceutical Council (Constitution) Order was published in draft for public consultation between 27 October 2009 and 25 November 2009. This report provides information on the outcome of that consultation.
Consultation Response

The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 1990: disclosure of identifying information, report of second public consultation (11th January 2010)
The consultation document contained proposals for amendments to be made to new regulations on the disclosure of identifying information for research purposes. This report summarises the responses received during the consultation.
Consultation Response

DRUGS

Mephedrone - an update on current knowledge (12th January 2010)

This briefing presents information on the substance Mephedrone (also known as: 4‐MMC, ‘Meow’, ‘M‐Cat’) and other related drugs. This substance has received recent media attention concerning its legality and (largely unconfirmed) speculations around its contribution to the deaths of several young people. Little scientific evidence is available on mephedrone and most information is derived from users themselves or user orientated websites.
Briefing

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

National Evaluation of Partnerships for Older People Projects: final report (18th January 2010)
The Partnership for Older People Projects (POPP) were funded by the Department of Health to develop services for older people, aimed at promoting their health, well-being and independence and preventing or delaying their need for higher intensity or institutional care. The evaluation found that a wide range of projects resulted in improved quality of life for participants and considerable savings, as well as better local working relationships.
Report

Improving care and saving money: learning the lessons on prevention and early intervention for older people (18th January 2010)
This document provides the key learning from the national Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) programme.
Guidance

Personal budgets for older people - making it happen (13th January 2010)
This guide focuses on how councils can make personal budgets work well for older people and their families. It looks at how to ensure personal budgets are accessible, simple to use, flexible and help to achieve the things that matter most to the people using them.
Guide

A Guide to co-production with older people (December 2009)
A small co-production design team involving older people and strategic leads from three local authorities worked with NDTi and Helen Sanderson Associates to produce a further related publication on understanding co-production and how to make it happen with older people.The guide describes how local authorities, older people and older people's organisations can work together to design and deliver opportunities, support and services that improve wellbeing and quality of life.
Guide

FAMILIES

Support for All: the Families and Relationships Green Paper (January 2010)
This Green Paper sets out a wide range of measures to support all families as they bring up their children and to help families cope with times of stress and difficulty. They recognise that while all families need some help, there are families in our society with complex needs and others who require additional — and sometimes non-negotiable — support.
Document

GENERAL PRACTICE

RCGP Guide to the Revalidation of General Practitioners - Version 3.0 (18th January 2010)
The Royal College of General Practitioners has updated it's revalidation guide. The key changes include:

• Adoption of the use of the phrase “supporting information” in place of “evidence”, in keeping with other relevant organisations
• Adjustment of the timelines to reflect the fact that the Early Adopters programme (in which the first doctors will revalidate) will now start in the year 2011/12
• The possibility of GPs submitting a quality improvement project in the place of a second clinical audit
• Reference to the revalidation of GPs in training
• Simplification of the Learning Credits (Supporting information area 6)
• A refinement of the definition of activities included in extended practice (Supporting information area 13)
• Emphasis of the discretion that will be required by Responsible Officers for assessing supporting information for revalidation.

Guide

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Making policy count: developing performance indicators for health and social care partnerships (12th January 2010)
This paper updates on work underway to develop new performance indicators for adult social care, and health and care partnerships. It sets out its context, recent progress, and asks for stakeholder support through comments and offers to pilot work. Feedback will not be compiled formally, but individual queries could be addressed on the project website.
Position paper

MENTAL HEALTH

Keeping children and young people in mind: the Government's full response to the independent review of CAMHS (7th January 2010)
The full Government response to the final report of the independent CAMHS review, setting out progress to date and plans for the future of children and young people's mental health. The response also gives examples of the outcomes expected from a good service as an aid for commissioners, providers and practitioners.
Response

Improving dementia services in England - an interim report (14th January 2010)
The Department of Health has developed an ambitious and comprehensive strategy for dementia. However, there has not yet been a robust approach to implementation, according to a National Audit Office report published today. Despite the Department stating, since 2007, that dementia is now a national priority, it has not been given the levers or urgency normally expected for such a priority and there is a risk that value for money will remain poor unless these weaknesses are addressed urgently.
Report

NHS

The standard NHS contracts for acute hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services and supporting guidance (18th January 2010)
The NHS standard contracts for Mental Health and Learning Disability, Ambulance Services, Acute Hospital and Community Services are published today.

The contracts support the NHS Operating Framework for 20010-2011: The contracts should be read in conjunction with the Principles and Rules for Co-operation and Competition and the PCT Procurement Guide.
Documents

Funding and Performance of Healthcare Systems in the Four Countries of the UK Before and After Devolution (20th January 2010)
Political devolution means there are now four National Health Services in the United Kingdom. The health services of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all funded by the UK taxpayer, but have developed different systems of governance and different methods of providing healthcare.

Funding and Performance of Healthcare Systems in the Four Countries of the UK Before and After Devolution examines the impact of this by studying key performance indicators for the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at three time points – 1996/7, 2002/3 and 2006/7. The report also undertakes a completely new comparison of NHS performance in the English regions and the devolved countries. This is the first time such an analysis has been conducted.
Report

The operating framework for the NHS in England 2010/11 (4th January 2010)
This briefing details the key points of the operating framework, the white paper and the Pre-Budget Report.
Briefing

NHS European Office: policy priorities 2010 (5th January 2010)
The NHS European Office has published its policy priorities for 2010. The work of the European Office covers a wide range of EU policy and legislative proposals of key relevance to the NHS; as a provider and commissioner of healthcare, as an employer and as a business.

This document outlines the main policy areas on which the European Office will be working throughout the calendar year.
Document

The new EU Remedies Directive: proven procurement is of the essence (13th January 2010)
New EU rules which improve access to rapid and effective review procedures for suppliers who allege that public authorities have breached procurement rules have taken effect in the UK.

The EU Remedies Directive amends the UK Public Contract Regulations and will affect all procurement contracts commenced after 20 December 2009.

The NHS European Office have published this briefing to raise awareness amongst NHS managers involved in procurement of the key changes to the rules and to highlight new provisions in the law which public authorities can use to protect themselves from challenge.
Briefing

Controlling public spending: The NHS in a period of tight funding (7th January 2010)
Policy Exchange research, which included a roundtable discussion with a number of senior academics and business leaders with expertise in the NHS, considers some of the options for the NHS in a period of tight funding. They believe that in order to protect the NHS into the future the next Government needs to make bold decisions on:
Performance related pay
Reducing variations in clinical practice
GP fundholding
Decommissioning services
Transformational change project
Report

NICE

Consultation Documents (1st January 2010 - 20th January 2010)
Nice are now consulting on the following:

Food allergy in children: scope consultation - closing date for comments is 8th February 2010

Chronic heart failure (partial update) draft guideline consultation - closing date for comments is 10th March 2010

Preventing obesity: a whole-system approach: consultation on the draft scope - closing date for comments is 12th February 2010

Transient loss of consciousness in adults: guideline consultation - closing date for comments is 17th March 2010

Latest Implementation Tools (13th January 2010)
Tools to aid implementation of latest guidance

CG90 Depression in adults: audit support

CG91 Depression with a chronic physical health problem: audit support

IPG324 Electrocautery cutting balloon treatment for pelviureteric junction obstruction: audit support

IPG322 Negative pressure wound therapy for the open abdomen: audit support

IPG329 Total prosthetic replacement of the temporomandibular joint: audit support

IPG330 Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment- resistant depression: audit support

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Management of General Ophthalmic Services budget (12th January 2010)
This guidance explains arrangements for managing the General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) budget following the decision announced in the 2010 NHS Operating Framework that responsibility for budgetary management of GOS will be devolved to PCTs from 1 April 2010.
Guidance

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

Pandemic (H1N1) influenza: a summary of guidance for infection control in healthcare settings (8th January 2010)
This document is an updated version of Pandemic flu: A summary of guidance for infection control in health care settings issued in September 2007. It is specific to the current pandemic influenza virus, pandemic (H1N1), and thus represents current guidance.
Guidance

Pandemic influenza: summary infection control guidance for ambulance services during an influenza pandemic (8th January 2010)
The purpose of this document is to set out concise summary guidance for infection control for the ambulance services and it is intended for use during the pandemic. The guidance in this document is equally applicable to lay responders, who should adopt the same infection control and hygiene measures.
Guidance

PAYMENT BY RESULTS

Kidney dialysis: developing costs to delivery an equitable and high quality service: final report (18th January 2010)
The working group looking at Payment by Results for renal dialysis has produced a report of its work. The report will feed into work being taken forward to develop a best practice tariff for kidney dialysis services.
Report

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Children, Schools and Families Committee - The work of the Committee in 2008-09 - Third Report of Session 2009-10 (13th January 2010)

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - The work of the Committee 2008-09 - Second Report of Session 2009-10 (7th January 2010)

Health Committee - Alcohol - First Report of Session 2009-10 (8th January 2010)
Vol. 1
Memorandum by Professor Gerard Hastings, Institute for Social Marketing University of Stirling and the Open University

Home Affairs - Work of the Committee in 2008-09 - Fourth Report of Session 2009-10 (15th January 2010)

Joint Committee on Human Rights - Work of the Committee 2008-09 - Second Report of Session 2009-10 (15th January 2010)

Work and Pensions Committee - Work of the Committee 2009-10 - First Report of Session 2009-2010 (13th January 2010)

PHARMACY

Use of medication in care homes (7th January 2010)
Recently published research commissioned by the DH as part of the patient safety programme identified considerable scope for improvement of prescription, dispensing, administration and monitoring of medicines in care homes. The study's authors recommend clear local leadership and improved inter-professional communication.
Documents

POVERTY

Devolution's impact on low-income people and places (13th January 2010)
What is the impact of devolution for people and places in poverty?

For the tenth anniversary of devolution, this Round-up and a series of reports explored trends in social and economic disadvantage as well as policy developments in four areas: housing and homelessness, employment, neighbourhood regeneration and long-term care for older people.
Documents

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

PCT Value for money profiles (15th January 2010)
The new primary care trust (PCT) value for money (VfM) profiles are available as an interactive web tool.

The tool provides comparative information about a selected PCT's performance in managing costs and delivering outputs (activities) and outcomes (health improvements for local people). It also tracks performance over time to see whether improvements are being achieved in line with priorities and how the trend in performance compares to others.
Tool

Practice-based commissioning budget guidance for 2010/11 (14th January 2010)
PCTs are responsible for ensuring that practices receive an indicative budget that reflects the needs of their population as accurately as possible. This allows a practice to access a 'fair share' of the resources available to the whole of the PCT for its patients. The Department has updated the toolkit that can be used to determine weighted capitation indicative budgets at practice level. This is part of our ongoing commitment to refine the methodology and improve accuracy.
Toolkit

GP Extended Opening Hours (7th January 2010)
PCTs are to continue to progress extended opening hours in GP practices, particularly for patients of practices who are not offering this service. The current DES rolls forward in 2010/11 and PCTs are asked to submit plans saying how they will make full use of the resources available for extended opening.
Document

PUBLIC HEALTH

Public Health Manifesto (18th January 2010)
The Faculty of Public Health and the Royal Society for Public Health have published a package of 12 practical recommendations that will improve the UK's health and well-being for the new decade if adopted by the next government.
Manifesto

Alcohol and Food: making the public health connections (6th January 2010)
This report is a literature review into the links surrounding alcohol and food. It is the first step in the process of making the public aware of the dangers and benefits that food and alcohol together represent.
Report

A Healthier Nation (13th January 2010)

Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, has launched the Conservative Party’s new green paper on public health - A Healthier Nation.

The paper shows the need for overhauling how better public health should be promoted:

• There must be a focus on reducing health inequalities, in a locally led public health strategy and throughoutgovernment - from the strengthening of support for families with young children to reducing preventable winter deaths among elderly people.
• Some parts of public health policy need to be led nationally - immunisation programmes, emergency planning orbehaviour change campaigns. Wherever possible, these should be evidence-based and linked to the latest advancesin social psychology and behavioural economics, so that they work intelligently with the way real people live their everyday lives.
• Responsibility for improving public health, and the budget to do so, must be decentralised as far as possible - away from central government control and out to local communities.
• Councils, communities and independent providers should be rewarded for reducing health problems like obesity, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse – when they make serious savings for the NHS and the taxpayer, they shouldbe rewarded for it

Paper

RISK MANAGEMENT

NHSLA Risk Management Standards (11th January 2010)
The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) have released risk management standards for the following:

• Acute Trusts, Primary Care Trusts and Independent Sector Providers of NHS Care
• Mental Health and Learning Disability Trusts
• Ambulance Trusts

Standards

STATISTICS

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures, 30 November 2009 (8th January 2010)

Data on the Health Life Years in the European Union 2007 (19th January 2010)

Breast Screening Programme, England 2008-09 (20th January 2010)

Routine Quarterly Mental Health Minimum Dataset Reports - Q1 2009-2010 - Trust level data quality reports - plus Q1 and provisional Q2 Mental Health Service Performance Indicators (20th January 2010)

NHS Staff Earnings July - September 2009 (19th January 2010)

Diagnostics waiting times and activity data: November 2009 (13th January 2010)

STRATEGIC HEALTH AUTHORITY

Education commissioning for quality (7th January 2010)
These documents outline an enhanced, comprehensive education commissioning system for non-medical and medical staff, set principles for managing relationships between health and education more effectively and provide guidance to build education commissioning capacity and capability in SHAs.
Documents

WELLBEING

The State of Happiness (18th January 2010)
A major new report from the Young Foundation and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) highlights that promoting and influencing happiness is no longer just an aspiration. As the recession forces difficult public spending choices, services focused on wellbeing are delivering widespread economic and social benefits – especially to children.
Report

WORKFORCE/WORKPLACE

Human rights and human resources in the NHS: implications for the workplace (19th January 2010)
The NHS Constitution, which came into law as part of the Health Act in November 2009, makes it clear that healthcare and human rights go hand in hand.

This Briefing outlines a human rights approach to managing workplace practices, which can not only keep organisations operating within the law, but can help further the reputation of the NHS as a model employer. It shows some of the ways the Human Rights Act could be used to challenge human resource decisions, and provides a useful decision making tool to ensure compliance.
Briefing

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.

ALCOHOL

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

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

Healthy Weight for Children Hub e-Newsletter Issue 12 (December 2009)

Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin Issue 26 December 2009 (December 2009)

North West Public Health Observatory Health E-News December 2009 (December 2009)

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 49 (11th December 2009)

Health Protection Report Vol. 3 No. 50 (18th December 2009)

DH Care Networks Telecare eNewsletter December 2009 (22nd December 2009)

National Cancer Bulletin, Issue 3, December 2009 (31st December 2009)

The month: issue 28, December 2009 (18th December 2009)

Medical directors' bulletin, Issue 99, December 2009 (23rd December 2009)

GP and Practice Team Bulletin, Issue 90, December 2009 (18th December 2009)

CANCER

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

CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

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

CARE/CARERS

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

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

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

COMMISSIONING

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.
Guide

Service 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

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

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

CONSULTATIONS

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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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

DISABILITIES

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

DISEASES AND DISORDERS

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

EMERGENCIES

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

HEALTH SERVICES

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

IMMUNISATION

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

INFECTION CONTROL

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

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

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

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

MENTAL HEALTH

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

NHS

Directions to NHS bodies concerning the cost of telephone calls 2009 (22nd December 2009)
These Directions came into force on 21st December 2009.
Directions

The NHS operating framework for England for 2010/11 (16th December 2009)
The operating framework for the NHS for 2010/11 sets out the priorities for the NHS for the year ahead to enable them to begin their planning.

For the third year in a row, the national priorities in the operating framework remain the same, providing important stability. The five priorities continue to be:

• improving cleanliness and reducing healthcare associated infections;
• improving access through achievement of the 18-week referral to treatment pledge and improving access (including at evenings and weekends) to GP services;
• keeping adults and children well, improving their health and reducing health inequalities;
• improving patient experience, staff satisfaction, and engagement; and
• preparing to respond in a state of emergency such as an outbreak of pandemic flu, learning from our experience of swine flu.

Framework

NHS 2010-2015: from good to great. Preventative, people-centred, productive (10th December 2009)
Secretary of State Andy Burnham introduces a five-year plan to reshape the NHS to meet the challenge of delivering high quality health care in a tough financial environment. The report describes practical measures to meet the demands of an aging population and the increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases. The vision is for an NHS that is organised around patients whether at home, in a community setting or in hospital. There will be a renewed focus on prevention with the ambition of delivering cost-effective high quality care across the service.
Command Paper

The Human Factor (November 2009)
The National Health Service needs to save £15 billion to £20 billion over the next few years.

This paper argues that these savings could be achieved through radical patient-centred service redesign and more effective approaches to public behaviour change. However, these approaches are difficult to develop within the existing health service.
Paper

Conservative Draft Manifesto 2010. Chapter One: Our reform plan for the NHS (4th January 2009)
The Conservative party have set out their plans for healthcare if they win the election. Some of the main points are:

• NHS providers to become Foundation Trusts
• Patients to be in charge of own health records with ability to choose which providers they share them with
• GPs' to hold patients' budgets and commission are on their behalf
• Link GPs' pay to quality of results they deliver
• Create an independent NHS board to allocate resources to different parts of the country
• Turn the Department of Health into a Department of Public Health
• Provide separate public health funding to local authorities

Document

NICE

Consultation Documents (14th December 2009 - 29th December 2009)
NICE are now consulting on the following:

Review of the guide to the technology appraisal appeal process - closing date for comments is 22nd March 2010

Rheumatoid arthritis - tocilizumab: appraisal consultation document 2 - closing date for comments is 20th January 2010

Lung cancer (non-small-cell) - pemetrexed (maintenance): appraisal consultation document - closing date for comments is 21st January 2010

Soft tissue sarcoma - trabectedin: final appraisal determination - closing date for comments is 18th January 2010

Transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialisation - closing date for comments is 27th January 2010

Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer - closing date for comments is 27th January 2010

Macular translocation with 360^o retinotomy for wet age related macular degenertion - closing date for comments is 27th January 2010

Macular translocation for wet age-related macular degeneration - closing date for comments is 27th January 2010

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG322. Negative pressure wound therapy for the abdomen (16th December 2009)
Emergency surgery for trauma or severe infection may lead to a wound being left open on the trunk. Such wounds may take many months to heal. Negative pressure wound therapy uses a dressing inserted against the bowel, tubing and suction a small vacuum unit to apply suction to the wound, with the aims of reducing healing time and simplifying wound management. The dressing may be left in place for days or weeks.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG323. Balloon catheter insertion for Bartholin's cyst or abscess (16th December 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.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG324. Electrocautery cutting balloon treatment for pelviureteric junction obstruction (16th December 2009)
Pelviureteric junction obstruction is a condition caused by a narrowing of the funnel-shaped part of the kidney (known as the renal pelvis) where urine collects before being carried to the bladder by tubes called ureters. The obstruction may cause episodes of loin pain and/or nausea and vomiting, urinary infections and kidney stones. In some patients the condition could also affect the normal function of the kidney.

This procedure (electrocautery cutting balloon treatment) aims to widen the renal pelvis by inserting a catheter with a balloon and wire into the urinary tract. The wire is used to cut away the tissue that is causing the obstruction.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG325. Endopyelotomy for pelviureteric junction obstruction (16th December 2009)
Pelviureteric junction obstruction is a condition caused by a narrowing of the funnel-shaped part of the kidney (known as the renal pelvis) where urine collects before being carried to the bladder by tubes called ureters. The obstruction may cause episodes of loin pain and/or nausea and vomiting, urinary infections and kidney stones. In some patients the condition could also affect the normal function of the kidney.

This procedure (endopyelotomy) aims to widen the renal pelvis by inserting small instruments either up through the urinary tract or down through the skin and into the kidney. The instruments are used to remove the tissue that is causing the obstruction by cutting or burning it away or by applying laser.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG326. Laparoscopic augentation cystoplasty (including clam cystoplasty) (16th December 2009)
An ‘overactive bladder’ or detrusor hyper-reflexia causes symptoms of urgent need to urinate, urge incontinence, frequent urination and waking at night to urinate. One of the causes is bladder muscle (detrusor) overactivity, in which the detrusor contracts unexpectedly during bladder filling. Laparoscopic augmentation cystoplasty (including clam cystoplasty) is reconstructive surgery to increase the size of the bladder and is done via small incisions. The procedure involves sewing or stapling a tissue graft from a section of the small intestine (ileum), colon or other substitutes to the urinary bladder.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG327. Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases (16th December 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.
Guidance

Interventional Procedure Guidance IPG328. Suction diathermy adenoidectomy (16th December 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.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG329. Total prosthetic replacement of the temporomandibular joint (16th December 2009)
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is formed by the temporal bone of the cranium (skull) and the lower jaw or mandible. Symptoms of degenerative disease in this joint include dysfunction or pain in the head, face, jaws, neck and shoulders. TMJ replacement involves substituting a prosthesis, usually metal-on-metal or metal-on-acrylic, for the TMJ. The procedure takes 2–3 hours and the patient is usually in hospital for a few days afterwards.
Guidance

Interventional Procedures Guidance IPG330. Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment - resistant depression (16th December 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.
Guidance