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). 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.

Please note that this is the last issue of this bulletin. Thank you for subscribing. I hope that you've enjoyed reading it as well as finding it useful.

The archive of the bulletin will remain on this website - http://newdocumentsbulletin.blogspot.com/

ALCOHOL

Developing choice in peer-support (March 2010)
This manual aims to provide guidance to alcohol services and others working with alcohol misusing clients as to how they can help the establishment and development of SMART Recovery groups in their area.
Manual

Peer-support briefing (March 2010)
A briefing about peer-support and the need for greater options to be made available to people with an alcohol problem.
Briefing

Opinions on the impact of alcohol on individuals and communities: findings from the Big Drink Debate. Appendix C: perceptions of alcohol-related incidents and underage binge drinking (5th March 2010)

Tables, by local authority, with the percentages of respondents' perceptions of violent incidents that are alcohol related and binge drinking.
Tables

Evaluation and Review of Tier 4 Alcohol Treatment Services in the Cumbria and Lancashire Alcohol Network (14th March 2010)
The Cumbria and Lancashire Alcohol Network (CLAN) commissioned the Centre for Public Health (CPH) at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) to review and evaluate current tier 4 alcohol treatment services in Cumbria and Lancashire. The review determined service provision in the areas within Cumbria and Lancashire using local and national evidence, including the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).
Executive Summary

ANNUAL REPORT

On the state of public health: Annual report of the Chief Medical Office 2009 (15th March 2010)
The Chief Medical Officer today published his annual report 2009. The report draws attention to major health challenges requiring immediate action and details progress made in key areas identified in previous annual reports. The annual report addresses the benefits of physical activity, preparation for cold weather to reduce health risks, treatment for rare diseases, grandparenting and health, and the link between climate change and health.
Report

BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

Trust Practice Health Update 35 (16th March 2010)

Health Update 35 (16th March 2010)

FSA eNews March 2010 (17th March 2010)

Health Protection Report Vol. 4 No. 9 (5th March 2010)

Health Protection Report Vol. 4 No. 10 (12th March 2010)

Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin Edition 60, March 2010 (March 2010)

GP and Practice Team Bulletin Issue 92, March 2010 (8th March 2010)

NHS Design Champions Newsletter Issue 1, March 2010 (10th March 2010)

CANCER

Manual for Cancer Services 2008: Cancer Research Network Measures (12th March 2010)
This revised Manual of Cancer Services is an integral part of the NHS Cancer Plan, Cancer Reform Strategy and modernisation of cancer services. It will support quality assurance of cancer services and enable quality improvement.
Document

National Cancer Patients' Experience Survey Programme 2010 (10th March 2010)
This letter informs that the Review of Central Returns Steering Committee (ROCR) have approved a national survey of cancer patients' experiences in all Trusts who offer adult acute cancer services . This survey is highlighted as a priority in the NHS Operating Framework 2010/11, section 2.24.
Information

Exceptional Progress? Assessing the progress made in improving access to treatment for people with rarer cancers (15th March 2010)
This new report from the Rarer Cancers Forum has highlighted continuing problems for people with rarer cancer in accessing treatment.

Key report findings:

• Although progress has been made in gaining access to treatment, with 8,750 more patients being given vital treatment, 16,000 have still been denied access to treatments that they may need.
• The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) needs to improve drug assessment time periods – with the Institute taking 21 months to appraise new cancer drugs, rather than the 6 months which has been promised by ministers.

Additional Findings:

• 40% of patients described their PCT’s cancer policy as easy to understand
• 36% of patients cannot find vital procedures and policies on PCT websites
• 49% of patients were unclear about how quickly they would hear a decision on a request for treatment

Report

CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

Survey of NHS staff 2009 (17th March 2010)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published the 7th annual survey of NHS staff. it provides trusts with information about the views and experiences of employees that can help to improve the working lives of staff and the quality of care for patients.

The 2009 survey provides 40 key findings about working in the NHS. Of these, 26 show improvements from 2008, two have deteriorated and eight have remained unchanged. A further four key findings are new to the survey in 2009.
Results

Regulating for better care (17th March 2010)
This is the first edition in the CQCs new 'regulating for better care' series.

This series looks at high quality care and improvements in health and social care following action by CQC.

The first edition focuses on improvements made by Ambulance Trusts after infection prevention and control inspections by CQC.
Publication

CARE/CARERS

Regional factsheets on carers (4th March 2010)
The Department of Health has commissioned the Centre for International Research on Care, Labour and Equalities (CIRCLE) at Leeds University to produce a set of 9 regional factsheets on carers. These factsheets include data on the number and characteristics of carers in each region as well as information about carer health and well-being.
Factsheets

Funding care: how can each generation pay its fair share? (12th March 2010)
A two-track approach could see each generation paying its own costs of care in later life.

Our present system of paying for care needs replacing. The big sticking point is finding extra funding which both covers the growing needs of an ageing population and shares the cost fairly between generations. This viewpoint:

• proposes a phased two-track approach, with an initial charge on inheritance being gradually replaced by funds built up through extra National Insurance paid by younger age cohorts.
• suggests such a broad sharing of costs among different generations, linked to ability to pay, could be presented as a fair and equitable settlement.

Document

Funding Social Care: what service users say (9th March 2010)
Service users often aren't involved in discussions about social care funding, yet they will be most affected by any changes to the current failing system.

In 2009, 18 adult social care service users were brought together to explore proposals for funding social care in the future. This Viewpoint reports their views, including:

• Service users feel that a false divide between social care and health care is perpetuated by conflicting funding arrangements.
• Almost all service users consulted think general taxation is the best way to fund social care.
• Service users reject any withdrawal of existing universal disability benefits, such as the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance, to fund means and needs tested social care.

Document

CONFERENCE - Putting everyone first: making personalisation work for older people and mental health service users (17th March 2010)
This London conference from the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) on 10 June focuses on how to make personalisation work for older people and people that have mental health problems.

The key themes running through this event are:

• Recent and new guidance on personalisation in both Older people and Mental health fields that has been developed by the NDTi for the Department of Health
• How will commissioning deliver the personalisation agenda, at strategic and operational levels.
• What co-production really means and how to make it happen
• How support planning and person-centred approaches are key to making personal budgets real

Information

Securing good care for more people. Options for reform (16th March 2010)
Social care has never been higher on the political and policy agenda, and the need for fundamental reform has been universally recognised.

In 2006, The King’s Fund commissioned Sir Derek Wanless to review the funding of social care for older people. That review proposed a ‘partnership model’ in which costs were shared between the state and the individual. Since then, the momentum for change has gathered pace. Securing Good Care for More People updates the original review and concludes that a revised version of the ‘partnership model’ is the fairest way of funding social care in the future. This would see the state guaranteeing to pay 50 per cent of everyone’s care costs and matching every £2 contributed by individuals with a further £1.
Report

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

The Government's Response to Lord Laming: One Year On (March 2010)
The purpose of this short report is to provide an overview of progress against Lord Laming’s recommendations and set out future priorities. The report summarises the progress and sets out how the National Safeguarding Delivery Unit will seek to make a difference over the coming year. The Unit’s priorities have been developed alongside practitioners and key stakeholders.
Report

COMMISSIONING

Currency options for the Healthy Child Programme: Transforming Community Services (11th March 2010)
Community services have historically been funded on block contracting arrangements, making it difficult for commissioners to identify what services are being delivered and pay for them appropriately. The publication, Currency and pricing options for community services (DH, January 2009) signalled the need to develop more effective ways of paying for services which reward quality and productivity, and encourage activity which reflects local priorities.

This latest publication is a tool for commissioners of community services that contribute to the first five years of the universal Healthy Child Programme (HCP). Commissioners can use this to develop a more transparent approach to paying for these services. The development of better ways of paying for services will reward quality and productivity, and encourage activity which promotes the aims and outcomes of the HCP.
Document

World Class Commissioning - March 2010 update (18th March 2010)
Monthly progress report on the World Class Commissioning Programme
Update

Successful Commissioning: How to secure value for money through better financial relationships with third sector organisations (17th March 2010)
The National Audit Office has launched this online guide which focuses on those aspects of the commissioning process that are most likely to affect financial relationships with third sector organisations. It looks at how commissioners can help the third sector to deliver services and outcomes that represent value for money. The main characteristics of the guide are that it:

• clearly sets out the main issues for effective financial relationships with third sector organisations;
• makes use of existing guidance in an accessible and practical way, and;
• dispels some of the ‘myths’ that exist around commissioning with the third sector.

Guide

PRESENTATIONS - Commissioning for health services. Your questions answered. (18th March 2010)
The presentations from this event, that was held on 17th March 2010 at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes, are now available.
Presentations

Valuing people now: transfer of funding and commissioning of social care for adults with learning disabilities from the NHS to local government: final returns 2010/11 by 31 March 2010 (18th March 2010)
From April 2009, funding and commissioning of social care for adults with learning disabilities transferred from the NHS to local authorities. This letter to PCT and Local Authority lead commissioners gives guidance on implementation and requests final returns for 2010/11 by Wednesday 31 March 2010.
Documents

COMMUNITIES

EVENT - Better together, building healthy communities in hard times (15th March 2010)
The Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) are running an important one-day event aimed at supporting NHS practitioners and partners in promoting community cohesion in the current financial climate. The event, to be held on 19th May 2010, will be chaired by Sir John Egan.

The event will look at:

• tackling health inequalities through building social capital in the downturn
• implementing the Marmot Review (from both a Local Authority and Primary Care Trust perspective)
• building resilience and promoting healthy communities by adopting a lifecycle approach

Information

COMMUNITY SAFETY

National Support Framework. Reducing Reoffending, cutting crime, changing lives (11th March 2010)
The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice have published guidance on the new duty for Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) across England and Wales to reduce reoffending. From 1 April 2010 CSPs will have a new duty to formulate and implement a strategy to reduce reoffending by adults and young offenders and probation will become the sixth statutory partner of CSPs.

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England and Local Health Boards (LHBs) in Wales are statutory partners on CSPs
and can play a critical role in helping to reduce reoffending by targeting health resources at those individuals in local
communities who need them most. This may or may not include individuals already in contact with the criminal
justice system. Areas where health services have a role in community safety include:

• tackling the misuse of alcohol, drugs and other substances (see section 6, Pathways out of offending), specifically through commissioning and providing appropriate health services
• identifying and providing advice and support for victims of domestic or sexual abuse
• providing health advice or treatment for people who put themselves or others at risk (for example, through their use of drugs or alcohol)
• working with other local partners to help prevent problems occurring in the first place.

Guidance

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Co-operative PCTs - the future of the NHS? (11th March 2010)
Three years ago a former nurse and a speech therapist, who held senior positions in their Primary Care Trust (PCT), lifted the nursing and therapy teams out of the PCT and set up a new, employee-owned, not for profit business.

This story reports their new business model showing that the future of health care could be co-operative.
Information

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Personal Care at Home Consultation: The Government Response (12th March 2010)
This is the Government response to the consultation document entitled Personal Care at Home: A consultation on proposals for regulations and guidance. Annex B to the Government response is published as a separate document. A series of stakeholder engagement events, hosted by the Central Office of Information (COI), formed part of the consultation and a report of these events, produced by COI, is published alongside the Government response.
Consultation Response

A better future: a consultation on a future strategy for adults with autistic spectrum conditions. The Government Response (9th March 2010)
During the summer of 2009 the Department of Health consulted on a strategy for adults with autism in England. This is the government response to that consultation.
Consultation Response

Changes to the NHS Constitution: Government response to the consultation on new patient rights (8th March 2010)
The Department of Health published a consultation on new patient rights on 10 November 2009. The consultation closed 5 February 2010.

Over 8,000 people responded to the consultation which involved both local engagement activities carried out by PCTs, and a national consultation process. Following the consultation, a revised NHS Constitution has been published, including a new right to start non-urgent treatment within 18 weeks, and to see a specialist where cancer is suspected within 2 weeks of referral, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer a range of alternative providers where this is not possible. This new right comes into effect on 1 April 2010.
Consultation Response

A consultation on the revision of guidance on the ordinary residence provisions in the National Assistance Act 1948; and on the draft Ordinary Residence Disputes (National Assistance Act 1948) Directions 2009, the Ordinary Residence Disputes (Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc. Act 2003) Directions and the Ordinary Residence Disputes (Mental Capacity Act 2005) Directions 2009 (5th March 2010)
This is the Government Response to this consultation that ran from 21st April to 17th July 2009.
Government Response

New Horizons: Towards a shared vision for mental health - report on responses to the consultation (17th March 2010)
New Horizons: report of public consultation: the full response to the public consultation which opened in July 2009 and set out a vision for the future of mental health care in England. It describes the consultation process, summarises responses, and sets out the Government’s response.
Consultation Response

Age equality in health and social care. A report on the consultation (9th March 2010)
In April 2009, the then Secretary of State for Health asked Sir Ian Carruthers OBE (Chief Executive of NHS South West) and Jan Ormondroyd (Chief Executive of Bristol City Council) to consider what the new measures on age in the Equality Bill would mean for health and social care. The report of their review was published in October 2009 and made twenty-eight recommendations

DH published a consultation paper on 23 November 2009 which invited views on the review’s non-legislative recommendations and DH’s proposals for taking them forward. The consultation closed on 15 February 2010. DH also published an Impact Assessment and Equality Impact Assessment, and invited comments on these. Four consultation events were held across England which provided an opportunity to discuss the proposals in the consultation paper.

Over two hundred people attended the consultation events, and around ninety written responses were made to the consultation paper. In general, the responses were supportive of the proposals.
Consultation Response

CONSULTATIONS

The Health Care Workers (Duty of Co-operation) Regulations 2010 (5th March 2010)
The Department of Healthare consulting on draft regulations which will impose duties on designated bodies, including employers and contractors of health care workers, in all sectors, and regulatory bodies, relating to sharing information about the conduct or performance of health care workers to protect patient safety. The regulations require appropriate safeguards in place when relevant information is shared.

Closing date for comments is 4th June 2010.
Consultation

Consultation on the de-authorisation of NHS Foundation Trusts (3rd March 2010)
Section 15 of the Health Act 2009 introduces new sections to the National Health Service Act 2006 concerning the de-authorisation of NHS foundation trusts.

Under the revised Act, either:

• Monitor can consider de-authorising an NHS foundation trust which is seriously failing to comply with its terms of authorisation or any requirement(s) imposed on it under any enactment; or
• the Secretary of State for Health may write to Monitor requesting that Monitor consider the de-authorisation of an NHS foundation trust.

In both cases, the de-authorisation decision must be based on guidance published by Monitor, and the revised Act requires Monitor to consult on this guidance before publishing.

This consultation document sets out Monitor's proposed approach and guidance on the criteria for de-authorisation.
Closing date for comments is 26th May 2010.
Consultation

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Advancing health: examples of the work of the Chief Medical Officer for England, 1998-2010 (14th March 2010)
This report summarises Sir Liam's work during his time as Chief Medical Officer. It gives an overview of the Chief Medical Officer's role and describes some of the advances that have been made during Sir Liam's term in office.
Report

DIRECTIONS

The Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities (Waiting Times) Directions 2010 (8th March 2010)
These Directions come into force 1st April 2010.
Directions

DISABILITIES

Sharing the learning: user-led organisations action and learning sites 2008-2010 (17th March 2010)
This guide describes the background to establishing the user-led organisations action and learning sites, and provides a snapshot of the good practice resources resulting from this project.
Guide

Disabled children's services national indicator 2009-10: Primary Care Trusts reports (March 2010)
A collection of disabled children's services national indicator reports setting out findings for each primary care trust (PCT) area for which there was sufficient response from parents to the 2009-2010 survey to measure parental satisfaction of services for disabled children.

Each report provides indicator and sub-indicator scores, as well as analysis of parents' comments relating to services in each of the following areas: health, education, and care and family support.

There are also comparison Excel spreadsheets for PCTs which allow for easy comparisons between local areas.
Reports

DISEASES AND DISORDERS

Cases of tuberculosis continue to increase (16th March 2010)
Provisional figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the UK have increased by 5.5%, from 8,679 reported in 2008 to 9,153 in 2009.

The figures, released in the agency's annual TB newsletter ahead of World TB Day on 24th March, show the main burden of this infection is still in London with 3,476 cases reported in 2009, accounting for 38% of the UK total. The West Midlands region reported the second highest number of cases, accounting for 11.3% of cases. A rise in cases was seen in eight out of nine regions. Nearly three-quarters of cases occur in people born outside the UK.
Information

DOCTORS

Fitness to practice audit report. Audit of health professional regulatory bodies' initial decisions (15th March 2010)
The profession and the public can be confident that ensuring patient and public safety is at the core of all the fitness to practise decisions made by the General Medical Council, an audit by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) finds.

The audit, the first of its kind undertaken by the CHRE, found that the GMC's processes and procedures for cases involving doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt are "effective" and are "dealt with in a timely manner". Patient and public safety, and maintaining public confidence in doctors, are the highest priorities for the GMC's operations.
Report

DRUGS

Tackling problem drug use (4th March 2010)
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) into government action to tackle problem drug use has concluded that there has been good progress in a number of areas, including an increasing number of problem drug users in effective treatment and an increasing number leaving treatment free from dependency.
Report

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

Gateshead - Paddle Your Own Canoe (15th March 2010)
Paddle Your Own Canoe (PYOC) was a project by Wayout in Gateshead (WinG), an organisation that specialises in conducting personal development courses through adventure education. The course aimed to improve the mental health and well-being of people over 50 years old. It was funded by Communities for Health.
Information

Care and support for older people and carers in Bradford (16th March 2010)
This study explored the needs, aspirations and expectations of older people and family carers from a range of ethnic communities in Bradford, regarding both formal paid care and help from family, friends and neighbours.

The study found that:

• Irrespective of cultural or ethnic background, older people shared expectations about caring relationships and access to services, as well as similar experiences of service delivery.
• There was a strong sense that services were run more for the convenience and budgets of service providers than for the benefit of the individual older person.
• Across all groups there was a desire for flexible, tailored services. Older people wanted more say in how and where they lived, the quality of their food, and who provided 'that bit of help' in their homes.

Report

FINANCE

Healthy Balance. A review of public health performance and spending (11th March 2010)
This briefing, from the Audit Commission, estimates that £21 billion of NHS funds has been allocated in 2009/10 on the basis of health inequalities. Despite the health of the nation improving overall, health inequalities has proved a stubborn area to address.

It highlights some of the variation in success among different localities, particularly for teenage pregnancies. Despite the sums of money allocated, it is not always clear how much has been spent on improving health inequalities and what the impact has been. It is hard to see an obvious link between spending and improvement, or get any clear view of value for money.

Briefing

Statements on Internal Control (SICs) 2009/10: disclosures guidance (published 1st February 2010 new to website 4th March 2010)
Clarification on how and where organisations should make disclosures or qualifications on their Statement on Internal Control (SIC) about risk management and review processes being in place for the full year, gaps in assurance frameworks, NHS Pension Scheme compliance and significant control issues for 2008/09.
Information

FUEL POVERTY

The Long Cold Winter: Beating fuel poverty (15th March 2010)
More and more people are being plunged into fuel poverty as energy prices rise and government programmes to tackle this major social problem fail to keep up with the scale of the challenge.

This report, from ippr, reviews the current policy landscape on fuel poverty and asks where policy should go next, if fuel poverty is to be addressed effectively in the UK.
Report

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Ready to go? Planning the discharge and transfer of patients from hospital and intermediate care (12th March 2010)
Good practice professionals guide for health and social care.
Guidance

Leading the way through social enterprise: the Social Enterprise Pathfinder Programme evaluation (4th March 2010)
In 2006, the Department of Health established the Social Enterprise Pathfinder Programme to better understand social enterprise in health and social care. The programme followed 26 social enterprises and examined what factors appear to be early indicators for success and outlined the challenges in delivering health and social care services.

This document highlights some of the key findings of the evaluation, which the Department of Health hope will be helpful for those who are currently involved in setting up a social enterprise to deliver health and social care services.
Report

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Progress in implementing the White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety' (15th March 2010)
This document summarises the progress the Department of Health has made in implementing the White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century'.
Document

Invisible Patients, Report of the Working Group on the health of health professionals (5th March 2010)
Invisible Patients specifically focuses on the health issues facing regulated health professionals and identifies some priorities for addressing them. It looks at how ill health in health professionals may affect their professional practice, the difficulties they face in seeking help and the role of the health profession regulatory bodies.
Report

HEALTH SERVICES

Older People's Experiences of Falls Prevention Services (24th February 2010)
In a new survey of over 1,000 patients from the Royal College of Physicians, three-quarters (76% - 767 of 1,028 total respondents) felt that their experience of falls prevention services had been positive.

However, among the 24% of respondents reporting a less than positive experience, the majority of issues were related to communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and many of the physical exercise programmes described in the results were not evidence-based, which limits their effectiveness.

Key findings:
At least 3 out of 4 people from the total sample group:

• Knew why they had been referred to the service (95%)
• Felt they had been seen quickly enough to help with their recovery (78%)
• Felt they received a thorough health check up (85%)
• Felt they had been involved in deciding what actions should be taken after being seen (80%)
• Were fully satisfied that good communication took place (85%)
• Found it easy or fairly easy to travel to appointments (76%)
• Were asked about their experiences of losing their balance or falling (84%)

Report

HOUSING

How can we make the housing market more stable for vulnerable households? (5th March 2010)
Two different perspectives on the kinds of reforms needed to provide long-term, secure housing for the people least able to afford it.

These Viewpoints were commissioned as part of the JRF Housing Market Taskforce programme, which aims to address the root causes of instability in the UK housing market. They are aimed at stimulating debate.

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), argues that the UK's 'obsession with home-ownership' creates social and economic divisions and instability, and we need a more balanced approach to different kinds of tenure. Philippa Stroud, co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice and formerly Director of the Conservative Party's Social Justice Policy Group, believes that life tenancies and the benefits system have combined to create social immobility, worklessness and dependency, and that social housing should be the first step on the ladder to home ownership.
Document

IMMUNISATION

Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine Uptake Figures for England by SHA and PCT (18th March 2010)
The Department of Health have published preliminary data on vaccinations given up to 28 February 2010 at the SHA and PCT/Trust levels.

For each SHA and PCT, the % uptake of one dose of the swine flu vaccine, Pandemrix by people in clinical risk groups (including pregnant women) and children aged six months to under five years (Tables 1 & 2). % uptake is the (number vaccinated / number eligible to receive vaccine and registered) x 100%.

For each SHA and Trust (Tables 3 and 4):

• the number of Front Line Healthcare Workers (HCWs)
• the number of HCWs that have received one dose of the swine flu vaccine, Pandemrix
• the % uptake – (number HCWs vaccinated / number HCWs) x 100%

Information

Guidance for the 2010/11 Human papillomavirus vaccination programme (17th March 2010)
Information on the HPV vaccination programme for 2010/11.
Information

INFANT FEEDING

Report of the Independent Review Panel conducting the Independent Review of the Controls on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (11th March 2010)
In 2007, Dawn Primarolo, then Minister for Public Health, established a review of the effectiveness of new controls in the new Infant Formula and Follow on Formula Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/3521). These controls aimed to reduce confusion for parents between infant formula for exclusive feeding of babies during the first months of life and follow on formula for babies aged six months and over. The independent panel of experts was asked to "Assess whether the new controls on the way in which follow on formula is presented and advertised have been effective in making clear to parents/parents to be and carers that advertisements for follow on formula are meant only for babies over six months and are not perceived or confused as infant formula advertising, which is prohibited". The Minister for Public Health has published the Panel’s report and will publish her response to the report’s findings and recommendations as soon as possible.
Report

INFORMATION

The truth is out there. A discussion paper (5th March 2010)
This discussion paper looks at how the public sector can improve information made available to the public. It follows the Audit Commission's publication in November 2009, Nothing but the truth, that looked at the reliability of facts and figures used by public service providers and decision-makers such as councils and health trusts, social workers, doctors and police.

The next document in their 'Truth' series, 'The truth is out there' poses questions such as 'What information will capture the public’s imagination?' and 'How will the public know what information to trust?'
Paper

JOINT WORKING

Putting our heads together: what makes senior joint posts work? (17th March 2010)
As the downturn begins to pressurise public services and an ageing population continues to exacerbate the burden of long-term conditions, many health and social care organisations are beginning to look afresh at how working together might be a solution.

With the integration agenda rising in prominence once again, we surveyed some of the prominent figures who embody the strengths and challenges of closer joint working: senior leaders whose posts cut across the traditional boundaries between health and local government. Based on these interviews, this discussion paper looks at the factors that help and hinder success in a joint post and what local and national leaders can learn from this.
Document

Building a safe and confident future: implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force (17th March 2010)
A joint implementation plan from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department of Health and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in partnership with the Social Work Reform Board.
Document

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

LASSL(DH)(2010)1: Provisional Grant Allocations for the Personal Care At Home Grant for 2010/11 (12th March 2010)
The purpose of this circular is to advise local authorities of their provisional grant allocations for the Personal Care at Home grant from 1st October 2010 to 31st March 2011. This grant will be paid via Area Based Grant (ABG).
Information

Ordinary residence: guidance on the identification of the ordinary residence of people in need of community care services, England (5th March 2010)
This guidance provides information and advice to local authorities (and certain other bodies) on the identification of the ordinary residence of people in need of community care services.

The guidance anticipates the coming into force of section 148 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 which is expected to come into force on 19 April 2010. The guidance is effective from this date. Therefore, on 19 April 2010, this guidance will replace the existing ordinary residence guidance contained in LAC(93)7. From this date, LAC(93)7 will be revoked.
Guidance

Top tips on improving outcomes through better commissioning of adult social care (February 2010)
Local authorities spend about £18 billion each year on adult social care including £11.6 billion on external providers. Millions could be saved each year through more effective and collaborative commissioning, including better procurement of services.

Local authorities are under pressure to reduce expenditure on, and the cost of, adult social care. At the same time, services users and carers expect high-quality services. Members need to understand how services can be improved and how they can be delivered more efficiently.

This guide – one of a series of member guides on procurement – provides tips on how your authority can make savings through better commissioning of adult social care.
Guide

MATERNITY/MIDWIFERY

Maternity and Early Years - Making a good start to family life (16th March 2010)
The Government has today announced the launch of a strategic vision for the further transformation of maternity services and early years services. “Maternity and Early Years - Making a Good Start to Family Life”

The document has been developed jointly by the Department of Health, The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, drawing on the views of mothers and fathers, children’s centre staff, local health practitioners and children.
Document

MENTAL HEALTH

Paths to Personalisation - A whole system, whole life framework (16th March 2010)
Published today by the National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) Personalisation in Mental Health Programme, this guide has been produced to help all those involved understand how things will need to be done differently to make personalisation a reality for people with mental health needs. This is a whole system guide, so hopefully it will give some information, guidance and signposts for people, whoever and wherever they are. The guide provides information about what personalisation means for mental health services and supports, offers examples of what needs to be in place to make things work, and provides pointers to good practice and sources of advice and information.
Guide

3 Briefing papers published by PSA16 programme (15th March 2010)
The Public Service Agreement 16 programme have published the following 3 briefing papers:
Improving housing and employment opportunities for people with mental health problems
Employment and Mental Health
Work recovery and inclusion: employment support for people in contact with secondary mental health services
Documents

Life Story Network (7th March 2010)
The National Life Story Network was launched at a conference in Leeds on 12th February. The network provides a national forum (www.lifestorynetwork.org.uk) to support the use of Life Story work among people with mental illness including dementia.

Life Story is a growing area of interest in policy and practice relating to the care of people. The Network has been promoted and supported by an independent steering group, with representation from a range of national and regional partners, including the Dignity in Care (DH) campaign, the National Dementia Strategy, Mental Health Foundation and the National Mental Health Development Unit.
Information

Blurring the Boundaries. The convergence of mental health and criminal justice policy, legislation, systems and practice (16th March 2010)
This report, from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health demonstrates that a convergence is taking place between mental health and criminal justice legislation, policy, systems and practice. The report summarises both the benefits and the risks of convergence. It is intended to inform policy-makers and practitioners about where convergence can be useful and where caution is required.
Report

NHS

General Election - Guidance (11th March 2010)
Two letters have been produced to provide chief executives with information on handling the General Election period, once it starts. It includes links to previous guidance and advice.
Letter for Arms Length Bodies
Letter for NHS Trust AND PCT

The handbook to the NHS Constitution for England (8th March 2010)
This Handbook is designed to give NHS staff and patients all the information they need about the NHS Constitution for England. It outlines the roles we all have to play in protecting and developing the NHS and will help you understand our rights, pledges, values and responsibilities.
Document

Getting the most out of PROMs. Putting health outcomes at the heart of NHS decision-making (11th March 2010)
More than 100 years ago Florence Nightingale suggested a health-related outcome measure for her patients: relieved, unrelieved and dead. Despite the developments in medical technology since then, attempts to measure the positive outcomes of health care have been slow in coming. An important step forward was made in 2009 when the English NHS began collecting patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for four elective procedures.

The aim of this report, from the Kings Fund, is to provoke and encourage thinking about the wide range of ways in which PROMs data can be used to inform decisions. It draws on Bupa’s example to discuss how providers can use PROMs data to improve clinical performance. It also offers practical advice for commissioners in using PROMs data to assess value for money and decide how to purchase health care systems.
Report

Rising to the challenge: health priorities for government and the NHS (11th March 2010)
The document sets out what the NHS Confederation see as the major priorities facing the NHS, what they think NHS leaders can do now to help develop the system and enhance patient care, and what a new government will need to do post-election to facilitate this and create the necessary conditions for progress.
Document

The NHS Constitution for England (8th March 2010)
This Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively. All NHS bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions.
Document

Guidance on the attribution of NHS non-commercial Research costs, Support costs and treatment costs (ReSeT Guidance) (15th March 2010)
This document clarifies the distinction between the three categories of costs associated with non-commercial research studies: Research Costs, NHS Support Costs and Treatment Costs. It is supported by two annexes – Annex A provides an exemplar set of common activities that have been attributed to the three specific cost categories and Annex B provides a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The first section of the FAQs relates to FAQs that are generic across the United Kingdom and the second section to country specific questions. These Annexes will be updated on a regular basis and users need to ensure that they have the latest version (please refer to individual Health Department websites for their country specific FAQs).
Document

NHS TRUSTS

A&E Serious Youth Violence Data Sharing Initiative (16th March 2010)
This area of the Department of Health website is dedicated to the above initiative.

The aim of the initiative is to support and encourage A&E Departments to work with police and other local agencies to understand more about serious youth violence in their community. This initiative has been developed building on the work achieved through the Home Office Tackling Knives and Serious Youth Violence Action Programme (TKAP). This covers targeted police action to tackle a minority of young people from 13-24 years old who commit serious violence, regardless of the weapon involved.

On these pages you will find resources to help develop local data sharing initiatives; evidence and case studies of the impact; and networking opportunities with others doing similar work.
Information

NICE

Consultation Documents (5th March 2010-18th March 2010)
NICE are now consulting on the following:

Barrett's oesophagus - ablative therapy: draft guideline consultation - closing date 7th April 2010

Nocturnal enuresis in children (bedwetting): guideline consultation - closing date 6th May 2010

Hypertension (update): scoping workshop, consultation and final scope - closing date 8th April 2010

Social and emotional wellbeing - vulnerable children at home: consultation on the draft scope - closing date 13th April 2010

Social and emotional wellbeing: early education and daycare: consultation on the draft scope - closing date 13th April 2010

Spasticity in Children: draft scope consultation - closing date 9th April 2010

Psoriatic arthritis - etanercept, infliximab & adalimumab (review): appraisal consultation document - closing date 8th April 2010

QOF Indicators in development - closing date 11th April 2010

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding: scope consultation - closing date 16th April 2010

Growth failure (in children) - human growth hormone (HGH) (review): final appraisal determination - closing date 1st April 2010

Latest Implementation Tools (11th March 2010)
Tools to aid implementation of latest guidance:

CG93 Donor Breast Milk Banks: audit support, costing tool and slide set

TA186 Rheumatoid arthritis - certolizumab pegol: audit support and costing tool

TA185 Soft tissue sarcoma - trabectedin: audit support and costing tool

PH23 School-based interventions to prevent smoking: slide set and costing tool

IPG331 Cytoreduction surgery followed by hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis (replacing of IPG116): audit support

IPG332 Surgical correction of hallux valgus using minimal access: audit support

Therapeutic endoscopic division of epidural adhesions (review of IPG88): audit support

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Health Committee - Social Care - Third Report of Session 2009-10 (12th March 2010)
Vol I
Vol II

Joint Committee of Human Rights - Equality and Human Rights Commission - Thirteenth Report of Session 2009-10 (15th March 2010)

Joint Committee on Human Rights - Any of our business? Human Rights and the UK private sector: Government and Response to the Committee's First Report of Session 2008-09 - Eleventh Report of Session 2009-10 (8th March 2010)

Committee of Public Accounts - Equality and Human Rights Commission - Fifteenth Report of Session 2009-10 (4th March 2010)

Committee of Public Accounts - Improving Dementia Services in England - an Interim Report - Nineteenth Report of Session 2009-10 (16th March 2010)

Committee of Public Accounts - The Decent Homes Programme - Twenty-first Report of Session 2009-10 (18th March 2010)

PRIMARY CARE

Primary Care and Emergency Departments: report from the Primary Care Foundation (8th March 2010)
In May 2009 the Department of Health commissioned the Primary Care Foundation to study the impact of using primary care within or alongside Accident and Emergency. The report highlights that use of primary care clinicians in Accident and Emergency departments can benefit patients where services are integrated and clinicians work together.

The findings of this report are being developed into a guide for commissioners on use of primary care clinicians with Accident and Emergency departments and this guide will be available soon.

This report will be of interest to NHS chief executives and their commissioning colleagues.
Report

PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

Cancer Awareness and Early Diagnosis Programme funding (8th March 2010)
Letter announcing funding for 2010/11 to develop or build on existing services/interventions that aim to promote early diagnosis of cancer, and inviting proposals from primary care trusts by 28 April 2010.
Information

NHS Pharmaceutical Services - Transfer of the Global Sum to PCT Allocations (10th March 2010)
The attached letter draws attention to important considerations in managing funding for NHS services provided by community pharmacies and appliance contractors, following devolvement of the centrally held funding to PCTs from 1 April 2010.
Information

New value for money (VfM) profiles launched (17th March 2010)
The Audit Commission has launched new value for money (VfM) profiles for PCTs, fire and rescue authorities, police authorities and councils. These are more user-friendly, have a clearer focus on VfM, track levels of spend to assess the impact of improvements, and compare spend and performance to other bodies.
Information

PUBLIC HEALTH

Review of Public Health Regulation (11th March 2010)
The nature of Specialist and Director of Public Health roles are key to the current and future public health function; with high visibility and importance to tackling core challenges such as disparities in health, health protection and lifestyle burdens. Assurance and confidence in public health specialist practice is therefore of great importance. This review seeks to increase the confidence of both the public and professionals as to standards of competence, performance and conduct of the public health workforce.
Information

Technical Briefing 7: Measuring smoking prevalence in local populations (10th March 2010)
This briefing provides brief overviews of potentially useful sources of local-level smoking data, option appraisals for local-level surveillance of smoking and pointers to help local organisations meet their local smoking prevalence information needs
Briefing

Behaviour change training delivered across Cheshire and Merseyside: mapping programmes and exploring processes (15th March 2010)
Behaviour change interventions have the potential to produce a significant impact on major causes of mortality and morbidity. This research focuses on behaviour change training programmes which aim to develop the knowledge and skills of staff so that they are better equipped to help people change health-related attitudes and behaviour.
Report

Top tips for commissioners and providers of behaviour change training programmes (15th March 2010)
Behaviour change training programmes aim to develop the knowledge and skills of the public health workforce leaving them better equipped to help change health related attitudes and behaviours. Commonly used forms of behaviour change interventions are brief interventions, brief advice, motivational interviewing and social marketing.

These Top tips aim to support the commissioning and delivery of effective behaviour change training programmes across Cheshire and Merseyside. They include recommendations developed from the findings of research which mapped behaviour change training programmes and explored their delivery and commissioning across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Document

Much achieved: More to do. Reducing Health Inequalities in Knowsley. (4th March 2010)
This document is a review and a position statement in relation to health inequalities in Knowsley. It looks at the progress which has been made in Knowsley over the past 10 years in reducing health inequalities. The current challenges are assessed, and recommendations are made for the future.
Document

QUALITY

The NHS Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention challenge: an introduction for clinicians (11th March 2010)
This booklet has been published to support clinical teams and NHS organisations to meet the quality and productivity challenge and provides ways in which NHS clinicians can all get involved in shaping the response locally. It is important that clinicians start to discuss with colleagues how to continue to improve the quality of care provided, and do so more efficiently. Clinicians can listen to patients and work closely with managers to make sustainable improvements.
Booklet

RESEARCH GOVERNANCE

Governing health services research: is it working? (15th March 2010)
Research governance is an issue that constantly troubles members of the Health Services Research Network (HSRN), who feel that a system that has been set up to deal with clinical research unfairly places an excessive level of regulatory burden on much lower risk health services research, which is largely non-clinical and non-invasive.

As part of HSRN’s programme of work looking at this issue, they commissioned Mary Dixon Woods and Karen Yeung to write this viewpoint to help them understand and provide some questioning of how the current system operates.
Report

SEXUAL HEALTH

Enhanced Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Cheshire and Merseyside 2008 (12th March 2010)
Report commissioned by the Cheshire and Merseyside Sexual Health Network on behalf of the area's primary care trusts for assessing local epidemiology and to measure performance targets in order to improve monitoring, planning and interventions for sexual health promotion and treatment and care services.
Report

SOCIAL EXCLUSION

Inclusion Health (11th March 2010)
A new short study, Inclusion Health, outlines how improvements in health care for the most excluded groups in society can be accelerated to ensure high quality services are available to all.

Some of the key actions include:

• Establishing a Chair in Inclusion Health providing professional and academic leadership within the sector.
• Embedding inclusion health in undergraduate training for all nurses, doctors and dentists.
• Publishing new Inclusion Health commissioning guidance, which will set out how the needs of socially excluded groups can be better assessed and met;
• Describing and promoting effective models of prevention and promotion for socially excluded groups.
• Enhance existing processes and incentives to encourage service innovations and improvements for socially excluded groups.

Report

STATISTICS

Provisional Monthly Hospital Episode Statistics for Admitted patient care and outpatient data, April 2009-November 2009 (9th March 2010)

NHS Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activities - January 2010 (10th March 2010)

Clinical Dental Report, England and Wales: Quarter 3 and Quarter 4, 2008/09 - Experimental Statistics (11th March 2010)

Direct Access Audiology Waiting Times - January 2010 (18th March 2010)

NHS Referral to Treatment Waiting Times - January 2010 (18th March 2010)

GP National Patient Survey - Q1, Q2 and Q3 2009-10 aggregated results (18th March 2010)

NHS Staff Earnings - estimates, October 2009 to December 2009 (18th March 2010)

SUBSTANCE MISUSE

Young People's Drug and Alcohol Treatment at the Crossroads (24th February 2010)
The drug and alcohol treatment system needs to be more flexible if it is to effectively meet the needs of older teenagers and young adults developing substance misuse problems, according to a new DrugScope report.

The charity’s 'Young people’s drug and alcohol treatment at the crossroads 'report draws on consultations with over 150 professionals who support young drug and alcohol users, as well as the views of service users themselves, from across England. It finds that the drugs causing most problems for young people are cannabis and alcohol, with many also using a range of substances including cocaine, ketamine, GBL and ‘legal highs’ such as mephedrone.
Report
Summary
Press Release

Drug and alcohol treatment in the North West of England 2008/09 (15th March 2010)
This publication details the results of the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) in the North West of England during 2008/09. The NDTMS was introduced in April 2001 to collect data on all clients in contact with structured treatment services (i.e. high threshold tier 3 and 4 services as defined by the Models of Care, see National Treatment Agency [NTA] 2002). To take into account the recent developments in NDTMS monitoring and reporting, this report provides an overview of the NDTMS data for the region and has been divided into the following sections:

• Problematic Drug Users (PDU) and all drug users (aged over 18) in effective structured drug treatment
• Individuals in contact with structured drug treatment
• Young People (under 18) in contact with structured drug and alcohol treatment
• Individuals in contact with structured alcohol treatment.

Report

VETERANS

Health and Social Outcomes and Health Service Experiences of UK Military Veterans: a summary of the evidence, November 2009 (9th March 2010)
Each year approximately 24,000 men and women leave the British Armed Forces and return to civilian life. This report reviewed the available evidence on the health and social outcomes, and the health experiences, of former members of the Armed Forces.

Key findings included that, whilst in general the health of the veteran community is comparable with that of the general population, rates of heavy drinking are more prevalent among both serving and ex-serving personnel. The study also identified barriers to accessing healthcare for both groups, especially the stigma of admitting a need for help, with veterans reporting an additional problem of not knowing where to go for help. The authors also made several recommendations for further research.
Report