Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board mid-year progress report, October 2008 (11th October 2008)
The Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board mid-year report is an independent report written by the Chair of the Board, in conjunction with key stakeholders. It summarises the Board's achievements in the first half of the year and identifies areas where further work needs to be done to implement the Nutrition Action Plan fully and meet the overall goal of improving nutritional care.
Report
PL/CMO/2008/7, PL/CNO/2008/7 Improving the detection and diagnosis of hepatitis C in primary care (27th October 2008)
Letter urging improvement in the detection and diagnosis of hepatitis C in primary care, and introducing Hepatitis C: Quick reference guide for primary care.
Letter
Hepatitis C: Quick reference guide for primary care (originally published 30th March 2007)
Migration and Infectious Diseases in the North West (10th November 2008)
This is the full version of short section written for a report on Health and Migration in the North West of England. The key diseases of tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis B, malaria and typhoid fever are identified and discussed. The current regional situation is described and placed within the national and global context.
Report
Shooting up. Infections among injecting drug users in the United Kingdom 2007. An update: October 2008 (27th October 2008)
One-third of injecting drug users have reported having an abscess, sore or open wound at sites of injection - bacterial infections that are thought to cost the NHS around £47million a year. Recent changes in drug taking such as the increase in people taking crack cocaine, has helped fuel an increase in bacterial infections among drug users.
Report
National and regional estimates of the prevalence of opiate use and/or crack cocaine use 2006/07: a summary of key findings (November 2008)
This report summarises the results of the third and final phase of a three-year study to estimate the prevalence of problematic use of opiates and/or crack cocaine nationally (England only), regionally and locally.
Report
Good Practice in Harm Reduction (October 2008)
This report follows publication of the results of the 2006/07 service reviews on harm reduction carried out by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) and the Healthcare Commission. The aim of this report is to highlight good practice in harm reduction, based on interviews with local drug partnerships that performed well in the reviews to identify good practice in interventions to reduce drug-related harm related to blood-borne virus and overdose.
Report
Review of Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in schools and the Government Response (23rd October 2008)
This report represents the views of all members of the external steering group that was established to take forward the commitment in the Children’s Plan to: ‘Review the delivery of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in schools. It summarises how the review was organised, what evidence they considered to inform their decisions, the key challenges that they identified and the recommendations that they are making to improve SRE delivery.
Review
Government Response
Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) (No 5) Directions 2008 (24th October 2008)
These Directions were signed on 22 October 2008 and come into force either on 1 April 2008 or 23 October 2008 (see direction 1). The amendments primarily relate to changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework agreed in discussions earlier this year between NHS Employers and the GPC. There are, in addition, a handful of minor amendments.
Directions
Explanatory note
Paying the Patient: does it work? A review of patient-targeted incentives (14th October 2008)
This report, from the Health Foundation, summarises available evidence on the effectiveness of patient incentives in improving quality of healthcare.
Report
NHS Foundation Trusts - Review and Consolidated Accounts 2007-08 (30th October 2008)
Monitor’s review of foundation trusts’ performance for the year 2007-08 supports the case that the foundation model and its regulatory regime is working, delivering robust organisations able to meet the requirements of their commissioners. In general, national healthcare targets are being met, membership is increasing and NHS foundation trusts have demonstrated that they can maintain a strong financial base, deliver efficiencies and build surpluses to invest in improved patient care. In the report it is clear that variation does exist within the sector; Monitor has intervened at five trusts during the year to remedy unacceptably poor MRSA rates, and has intervened formally at one trust in response to concerns about financial governance. However, the Annual Health Check ratings produced in October 2008 by the Healthcare Commission show a very positive picture – of the 42 trusts rated ‘excellent’ for both quality of services and use of resources, 38 were foundation trusts.
Report
Treatment of heart attack national guidance: final report of the National Infarct Angioplasty Project (NIAP) (20th October 2008)
NIAP is a feasibility study looking at how far primary angioplasty can be rolled out as the main treatment for heart attack in place of clot-busting drugs. This is the final report concluding that it is feasible to roll out primary angioplasty for the majority of England within acceptable treatment times and is being published to encourage best practice.
Final report
Impact assessment
Equality impact assessment
Acting for change: transforming pathology services through action learning (7th November 2008)
Building on the earlier success of the Pathology Action Learning Programme, in 2007/08 DH supported around 30 learning sets. They used action learning techniques to tackle issues such as point of care testing, workforce re-profiling, phlebotomy, and service reconfiguration. This report makes available the learning from those projects, together with an introduction to action learning.
Report
NHS Guidance on planning for disruption to road fuel supply: strategic national guidance for NHS organisations (5th November 2008)
This document gives interim guidance to National Health Service organisations to assist with their business continuity management planning in response to a reduction of the normal availability of road fuel, from a minor disruption through to the activation of the National Emergency Plan – Fuel (NEP-F) 2008. This guidance follows on from the NHS Resilience and Business Continuity Management Guidance 2008 and should be used in conjunction with the NHS Emergency Planning Guidance 2005. It is subordinate to the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s NEP-F, which is currently undergoing further review.
Document
Regulation of Health Care Provision in England (24th October 2008)
This briefing examines the recent history of the quality and safety, financial and economic regulation of health care providers in England. It describes the new regulatory machinery that is being introduced and considers how the relationship between these different regulatory systems may develop in the future.
Briefing
Clostridium difficile infections fall significantly (23rd October 2008)
Latest C. difficile figures for England show that between April and June 2008 there were 8,683 cases recorded in patients aged 65 years and over. This represents a fall of 18% in this age group from the previous quarter, January to March 2008, when the total was 10,608.
Statistics
An exploration of the issues experienced by, and needs of, young people who are homeless or vulnerably housed in Liverpool (14th October 2008)
This study explored the issues, and needs, of young people (aged under 25 years old) who were homeless, vulnerably housed or exiting care in Liverpool. Issues relating to accommodation, drug and alcohol use, the influence of peers and support from local organisations are examined, and recommendations for responses to the key findings are included.
Report
Evaluation of the Rapid Access Homeless Outreach Service (30th October 2008)
The Rapid Access Homeless Outreach Service is a low threshold service commissioned to engage ‘hard to reach’ substance users in treatment, principally aimed at homeless drug and alcohol users. This report evaluated the effectiveness of the open access service at engaging ‘hard to reach’ substance users in treatment, specifically homeless drug and alcohol users.
Report
PL/CNO/2008/5: Improving cleanliness and infection control: from deep clean to keep clean - learning from the deep clean programme (28th October 2008)
Professional Letter from Chris Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer, and David Flory, Director General NHS Finance, Performance and Operations announcing the publication of a compendium of good practice examples from the national deep clean initiative and clarifying expectations for deep cleaning in the future.
Document
From deep clean to keep clean: learning from the deep clean programme (28th October 2008)
This compendium is designed to identify areas of good practice arising from the national deep clean initiative and become a basis for sharing learning across organisations.
Document
Healthcare acquired infections - Policy position (17th October 2008)
This policy paper, from the Royal College of Surgeons, calls for hospital patients to have access to better information in order to drive down infection rates.
Paper
MRSA Screening - FAQs (24th October 2008)
MRSA screening will be introduced for all elective patients by the end of March 2009. These are some FAQs that NHS Trusts may have.
FAQs
Evaluation of the Individual Budgets pilot programme: final report (21st October 2008)
The Individual Budgets pilot programme was a cross-government initiative led by the Department of Health working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, and Communities and Local Government. The pilot was conducted over two years 2006-2007 involving 13 local authorities. The report was written by a combined team from The University of York Social Policy Research Unit and the Personal Social Services Research Units of Manchester University, LSE and University of Kent; and Kings College London. They were collectively called The Individual Budgets Evaluation Network (IBSEN).
Full report
Executive summary
4-page summary
DH response to evaluation report
The role of the Consultant Paediatrician with Subspecialty Training in Paediatric Emergency Medicine (October 2008)
This new report by the Intercollegiate Committee for Services for Children in Emergency Departments explores the role of paediatricians with subspecialty training in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, and makes recommendations for how their skills can be most effectively utilised.
Report
Why do men hate going to the doctor? (27th October 2008)
The aim of this project is to provide knowledge in a male dominated environment. It allows men to make informed decisions around healthy lifestyles choices.
Information
Mental Capacity Act 2005: Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards - draft standard forms (29th October 2008)
Standard forms are being made available now in order to facilitate best practice, training and preparation in advance of April 2009, when the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards come into effect. The forms can be adapted but as drafted they help all those involved in the safeguards processes to fully meet the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty legislation. The first document, published on 29 October 2008, is for supervisory bodies and contains all the forms, developed to date, for both supervisory bodies and for managing authorities. The second document, that will appear here shortly, will be for managing authorities but will contain only the managing authority forms with guidance for care homes and hospitals. Over the coming months later versions will appear here as the forms reach their final development e.g. the inclusion of templates for supervisory bodies to refer cases to assessors and templates for IMCA reports.
Document
Mental Health Act 2007: guidance on the extension of victims’ rights under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (17th October 2008)
As a result of the Mental Health Act 2007, from 3 November 2008 victims’ rights under the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 will be extended to victims of offenders who are detained, or on supervised community treatment, as unrestricted patients under Part 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983. This will involve new duties on hospital managers, responsible clinicians, approved mental health professionals and on NHS bodies who fund treatment of such patients in the independent sector.
Guidance
Mental Health Act 1983 information leaflets (15th October 2008)
The Department of Health has updated its model Mental Health Act 1983 patient information leaflets to reflect changes to be made by the Mental Health Act 2007 from 3 November 2008. The leaflets are designed to assist hospitals and local social services authorities (LSSAs) to meet their legal obligations under the Act to provide written information to patients subject to detention and other compulsory measures under the Act.
Leaflets
Mental Capital and Wellbeing Report (22nd October 2008)
Foresight's Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project looks at how a person’s mental resources change throughout life and identifies factors that can help or hinder their development. The final report, published today, demonstrates that there is a clear case for action across society including by Government, companies and individuals to boost both mental capital and wellbeing. This could reap very high economic and social benefits in the future.
Report
Managing Mental Health and Employment (4th November 2008)
This report presents the findings of an exploratory qualitative study commissioned in 2007 by the Department for Work and Pensions to investigate the experiences of people with a mental health condition who had continued to work in paid employment while unwell. The study was carried out by the Social Policy Research Unit at the University of York and was based on interviews with 38 people working for a range of small and large employers in the public and private sectors.
Report
Pregnant women advised to limit caffeine consumption (3rd November 2008)
The Agency has today issued new advice on caffeine consumption during pregnancy. This follows the results of new FSA-funded research carried out by the Universities of Leeds and Leicester. Pregnant women are advised to limit their daily caffeine intake to 200mg a day – roughly two mugs of coffee a day. This is because too much caffeine might result in a baby having a lower birth weight than it should, which can increase the risk of some health conditions in later life. There is also some evidence which suggests that high levels of caffeine can result in spontaneous miscarriage. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, some soft drinks, and certain medicines.
Press release
Article from BMJ
Individual Patient Budgets: Background and Frequently Asked Questions (20th October 2008)
Following Lord Darzi’s pledge to pilot direct payments and individual budgets in health care, this paper provides a brief background to the concept and principles of these ways of working, before focusing in more detail on some frequently asked questions. The paper is intended to help inform forthcoming pilots, and was initially commissioned by NHS West Midlands as part of their Investing for Health strategy.
Paper
Trans: a practical guide for the NHS (3rd November 2008)
This document gives practical best practice advice for NHS organisations to address their responsibilities relating to trans employment and healthcare delivery.
Document
NHS Pay Review Body: Review for 2009 (31st October 2008)
Written and statistical evidence from the Health Departments for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Document
Real involvement: working with people to improve services (30th October 2008)
Guidance for NHS organisations on section 242(1B) of the NHS Act 2006, the duty to involve and good involvement practice; includes guidance on sections 17A, 24A and 242B of the NHS Act 2006 and information about section 242A of the Act. This document provides statutory guidance for NHS organisations on the updated duty of involvement and advice about the new duty of reporting on consultation and best practice on embedding involvement in organisations.
Guidance
A5 introductory leaflet
Pay framework for very senior managers in strategic and special health authorities, primary care trusts and ambulance trusts 2008-09 - updated 22nd October 2008 (22nd October 2008)
These arrangements cover chief executives , executive directors, with the exception of those who are eligible to be on the consultant contract by virtue of their qualification and the requirements of the post other senior managers with Board level responsibility who report directly to the chief executive - referred to in this document as ‘other second level very senior managers’. This document supersedes the document published on 17 June 2008.
Document
Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration: Review for 2009 (15th October 2008)
Written Evidence from the Health Departments for the United Kingdom.
Document
Engaging patients in their health: how the NHS needs to change (October 2008)
If the health of the population is to improve significantly, patients need to be engaged in managing their own health. The increase in availability of information, developments in new technology, and changes in public attitudes mean that patients want to interact differently with health services. These developments present a challenge for the NHS. The King’s Fund, with the Leeds Castle Foundation, hosted a summit to explore in more detail the concept of the patient as consumer, the use of technology in health care and how to promote healthy citizenship. This paper includes presentations from experts and summaries of the discussions.
Document
Technology in the NHS. Transforming the patient’s experience of care (October 2008)
Technology is widely used in many areas of life, and the NHS Next Stage Review highlighted the role that technology can play in improving health outcomes. However, the use of everyday technologies such as email and online booking systems is poor in the health service. This report aims to improve the uptake by analysing the main barriers to adoption and suggesting measures to overcome them. It sets out an ideal scenario for the use of health care technology and the potential benefits to patients. Using examples from other sectors, it makes recommendations at national and local level to encourage the use of technology.
Document
Emergency readmission rates: further analysis (6th November 2008)
This Department of Health paper reviews an analysis by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD) of the rising trend of emergency readmissions and carries out further analysis on an enhanced dataset.
Paper
