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DH News digest

Bureaucracy-busting measures announced

The Government has announced plans to reduce NHS paperwork, freeing up frontline staff to focus on patient care.

A report, 'Making a difference: safe and secure data sharing between health and adult social care staff', recommends practical changes to reduce administrative burdens and improve the way patient information is shared.

Produced jointly by the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office Better Regulation Executive, it sets out a number of outcomes to be implemented by the end of the year.

These include new guidance from the department on the use of patient information for medical research, and a protocol to enable health and social care staff to exchange information more appropriately and effectively.

Largest ever hospital PFI project gets the go ahead

Two London hospitals are to undergo a £1 billion redevelopment to create the UK's biggest hospital and the largest A&E department in Europe.

The revamp of the Royal London and St Bartholomew's hospitals in east London represents the UK's biggest private finance initiative hospital scheme. The hospitals will include state-of-the-art cancer and cardiac facilities, and up to 1,248 beds on two sites.

Under revised plans, the developers will deliver the services for nearly £20 million a year less than the original proposals, saving almost £650 million over the 35-year life of the contract.

Planning framework for children's trusts

The Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills have published new guidelines to improve care for children and young people.

The 'Joint planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services' explains how the government aims to shape the planning and commissioning of services in children's trusts. It is designed for everyone working in children's, young people's and maternity services, including political leaders, senior managers, commissioners, support staff and government officials.

Targets not hit by winter pressures

The NHS maintained an eight-week average waiting time for hospital treatment throughout the traditionally busy January period, according to new Department of Health figures.

At the end of January, only 74 patients had been waiting more than six months for treatment, compared with 284,000 patients in March 1997.

Of the 74 patients, 22 had been waiting more than nine months, and five for more than 12 months.

The total number of patients waiting to be admitted to NHS hospitals in England at the end of January was 791,800, an increase of 7,600 since the end of December, but a fall of 70,100 since January 2005.

Watchdog to increase care home spot checks

New regulations require successful care homes to be inspected only once every three years, freeing up inspectors to focus on homes that are doing less well.

As part of a new package of measures designed to protect vulnerable adults, the Commission for Social Care Inspection will increase unannounced spot checks on poor providers to ensure standards are maintained.

The change in legislation follows the publication of the 'Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill', which proposes a new vetting and barring scheme for people working with children and/or vulnerable adults.

More social inclusion for people with mental health problems

The Department of Health has launched guidance to help people with mental health problems return to work.

The documents, aimed at commissioners of services, cover vocational services, day services, direct payments and women only day service.

Advice on travelling to countries with H5N1

Public health advice is now available for people travelling to countries affected by the H5N1 avian flu virus.

The UK has not seen any cases of H5N1, but it is occurring in poultry and wild birds in other parts of the world.

The Department of Health leaflet provides guidance on symptoms, how to reduce the risk of exposure, and what to do if infection is suspected. In particular, it advises:

  • do not visit bird or poultry farms or markets
  • avoid close contact with live or dead poultry
  • do not eat raw or poorly-cooked poultry or poultry products
  • wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

Two companies have now received the go-ahead from the department to produce a vaccine against the deadly strain. Between them, Baxter and Chiron will produce around 3.5 million doses of the H5N1 vaccine, due to be delivered in May and October.

NHS to help patients help themselves

A new guide has been published to help NHS and social care organisations encourage people with long-term conditions to take control of their own care.

As well as providing advice and guidance, 'Supporting people with long term conditions to self-care' highlights some of the innovative ways local health and social care services are already supporting self-care.

It includes information and advice on monitoring devices, self-care skills education and training, and self-care support networks.

View the guide on the Department of Health website

Patient investigation rules agreed

New rules aimed at improving the co-ordination of investigations into serious patient safety incidents have been published.

The Memorandum of Understanding has been developed by the Department of Health, Association of Chief Police Officers and the Health and Safety Executive . It forms part of the guidance promised by the chief medical officer in his 2001 report, 'Building a safer NHS for patients'.

Included are commitments to ensure:

  • better and more co-ordinated liaison with patients and/or relatives when investigations take place
  • wider learning from incidents for staff across the NHS
  • better safeguards for patients and the public.

Stronger voice for patients

Further action is being taken to create a more comprehensive system for people to get involved in the NHS.

To conclude its review of patient and public involvement, the Department of Health is establishing an expert panel. The panel will consider the evidence collected so far and hear from witnesses such as the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) about the way forward.

Panel members, who will all be experienced in empowering people to become involved in local decision-making, will make final recommendations to ministers about the best ways to strengthen public involvement.

Professional group launched to bring care closer to home

Members of the medical profession are to form a working group to help deliver policies outlined in the White Paper, 'Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services'.

The Care Closer to Home Demonstration Group (CCHDG) will comprise representatives from the royal colleges of physicians, general practitioners, surgeons and nursing, as well as the British Medical Association, NHS Confederation and others.

The CCHDG will lead the way in looking at ways to provide care closer to home in six specialities: ear, nose and throat; trauma and orthopaedics; dermatology; urology; gynaecology and general surgery.

Over the next 12 months the group will work with the specialities at demonstration sites to define models of care which can be used nationwide.

Staff resource for copying letters to patients

A new web-based learning resource has been produced to help health professionals keep patients better informed about their conditions.

The 'Copying Letters to Patients Learning Resource' will support NHS organisations in ensuring doctors and NHS staff routinely copy letters to patients to help them to understand their condition and any treatment they are undergoing.

Using examples from more than 60 trusts, it looks at implementation, organisational momentum, and resources.

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