Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and Evaluations

1. Development of the end of life care strategy (Gateway reference number: 7775)

See letter from Mike Richards, Chair of the End of Life Care Strategy advisory board, on progress of the strategy. The principle focus is to deliver increased choice to all adults about where they are cared for and die, key to which will be improving the co-ordination of care between health and social care.

• End of Life Care Strategy

Publications

2. Health inequalities infant mortality review report (Gateway reference number: 7759)

Health Ministers Caroline Flint and Ivan Lewis yesterday published the findings of the Department of Health’s review of the Health Inequalities Infant Mortality target. The report identifies key interventions to enable the target to be met. The report’s recommendations are being shared with the NHS and others prior to issuing further guidance. A best practice action plan will be issued in the spring.

• Review of the health inequalities infant mortality PSA target

3. Keeping it personal: Clinical case for change (Gateway reference number: 7789)

In the latest report on reconfiguring services, David Colin-Thome, National Director for Primary Care makes the clinical case for expanding the services provided by GPs, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and other key staff in the community. The report is in line with Government reforms to bring care closer to patients and service users. See:

• Keeping it personal: Clinical case for change: Report by David Colin-Thomé, National Director for Primary care

4. Making it better for mother and baby and Making it better for children and young people (Gateway reference number: 7795 & 7796)

National Clinical Lead for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, Sheila Shribman, has published two reports.  Both reports emphasise that to deliver the best possible care, we have to change how we deliver services. See

• Making it better: For mother and baby - Clinical case for change Report by Sheila Shribman, National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services
• Making it better: For children and young people - Clinical case for change report by Sheila Shribman, National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services

5. NPfIT product catalogue (Gateway reference number: 7800)

An electronic catalogue describing National Programme for IT (NPfIT) products and their benefits, costs and impact has been published. It includes summary descriptions for chief executives and other directors. The catalogue supports both local service improvement planning and the development of local information management and technology (IM&T) plans as detailed in the NHS Operating Framework 2007/08. See the NHS web at:

• NHS Connecting for Health - the NPfIT catalogue (opens new window)

6. Newborn screening for medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (Gateway reference number: 7801)

Screening for medium chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency is being added to newborn bloodspot screening in a phased roll out during 2007/08 and 2008/09 starting from existing pilot sites.

See press release "New screening test for all babies to be introduced" for further details.

Queries to Dr Barbara Judge, Programme Director, on  020 7813 8131 or email:

• uknewbornscreen@gosh.nhs.uk (opens new window)
• Government News Network - New screening test for all babies to be introduced (opens new window)

7. Plans for antenatal screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia have now been finalised in high prevalence trusts (Gateway reference number: 7813)

Plans for antenatal screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia have now been finalised in high prevalence trusts. Roll out will be completed by the end of 2006/07. The programme is now being actively rolled out in all low prevalence trusts with the aim of completion by July 2007. Information on support, training and funding is available from the NHS Sickle Cell and thalassaemia screening programme.

See

• NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme (opens new window)

8. National acute mental health project position statement (Gateway reference number: 7792)

The national acute inpatient mental health project was set up as a partnership between Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) and National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), the National Mental Health Partnership and the Department of Health (DH) to provide a more focused multi-agency approach to service improvement in acute inpatient care. A summary of the achievements and progress made over the last 18 months is available at:

• NIMHE acute inpatient care (opens new window)

Conferences and Events - i) what’s new

No news this week

Conference and events - ii) places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

9. NPSA issues new advice on the early identification of failure to act on radiological imaging report Gateway reference number: 7728)

New advice relating to the early identification of failure to act on radiological imaging reports has been developed by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA). The advice raises awareness of how patient safety can be compromised if the results of a radiological imaging report are not acted upon. See

• National Patient Safety Agency: Early identification of failure to act on radiological imaging reports (opens new window)

10. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/009 (Gateway reference number: 7807)

Device: Beds rails and grab handles. This Medical Device Alert was issued on 1 February 2007 to NHS trust for action. Further information can be found at:

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MDA/2007/009 (opens new window)

11. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/010 (Gateway reference number: 7808)

Device: Baxter continu-flo solution sets with check valve. Affected product codes: EMC 9603, RMC 9603, RMC 9604, RMC 9619. This Medical Device Alert was issued on 5 February 2007 to NHS trust for action. Further information can be found at:

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MDA/2007/010 (opens new window)

12. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/011 (Gateway reference number: 7809)

Device: BOC Ltd, AZ size aluminium medical nitrous oxide cylinders fitted with a key operated pin index valve for use in MRI units. This Medical Device Alert was issued on 5 February 2007 to NHS trust for immediate action and update. Further information can be found at:

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MDA/2007/011 (opens new window)

13. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/012 (Gateway reference number: 7810)

Device: Intensive care continuous renal replacement system: Gambro Prismaflex. Model Number 6023014700. All serial numbers. This Medical Device Alert was issued on 6 February 2007 to NHS trust for action and information request. Further information can be found at:

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MDA/2007/012 (opens new window)