Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and Evaluations

2. Research and development (R&D) data collection exercise - ROCR/06/042 (Gateway reference number: 8247)

All NHS trusts, including NHS foundation trusts and PCTs, are reminded to complete this data collection or make a null submission by 25 May 2007. See:

• Notice of a May 2007 data collection exercise to identify patient care monies used to fund staff time spent on research

3. Consultation on the commissioning framework for health and well-being (Gateway reference number: 8263)

The consultation remains open until 29 May, so please speak with your local partners and respond either through the discussion forum on the consultation page or email your response to:

• commissioning@csip.org.uk (opens new window)
• Consultation on the DH website
• Join the CSIP forum (opens new window)

4. Healthcare Commission 2006 survey of hospital inpatients in England (Gateway reference number: 8268)

Patients continue to report positive experiences of the NHS and its staff but are concerned about privacy and dignity. Trusts should use local results – available on Pexis (via the Unify system) - to improve services and better meet patients' needs. See:

• Press release: Hospital patients rate NHS care highly (opens new window)

5. Findings of the baseline review of contraceptive services (Gateway reference number: 7606)

246 primary care trusts submitted a completed return, representing an 82 percent  response rate. This snapshot provides a useful overview of contraceptive service provision in England. Analysis and findings at:

• Findings of the Baseline Review of Contraceptive Services

6. Mental health: Developing and sustaining a capable and flexible workforce (Gateway reference number 7938)

This best practice guidance sets out what New Ways of Working (NWW) means for everyone, how to make it happen and what it looks like. It also updates progress on NWW for all the individual staff groups in mental health. See: 

• Mental health: New ways of working for everyone

7. Creating capable teams approach (Gateway reference number 7872)

Best practice guidance designed to support the implementation of new ways of  working (NWW) and new roles, is intended to help health and social care services, at a multidisciplinary team level, to review their skills mix and refine their learning and development needs on the basis of service user and carer need. See:

• Creating capable teams approach (CCTA)

8. Getting it right for people with cancer – Clinical case for change (Gateway reference number: 8130)

A report by the national cancer director was issued on 14 May. It outlines how services are being organised to meet the needs of cancer patients. See:

• Getting it right for people with cancer: clinical case for change

9. Local spending for local needs (Gateway reference number: 8248)

Report setting out how £8 billion in additional funding in 2007/08 will be spent by the NHS and shows the scope and range of challenges facing the NHS in England today. The report is full of examples of local innovation which are just a few of 100 new and improved services, detailed in Appendix 1 of the report. See:

• Local spending for local needs: how the NHS intends to use the money

10. Changes to the National Specialised Commissioning Advisory Group (NSCAG) (Gateway reference number: 8262)

On 1 April 2007, the National Specialised Commissioning Advisory Group (NSCAG) transferred from the Department of Health (DH) to the NHS and is now known as the National Commissioning Group (NCG). The same set of changes sees the establishment of the National Specialised Services Commissioning Group (NSSCG). Full details at:

• NSCAG website (opens new window)

11. Heatwave plan for England 2007 (Gateway reference number: 8230)

All trusts and local authorities should plan for the possible health effects of a heatwave. The 2007 plan updates previous version following a national evaluation and new evidence from the World Health Organisation. See:

• Heatwave plan

12. Report of the working party on professional regulation and leadership in pharmacy (Gateway reference number: 8166)

Lord Hunt, Minister of State, launched the report of the working party on professional regulation and leadership in pharmacy on 16 May 2007. See link below and contact Dr Keith Ridge on 0207 972 2833 for further information.

• Report of the working party on professional regulation and leadership in pharmacy

13. NHS productive leader programme - Maximising the value of NHS leaders (Gateway reference number: 8246)

Introduced by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, the programme offers an exciting opportunity for all leaders to increase their personal and team productivity, helping to drive the performance of the NHS. See:

• The NHS Productive Leader (opens new window)

Conferences and events - i) what's new

14. Medical lessons learned from 7/7 (Gateway reference number: 8257)

Few NHS organisations are experienced in the management of major terrorist atrocities. To ensure that all NHS organisations/providers are aware of best practice, the Department of Health has convened a meeting in London on Tuesday 12 June 2007. NHS chief executives are requested to nominate two appropriate staff to attend.

Conference and events - ii) places still available

No news this week.

Patient safety alerts

15. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/034 (Gateway reference number: 8259)

Device: Flexible endoscopes manufactured by Olympus, distributed in the UK by KeyMed Limited.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 10 May 2007 to NHS trust for action. Further information can be found at:

• MDA/2007/034 - Flexible endoscopes manufactured by Olympus, distributed in the UK by KeyMed Limited (opens new window)

16. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/035 (Gateway reference number: 8260)

Device: Endoscope storage and drying cabinets: all endoscope storage facilities (ESF) manufactured by AFOS (NSE) Ltd.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 10 May 2007 to NHS trust for action. Further information can be found at:

• MDA/2007/035 - Endoscope storage and drying cabinets: all endoscope storage facilities (ESF) manufactured by AFOS (NSE) Ltd (opens new window)