Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and evaluations

No news this week

Publications

1. Shifting to outside care (Gateway reference number: 8283)

This letter introduces two documents that evaluate the NHS Institute’s Care Closer to Home Programme. Getting the Basics Right Final Report and Beyond Projects Case Studies identify the factors that helped or hindered progress in shifting care outside hospital.

Action: See introductory letter and learn from the experience of field test sites.

• Download Care Outside Hospital - Making the Shift, from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement website in Microsoft Word format (Doc, 266K) (opens new window)

2. GP2GP roll-out (Gateway reference number: 8693)

GP2GP is a new software application that enables the secure and direct transfer of patient electronic health records between GP practices. The roll-out of GP2GP will benefit both GP practices and patients.

Action: Chief executives and their teams, including IM&T departments, are asked to give full support to the roll-out.

• NHS Connecting for Health: GP2GP (opens new window)

3. Reducing health inequalities (Gateway reference number: 8610)

Dawn Primarolo, Minister of State for Public Health, has launched the health inequalities intervention tool for analysing health gaps and planning high-impact interventions. Produced by DH and the Association of Public Health Observatories the interactive online tool will support Spearhead PCTs to develop local delivery plans.

Action: Utilise the health inequalities intervention tool to help deliver the Public Service Agreement target on life expectancy and infant mortality.

• Tackling health inequalities: launch of the Health Inequalities Intervention Tool for Spearhead areas

4. National Capabilities Survey (NCS) 2008 (Gateway reference number: 8694)

Intended as a cross-government measure of national resilience, the NCS is a biennial survey led by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat of the Cabinet Office. To be undertaken in January, the NCS outcomes and findings will inform DH priorities around strengthening resilience in the face of disruptive events.

Action: See letter from Dr Penny Bevan, Director of Emergency Preparedness about the survey, its predecessor and the work being undertaken across Government.

• National Capabilities Survey 2008

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

5. Partnerships for Health conference (Gateway reference number: 8691)

Delivering Healthy Communities Through Partnership is the theme of the third annual Partnership for Health conference. Held on Wednesday 28 November 2007 at Lords Cricket Ground, London, the one-day event features senior speakers from the health, local authority and private sectors. 

Action: Demand for the event is likely to be high, therefore early booking is recommended.

• City and Financial: The 3rd Annual Partnerships for Health Conference (opens new window)

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

6. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/062 (Gateway reference number: 8695)

Device: Laryngoscope blades: Falcon single-use paediatric Miller blades size 00, 0 & 1, supplied by Draeger Medical UK. 

Action: This Medical Device Alert was issued on 14 August 2007 to NHS trusts for immediate action.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/062 (opens new window)

7. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/063 (Gateway reference number: 8696)

Device: Hip resurfacing implants: Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) acetabular cups manufactured by Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Ltd (see Appendix for affected lot numbers).

Action: This Medical Device Alert was issued on 15 August 2007 to NHS trusts for immediate action and information request.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/063 (opens new window)

8. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/064 (Gateway reference number: 8697)

Device: Fluid warming set: Level 1 normothermic IV fluid administration and irrigation sets – D/DI and IR/IRI series manufactured by Smith Medical.

Action: This Medical Device Alert was issued on 15 August 2007 to NHS trusts for immediate action.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/064 (opens new window)