Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and evaluations

No news this week.

Publications

2. Interim report of the ‘Our NHS, our future’ review (Gateway reference number: 8857)

The interim report sets out a 10-year vision for the NHS, reflecting what we’ve heard from patients, staff and the public over the last three months. It looks at how the NHS can become fairer, more personalised, effective and safe, acknowledging progress made so far and setting out immediate and long -term priorities in these areas.

Action: To find out more about the vision set out for the future of the NHS, please follow the link.

• Our NHS Our future: NHS next stage review - interim report

3. Flu vaccination for poultry workers (Gateway reference number: 8495)

PCT directors of public health have been sent details on seasonal flu vaccinations being offered to those who work in close contact with poultry as a precautionary public health measure. Details include information leaflets and consent forms in various languages.

Action: NHS chief executives should ensure poultry workers are protected and the risk of seasonal flu circulating is reduced.

• If you work with poultry, read this leaflet now

4. Delivering quality and value (Gateway reference number: 8778)

This tool enables acute trusts to benchmark consultant clinical activity in 10 specialties for 2005/06.  Charts have been sent to medical directors in individual trusts with the data for their own consultants. An anonymised version of the tool is available on the Department of Health website. 

Action: NHS chief executives can use the tool to benchmark consultant clinical activity and inform future job planning.

• Delivering quality and value: consultant clinical activity 2005-06

5. Changes to the National Commissioning Group application process (Gateway Reference: 8852)

This document sets out the new process by which highly specialised services can apply to be nationally commissioned and designated for the year commencing 2009/10.

Action: NHS chief executives will want to be aware of the new application process and the timetable for receipt of outline applications and full applications.

• National Commissioning Group for Highly Specialised Services: guidance on how to apply for national commissioning and designation from April 2009

6. Cleanyourhands to extend beyond hospitals (Gateway reference number: 8853)

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has announced the extension of its award-winning cleanyourhands campaign to care settings outside hospitals. The recently expanded campaign will initially be piloted by a group of 'pioneers', a small number of healthcare organisations selected from across England and Wales.

Action: NHS chief executives should inform themselves of the direction of the campaign and the tools available to support it.

• National Patient Safety Agency takes cleanyourhands beyond hospitals (opens new window)

7. Town planning for NHS staff (Gateway reference number: 8768)

This guide has been prepared to help NHS organisations understand and to get involved in the town planning system. It gives an insight into the town planning process at regional and local level, covering issues relevant to the NHS. 

Action: NHS chief executives together with directors of public health and directors of estates and facilities should read and promote the use of this guide to integrate health into town planning.

• A guide to town planning for NHS staff

8. The NHS for local planning authorities (Gateway reference number: 8771)

This guide has been prepared to give local planning authorities a brief overview of the NHS, to highlight the role of the different healthcare organisations and how planning authorities can interact with them in the delivery of health and social care.  

Action: Local authority chief executives together with their planning directors should use this guide to help the integration of health into town planning.

• A guide to the NHS for local planning authorities

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

9. Healthcare Fire Risk: Prevention, Protection and Reduction (Gateway reference number: 8867)

This one-day conference on 20 November will offer delegates the opportunity to gain updates on the Fire Engineering and Fire Risk Assessment Codes for healthcare premises, understand the latest fire safety engineering thinking applied to hospitals and experience the codes at work from NHS trust speakers and Fire Risk Assessment auditors.

Actions:  NHS chief executives are invited to attend this conference and can register via web link.

• BRE: Healthcare Fire Risk - Prevention, Protection and Reduction (opens new window)

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

No news this week.

Patient safety alerts

10. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/074 (Gateway reference number: 8865)

Device: Invacare Action 2000 wheelchairs (blue frame).

Action: This Medical Device Alert was issued on 18 September 2007 to NHS trusts and social services for action.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/074 (opens new window)

11. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/075 (Gateway reference number: 8866)

Device: Invacare Action 3 wheelchairs fitted with a manual ratchet recliner mechanism.

Action: This Medical Device Alert was issued on 18 September 2007 to NHS trusts and social services for action.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/075 (opens new window)