Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and evaluations

2. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Gateway reference number: 9085)

A consultation has been published jointly by the Department of Health, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office seeking views on the implementation of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme for people working with children and vulnerable adults.

Action: NHS and local authority chief executives are invited to comment by 20 February 2008.

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006/Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007, policy consultation document

Publications

3. Pandemic flu framework (Gateway reference number: 8892)

Published today, jointly with the Cabinet Office, it is one of the first frameworks for cross-government pandemic flu planning in Europe. The Framework replaces the 2005 UK Contingency Plan. While it builds upon and updates the advice in the plan, it also widens its scope to include non-health aspects reflecting that a pandemic presents major social, economic and health challenges.

Action: NHS and social care chief executives wishing to give feedback on this draft guidance please send your comments to pandemicflu@dh.gsi.gov.uk by 22 February 2008.

• Pandemic flu
• pandemicflu@dh.gsi.gov.uk (opens new window)

4. Early signs of deterioration in hospitalised patients (Gateway reference number: 9084)

The National Patient Safety Agency has published the report ‘Recognising and responding appropriately to early signs of deterioration in hospitalised patients’.

Action: NHS chief executives will be interested in the report as it illustrates why deterioration incidents happen and how acute hospitals can improve patient safety.

• National Patient Safety Agency: Recognising and responding appropriately to early signs of deterioration in hospitalised patients (opens new window)

5. Choosing Your Hospital: booklets updated (Gateway reference number: 9033)

Choosing your hospital booklets are available from every PCT and at www.nhs.uk Following the recent publication of the Healthcare Commission ratings most of these booklets are now out of date. Letters have been sent to PCT directors of commissioning advising them of options for updating and printing of their booklets.

Action: PCT chief executives have overall responsibility for their organisations ensuring that information is provided to patients when choosing their hospital.

• Options for updating of Patient Choice booklets by working with the NHS Choices website
• NHS choices (www.nhs.uk) (opens new window)

6. NHS Next Stage Review (Gateway reference number: 9124)

Lord Ara Darzi has written on 19 November to national health and social care stakeholders to invite them to submit policy ideas to the NHS Next Stage Review.
Actions: NHS and social care chief executives will be interested in viewing this letter to understand more about the NHS Next Stage Review process.

• Our NHS, Our Future (opens new window)

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

7. Family Nurse Partnership National Conferences (Gateway reference number: 9121)

Two conferences to share learning from the sites that are testing the Family Nurse Partnership programme and set out plans for expansion of sites over the next three years.

Action: See letter aimed at local authority directors of children's services and PCT chief executives which gives further details and how to register.

• DH/DCSF health-led parenting project: learning from the Family Nurse Partnership Programme

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

8. Capital funding for the Campus Reprovision Programme (Gateway reference number: 9115)

This free half-day information session on 5 December 2007 in London aims to help PCT commissioners develop capital funding bids for the Campus Reprovision Programme, which is worth £175 million over three years. Speakers will explain the bidding process and provide advice on how to prepare bids for the second round of funding, which commences in late November.

Action: Primary care trust chief executives/commissioners can register for the session online at:

• Campus Capital Programme Event: 2008-2009 (Stage 2) (opens new window)

Patient safety alerts

9. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/086 (Gateway reference number: 9119)

Device: Surgical tool bit/burr – Anspach cutting burrs with expiry dates from June 2008 to August 2011 (inclusive).  This Medical Device Alert was issued on 13 November 2007 to NHS trusts for action.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/086 (opens new window)