Website of the Department of Health

Care closer to home framework launched: Good practice recognised in shifting services

A new framework aims to help commissioners and service designers plan the most effective ways of shifting care closer to people’s homes. The report, ‘Delivering Care Closer to Home: meeting the challenge’, shares good practice from around the country, including from demonstration sites.  It sets out the challenges facing the health and social care systems such as our ageing population and consumer-age expectations. This is a response to recommendations in the Next Stage Review which highlighted the need for better integration of primary and community care in the regions.

• Download the framework document

Children to benefit from major speech and language review: £12m pledged to fulfil Bercow proposals

Speech and language provision for children is to be improved with a £12m plan to ensure that the proposals of ‘The Bercow Report: Services for Children and Young People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs’ are implemented. The landmark report identifies inequalities and warns of the dangers of not addressing the issues raised. Recommendations include establishing local best practice for PCTs and local authorities commissioning services, and further research into improving the life chances for affected children. How the proposals are to be addressed will be outlined in the autumn.

• Read more (opens new window)

Policy news

No news this week

Consultations and Evaluations

1. Review of additional private drugs for NHS care (Gateway reference number: 10171)

The Secretary of State has asked Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, to conduct a review of policy relating to patients who choose to pay privately for drugs not funded on the NHS and who, as a result, are required to pay for the NHS care that they would otherwise have received free.  Professor Richards will be reporting back to the Secretary of State in October, after which his findings will be made public.

Action: Trusts can submit views or evidence to Professor Richards via this letter by 22 August 2008.

• Letter from Professor Mike Richards: A review of the consequences of additional private drugs for NHS care

2. Well-being, children's trusts, and schools consultation (Gateway reference number: 10216 )

The Department for Children, Schools and Families is looking at how to strengthen the Children's Trust partnership working and would welcome advice and comment.  Further information on the discussion documents is available in the attached link.

Action: Local authority chief executives and directors of social care are invited to respond to this consultation.

• Well-being, Children's Trust and Schools consultation (opens new window)

3. Prince’s Foundation’s Integrated Health Awards 2008 (Gateway reference number: 10207)

This award is to recognise outstanding examples of integrated approaches which take into account the factors empowering people to exercise more control over their health and well-being.

Action: You are asked to encourage health and social care organisations who demonstrate innovative approaches to submit an application by 29 August 2008.

• Prince’s Foundation’s Integrated Health Awards 2008 (opens new window)

Publications

4. Standardised mortality ratios on NHS Choices (Gateway reference: 10220)

A complete breakdown of these figures is now on the scorecard methodology page. This includes additional detail at trust level of four procedures.

Action: NHS chief executives can now view this data which is publicly available from today. If you require further information contact the NHS Choices service desk on 0845 6504865 or by email:

• NHS Choices  indicators (opens new window)
• Survival rates publication on NHS Choices
• Email the NHS Choices service desk (opens new window)

5. Guidance on new optical voucher regulations (Gateway reference number: 10107)

New regulations come into force on 1 August 2008, which strengthen control of redemption of optical vouchers. A determination also comes into force on that date.  Guidance, Regulations and Determination are available at:

Action:  PCT staff responsible for ophthalmic services should be made aware of the new regulations, determination and guidance.

• Guidance on redemption of NHS optical vouchers

6. Research into human papillomavirus vaccination (Gateway reference number: 10188)

This Department of Health letter is to inform PCTs that it has commissioned some research to better understand attitudes toward the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme and supporting communications campaign. The fieldwork will take place in various locations across England over the next four to five months.

Action: PCT chief executives need to be aware that fieldwork for this research may be carried out in their area.

• Human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) - immunisation research

7. Whole Systems Demonstrator Action Network (Gateway reference number: 10175)

The Department of Health funded Whole Systems Demonstrator Action Network (WSDAN) was launched by Health Minister Ivan Lewis on 9 July. WSDAN brings together the evidence associated with assistive technologies in integrating care to people with long-term conditions.

Action: Trusts and social care organisations will be interested in this work as it supports 10 -12 proactive action research partnerships.

• WSDAN (opens new window)

8. National Child Measurement Programme (Gateway reference number: 10198)

This letter from Dr David Harper, Director-General, Health Improvement and Protection, to all PCT chief executives, copied to SHA chief executives, is about the phased introduction of routine feedback to parents from the National Child Measurement Programme.

Action: Central support is being offered to PCTs to assist with the introduction of routine feedback in local areas.

• Phased Introduction of routine feedback to parents

9. Support, time and recovery workers in mental health (Gateway reference number: 10022)

This best practice guidance sets out the background, purpose, and development of the competence framework for support, time and recovery (STR) workers employed across health and social care sectors of mental health. It supports the original STR guidance of 2003 and the STR Handbook of 2007.

Action: NHS chief executives will want to highlight this competence framework to STR workers within their organisation. The contact point is Roslyn Hope, Director of the NIMHE National Workforce Programme on 07973 438 350.

• Support, time and recovery (STR) workers: a competence framework: best practice guidance

10. Children and young people’s care pathways (Gateway reference number: 10093)

The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement's Delivering Quality and Value team have launched this document which focuses on the development of a high quality emergency and urgent care pathway for children and young people with the most common illnesses and injuries.

Action: This document will help NHS organisations to provide clinically effective and cost-efficient, safe healthcare for children and young people.

• Children and young people’s care pathway (opens new window)

Conferences and Events
i what’s new

11. Workshop on integrated care pilots – 12 August 2008

The Department of Health will be setting up a number of pilots to test and evaluate new ways in which PCTs can commission more integrated services from innovative groups of clinicians.  A workshop will be held on the 12 August to develop thinking and provide more details about the pilots.

Action: PCT chief executives interested in attending should contact

• integrated care workshop team (opens new window)

12. Seminar on how to advertise NHS-funded services - 30 July 2008

Since March 2008 all advertising and promotion of NHS-funded services has been regulated by a new code of practice that ensures information patients base their choices on is not misleading or unfair, and that public money spent on promotional activity is not excessive. The Department of Health and the Advertising Standards Authority are running a free short seminar in London on 30 July on how to comply with these advertising codes.

Action: Those involved in commissioning promotional material or direct marketing campaigns for NHS-funded services and who wish to attend should send an email to the NHS reform promotion team by 28 July

• Code of Practice for the promotion of NHS-funded services - consultation response
• Email the NHS reform promotion team (opens new window)

Conferences and Events
ii places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

13. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/047 (Gateway reference number: 10211)

Device: Procedure packs from various manufacturers which contain BD Medical Surgical Systems 2ml, 5ml and 10ml Plastipak Luer slip syringes.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 1 July 2008 to NHS trusts for action.

Further information can be found at:

• MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/047 (opens new window)

14. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/048 (Gateway reference number: 10212)

Device: BabyCare crib trolleys with drop-shelves, manufactured by Huntleigh Healthcare and Hoskins Medical Equipment.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 2 July 2008 to NHS trusts for action.

Further information can be found at:

• MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/048 (opens new window)

15. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/049 (Gateway reference number: 10213)

Device: Smiths Medical Graseby Omnifuse and Omnifuse PCA syringe.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 2 July 2008 to NHS trusts for action.

Further information can be found at:

• MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/049 (opens new window)