Monday 28 January 2013

Cynthia Spencer Hospice plans Sahara challenge

Cynthia Spencer Hospice plans Sahara challenge:
If trekking through the Sahara desert sounds like the trip of a lifetime to you, then a Northampton hospice could make it a reality. Chronicle and Echo

Three CCGs issued with legal directions - Health Service Journal

Three CCGs issued with legal directions - Health Service Journal:

Three CCGs issued with legal directions
Health Service Journal
The commissioning board will oversee Nene's contracting with Northampton General Hospital Trust and sign off its contract. Medway CCG's financial plan will be “oversee[n] and supervise[d]” by the commissioning board. Herts Valleys CCG must seek the ...

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Developing Clinical Senates: The Way Forward

Developing Clinical Senates: The Way Forward:
Today the NHS Commissioning Board has published the Way Forward: Clinical Senates. Clinical Senates will be established across the country from April 2013 to play a unique role in the commissioning system by providing strategic clinical advice and leadership across a broad geographical area to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), health and wellbeing boards (HWB) and the NHS Commissioning Board.
Clinical Senates will span professions and include representatives of patients, volunteers and other groups. They will work with Strategic Clinical Networks, Academic Health Science Networks, Local Education and Training Boards and research networks to develop an alignment of these organisations to support improvements in quality.
You can find more information in our Resources for Networks and Senates area and the supporting document Clinical Senates update (January 2013). NHS Commissioning

Mental Capacity and Dementia: a review part 1

Mental Capacity and Dementia: a review part 1: This review examines the impact of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 on the lives of people with dementia and those who provide them with care. The review presents evidence of good practice and recommendations for improvement. Three large studies have been undertaken. These indicated limited understanding of the act among staff members , they revealed the importance of raising awareness exploring decision making and community settings. Authors of early literature called on practitioners to be aware of their duties with regard to the act. Training is available but not mandatory and there may now be a need for refresher training. There is much evidence that this act has helped practice due to the clarification of principles and courses of action. CASH Full News Feed

We need to future proof our health and care system, says Paul Burstow MP

We need to future proof our health and care system, says Paul Burstow MP: In recent months, the media has rightly focused on Dilnot’s proposals for how we reform the way we pay for care. But alongside those reports, the nagging problem of the under-funding of social care more generally has been bubbling away in the background. According to a recent report from London Councils, there will be a … Continue reading » NHS Voices

NICE publish new evidence summary on harmful drinking and alcohol dependence

NICE publish new evidence summary on harmful drinking and alcohol dependence: NICE have published a new evidence summary (PDF) on the problems associated with alcohol misuse, which augments the clinical guideline (PDF) that came out 2 years ago. This is a fast moving area, so quite a significant amount of research has been produced in the last 2 years, which may have an impact on clinical [read the full story...] Mental Elf

Value walks: successful habits for improving workforce motivation and productivity

Value walks: successful habits for improving workforce motivation and productivity:
This report argues that insufficient attention is being paid to the changing relationship between clinicians and their patients. It argues that although improving payment systems, purchasing procedures and governance remains important, better health outcomes for patients will only be achieved if hospitals focus on their staff, pay attention to the way clinicians are able to interact with patients and improve the time they can spend on patient care.
Kings Fund Information and Library Service

Lack of international agreement on drinking guidelines, study finds

Lack of international agreement on drinking guidelines, study finds:
British researchers express surprise at wide variation in advice relating to safe amounts of alcohol consumption
Little agreement exists between countries on what is considered safe or sensible alcohol consumption, a comparison of drinking guidelines by British researchers has found.
Psychologists from the University of Sussex looked at government advice on drinking in 57 countries, including all 27 EU member states.Dr Richard de Visser and Nina Furtwangler found a "remarkable lack of agreement" about what constitutes harmful or excessive alcohol consumption on a daily and weekly basis, as well as when driving.
The study, which is published this month in Drug and Alcohol Review found there was also no consensus on whether it was safe for women to drink as much as men. De Visser said: "We were surprised at the wide variation in guidelines. There is no international agreement about whether women should drink as much as men or only half as much.
"In some countries, the weekly maximum is simply seven times the daily maximum, whereas in others there is an explicit statement that drinkers should have at least one alcohol-free day a week."
Calls have now been made for internationally agreed standard definitions of alcohol units and consumption guidelines to help people drink responsibly.
"Agreed guidelines would be useful for international efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm by increasing people's capacity to monitor and regulate their alcohol consumption." Guardian Health News

England's biggest mental health dataset to go monthly

England's biggest mental health dataset to go monthly: January 25, 2013: Consultation feedback shapes future development of MHMDS analysis. IC QOF