MPs plan "short" inquiry into NICE: PharmaTimes reports that the House of Commons Health Committee has announced that it is to hold a "short" inquiry into the work of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The inquiry will be held before the term of office for the current chair - Professor Sir Michael Rawlins - ends in March 2013. A pre-appointment hearing will be held by the Health Committee for the government's preferred candidate for the new chair towards the end of this year. Prior to this hearing, the short inquiry is intended to examine the way the Institute has discharged its current functions and will look forward to the changes in its role that will come into effect from April 1 next year.
The Health Committee is now calling for written submissions on the work of NICE and the deadline for submitting written evidence to the Committee is noon on Monday October 29 2012. PharmaTimes
Monday, 17 September 2012
Down's syndrome patient challenges resuscitation order - BBC News
Down's syndrome patient challenges resuscitation order - BBC News:
 Telegraph.co.uk | Down's syndrome patient challenges resuscitation order BBC News A man with Down's syndrome is suing an NHS trust over a hospital's decision to issue a do-not-resuscitate order giving his disability as one of the reasons. The instruction not to attempt resuscitation in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest ... Down's Syndrome man takes legal action over 'do not resuscitate' orderThe Independent Family of Down's patient sue hospital over DNR orderThe Guardian Action on do not resuscitate orderLittlehampton Gazette Huffington Post UK all 124 news articles » |
Health firms told to get set for £20bn NHS bonanza
Health firms told to get set for £20bn NHS bonanza: Report says there is 'significant opportunity for private sector in primary and secondary care'
Private health firms can expect to win business worth around £20bn from the NHS in the next few years by taking over GP surgeries and setting up new community health clinics, according to a report written for profit-making companies keen to expand their role in the health service.
Private health firms can expect to win business worth around £20bn from the NHS in the next few years by taking over GP surgeries and setting up new community health clinics, according to a report written for profit-making companies keen to expand their role in the health service.
'We screwed up' - health minister on NHS reforms
'We screwed up' - health minister on NHS reforms: Anna Soubry, a new health minister, has said the Coalition made mistakes over changes to health service. The Daily Telegraph
'Antipathy' to reform hits satisfaction with NHS
'Antipathy' to reform hits satisfaction with NHS: "Antipathy" to the Government's controversial health reforms has dragged down people's satisfaction with the NHS, according to an influential think-tank.
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
Britain unprepared for 'tsunami' of dementia patients
Britain unprepared for 'tsunami' of dementia patients: 
Britain's dementia crisis is so huge that care homes and the health system will soon be unable to cater for the "tsunami" of people expected to be living with the condition, health experts warn. Unless a radical overhaul is taken, they say that hundreds of thousands of patients will face a future defined only by neglect. The Independent
Britain's dementia crisis is so huge that care homes and the health system will soon be unable to cater for the "tsunami" of people expected to be living with the condition, health experts warn. Unless a radical overhaul is taken, they say that hundreds of thousands of patients will face a future defined only by neglect. The Independent
Friday, 14 September 2012
Moving NGH service ‘least bad’ option
Moving NGH service ‘least bad’ option:
Axing some specialist services at Northampton General and Luton and Dunstable hospitals would be the option with the least effect on travel times for patients, a study shows. Chronicle & Echo
Axing some specialist services at Northampton General and Luton and Dunstable hospitals would be the option with the least effect on travel times for patients, a study shows. Chronicle & Echo
Chance to question NHS Northamptonshire's board at AGM - Northampton Chronicle & Echo
Chance to question NHS Northamptonshire's board at AGM - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:
Tell us plans for Kettering hospital’s future
Tell us plans for Kettering hospital’s future:
Calls have been made for health officials to fully reveal their plans for the future of our hospitals before putting their proposals to the public. Evening Telegraph
Calls have been made for health officials to fully reveal their plans for the future of our hospitals before putting their proposals to the public. Evening Telegraph
Personalisation and personal budgets can support recovery and transform mental health services, according to new report
Personalisation and personal budgets can support recovery and transform mental health services, according to new report: This new briefing paper from the NHS Confederation and the Centre for Mental Health looks at the impact that personalisation and recovery are having on mental health services in England. The first part of this paper describes personalisation, personal budgets and personal health budgets. The second sets out their shared philosophy and discusses what the [read the full story...] Mental Elf
Headline climb in hospital admissions for stress
Headline climb in hospital admissions for stress: Admissions for stress highest in working age adults, while admissions for anxiety highest in the elderly. Onmedica
GPs can access patient records via tablet devices
GPs can access patient records via tablet devices: The first ever service allowing GPs to access and update their patient records using an iPad or other tablet device has been launched.leading GP software supplier EMIS has just launched the first GP and integrated care system to enable mobile working on all the main tablet devices, from iPads to Android.The EMIS Mobile app allows health professionals to work online and offline, managing patients even when there is no internet connectivity. Functions include accessing their diary and appointment ...Health News
Family of Down's patient sue hospital over DNR order
Family of Down's patient sue hospital over DNR order: Relatives allege doctor at NHS hospital in Kent added 'do not resuscitate' order to man's notes on basis of his disabilityAn NHS hospital is being sued by a family who say doctors placed a "do not resuscitate" order on their relative, denying him potentially life-saving treatment, because he has Down's syndrome.The unnamed family are bringing a legal challenge against a hospital in Kent where a doctor apparently decided staff should make no attempt to resuscitate the patient if he suffered cardiac ... Health News
Preparations for winter planning and reporting set out
Preparations for winter planning and reporting set out:
David Flory, Deputy NHS Chief Executive and Shaun Gallagher, Acting Director General, Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships have set out preparations for winter planning and reporting, which this year will run from 6 November to the end of February 2013.
SHA cluster chief executives are asked to ensure preparations are in place and encourage local NHS organisations to review local winter plans and observe the timetable for daily SITREP reporting.
Read letter Preparations for winter planning and reporting 2012/13
To support the aims of the Cold Weather Plan, the “Warm Homes Healthy People fund” will be made available for winter 2012/2013. The aim of the fund is to support local authorities and their partners in reducing death and morbidity in England due to cold housing in the coming winter.
Department of Health
David Flory, Deputy NHS Chief Executive and Shaun Gallagher, Acting Director General, Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships have set out preparations for winter planning and reporting, which this year will run from 6 November to the end of February 2013.
SHA cluster chief executives are asked to ensure preparations are in place and encourage local NHS organisations to review local winter plans and observe the timetable for daily SITREP reporting.
Read letter Preparations for winter planning and reporting 2012/13
Public Health Cold Weather Plan
Later this autumn, as part of the wider suite of measures to protect individuals and communities from the effects of severe winter weather the DH and NHS are planning to publish the second national Cold Weather Plan.To support the aims of the Cold Weather Plan, the “Warm Homes Healthy People fund” will be made available for winter 2012/2013. The aim of the fund is to support local authorities and their partners in reducing death and morbidity in England due to cold housing in the coming winter.
Department of Health
NHS accelerating innovation support tool goes live
NHS accelerating innovation support tool goes live: Source: PharmaTimes
The Department of Health has launched an implementation support website to help speed the adoption of six high-impact innovations throughout the NHS, which are identified in the 'Innovation Health and Wealth' report as having the potential to transform both quality and value in the NHS:
. increased support for carers of people with dementia
. increased use of technology to allow patients and the public to access healthcare services remotely, should they choose to do so
. the national roll-out of assistive technologies - telehealth and telecare - to three million people by April 2017
. reducing the time it takes from assessment to delivery of wheelchairs for children
. increased use of intra-operative fluid management
. increased opportunities for the NHS to promote the commercial value of its IP and knowledge internationally
The new website has been developed by the Department in partnership with the NHS ...
The Department of Health has launched an implementation support website to help speed the adoption of six high-impact innovations throughout the NHS, which are identified in the 'Innovation Health and Wealth' report as having the potential to transform both quality and value in the NHS:
. increased support for carers of people with dementia
. increased use of technology to allow patients and the public to access healthcare services remotely, should they choose to do so
. the national roll-out of assistive technologies - telehealth and telecare - to three million people by April 2017
. reducing the time it takes from assessment to delivery of wheelchairs for children
. increased use of intra-operative fluid management
. increased opportunities for the NHS to promote the commercial value of its IP and knowledge internationally
The new website has been developed by the Department in partnership with the NHS ...
Medicines use in care pathways
Medicines use in care pathways: 'Optimising medicines use in care pathways using pharmacy support' and the 'Medicines in Commissioning Toolkit' are two key interlinked resources that have been revised and updated to support commissioners to help ensure care pathways which involve medicines deliver improved patient outcomes, are safe, use clinical and cost effective treatment options, offer patient choice and the best patient experience. CASH News
Information Governance Toolkit
Information Governance Toolkit: The Department of Health has issued a statement regarding the completion of IG Toolkit assessments. Following a number of queries over the past weeks from NHS organisations regarding the future of the NHS Information Governance Toolkit, the statement stresses there will be no immediate changes to the toolkit and that organisations will be provided with ample notice should any changes be proposed. In the meantime, organisations should complete and publish IGT assessments as usual during 2012/13. CASH News
Final authorisation decision-making process set out
Final authorisation decision-making process set out:
The CCG authorisation governance process is set to be finalised at the NHS Commissioning Board Authority’s meeting in Newcastle on 20 September. A paper seeks the approval of the Board to further proposals on how the moderation, conditions and decision elements of the CCG authorisation process will operate.
A key proposal is to share the recommendations of the Conditions Panel with the CCG prior to decisions being made by the CCG Authorisation Sub-Committee of the NHS CB. The proposal, which has been developed in response to CCG feedback, means CCGs will have two weeks to comment and provide any new evidence that may remove the need for a specific condition.
If approved, it means the final authorisation decision by the CCG Authorisation Sub-Committee of the NHS CB will be four to five weeks later for each wave, and that first decisions on CCG authorisation are due in November 2012, rather than October.
The paper also proposes the membership and terms of reference for:
It proposes that a standard review date of March 2013 will be built into all conditions and that CCGs may submit evidence to the relevant regional office which will determine whether the condition can be removed for the majority of conditions. For the more substantial conditions, the sub-committee will need to sanction their removal.
Following the decisions of the Board on 20 September, a factsheet on the process will be prepared and circulated to CCGs.
NeLM News
The CCG authorisation governance process is set to be finalised at the NHS Commissioning Board Authority’s meeting in Newcastle on 20 September. A paper seeks the approval of the Board to further proposals on how the moderation, conditions and decision elements of the CCG authorisation process will operate.
A key proposal is to share the recommendations of the Conditions Panel with the CCG prior to decisions being made by the CCG Authorisation Sub-Committee of the NHS CB. The proposal, which has been developed in response to CCG feedback, means CCGs will have two weeks to comment and provide any new evidence that may remove the need for a specific condition.
If approved, it means the final authorisation decision by the CCG Authorisation Sub-Committee of the NHS CB will be four to five weeks later for each wave, and that first decisions on CCG authorisation are due in November 2012, rather than October.
The paper also proposes the membership and terms of reference for:
- The Moderation Panel, chaired by National Director: Commissioning Development Dame Barbara Hakin, will meet once a month from October 2012 to January 2013, and will ensure overall consistency and make recommendations as to whether a CCG should be fully authorised or authorised with conditions.
- The Conditions Panel, chaired by Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer Ian Dalton, will meet fortnightly from November, and will consider what support is required where a CCG has not supplied sufficient evidence to meet a threshold for one or more authorisation criteria. The output of the panel will be a report with the recommended conditions and support for each CCG. Regional directors would be given an opportunity to approve the recommendations made on conditions and support for each CCG being considered from their region prior to consideration by the Conditions Panel. They may choose to take informal soundings locally prior to the Conditions Panel on options where the panel is likely to consider that a CCG needs intensive support.
- The CCG Authorisation Sub-committee will be chaired by an NHS CB non-executive director and will meet twice per wave between October 2012 and February 2013 to make authorisation decisions, and quarterly from March 2013 to consider the removal of conditions. The conclusions of each sub-committee meeting would be published immediately after each meeting, once decision letters have been issued to CCGs.
It proposes that a standard review date of March 2013 will be built into all conditions and that CCGs may submit evidence to the relevant regional office which will determine whether the condition can be removed for the majority of conditions. For the more substantial conditions, the sub-committee will need to sanction their removal.
Following the decisions of the Board on 20 September, a factsheet on the process will be prepared and circulated to CCGs.
NeLM News
RCP report: Hospitals on the edge? - The time for action
RCP report: Hospitals on the edge? - The time for action: Source: RCP
This report from the Royal College of Physicians sets out the magnitude of the challenges facing acute care services. It found that hospitals are struggling to cope with the challenge of an ageing population and increasing hospital admissions and concluded that there an urgent need to radically review the organisation of hospital care if the health service is to meet the needs of patients now and in the future.
This report from the Royal College of Physicians sets out the magnitude of the challenges facing acute care services. It found that hospitals are struggling to cope with the challenge of an ageing population and increasing hospital admissions and concluded that there an urgent need to radically review the organisation of hospital care if the health service is to meet the needs of patients now and in the future.
Doctors' prescriptions 'could severely harm tens of thousands'
Doctors' prescriptions 'could severely harm tens of thousands': Doctors are responsible for prescription errors that could be causing tens of thousands of patients severe harm or death, according to pharmacists.
Telegraph
Telegraph
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