Health Management and Policy Alert

Five point plan for county and unitary councils: point three

County Councils Network -
This briefing calls for a delay to the reforms in adult social care which are due to be introduced in 2023. It warns that the system is under so much pressure care services could be worsened if they are introduced too soon.

• Briefing
• County Councils Network - news

Putting community and cooperation into care and support: community of practice for community businesses and co-operatives

Think Local Act Personal -
This report details learnings from phase one of the Community of Practice which has concentrated on sharing the ambition, opportunities, risks and barriers to developing community businesses and co-operatives. It highlights how community businesses and co-operatives have the potential to make a significant contribution to supporting people to live well at home, as well as contributing to realising the ambitions in the social care White Paper that people can access high-quality support over which they can exercise choice and control.

• Report
• Think Local Act Personal - publications

Peak leaving?: a spotlight on nurse leaver rates in the UK

Nuffield Trust -
Nursing is the largest profession in the NHS, but it suffers from substantial staffing shortages. This analysis reflects on the rate at which the health service is losing nurses, and considers the reasons why.

• Nuffield Trust - publications

Building an organisational culture of continuous improvement: learning from the evaluation of the NHS partnership with Virginia Mason Institute

The Health Foundation -
This long read contains an evaluation of the NHS partnership with Virginia Mason Institute, which examined how five NHS trusts in England attempted to build a culture of continuous improvement, provides important lessons about how to plan and implement an organisation-wide approach to improvement. It outlines some of the key learning from the evaluation and offers recommendations for national policymakers and local systems leaders.

• Long read

NHS 111’s response to callers with Covid-19-related symptoms during the pandemic

Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch -
This investigation aims to support improvements in the delivery of NHS 111 and other telephone triage services during a national health care emergency. The investigation uses real patient safety incidents involving patients and their families who dialled NHS 111 (and were either managed through NHS 111 or the Covid-19 Response Service) for advice during the Covid-19 pandemic. These are referred to as ‘reference events’ and support examination of the national issues. The four reference events used in this report occurred in the early months (March–June 2020) of the pandemic, but the report also highlights learnings and developments from later in the pandemic. It highlights the importance of ‘stand-up’ services and clear communication across the NHS and to the public when they are accessing telephone triage services in times of national emergencies.

• Report
• Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch - news

Long Covid: a framework for nursing, midwifery, and care staff

NHS England -
This framework supports nurses, midwives and care staff in ensuring care remains at a high standard, as well as demonstrating the contribution to the long Covid response. It aims to give the opportunity to embrace collective leadership in supporting people and communities served and showcase good practice as it emerges across England.

• Guidance
• NHS England - publications

The potential for payment reform to influence emergency admissions: the case of blended payment in the English NHS

Centre for Health Economics -
This research paper investigates hospitals' inclination to admit patients who attend their Accident and Emergency Departments. It considers the potential impact of the blended payment reform on emergency admissions.

• Research paper
• Centre for Health Economics - publications

Health and wellbeing communications guide

NHS Employers - 

This guide provides practical tools that will help NHS health and wellbeing and staff experience leads deliver successful campaigns and initiatives.

• Guide

Internationally trained professionals joining the NMC register: 1 April 2021–31 March 2022

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) - 

This analysis reveals that the profile of international professionals registered in 2021–2022 is very different from UK joiners and the register they joined. They’re more likely to be men and they’re much more likely to be ethnically diverse. The NMC is calling on health and care employers to fully support internationally trained professionals into UK practice – and join with UK trained nurses and midwives to create the most inclusive environment possible.

• Analysis
• Press release

Rising living costs: the impact on NHS, staff and patients

NHS Providers - 

This survey of NHS trusts leaders looks at the impact rising living costs are having on the health service, staff and patients.

• Briefing
• Press release

Interoperability is more than technology: the role of culture and leadership in joined-up care

The King's Fund -
Digital technologies can enable better collaboration between health and care partners, but what's needed to progress interoperability in an integrated care system? Our new report looks at the role of relationships and technology, and considers the widers enablers needed to truly join up services.

• Report
• The King's Fund - publications

Framework agreement between Department of Health and Social Care and Health Education England 2022 to 2025

Department of Health and Social Care -
This framework agreement defines how the Department of Health and Social Care and Health Education England will work together to serve patients, the public and the taxpayer. It sets out roles, responsibilities, governance and accountability arrangements.

• Framework
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Framework agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Counter Fraud Authority

Department of Health and Social Care -
This framework describes the working relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA). The framework agreement is focused on how: DHSC and NHSCFA will work in partnership to serve patients, the public and the taxpayer; and how both NHSCFA and DHSC discharge their accountability.

• Framework
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Framework agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Business Services Authority

Department of Health and Social Care -
This framework describes the working relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Business Services Authority. It sets out: roles; responsibilities; governance; and accountability arrangements.

• Framework
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Health and care LGBTQ+ inclusion framework

NHS Confederation -
The LGBTQ+ population in the UK experiences significant physical and mental health inequalities compared to the general population. These inequalities extend from increased risk factors for ill health and barriers to accessing health care and support, to discrimination against LGBTQ+ staff within the workplace. This framework comprises six key pillars of inclusivity that organisations should aim to build to create and maintain inclusive cultures: visible leadership and confident staff; a strong knowledge base; being non-heteronormative and non-cisnormative; collecting and reporting data; listening to service users; and proactively seeking out partners to co-deliver services.

• Framework
• NHS Confederation - publications