Health Management and Policy Alert

30/06/05 - Transforming NHS ambulance services

The Department of Health has published a report 'Taking healthcare to the patient: Transforming NHS ambulance services'. It proposes that fewer 999 callers will be attended by an ambulance, and instead people may be dealt with over the phone, or treated at home by a new breed of "super paramedics", trained to the same level as a senior nurse.

(DH publications and statistics) BBC news 

30/06/05 - ‘Together We Can’ Government action plan

The 'Together We Can' action plan (part 1 and part 2) has been released by the Government Civic Renewal Unit. It aims to build the capacity of communities to influence public policies and services, and to develop more opportunities for that capacity to be exercised. The action points detailed in the plan represent a selection of initiatives designed to empower the public to shape policies which affect them in eight key public policy areas, including the implementation of the Choosing Health White Paper.

[Home Office]

30/06/05 - Smoking ban law approved by Scottish parliament

A ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and all public places has been approved by the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, by 97 votes to 17. The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill will come into force on 26 March 2006.

(BBC news)

30/06/05 - Arm's length bodies

The Department of Health has published a Dear Colleague Letter 'Arm's length bodies (ALB) review and the launch of ALB best practice policy and guide on redeployment'.  The ALB Review change programme affects 38 organisations, employing over 25,000 staff, and there is a requirement to reduce the headcount by 25 percent by March 2008.

(DH publications and statistics)

30/06/05 - Department of Health consultation report

In December 2004, the Department of Health published a consultation seeking views on possible changes in the law to enable all those working in a pharmacy setting - pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, dispensing assistants, counter assistants, and others - to contribute as fully and effectively as possible to patient care. The Department of Health has analysed the responses received to this consultation and presented them in a consultation report comprising a summary of responses.

(DH consultations)

27/06/05 - Updated NLH Management briefing

Recruitment and retention

23/06/05 Patient complaints report

In a new report by the Healthcare Commission, figures show that the NHS may not be doing enough to resolve patients' grievances locally. The report states that over 25% of complaints referred to the Healthcare Commission (second stage in the complaints process) are sent back to the referring trust because the Commission feels not enough has been done to resolve the complaint locally. To improve complaints handling, the Healthcare Commission is:

• developing new criteria for good complaints handling which will be used to assess trusts in their annual performance rating
• calling on strategic health authorities to manage the way trusts in their area resolve complaints more effectively
• providing advice on good complaints handling
• offering training for the trusts who send the Commission the greatest number of complaints to try to achieve local resolution.

(Healthcare Commission - press release) BBC news item

23/06/05 Increased public involvement to shape plans for primary care

Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt today announced plans for a major public engagement exercise to help shape the future of care outside hospitals. Addressing the Britain speaks - effective public engagement and better decision making conference in London, Patricia Hewitt promised to launch a listening exercise to involve public, patients and staff in September 2005. The public engagement exercise will seek the views from the public about the future of all NHS services provided outside hospitals including GP surgeries, walk-in centres and social and community care. The responses to the exercise will feed into the White Paper on ‘Health outside Hospitals’ which is due to be published at the turn of the year. (DH - press releases) BBC news item Guardian news item

22/06/05 End-of-life care programme website

The end-of-life care programme has launched its new website, giving information about its work helping health professionals improve end-of-life care for their patients.

(NHS Networks - news)

22/06/05 New and updated NLH Management briefings

New:

Patient complaints

Updated:

Treatment centres

Workforce planning

Improving working lives