Health Management and Policy Alert

22/08/05 Two new reports from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)

Community engagement for health: A preliminary review of training and development needs and existing provision for public sector organisations and their workers. This report draws out the key findings and issues of interest to those involved in developing and supporting community engagement in the public sector and sets out recommendations for a forward programme of national work.

Measuring impact: Improving the health and wellbeing of people in mid-life and beyond.  Measuring impact is the third in a series of publications commissioned by the HDA seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the mid-life age group and reduce inequalities. The publications Making the case (HDA, 2003) and Taking action (HDA, 2004), and now Measuring impact, aim to support practitioners and policy makers at a local level in implementing and using the evidence of what works to develop mainstream practice and influence policy formulation in this population group.

(NICE website)

19/8/05 Interactive regional and national public engagement events

The Department of Health has announced details of a number of interactive regional and national public engagement events, the results of which will contribute to the White Paper on improving community health and care services.  The events are part of the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say public consultation process and will be run by Opinion Leader Research (OLR).  The outcomes of the regional events will feed into a national event to be held in Birmingham on 29 October.  The White Paper is due to be published at the turn of the year.

The Department has also published summaries of opinion polls and media evaluation on the Freedom of Information section of its Web site.  This research is already shared with NHS senior managers and stakeholders to inform policy development and business planning. It is now being made freely available to the public for the first time as part of the department's wider commitment to Freedom of Information. Reports being published include one on public perceptions and patient experience of the NHS, including public concerns about the NHS.

(DH press release 2005/0292, 19 August 2005)

18/8/05 Choose and Book implementation toolkit

A new best practice implementation toolkit is now available for Choose and Book.  The toolkit consists of 8 new NHS role-specific checklists which identify the main tasks each role will perform in implementation.

(Chief Executive Bulletin no 282, 12-18 August 2005)

18/8/05 OFCOM investigation into bedside entertainment systems in NHS hospitals

The Office of Communications (OFCOM) has opened an investigation into the provision of bedside communication and entertainment services recently installed in NHS hospitals.  Further information from the OFCOM Web site.

(Chief Executive Bulletin no 282, 12-18 August 2005)

18/8/05 Carers policy guidance

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004, which commenced on 1 April 2005, promotes cooperation between authorities and requires councils to inform carers of their right to an assessment which takes into account their outside interests (work, study, leisure).  As the majority of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 Policy Guidance remains current, joint policy guidance has been issued to cover both Carers Acts.  The Department of Health consulted on a draft of this combined policy guidance in early 2005, which has now been amended in the light of that consultation.

17/8/05 Strengthening service user and carer involvement in NIMHE

NIMHE North East, Yorkshire and Humber led a national review of service user and carer involvement within NIMHE (The National Institute for Mental Health in England). The final report from the consultation includes the recommendations which NIMHE needs to take forward to involve people who use mental health services and their carers more effectively.  An initial briefing paper has also been prepared outlining the process for taking this work forward.

NIMHE news release, 17 August 2005

17/8/05 Implementation and impact of Hospital at Night pilot projects

A new report describes an evaluation study commissioned by the NHS Modernisation Agency into the Hospital at Night pilot projects.  A wide range of approaches to support the implementation of the European Working Time Directive, while maintaining or improving the quality of patient care, has now been developed. One approach – the Hospital at Night model – has been piloted in four acute NHS hospital trusts in England.

(DH press release 2005/0290, 17 August 2005)

17/8/05 Case management competences framework for the care of people with long term conditions

This document and associated CD contain good practice guidance for developing community matrons and case managers workforce competences. The framework includes Skills for Health competences for the care of people with long term conditions and principles of application. It can be used to prepare job descriptions and person specifications to recruit different types of case managers and to develop appropriate education programmes, to help managers to monitor and evaluate performance, and to assist post-holders to understand their roles and assess their own work.

17/8/05 Blood safety

The Department of Health has published a 'Guidance note on the Blood Safety and Quality Regulation (No 50) 2005'.  This guidance sets out the main requirements of new Blood Safety and Quality Regulations that come into force from 8 November 2005. The guidance draws attention to the implications of the new Regulations for hospitals involved in blood transfusions and highlights some specific aspects that need consideration in order to ensure compliance.

16/08/05 DH Statistical releases : 12 month plan. August 2005 - August 2006

With the exception of NHS Waiting Lists and Waiting Times statistics, the timing of some of these publications is subject to agreements arising from the establishment of the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Publications marked [DH] will be released by the Department of Health, publications marked [HSCIC] will be released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Publications marked NS are in National Statistics scope. The list is available here.   August 2005-August 2006 release dates for all National Statistics publications are available here.

(DH website)