Health Management and Policy Alert

30/06/06 - Extra investment for faster ambulance response times

NHS ambulance trusts in England are to be given a £25 million boost to help deliver further improvements to response times for the most urgent calls, under a new incentive scheme announced by Health Minister Lord Warner. The scheme has been set up to deliver additional investment in new control room technology and vehicles. The change to response time requirements was a key recommendation from last year’s strategic review of ambulance services in England. It recommended that ambulance trusts must ensure all ‘Category A’ calls – the most urgent calls - are responded to within eight minutes of being connected to the control room. Full implementation of the new standard is now expected by 1 April 2008 and the new incentive scheme will reward ambulance trusts which secure improvements in performance as they work towards this deadline. The implementation date has been extended by 12 months to allow the new trusts enough time to make the necessary organisational changes. (DH - press release)

29/06/06 - Models of care for alcohol misusers

Models of care for alcohol misusers, published by the DH, provides best practice guidance for local health organisations and their partners in delivering a planned and integrated local treatment system for adult alcohol misusers. (DH publications)

29/06/06 - New safeguards protect the most vulnerable people

The DH has published Protecting the vulnerable : the “Bournewood” Consultation, a summary of responses to the original consultation. Currently some people who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves are detained in treatment or care for a disorder or disability, such as dementia, severe autism or severe learning disabilities. This legal loophole is known as the “Bournewood gap”. This report outlines the results of the consultation on proposals to address this loophole.
(DH press release) (DH publications)

29/06/06 - Promoting health and well being in later life

Promoting health and well being in later life : a first report from the UK Inquiry into Mental Health and Well-Being in Later Life has just been published by Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundation. The report says that action is needed to remove the barriers that prevent older people from participating in society. It recommends that local authorities take a lead role in partnership with the NHS, voluntary organisations, business representatives, community groups and with individuals to develop programmes that promote positive mental health and well-being in later life. (Age Concern press release) (Inquiry into Mental Health and Well-Being in Later Life)

29/06/06 - Access to healthcare for failed asylum seekers

The Refugee Council has published First do no harm : denying healthcare to people whose asylum claims have failed, which questions the policy of charging "failed" asylum seekers for healthcare. Patients denied treatment for cancer and pregnant women forced to give birth alone at home are among the cases highlighted in the report. (Refugee Council press release) (Guardian news item)

28/06/06 - The state of ageing and health in Europe

International Longevity Centre-UK and The Merck Company Foundation have published The State of Ageing and Health in Europe which says that Europeans are living longer and better lives, but significant inequalities exist throughout the region with more vulnerable groups, such as ethnic minorities and the economically disadvantaged, being at greater risk of ill-health. The report finds that excess disability and mortality in these “forgotten groups” pose a significant public health problem. For example, poor older persons in Europe have a 30 percent to 65 percent higher risk of almost all chronic diseases, including stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Furthermore, older women have a greater risk of depression and disability than older men. (ILC-UK press release)

28/06/06 - National framework for telecare procurement

From 30 June 2006, councils, NHS trusts and the third sector can use the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) National Framework Agreement for Telecare to procure telecare. The agreement will be of interest to commissioners, and provides an Official Journal of the European Union-compliant range of equipment and services. The national framework agreement for telecare runs for 4 years, until May 2010. (NHS PASA - press release) (NHS PASA - telecare)

28/06/06 - Guidance on services for brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumours

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Cancer (NCC-C) have launched guidance which aims to improve delivery of services for patients with brain and other CNS tumours in England and Wales. This is the latest guidance document in the Improving outcomes in cancer series and gives advice on the key aspects of services required to achieve the best outcomes for adult patients with tumours of the brain and CNS from diagnosis onwards. (NICE - press release) (NICE - related documents)

28/06/06 - Improving care for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, has announced a new national service framework (NSF) will be developed to improve standards of care and increase choice for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The proposed NSF for COPD patients, those suffering from diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, would seek to: provide more choice in treatment for patients; reduce inequalities in treatment, which can vary across the country; and improve standards of care for patients. The Healthcare Commission has also published the results of a national study of the care and treatment available for people with COPD in England, Clearing the air. This study is part of a wider programme of work, which focuses on promoting improvement in services for people with long term conditions or chronic disease.(DH press release) (BBC health news) (Healthcare Commission press release)

27/06/06 - Capital allocations for substance misuse services in 2006-07 and for 2007-08

This letter, from Nick Lawrence, Head of Drugs and Alcohol Policy, outlines recommended spending priorities for capital allocations for substance misuse services in 2006-07 and gives advanced warning of a strategic capital bidding scheme for 2007-08 due to be announced in July. (DH - letters)