Health Management and Policy Alert

29/06/07 - Safety in doses: medication safety incidents in the NHS

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued the fourth Patient Safety Observatory report. It brings into the public arena nearly 60,000 safety incidents reported by staff up to June 2006, as well as litigation and negligence data. These data were reviewed and validated by a network of pharmacists. The report includes over twenty examples of practical actions to minimise risks by NHS staff. (NPSA - news)

29/07/07 - The link between healthcare spending and health outcomes: evidence from English programme budgeting data

This report presents preliminary results from research undertaken as part of the Quest for Quality and Improved Performance, an initiative of The Health Foundation. This is the first independent analysis of the Department of Health’s programme budgeting data across 303 PCTs. It shows that extra spending can give rise to distinctly better health outcomes. The Health Foundation believes that this provides powerful evidence that expenditure on the NHS can provide good value for money if targeted in the right way. (Health Foundation - news)

New/updated Health Management briefings/hot topics

Updated hot topics:
18 week wait delivery programme

27/06/07 - New Secretary of State for Health

The Former Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP has joined the Department of Health as the new Secretary of State for Health.

(10 Downing Street) [BBC Health news] [The Guardian] [DH - about us]

26/06/07 - The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care

The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care in England will be implemented from 1 October 2007. This document, shaped by a public consultation held in 2006, which asked for views on the way continuing care should be delivered and funded, outlines the single system for determining people’s eligibility for long term NHS healthcare. Documents related to the consultation are also available.

(DH - publications)

26/06/07 - Choice matters 2007–08: putting patients in control

This update describes the implementation of patient choice in the NHS since it was introduced at the start of 2006, focusing on the experiences of patients and NHS staff.

(DH - publications)

26/06/07 - Strategies to achieve cost-effective prescribing: interim guidance for primary care trusts (PCTs)

This document provides PCTs with interim guidance about prescribing incentive schemes pending the outcome of a legal challenge by the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries.

(DH - publications)

26/06/07 - Statistics on alcohol: England 2007

The latest compendium of figures issued by the Information Centre show, among a range of indicators, how hospital admissions specifically related to alcohol consumption have more than doubled in the last ten years. In 2005/6, there were 187,640 NHS hospital admissions among adults aged 16 and over with either a primary or secondary diagnosis specifically related to alcohol. This has increased from 89,280 in 1995/6. The report and supporting tables are available online. (Requires free registration).

(Information Centre news)

25/06/07 - National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation Programme publications

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) Programme has published research summaries of two projects it commissioned. The relative importance attached to cost-effectiveness, equity and access in the provision of health services is a research summary of a study that looked at NHS decision-makers' understanding of the terms 'cost-effectiveness', 'equity' and 'access', and how they are prioritised and applied in the health services.

The costs and benefits of managing low priority 999 ambulance calls by NHS Direct nurse advisors is a research summary of a study that looked at an alternative method of responding to non-urgent 999 calls. The study found that the transfer of non-urgent 999 calls to nurse advisors for further advice may be an acceptable and cost-effective alternative to the current approach.

(SDO - publications)

25/06/07 - Towards race equality in health: a guide to policy and good practice for workforce development

This report is published by the Department of Health-sponsored Race for Health programme, tasked by the Government to innovate, in 15 pioneer PCTs, ways to improve healthcare and NHS employment for BME communities. It explains how a more diverse workforce can provide better information on local health needs. This is needed if the NHS is to tackle the health deficit for BME communities.

(Race for Health - news)