Health Management and Policy Alert

NHS quarterly financial performance report

A financial surplus is forecast for the NHS for this financial year, with the majority of NHS trusts in balance. The new figures, published in The Quarter, are based on the first six months of the year. They show that a surplus of £1.8 billion is forecast at the end of 2007/8 compared to a deficit of £547m at the end of 2005/6. This surplus represents 2.3% of the overall NHS budget. The gross deficit continues to decline, falling from £204 million in the first quarter of the financial year to £201 million in the second quarter. (DH - press release)

The No Delays Achiever: commissioner module and guide

The NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement has launched the new Commissioner Module for the No Delays Achiever. This new functionality is designed to support commissioners in working with their providers to achieve 18 week patient pathways. To accompany the module a commissioner's guide has also been published. Note: to access the module you will need to complete a free registration. (NHS Institute - No Delays)

Consultation on guidance on 'Finding a shared vision of how people's mental health problems should be understood'

This draft guidance, developed by the Care Services Improvement Partnership, is aimed at everyone concerned with the development and delivery of mental health services including people that use the services and their carers. Consultation ends 5 March 2008. (DH - publications)

Improving corporate functions using shared services

This report, based on a National Audit Office (NAO) review, details the NHS Shared Business Service (NHS SBS), as well as the Prison Service Shared Service, and argues that it is on course to deliver savings, demonstrating that it is more efficient than the arrangements it replaced. However the NHS SBS is not currently performing to levels of efficiency achieved in leading practice private sector organisations. The report argues that central government was initially slow to adopt shared services, and while the momentum has picked up, it is not clear that the shared services initiative is yet on a scale sufficient to deliver the level of savings possible.
(NAO - press release)

Delegated limits for capital investment

This guidance sets out updated information on the delegated authority to enter capital transactions of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities, and addresses some of the frequently asked questions about the application of delegated limits. NHS foundation trusts are not subject to delegated limits for capital investment set by the Department of Health. (DH - publications)

Senior salaries review body: review for 2008

This is the Department of Health’s written evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body in respect of the pay of Very Senior Managers (VSMs) in the NHS.

It covers the overall position of NHS Finances, the pay scheme for VSMs, the pension provisions for this group, recommendations for the level of the uplift to spot points, and the increase in the bonus pot. (DH - publications)

Service improvement for radiologists: a signposting document summarising service improvement methodology and benefits

This signposting document summarises current service improvement methodology and benefits and draws on learning from hospitals across England to help deliver timely and effective imaging services for UK radiologists and trusts. (Radiology Service Improvement - homepage)

Design for patient safety

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has published two new additions to the Design for Patient Safety series of booklets to help reduce the number of errors made when medicines are dispensed and used. Design for patient safety: a guide to the design of dispensed medicines provides an overview of safe systems and how medicines are used in practice. It includes examples of how professionals working in dispensaries can put this into practice. Design for patient safety: a guide to the design of the dispensing environment is for organisations, managers and healthcare workers involved in dispensing medicines. The resource aims to help introduce new initiatives to further minimise harms from medicines. (NPSA - news)

NHS Statistics

Cancer waiting times - quarter 2 2007/8
Cancelled operations - England quarter 2 2007/8
Inpatient and outpatient waiting times - quarter 2 2007/8

Government response to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report on allergy (6th report of session 2006–07)

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee published its report on allergy on 26 September 2007. This command paper sets out the government's response to the conclusions and recommendations in that report. The Department of Health has co-ordinated the response, which also includes contributions from other government departments. The government welcomes the Committee’s report, which highlights allergy as an issue that needs to be addressed by a range of stakeholders, including the government. The government recognises the importance of allergy and is committed to playing its part in helping to alleviate the burden of allergic disorders. This command paper refers to some of the strategies being developed and employed to do so. (DH - publications)