Health Management and Policy Alert

National survey of NHS staff 2008: summary of key findings

This is the sixth annual survey of NHS staff from the Healthcare Commission. The aim of these surveys is to provide trusts with information about the views and experiences of employees to help improve the working lives of staff and the quality of care for patients. Each trust is provided with an individual report so that they can compare their results with those of similar trusts, review any problems staff may have and take action. (Healthcare Commission - publications)

NHS Next Stage Review - creation of Health Innovation and Education Clusters (HIECs)

This letter outlines the the prospectus the Department of Health is publishing on 9 April 2009 to invite applications to create HIECs. The closing date for applications is the end of July. Part of the process will involve regional stakeholder events run by SHAs with support from the Modernising Medical Careers team. (Department of Health - letters)

National Decontamination Programme: theatre support pack

This document summarises the consequences for theatre practices of outsourcing contracts for decontamination signed as part of the National Decontamination Programme. (Department of Health - publications)

A missed opportunity?

The Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) is one of 12 possible requirements for all people given a community sentence in England and Wales. It is rarely used in practice, even though more than two-fifths of people on community sentences have mental health problems. This report looks at why the courts, probation and health services rarely use the MHTR. It finds that the purpose of the MHTR and the group of people to whom it can be given are not clear to sentencers, probation staff or health professionals. It calls on the government to issue clear guidance on the use of the MHTR. (Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health - publications)

Listening, learning, working together?

This report describes the findings from a study of how healthcare organisations in England engage people when they plan and improve health services. It also looks at the extent to which people can influence decisions by health services. (Healthcare Commission - publications)

Guidance on managing variations to Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes

Two guidance notes have been published on managing variations to PFI schemes. The first is concerned primarily with the business case process in terms of which variations should be submitted to the Department of Health for approval, the delegated limits which apply and the contents of a variations business case. The second complements this with the technical and practical issues which must be considered in terms of resourcing, contractual and the validation and calculation of costs. (Department of Health - publications)

Competencies for recognising and responding to acutely ill patients in hospital

This document sets out a non-mandatory framework of competencies for recognising and responding to acutely ill patients in hospital. It supports NICE Guideline 50, 'Acutely ill patients in hospital' (July 2007) and includes comments made during a consultation on the document that took place between March and June 2008. (Department of Health - publications)

Framework of competencies for recognising and responding to acutely ill patients in hospital: consultation report

This report contains a summary of responses to the limited consultation on the draft Framework of Competencies for recognising and responding to acutely ill patients in hospital. (Department of Health - publications)

Fixing healthcare: the professionals' perspective

Between December 2008 and January 2009, the Economist Intelligence Unit conducted a global survey of healthcare professionals in four key economies - the US, UK, Germany and India - about the issues they see as most urgent for their healthcare systems, and ascertain what they see as the best way forward for those systems. This report presents the findings of this survey alongside interviews with leading healthcare experts. It also lists the frontline challenges, reviews the healthcare reforms that are seen as most likely to work, and looks at some of the directions healthcare may take in the future. This report is the first in a series of four. (Economist Intelligence Unit - publications)

The Allied Health Professional Leadership Challenge

In the spirit of co-production and national support for local leadership, the Department of Health has worked with SHAs in England to create the Allied Health Professional Leadership Challenge. The "leadership challenges" are business games based on fictional, but realistic, scenarios in a variety of health and social care economies to identify the existing qualities, as well as those to be developed, in the leaders of the future. Individuals and teams are now invited to take part. More information can be found by visiting the Department of Health website.