Health Management and Policy Alert

Building the National Care Service

This White Paper sets out the Government's proposals to build a comprehensive National Care Service for all adults in England with an eligible care need, free when they need it. For further information on social care funding, please refer to the health management specialist collection’s page of resources. (Department of Health - publications) [The Big Care Debate: building the National Care Service - website]

Shaping the future of care together: report on the consultation

This report summarises responses to the Government's Big Care Debate consultation on the proposals in the Green Paper ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’. (Department of Health - publications) [The Big Care Debate: building the National Care Service - website]

Planning and developing the NHS workforce: the national framework

This document, together with those on education commissioning for quality and PCT assurance are designed to support SHAs in leading the debate about the future shape of services and what this means for workforce skills, competences, numbers and locations. (Department of Health - publications)

Pharmacy in England: building on strengths, delivering the future - draft regulations under the Health Act 2009: Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments - response to the consultation

This document provides an overview and analysis of the responses received including any actions the Government is taking as a result of the consultation. These were considered by the Advisory Group on the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations and, as a result, the Department of Health has made one amendment to the draft Regulations and will ensure the Guidance to accompany the final Regulations is strengthened and expanded to reflect the comments received. (Department of Health - publications)

A national framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care

This guidance is intended to support practitioners and others with responsibilities for NHS continuing healthcare in the implementation of the revised national framework of July 2009 and in the use of associated tools. (Department of Health - publications)

Invest in engagement

This is a new online resource designed for NHS commissioners and providers, and anyone with an interest in patient and public engagement (PPE). It provides an evidence review of the effectiveness of PPE in health and evidence-based recommendations for investing in engagement. Alongside the evidence, Invest in Engagement offers other resources including case studies, links to sources of help and policy guidance. (Invest in engagement - website)

Transforming community services: allied health professional referral to treatment guide

This guide sets out the definitions for clock starts and clock stops for NHS allied health professional (AHP) services to enable consistent collection of NHS funded AHP referral to treatment data. This will enable the measurement of waiting times for NHS AHP services and support service improvement to reduce waiting times and improve patient access to NHS AHP services. (Department of Health - publications)

Talking it through: the importance of communications when discussing local service change

This report discusses how PCTs can communicate important decisions locally in a transparent way to help improve public understanding and constructive involvement. Although this report focuses on communications during local service reconfigurations, some of the findings can be applied to other high-profile local decisions such as drug funding. (NHS Confederation - publications)

Requested allocation of a deceased donor organ

This framework document provides advice about the circumstances in which a request for an allocation of a deceased donor organ to a close relative or friend could be considered in exceptional circumstances and when the needs of other patients should take precedence over that request for the allocation. It outlines a change to allocation policy which must be implemented consistently across the whole of the UK and must comply with law including the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006. (Department of Health - publications)

Transforming adult social care - the Social Care Reform Grants

This Local Authority Circular details the final year's allocations of the Social Care Reform Grant which is to be used by local authorities to assist them with their partners in delivering the transformation of adult social care, as set out in Putting People First. (Department of Health - publications)