Health Management and Policy Alert

Code of conduct for Payment by Results (PbR): from 1 April 2011

This Code of Conduct is aimed at all commissioners and providers, including those from the independent sector - and other bodies with regulatory and/or performance management responsibilities - operating within the PbR system, but without prejudice to any future Government decision on extending the scope of PbR. Its purpose is to establish the principles that should govern organisational behaviour under PbR and set expectations as to how the system should operate. In this way, the Code of Conduct aims to minimise as well as guide the resolution of disputes under PbR. (Department of Health - publications)

Enabling excellence: autonomy and accountability for health and social care staff

This Command Paper sets out the Government strategy for reforming and simplifying the system for regulating healthcare workers in the UK and social workers and social care workers in England. (Department of Health - publications)

Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS - managing the transition

NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson has written this letter to the chief executive community giving an update on transition arrangements with a particular focus on the new commissioning system and providing answers to some frequently asked questions on the Health and Social Care Bill. (Department of Health - letters)

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in government: landscape review

This review looks at how government uses ICT to deliver public services. The review, the purpose of which is to inform the debate about government's new use of ICT, gives an overview of existing uses, as well as initiatives and changes underway. (National Audit Office - publications)

Future ownership and management of PCT-owned estate by aspirant Community Foundation Trusts (CFTs): frequently asked questions

This paper provides answers to frequently asked questions which are intended to provide helpful prompts on issues related to transfer of PCT-owned estate to CFTs. It should be noted that NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) and PFI interests are excluded for the time being from this process. (Department of Health - publications)

Predicting death: estimating the proportion of deaths that are ‘unexpected’

This paper summarises data from a number of sources to try to estimate the proportion of registered deaths which may be unexpected and therefore unlikely to be included on an End of Life Care Register. (NHS National End of Life Care Programme - publications)

2011 Reform scorecard

This report draws on Reform’s research, seminars and policy conferences held since June 2010 and includes an assessment of where the previous Government left public service policies to enable a comparison of progress. The report provides two scorecards of the Coalition’s key public service policy decisions. The first assesses the Government’s own principles for successful reform. The second assesses the Coalition Government against the practical requirements of successful reform. (Reform - publications)

External causes of death

This report highlights the contribution of external causes to deaths occurring in England. (NHS National End of Life Care Programme - publications)

Consultation on the joint Department of Health/ National Offender Management Service Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Implementation Plan

This consultation is seeking views about a new pathway approach for the treatment and management of offenders with serious personality disorders. This consultation closes on 12 May 2011, after which a summary of responses will be published. (Department of Health - publications)

Estimating the costs of specialised care

This paper reports work undertaken for the Department of Health’s Payment by Results team to investigate whether: the costs associated with specialised activity are significantly different from non-specialised activity within the same Healthcare Resource Group; and any differences in costs between specialised and non-specialised activity are due to differences in cost efficiency. (Centre for Health Economics - publications)