Health Management and Policy Alert

Policy alert: NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles

Department of Health -
These car parking principles suggest the provision of concessions to groups that need them such as disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders or visitors with relatives who are gravely ill.

• Document
• Further information

Policy alert: Help for NHS to recover costs of care from visitors and migrants

Department of Health -
These resources include template letters, posters and guidance to help NHS trusts manage overseas visitors and migrant charging.

• Resource pack

Policy alert: Health service bodies' auditor panels and their independence

Department of Health -

This consultation seeks views on the regulations on the form and independence of auditor panels for NHS Trusts and CCGs.

• Consultation document
• Further information

Policy alert: Refreshing the NHS Outcomes Framework 2015-2016

Department of Health
This consultation seeks views on how the NHS outcomes framework could be improved. It asks specific questions on 4 main areas of the framework: mental health; children and young people; health inequalities; and patient experience/safety.

• Consultation document
• Technical appendix
• Further information

Policy alert: Voluntary sector involvement in Better Care Fund planning

Carer and Support Alliance (CSA)
This briefing has been based on information from Department of Health to help members engage with the Better Care Fund.

• Briefing
• CSA - press release

A national review of choices in end of life care

National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) - 
This independent review seeks information which will outline the kinds of choices that people would like to be able to make at the end of life and information about the funding, systems and processes that would be needed to enable choices to be acted upon. The review focuses on end of life care for adults aged 18 and over, and within the current legal framework. Therefore, it does not focus on assisted dying or anything that would involve changes to mental capacity legislation. The deadline for responses to the review is 30 September 2014.

• Consultation document
• Online response form
• Press release

Consultation on indicative sanctions guidance, apologies and warnings

General Medical Council (GMC) - 
This consultation seeks responses to proposals that doctors who have harmed patients could face sanctions even if they can show they have subsequently improved their practice in serious cases. The proposals are part of a major consultation on how doctors should be dealt with when serious complaints about them are upheld. The deadline for responses to this consultation is 14 November 2014.

• Consultation document
• Online response form
• Press release

Ambitious for recovery: tackling drug and alcohol addiction in the UK

Centre for Social Justice - 
This report outlines and forecasts addiction problems in the UK and warns that deaths linked to ‘legal highs’ could overtake those linked to heroin by 2016. Amongst some of the recommendations suggested is a 'treatment tax' which should be added to the cost of alcohol in shops to fund a new generation of rehabilitation centres and stem the tide of Britain's addiction problem.

• Report
• Press release

London’s diabetes care pathway: commissioning recommendations for psychological support

NHS London Strategic Clinical Networks - 
This document provides guidance on emotional and psychological support on the London diabetes care pathway. It uses information gathered from discussions with professionals and patients, and from surveys about local provision.

• Guidance
• NHS Networks news

Assessing the social and community risks of council spending cuts in Scotland

Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) - 
This paper explores how councils in Scotland can adequately consider social and community risks when making austerity cuts to services; identifies barriers to better risk assessment and how to overcome these; and considers opportunities to promote impact assessment through new policies on joint working in health and social care, and community planning partnerships.

• Report
• JRF publications