Health Management and Policy Alert

Saving lives, averting costs

Cancer Research UK - 
This report reveals that 46 per cent of cancers in England are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when they are harder to treat successfully. It shows that if all areas diagnosed cancers as early as the best in England, for four types of cancer alone, this could save the NHS over £44 million in treatment costs and benefit over 11,000 patients each year. Extrapolating this to all types of cancer would imply an annual saving of nearly £210m, while helping to improve the survival prospects for more than 52,000 patients.

• Report
• Press release

World Alzheimer's report 2014

Alzheimer's Disease International - 
This report calls for dementia to be integrated into both global and national public health programmes alongside other major non-communicable diseases. It reveals that control of diabetes and high blood pressure as well as measures to encourage smoking cessation and to reduce cardiovascular risk, have the potential to reduce the risk of dementia even in late-life. The report found that diabetes can increase the risk of dementia by 50%. Obesity and lack of physical activity are important risk factors for diabetes and hypertension, and should, therefore, also be targeted.

• Report
• Press release

Children with special educational and complex needs: guidance for health and wellbeing boards

Department of Health - 
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduces a new statutory requirement for local services to work together when providing care and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Health and wellbeing boards are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the new requirement, ensuring that local services are fulfilling their role and that children are getting the care they need. This document provides guidance and advice for health and wellbeing boards on how best to oversee the implementation of changes made by the act.

• Guidance
• DH news

Making parity a reality: six asks for the next government to improve the nation's mental health

Royal College of Psychiatrists - 
This manifesto calls for a firm commitment from all parties to take action to ensure that the millions of people who do, and will experience mental health problems are given timely, appropriate care. It highlights the need for a waiting time target for mental health treatment; improved access to crisis and specialist services; and greater investment in evidence-based parenting programmes.

• Manifesto
• Press release

Draft code of practice for local public audit: consultation

National Audit Office - 
Under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the head of the National Audit Office (the Comptroller and Auditor General) takes on from the Audit Commission the role of preparing and maintaining the code of practice for local public audit. The code sets out the framework within which the auditors of local public bodies are required to carry out their work. Subject to parliament’s approval, the code will take effect from 1 April 2015 for audits for the financial year 2015-16. Audits for the financial year 2014-15 will be conducted under the existing codes prepared by the Audit Commission, and by Monitor for NHS foundation trusts. This consultation seeks views on the draft code and closes on 31 October 2014.

• Consultation document
• Draft code of practice
• Response form
• Press release

Performance of the foundation trust sector: 3 months ended 30 June 2014

Monitor - 
This quarterly review of NHS foundation trust performance reveals that they are providing more treatment, to more patients with more complex care needs in tough financial times. However, this increased activity, when combined with the continuing need to make cost savings and an over-reliance on expensive agency staff, is putting trusts under unprecedented pressure.

• Report
• Infographic
• Press release

Delivering alcohol IBA: broadening the base from health to non-health contexts: review of the literature and scoping

Alcohol Research UK - 
There is good evidence for the effectiveness of alcohol IBA (identification and brief advice) services in primary care and hospital settings. This briefing explores the evidence for broadening out alcohol IBA services to non-healthcare settings such as criminal justice settings or community-based services such as pharmacies.

• Report
• Summary
• Alcohol Research UK publications

The role of local government in a modern state

Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) -
This paper highlights how the role of local government has been reduced, with local democratic control diminished and services fragmented as powers have been moved both 'upwards' to central government and 'downwards' to other local actors in an effort to bypass the state.

• Report
• CLASS - publications

Making the case for public health interventions

The King's Fund -
This set of infographics, produced in partnership with the Local Government Association, describe key facts about the public health system and the return on investment for some public health interventions.

• Infographics
• The King's Fund - audio and video

Patients in control: why people with long-term conditions must be empowered

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) -
This report argues that more should be done to recognise and support the amount of self-management done by people with long-term conditions and their carers, and to enable people to work in partnership with healthcare providers to agree the services that fit their needs.

• Report
• IPPR - publications