Health Management and Policy Alert

Inequalities in mental health, cognitive impairement and dementia among older people

UCL Institute of Health Equity -
This report focuses on inequalities in the experience and prevalence of poor mental health, cognitive impairment and dementia and the impact of social isolation, lack of mental stimulation and physical activity, before and after retirement, and in later old age. If finds that these issues can exacerbate the risks of poor mental health, cognitive impairment and dementia in later life and are experienced disproportionately by people in lower socio economic groups. It also provides a brief summary of life course social determinants that increase the risk of poor mental health, early onset of cognitive decline and the symptoms of dementia.

• Report
• UCL Institute of Health Equity - publications

Knowing you’re not alone: understanding peer support for stroke survivors

Nuffield Trust -
Stroke Association Voluntary Groups (SAVGs) are volunteer-led, peer support groups based in local communities across the UK. Through the support they offer, SAVGs aim to improve outcomes for stroke survivors and the people who care for them. The Nuffield Trust was commissioned by the Stroke Association to independently evaluate the impact of the groups.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - publications

Continuing professional development audit report 2013-2015

Health & Care Professions Council -
The report shows that in this period 8,164 registrants, across all 16 professions regulated by the HCPC, were randomly selected to submit CPD profiles. Nearly 81 per cent of these met the CPD standards with most accepted after their first assessment. It also supports recent research findings which indicate that 90 per cent of respondents said they understood the standards ‘well’ or ‘completely’ and 69 per cent agreed that the current standards encouraged them to reflect and think critically about their practice.

• Audit report
• Health & Care Professions Council - news

An introduction to multispecialty community providers (MCPs) and the emerging contract framework

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) -
This briefing summarises NHS England’s document The multispecialty community provider (MCP) emerging care model and contract framework (July 2016), which describes MCPs – a new place-based model of care – and the emerging contract framework which NHS England is currently developing to support the rollout of this approach to health and care provision. It is expected that many MCPs will develop over the next few years and pharmacy contractors and LPCs therefore need to engage in their development in order to shape how they will impact on community pharmacy services at a local level.

• Briefing
• PSNC - news

Pressure points: carers and the NHS

Carers UK -
This report found that of the 4 in 10 carers who have taken their loved one to A&E in the past 12 months believe their admission could have been prevented. Carers believed these admissions could have been prevented with more (55 per cent) or higher quality support (50 per cent) for the person they care for, more local support for them as a carer (32 per cent) or access to a district nurse (25 per cent).

• Report
• Carers UK - press release

Department of Health stakeholder perceptions surveys

Department of Health (DH) -
The DH stakeholder perceptions survey reports aim to show: an overall impression of perceptions of DH; how it is managing relationships with stakeholders; and ways to improve how DH works with partners. The findings of the surveys show that DH is continuing to improve relationships with partners and how it works with external stakeholders.

• 2014 report
• 2015 report
• DH - publications

Improving the health of the public by 2040: optimising the research environment for a healthier, fairer future

Academy of Medical Sciences -
This report explores how to organise our research environment to generate and translate the evidence needed to underpin strategies to secure and improve the health of the public as a whole. It concludes that while public health research has provided fundamental insights into human health, there remains much we do not know about the complex array of interlinking factors that influence the health of the public, and about how to prevent and solve the many health challenges we face as a population.

• Report
• Academy of Medical Sciences - projects

Creating supportive environments: tackling behaviours that undermine a culture of safety

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges -
This report explores bullying and undermining within the medical workforce in the UK. It looks at current efforts to tackle problems and what further work is required.

• Report
• Academy of Medical Royal Colleges - publications

The framework for enhanced health in care homes

NHS England -
This framework is for local health and care systems, organisations, communities and patients, wishing to develop and implement new ways of working. It lays out a clear vision for providing joined up primary, community and secondary, social care to residents of care and nursing homes, via a range of in reach services. Seven key components and eighteen sub-components which define the care homes model are put forward, with practical guidance explaining how organisations and providers can make the transition and implement the whole model.

• Framework
• NHS England - news

Integrated primary and acute care systems (PACS): describing the care model and the business model

NHS England -
This framework is for local health and care systems, organisations, communities and patients, wishing to develop and implement new ways of working. This framework document uses the learning from the nine PACS vanguards to support local health and care systems planning to implement a PACS model. It outlines the next steps required to set up the model - including the need to develop new contractual, funding and organisational form. It sets out three contractual options that will help make a phased transition towards a fully-fledged PACS - a single provider with a single contract for all local health and care services.

• Framework
• NHS England - news