Health Management and Policy Alert

Shifting the centre of gravity: making place-based, person-centred health and care a reality

Local Government Association -
The examples in this report aim to show what can be achieved by system leaders and staff from local government, the NHS, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, and service user and carer groups working together to improve health and deliver person-centred care.

• Report
• Local Government Association - publications

Outpatients: the future – adding value through sustainability

Royal College of Physicians (RCP) - 
This report argues that a new approach to outpatient care is needed if it is to meet growing demand and reduce disruption to patients’ lives. It describes the current ‘one-size-fits-all’ model as no longer fit for purpose and recommends replacing it with a person-centred approach that recognises that people have varying health needs, personal pressures and abilities to self-care or manage.

• Report
• Press release

“Windrush Generation” guidance for NHS staff and other providers of NHS funded secondary and community care services

Department of Health and Social Care -
Eligibility for NHS-funded secondary care is mainly based on lawful, settled residence in the UK. This document specifically considers the ‘Windrush generation’. That is, the Commonwealth citizens who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 and those who arrived to live here between 1973 and 1988.

• Guidance
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

End of life care: strengthening choice

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children Who Need Palliative Care - 

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Children Who Need Palliative Care has been examining the extent to which the government is meeting its end of life care choice commitment to babies, children and young-people with life-limiting conditions and their families. Despite the commitment – which outlines six ways ministers believe that people approaching the end of their lives should be supported – the APPG has heard evidence from young people, families, services and professionals that the quality of palliative care children and families can access is patchy and depends on where in England they live.

• Report
• Press release

Talking about dying: how to begin honest conversations about what lies ahead

Royal College of Physicians -
This report begins to highlight and challenge professional reluctance to engage in conversations with patients about uncertainty, treatment ceilings, resuscitation status and death. It offers some ‘mythbusters’ to get physicians thinking and signposts to tools and educational resources to support physicians and other healthcare professionals.

• Report
• Royal College of Physicians - projects

Estimating diversion ratios in hospital mergers

Competition and Markets Authority - 

Understanding patient choice is vital in assessing the closeness of competition between hospitals. The standard technique used in the UK is to estimate substitution patterns based on historical GP referrals. This paper compares the results of the ‘GP referral’ methodology to a demand estimation approach.

• Report
• More detail

Advance care planning in general practice: does policy match reality?

Compassion in dying - 

This report reveals mismatch between clinical commissioning group policies concerning advance care planning and the reality faced by patients. Patients report doctors being ill-equipped to support them to plan ahead for their future care and treatment.

• Report
• More detail

NHS continuing healthcare in England

House of Commons Library -
This briefing paper is intended to help MPs respond to queries from constituents about eligibility to NHS continuing healthcare in England. It covers the national framework, dispute resolution and refunds guidance. Equivalent provision in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland is covered in the sixth section.

• Briefing
• House of Commons Library - publications

Please write to me: writing outpatient clinic letters to patients

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges - 

This best practice guidance aims to help and encourage doctors to write most of their outpatient clinic letters directly to patients and send a copy of the letter to the patient's general practitioner. The guidance covers general aspects of letter writing and applies to letters sent on paper and electronically. The focus of this document is on doctors' letters but it is relevant to all clinicians who write clinical letters. 

• Guidance

Reducing emergency admissions: unlocking the potential of people to better manage their long-term conditions

The Health Foundation - 

This briefing summarises research that explores the link between how well patients feel able to manage their long-term conditions such as asthma, diabetes and depression and their use of health care. The findings show the NHS could reduce avoidable health care use and improve people’s quality of life, if they were better supported to manage their long-term conditions. The briefing points to solutions and calls for national policy makers and the local NHS to take action now, including by prioritising support for self-management in the NHS long-term plan.

• Briefing
• More detail