Health Management and Policy Alert

Medicines in health and adult social care: learning from risks and sharing good practice for better outcomes

Care Quality Commission - 

This report report describes lessons for better medicines optimisation across health and social care providers and the positive impact of involving pharmacy professionals in health and social care settings.

• Report
• Press rlease

Independent review of gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicide

General Medical Council -
This independent review was commissioned following the death of Jack Adcock and the prosecution and conviction of Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba for gross negligence manslaughter. This report is about how to achieve the aim of a just and fair culture in medicine and the need to learn, not blame, when things go wrong, for the benefit of both patients and the doctors who care for them.

• Report
• General Medical Council - news

Patient safety essentials toolkit

Institute for Healthcare Improvement - 

This toolkit includes documents on improving teamwork and communication, tools to help you understand the underlying issues that can cause errors, and valuable guidance about how to create and maintain reliable systems. Each of the nine tools includes a short description, instructions, an example, and a blank template. Please note that free registration is required to access the toolkit.

• Toolkit

Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme: action from learning

NHS England - 
This report provides examples of the local changes that have been made to services so far and highlights the extensive work which is happening nationally in response to common themes raised through LeDeR reviews across the country.

• Report

Segregation in mental health wards for children and young people and in wards for people with a learning disability or autism

Care Quality Commission (CQC) -
This is the interim report of a review commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the use of restraint, prolonged seclusion and segregation for people with a mental health problem, a learning disability or autism. It calls for an independent review of every person who is being held in segregation in mental health wards for children and young people and wards for people with a learning disability or autism. These reviews should examine the quality of care, the safeguards to protect the person and the plans for discharge.

• Report
• Press release

Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance, including on the internet

General Pharmaceutical Council -

This guidance explains what pharmacy owners should consider before deciding whether any parts of their pharmacy service can be provided safely and effectively at a distance (including on the internet), rather than in the traditional face-to-face way.

• Guidance
• Press release

Quality and safety of human blood and blood products if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

Department of Health and Social Care -

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal it will become a third country operating outside of EU rules. There will be some changes to the way blood and blood components are imported and exported. This guidance sets out what is required to ensure the safety and quality of blood and blood products.

• Guidance

Recommendations for assuring standards in the independent sector

Royal College of Surgeons -

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) is calling for independent hospitals to collect and publish equivalent data to that which the NHS routinely provides on patient safety and clinical audits. This RCS position statement sets out the changes to standards in the independent sector it believes are required to prevent a repeat of the harm caused by rogue breast surgeon, Ian Paterson.

• Position statement
• Press release

Safeguarding in general dental practice: a toolkit for dental teams

Public Health England -
The dental team has a statutory duty of care to all patients which includes ensuring that safeguarding arrangements are in place. This document provides an overview of safeguarding as a whole for the dental team by: clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the dental team in promoting the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk of abuse; signposting useful safeguarding resources, including access to free training opportunities; outlining the pathways to be followed in cases of concern; and providing guidance on training requirements.

• Guidance
• Public Health England - publications

The state of care in independent doctor and clinic services providing primary medical care: findings from CQC’s programme of comprehensive inspections in England

Care Quality Commission -
This report gives an overview of care from inspection findings for doctors and clinics that provide primary medical services in the independent or private sector – that is those not provided by NHS organisations. It found that many services were responding to the needs of their patients, delivering caring services tailored to people’s requirements and needs. However, a number were not meeting the necessary regulations and not delivering safe and effective care.

• Report
• Care Quality Commission - press release