Health Service Journal
December 2006
View all stories from this issue.
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£1m ploughed into Northern Irish telehealth initiatives
Northern Ireland health minister Paul Goggins pledged £1m for telehealth and telemedicine projects in the health service.He said the new technologies would help the NHS cope with the impact of an ageing population.Read the press release here -
A matron's charter: an action plan for cleaner hospitals
Document setting out 10 broad principles for delivering cleaner hospitals aimed at all staff in the NHS. Published in 2004. -
A national framework to support local workforce strategy development
A national framework to support local workforce strategy development: A guide for HR directors in the NHS and social care -
A networking approach to commissioning
Intelligent commissioning will not succeed unless commissioners at all levels are able to profit from the experience of others and understand their own contribution in the context of the contributions of others -
A New Ambition for Old Age: Next Steps in Implementing the National Service Framework for Older Peop
A report from Professor Ian Philp, National Director for Older People at the Department of Health, published in April 2006. The report measures the progress made in attaining the goals outlined in the NSF, and future ambitions regards topics such as dignity in old age and care in particular areas such as stroke rehabilitation, falls and mental health. -
A workforce response to local delivery plans: A challenge for NHS Boards
A workforce response to local delivery plans: A challenge for NHS Boards -
Acute Healthcare Organisation of the Year
Supported by CHKS -
Alan Maynard on outcomes
'Most of our customers survive the NHS even though we do not measure whether they feel better as a consequence' -
Audit finds little improvement in continence care
The second audit of continence care in the NHS has seen little improvement over the past 12 months, the Royal College of Physicians has found.The Healthcare Commission-backed audit found that only 37 per cent of hospitals, and 10 per cent of mental health care sites have a written continence policy.Read the report here -
Awards categories and judges
Acute Healthcare Organisation of the YearDr Helen Bevan, director of service transformation, NHS Institute for Innovation and ImprovementMatthew Swindells, special adviser to the health secretarySue Slipman, director, Foundation Trust NetworkFrank Burns, former chief executive, Wirral Hospital trustJames Coles, director of research, CHKSPrimary Care Organisation of the YearEdna Robinson, -
Call for National IT programme revamp
The British Computer Society has called for a major re-evaluation of the National Programme for IT in the NHS.The society's health informatics forum says the programme has achieved some significant successes around infrastructure, but has slowed the deployment of local systems. It also says elements of the NHS Core Records Service should be rethought.The forum suggests a national system of standards and accreditation, within which local organisations would have more freedom to p -
Care Association delivers end of year report
The English Community Care Association, the leading representative body for independent care homes in England, has produced an end of year report, ECCA: Delivering for You.ECCA chief executive Martin Green said: 'This is a particularly difficult time for the care sector with a bad budget round and a review of minimum standards pending.'In this situation it is vital that the sector unites and has a strong voice to ensure any changes are positive rather than negativ -
Choice matters: increasing choice improves patients' experiences
Department of Health report on the impact of choose and book and the development of patient choice services in the NHS, focusing on the experiences of patients and NHS staff. Published in May 2006. -
Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier
Government White Paper, published in November 2004, setting out the key principles enabling the public to make more informed choices about their health. Chapter 6: A health promoting NHS is likely to be of particular interest. -
Chronic Disease Management
Supported by Sanofi-Aventis -
Clinical Service Redesign
Supported by Carillion -
Commissioning a patient-led NHS
Short, 10-page document, published in 2005, focusing on changing the way services are commissioned by front-line staff, to reflect patient choices. It calls for the faster roll out of PBC and a review of the functions of SHAs to support commissioning and contract management. -
Communications
Supported by the Association of Healthcare Communicators -
Community Care Statistics 2005: Home care services for adults, England
National Statistics document, published March 2006, presenting information relating to home care services purchased or provided during one survey week. The survey found that around 28 per cent of households received intensive home care during 2005. -
Connecting for health: the good, the bad and the wobbly
The national IT programme is in all sorts of trouble, with problems ranging from slow uptake to embattled suppliers. Andy Cowper looks for a silver lining -
Conservatives call for free hospital parking for vulnerable people
Hospital car parking should be free for the most critically ill patients, say the London Assembly Conservatives responding to the latest Department of Health guidelines.Elizabeth Howlett, Assembly Member for Merton and Wandsworth and deputy chair of the assembly health and public services committee said:'We are calling on the government to go that extra mile and reword their guidance so that the most vulnerable patients requiring frequent medical treatment receive free parking a -
Couch potato Britons surveyed
Only one-fifth of people in this country regularly take exercise, according to the biggest ever survey of sporting habits.The Active People survey, carried out by Sport England, found that only 21 per cent of people took 30 minutes of exercise three times a week. More than 350,000 people were polled.See the full survey here -
Counterfeit condom warning
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a warning that counterfeit condoms have been found in Essex, Birmingham and in Felixstowe docks and placed on the UK market.Counterfeit condoms may not be manufactured to the appropriate British or European standards, and cannot be considered to provide adequate protection against sexually transmitted infection or pregnancy. -
Date for smoke-free England announced
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has announced that all enclosed public places and workplaces will go smoke-free from 1 July next year.To coincide with this announcement, she unveiled a Smokefree England campaign that will help the country'³ 3.7 million businesses prepare to implement the new legislation. The campaign includes advice about accessing NHS smoking cessation services.Read more -
David Lee on drugs and safer services
There are no magic wa -
Day Surgery: Operational Guide
Department of Health guidance for managers and commissioners on improving efficiency in day surgery units. Published in 2002. -
Delivering 21st Century IT Support for the NHS. National Strategic Programme
Department of Health policy document elaborating the national strategic programme for the deployment of IT in the NHS. The key elements and architecture of the programme are outlined. -
Delivering the NHS Improvement Plan: the workforce contribution
Delivering the NHS Improvement Plan: the workforce contribution -
DoH puts safety first
The Department of Health has issued a report on improving support patient safety in the NHS.Safety First - a report for patients, clinicians and healthcare managerssays the National Patient Safety Agency should be 'refocused' on collecting and analysing information through its national reporting and learning system, and that this should be easier for staff to use.It also puts a stronger emphasis on local measures to 'embed' safety in organisations. Its recommendations i -
DoH to name preferred bidders for diagnostic scans
The Department of Health is set to announce that it has reached preferred bidder stage on two contracts to provide NHS patients with 90 million PET/CT diagnostic scans over the next five years.Alliance Medical is preferred bidder for a contract which will cover the North of England and will provide NHS patients with nearly 47 million scans and Lister InHealth has won preferred bidder status for the South and will carry out more than 43 million scans.The DoH is expected to announ -
Doncaster PCT: helping benefit claimants back to work
Barriers to Employment is as ongoing partnership project in Doncaster that supports Incapacity Benefit Claimants (IBCs) to improve their health and well-being and return to work where possible. -
Drinks industry a key partner in alcohol problem prevention
A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found that the drinks industry agrees with the government's alcohol strategy for England which identified the industry as a key partner in preventing alcohol problems and reducing levels of harm.The study found that the drinks industry acknowledged problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and had clear incentive to act, in order to protect brands and corporate reputations. However, the report also showed that most non-industry respond -
Excellence in Cancer Care
Supported by Roche -
Forecasting Obesity to 2010
Report, published in August 2006, prepared for the Department of Health forecasting levels of obesity in England in 2010, if current trends continue. Data on current obesity levels in the adult and child population is also included. -
Frank Burns on collective failure
The national IT programme has failed to achieve and responsibility over the longer run ultimately must lie with the senior management community at every level -
Gail Richards on local area agreements
'If the first phase of LAAs has concentrated on designing and ensuring focused target delivery, albeit in partnership, now we need to ask whether this is sufficient.' -
Good Corporate Citizenship
Supported by the Sustainable Development Commission and the Department of Health -
Good practice guidelines for general practice electronic patient records (version 3.1)
2005 document prepared by the General Practitioners Committee and the Royal College of General Practitioners, sponsored by the Department of Health. It provides advice on the migration towards 'paperless practice', and the implications that the Human Rights Act, Data Protection Act, and the Access To Health Records Act may have for computerised patient record keeping. -
Government launches Christmas fire safety campaign
Fire safety minister Angela Smith has launched a campaign warning of the increased danger of house fires over the Christmas period and encouraging people to take care with candles, lights and decorations, cigarettes and cooking, especially after a few drinks.The 'Tis the Season to be Careful campaign will be promoted on television and through TV spots. People are 50 per cent more likely to die in house fires over Christmas than at other periods.Read the press release -
Guidance launched on HIV positive asylum seekers
The National Aids Trust has published guidance on the dispersal of HIV positive asylum seekers for healthcare and voluntary sector workers. The guidance states that asylum seekers should only be dispersed if they are medically stable, adequate notice about the move has been provided and their treating clinician is satisfied that their care can be safely transferred.Contact NAT here -
Guidance on how to develop and implement workforce scorecards in NHS organisations
Guidance on how to develop and implement workforce scorecards in NHS organisations -
Health inequalities increase
There has been a small increase in the gap in life expectancy for women between Britain's most affluent and poorest areas, according to an update from the Department of Health.The annual update on the public service agreement targets on health inequalities revealed that the gap in life expectancy for men had reduced.Get the full details -
Hewitt announces new medical research centres
Eleven new biomedical research centres of excellence have been announced by health secretary Patricia Hewitt.The centres, which will focus on translational research, will be partnerships between NHS acute trusts, foundation trusts and universities.Read more here -
High-impact changes for GUM services released
A guide to 10 High-impact Changes for Genitouninary Medicine 48-hour Accesshas been published. The measures include developing a separate pathway for low-risk patients, reviewing current access arranagments and reorganising clinic opening hours.Read the guide here -
HR high impact changes: An evidence based resource
HR high impact changes: An evidence based resource -
HSJ supplement: leading on change
Despite many local examples of well-managed change, it would be hard to say that, overall, change management - the subject of this supplement sponsored by Managers in Partnership - has gone smoothly during the last year in England’s health service. -
Implementing NICE Guidance
Supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence -
Improving Care with E-technology
Supported by System C -
Improving Patient Access
Supported by Nations Healthcare -
Improving the use of temporary nursing staff in acute and foundation trusts
Improving the use of temporary nursing staff in NHS acute and foundation trusts -
Independent provider quality indicators put online
Independent healthcare provider BUPA has published its clinical and service quality indicators online. The information includes infection, readmission and return to theatre rates.For more information click here -
Information-Based Decision Making
Supported by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care -
Keeping the NHS local - a new direction of travel
Guidance, published in 2003, on service expansion and redesign. An approach to local service design and closer to home care is outlined. -
Labour urged to listen to professionals
Shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien has urged the government to listen to IT and healthcare professionals following the review of Connecting for Health by the British Computer Society.He said: 'It is time the Government listened to the IT and healthcare professionals, rather than continuing to force this outmoded, large scale IT project on our overburdened NHS, so that all the money the Government is spending can start serving the NHS professionals and improving patient care.' -
Legal briefing: EU procurement
Interpretation of EU regulations about advertising when commissioning healthcare is changing -
Lyn Whitfield on big government
'Neither doctors nor the public seem convinced of the need for the national database element' -
'Making a difference' Reducing burdens in hospital
Authored by the regulatory impact unit, this 2002 document identifies ways to free up time for front line staff to concentrate on delivering care. The outcomes are grouped under 12 categories in three main areas: the patient journey, information flows and quality. -
Matrons national network
This newly established network is aimed at matrons within acute settings, allowing them to share practice, ideas and innovation and set standards within patient experience and patient environment. The matrons national network aims to: -
Mental Health Innovation
Supported by Mental Health Strategies -
National audit for mastectomy and breast reconstruction
The NHS Information Centre for health and social care's national clinical audit support programme has begun a new audit for the Healthcare Commission to look at the quality of mastectomy and breast reconstruction care. -
National bowel cancer audit
An audit on the care and treatment of patients with bowel cancer by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care on behalf of the Healthcare Commission has found that more hospitals are now meeting NICE guidelines on examination and treatment of bowel cancer. -
National Programme for IT Business Justification
NHS document, published in September 2003, outlining the business justification for the NHS National Programme for IT, based on the standard 'five case model' for business cases. The advantages of the programme in terms of patient outcomes and costs are examined. -
National Service Framework for Older People: Executive Summary
Key Department of Health 10-year policy programme, published in 2001, setting out guidelines on 'fair, high quality integrated health and social care services for older people.' -
New assisted reproduction proposals published
The government has also published a white paper setting out its proposals for an overhaul of the law on assisted human reproduction and embryology research and the bodies that regulate this area and the use of human tissues.The paper says a Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos, to be known as RATE, should be established to take over the work of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority.Read the press release -
New immunisation booklet published
A new version of the government's guidance on vaccines and immunisation known as the Green Book, has been published.The booklet includes new chapters on immunisation for patients with underlying conditions and monitoring of vaccine safety.Read the book here -
NHS Connecting for Health: NHS National Programme for IT Annual Report 2004-5
The most recent annual report (2004-5) from the NHS National Programme for IT, Connecting for Health. The mission statement for the Programme pledges to improve patient choice and the quality and convenience of care by ensuring that those who give and receive care have the right information at the right time. It will deliver 21st century IT support for a modern and more efficient NHS - procuring, developing and implementing modern, integrating IT infrastructure and systems for all NHS organisati -
NHS Costing Manual: 2005 edition
This manual sets out the principles and practice of costing to be applied in the NHS. It is not just designed to support the production of the National Schedule of Reference Costs and through this, the national tariff, but should also be used in developing and monitoring service and financial frameworks, as well as developments in and the monitoring and implementation of National Service Frameworks. -
NHS Finance Manual
Manual downloadable in Word format. Contains a range of finance guidance for NHS trusts, PCTs and SHAs. -
NHS Networks poll: donating blood
Nearly half of NHS staff are blood donors -
NHS reference costs 2005
Details on how and on what the NHS expenditure was used. Its main purpose is to provide a basis for comparison within the NHS between organisations, and down to the level of individual treatments. -
NHS Scotland in surplus
Audit Scotland has its annual review of the NHS in Scotland. The report focuses on financial performance and says the Scottish health service managed to finish 2005-06 with a £70.6m surplus on its £9bn budget.This was an improvement on a deficit of £32m 12 months earlier. However, the audit body says the NHS continues to face long-term financial pressures and boards must deliver on efficiency savings.www.a -
NHS staff earnings survey August 2004
NHS Information Centre report, published in August 2005, on the basic pay and allowance of NHS staff. It is the last earnings survey prior to the implementation of the Agenda for Change. -
NHS Staff Survey 2005
Results of the Healthcare Commission's third annual survey -
NHS urged to use more everyday technologies
The Royal Society has urged the NHS not to overlook potential of everyday technologies such as mobile phones and personal digital devices in favour of large-scale IT projects.Its Digital Healthcarereport says the NHS has been slow to adopt such technologies, but will need to make creative use of them if it is to cope with long-term pressures, such as the ageing population and a shortage of skilled staff.It says common technologies could cut paperwork, give staff a -
Nicholson says £250m surplus should be delivered by 2008
NHS chief executive David Nicholson has said the NHS should achieve a net surplus of £250m by the end of 2007-08. Other priorities, set out in an operating framework for 2007-08, include 85 per cent of patients admitted for hospital treatment and 80 per cent of patients who do not require admission being treated within 18 weeks by March 2008. Local targets should also be agreed between PCTs and providers to reduce hospital-acquired infections.Read the -
Over 40 maternity units may be closed or downgraded, Conservatives claim
The Conservative Party has claimed it has identified 43 maternity units under threat of being downgraded or closed, of which 21 are midwife-led and 22 consultant-led. Of the 43, 26 of the maternity units are operated by providers which finished the 2005-06 financial year in deficit. -
Patient Safety
Supported by the National Patient Safety Agency -
Patient-Centred Care
Supported by Cerner -
Peter Cardy on a new focus on lung cancer
'While there has been striking progress in some cancers, lung cancer research has languished. Perhaps because of the stigma attached to a disease widely seen as self-inflicted through tobacco use, and the accompanying nihilism, it has had low priority.' -
Practice based commissioning: promoting clinical engagement
Guidance document from the Department of Health, providing a framework for the local implementation of Practice Based Commissioning. Published in December 2004. -
Primary Care Innovation
Supported by Abbott -
Primary Care Organisation of the Year
Supported by Capita Advisory Services -
Public sector managers 'must have more flexibility in determining pay'
A major change to the pay and reward system within the NHS and the rest of the public sector is needed to achieve serious improvements in delivery, the Confederation for British Industry has said.In a new report, the CBI has concluded that greater incentives must be created for public sector staff through the pay structure.The report will appear here -
Quality beyond NHS borders
What does quality in healthcare now mean, how is it measured around the world and how well do the NHS's systems measure up globally? Simon Leary and Rachel Abbott report -
Recruitment and Retention
Supported by Unison and managers in partnership -
Reducing Health Inequalities
Supported by the King's Fund -
Review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services
An independent review, requested by the DoH, and published in May 2006, containing 32 key recommendations on the commissioning process. Specialised services are those services where the planning population is greater than a million; they range from bone marrow and kidney transplants to secure forensic mental health services. -
Seasonal gloom at the BMA
The British Medical Association has picked up on health secretary Patricia Hewitt's comment that the NHS has had its 'best year ever' by publishing its own review of the Best of Years, the Worst of Years.Overall, it says that while there have been some positive developments, '2006 has been full of bleak moments for the NHS' - including job losses, budget constraints and the 'government's fixation with introducing the private sector into the well respected UK system of ge -
Secretary of State's Award for Excellence in Healthcare Management
The judges praised South Sefton's vision and passion, backed up with very strong data on outcomes -
Skills Development
Supported by Skills for Health -
Social enterprise conference speeches
NHS Networks, in collaboration with the Department of Health social enterprise unit, the Social Enterprise Coalition and the Cabinet Office, organised a one-day conference on social enterprise in London on 10 October 2006. -
Survey examines value for money
While expenditure on drugs, NHS staff, salaries and training may have risen, the additional £6bn per year being spent on healthcare is unlikely to transform the health service, according to a survey commissioned by the Health Foundation.Lead researcher Peter Smith said: 'We confirmed that although the volume of NHS activity has increased markedly over recent years, this increase has not kept pace with the increased expenditure.' -
Survey: new year optimism outweighs financial fears
A survey of 648 managers and leaders, published today by the Chartered Management Institute, shows that the mood of optimism in the sector remains despite fears over increasing business taxation and inflation.Key findings included that most managers in the health sector believe employment levels are unlikely to drop and the proportion of people believing UK GDP will increase has risen in the past 12 months.Read more -
Teaching PCTs conference
The Teaching Primary Care Trusts Network held its national conference at the end of October. -
The future of health and adult social care: a partnership approach for well being
Brief local government association document detailing the principles of joint working, and care delivered in a close-to-home setting. -
The future of the NHS complaints procedure
Reforms to the complaints process are intended to produce a fundamental shift away from attributing blame. Tony Yeaman explains -
The National Service Framework for Long-Term Conditions
This NSF, published in 2005, sets 11 quality requirements for the support of those with long term neurological conditions. Much of the NSF is applicable to anyone living with a long term condition. -
Think tank slams NHS reform
The think tank Reform has accused the NHS of failing to develop a coherent vision for change, and warned that unless the government tackles 'centralised, dysfunctional bureaucracy', its funding and policy achievements will go to waste.Author Ian Smith, a private sector manager interviewed for the NHS chief executive's post this summer, says frontline managers have been subjected to 'conflicting and incoherent directives' and 'frequent and meaningless reorganisations', and that good peo -
United Bristol Healthcare trust: child obesity
Childhood obesity has doubled in England in the last ten years. The condition affects one in four children aged 11-15 and has been increasing in prevalence since the mid 1980's. Where it used to be the view that overweight children grew out of the condition as they moved into adolescence and beyond, improved tracking techniques and predictive models show more and more of them becoming overweight adults. -
Winners shine brighter than ever in year of toil and trouble
At a time when primary care was in turmoil, it is a credit to the sector that so many PCTs found the time to put in some high-quality entries
