Knowledge @lert for Wednesday 23rd July
Hunt dismisses Keogh trusts’ finance struggles – HSJ Article
Lack of money is no excuse for poor care, the health secretary has insisted after HSJ analysis revealed trusts placed in special measures following the Keogh review predict a collective deficit of almost £140m this year.
RCN infection prevention and control commissioning toolkit updated
Health care organisations should use a series of indicators to support performance management of infection prevention and control, according to updated guidance published today by the RCN.
NHS leaders and major service change – British Journal of Healthcare Management
This article discusses the challenge of delivering change that improves sustainability, clinical outcomes and service. It also discusses how this challenge becomes an increasingly difficult one for NHS leaders as elections draw nearer.
How would seven-day elective care look for junior doctors? – British Journal of Healthcare Management
Seven-day working is an extremely topical and much-debated subject. This article details three potential options from the trainee perspective and how they will impact on doctor-to-patient ratios throughout the week.
The funding paradox: The Better Care Fund – British Journal of Healthcare Management
Nick Timmins, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and the King’s Fund discusses the challenges of re-shaping services with financial constraints.
You can’t be a great manager if you’re not a good coach – Harvard Business Review Blog
This considers how the experience of making progress of work is something which is personally meaningful. It looks at how as a leader you can use this to better understand what motivates and drives an individual. With this information you can use coaching techniques such as deep listening and asking the correct questions to create and sustain a developmental alliance, move forward positively and create accountability.
‘Then what…?’ special inquiry – Healthwatch England
This special inquiry aims to investigate the experience of people who are discharged from hospitals or care homes without adequate support in place. The aim of the inquiry is to gain a deeper understanding of what happens to people who experience ‘unsafe discharge’ from a hospital, nursing or care home, or mental health setting in England and how it was that they were able to fall through the gaps.
Local involvement in health service decision making
Healthwatch has warned that it fears that local people are being cut out of decision making about their health services. A recent straw poll of the Healthwatch network suggested at least a third of local Healthwatch across 152 areas in England are concerned about being able to influence the public engagement activities of their CCGs. The Watchdog fears that GPs and other health professionals responsible for running Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are forming joint decision making bodies, known as committees in common, to make decisions on health services at a regional level. However, these new committees, or ‘Super CCGs’, are circumventing the local scrutiny and accountability measures put in place by the Government’s health reforms.
Exercise medicine
The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine has published A Fresh Approach in Practice. It is aimed at CCGs tackling health problems caused by physical inactivity. It outlines how effective exercise medicine can be used in tackling chronic diseases and conditions related to physical inactivity and common musculoskeletal conditions, whilst reducing referrals for costly procedures and services. It includes the results of pilot services in surgeries, clinics and hospitals which have successfully used exercise medicine services to improve patient outcomes.
NICE guidance
NICE has issued the following guidance:
- Chronic kidney disease: early identification and management of chronic kidney disease in adults in primary and secondary care – Clinical Guideline 182
- Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for Barrett’s oesophagus with low‑grade dysplasia or no dysplasia – Interventional Procedure 496
- Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for squamous dysplasia of the oesophagus – Interventional Procedure 497
- Powered microdebrider turbinoplasty for inferior turbinate hypertrophy – Interventional Procedure 498
- Enzalutamide for metastatic hormone‑relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel‑containing regimen – Technology Appraisal 316
- Prasugrel with percutaneous coronary intervention for treating acute coronary syndromes (review of technology appraisal guidance 182) – Technology Appraisal 317
- Lubiprostone for treating chronic idiopathic constipation – Technology Appraisal 318
- Ipilimumab for previously untreated advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma – Technology Appraisal 318
NHS England first annual report
NHS England has published its first Annual Report and Accounts setting out its achievements in the last year and its aspiration for 2014/15. The report features key milestones since its inception in April 2013, the annual accounts and a Directors report.
NHS News
The latest issue of NHS News (Issue 67) includes the following news items:
- National group to improve healthcare support for people with learning disabilities
- NHS England funds evaluation of surgery for children with cerebral palsy
- Progress review of cancer services at in Colchester
- Friends and Family Test Guidance published
- Have your say on changes to the Code of Practice for Mental Health
Health Statistics
- Provisional Monthly Hospital Episode Statistics for Admitted patient care, Outpatient and Accident and Emergency data – April 2014
- Provisional Accident & Emergency Quality Indicators for England – April 2014, by provider
- NHS Workforce Statistics – April 2014, Provisional Statistics
- NHS Sickness Absence Rates – January 2014 to March 2014, Provisional Statistics
- NHS Staff Earnings Estimates – April 2014, Provisional Statistics
- Inequality in Healthy Life Expectancy at birth by national deciles of area deprivation: England – 2010-12