Knowledge @lert for Friday 15th August
Applying robust decision-making to the workforce planning framework – Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI)
This paper provides an introduction to the subject of long-term policy analysis and its specific NHS workforce planning context in the UK.
Developing a high-performance support workforce in acute care: innovation, evaluation and engagement – Health Services and Delivery Research Volume: 2 Issue: 25
As the main bedside presence in acute health care, the unregistered nurse support worker, positioned at Agenda for Change pay bands 2 to 4 and assisting the registered nurse, has assumed increased importance in delivering high-quality care in the context of resource constraints. Building upon earlier National Institute for Health Research-funded research, the current study centres on three themes related to such workers.
Review of radiation dose issues from the use of CT in the UK – Department of Health
In this report, COMARE presents a comprehensive review of the radiation dose issues associated with CT scans in the UK. The implications of the increase in the numbers of CT scans in the UK are considered in the report, with focus on the number of younger patients undergoing CT scans, who have greater sensitivity to x-rays. The report provides an update on the radiation protection aspects of justification (balancing risk and benefit) and optimisation (balancing the risk from the radiation dose with the quality of the image).
CQC proposals for special measures for GP practices
The Care Quality Commission has announced plans to introduce a new ‘special measures’ regime for GP practices. Practices offering poor care will be given deadlines to make improvements and faced with closure if they fail. The CQC will begin to introduce special measures for GP practices from October this year. This will coincide with starting to rate 8,000 NHS GP practices on the basis of whether they are outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.
NICE Quality Standards and commissioning guidance
NICE has published the following Quality Standards and related guidance for commissioners: