Contact the Library for further information on any of the topics listed below.

Privatisation and independent sector provision of NHS healthcare – British Medical Association
NHS providers and commissioners are facing unprecedented financial pressures. Every area where spending is increasing needs to be rigorously evaluated. Independent sector provision of NHS healthcare has increased every year for the past five years. More attention needs to be paid to whether it provides value for money, comparable quality and safety to NHS patients, as well as what its impact is on other NHS services.

The commissioning of specialised services in the NHS –  National Audit Office
According to this report, NHS England’s spending on specialised services has increased at a much greater rate than other parts of the NHS. It concludes that, although NHS England took responsibility for commissioning these services three years ago, it still does not have an agreed overarching service strategy, consistent information from all providers on costs, access to services and outcomes or how efficiently services are being delivered.

‘Lack of grip’ across NHS blamed for sudden hospital shutdown – Health Service Journal
The “fragmented” structure of the NHS and lack of “strategic grip” have been blamed for a crisis leading to the sudden closure of a psychiatric hospital.

NHS England preparing guidance on hospital closures – Health Service Journal
New guidance on how to handle the sudden closure of hospitals due to serious quality or safety concerns is being drawn up by NHS England.

Latest sickness absence figures published – NHS Employers
The latest figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show that NHS staff sickness absence has fallen from December 2014, where it was 4.79 per cent, to 4.39 per cent in December 2015.

NICE Shared learning
NICE has published the following shared learning case studies:

• Implementation of adult In-patient safe staffing reviews
• Triangulation of complaints, social media and real time patient experience qualitative data

NICE surveillance reports

• Acute illness in adults in hospital: recognising and responding to deterioration (CG50) – surveillance decision: NICE has decided not to update this guideline.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management (CG101) – surveillance decision: NICE has decided after considering all the new evidence and views of topic experts, that an update is necessary for this guideline.
• Stable angina: management (CG126). – surveillance decision: NICE has decided after the new evidence that no update is necessary for this guideline. However, NICE will amend the guideline to include a footnote to the recommendations for third‑line drug treatments.
• Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management of physical complications (CG100) – surveillance decision: NICE has decided that a partial update to theCorticosteroid treatment for alcohol‑related hepatitis section of this guide is necessary.

Bulletins

• NHS workforce bulletin – 25 April 2016