HSJ Roundup

• Whistleblower court case applies across workforce, says charity
  A decision by the Court of Appeal to introduce a new interpretation of employment law in a junior doctor’s case has extended whistleblower protection across the workforce, a charity has said.
• New alliance to fight NHS’s corner during Brexit  
  An alliance of NHS organisations is being assembled to fight the health service’s corner during the Brexit negotiations, HSJ has learned.
• Junior doctors get new whistleblowing protection after HEE loses court case 
  Junior doctors have been granted new whistleblowing protection after the Court of Appeal ruled against Health Education England in a landmark case.
• NHS quango to cut more than 300 posts
  More than 300 posts are set to be cut by Health Education England as part of a savings drive that could save over £10m in pay costs alone, HSJ has learned.

Our Fabulous NHS – Academy of Fabulous Stuff 

• NHSCC launch new report on excellence in diabetes care commissioning
  NHSCC’s publication ‘Excellence in commissioning diabetes care’ showcases examples of where clinically led commissioning is changing the way diabetes care […]

Elective Care Guide  – NHS Improvement
NHS Improvement has published Elective care guide Referral to treatment pathways: guide to managing efficient elective care, third edition. This document provides guidance on the operational delivery of an effective referral to treatment pathway, including demand and capacity planning, elective access policies, performance management and reporting

Leading across the health and care system: Lessons from experience – The King’s Fund
This paper offers those who are leading new systems of care some guidance on how to address the challenges they face. It draws on the Fund’s work on the development of new care models, sustainability and transformation plans, and accountable care organisations.

Long-term conditions: patient information journey – The Patient Information Forum
The Patient Information Forum has published Perfect patient information journey: phase 1 summary report.  This is the report from phase one of a project aimed at creating a model pathway to support the ‘perfect patient information journey’ for people with long-term conditions. This phase involved conducting research on previous efforts to embed information into patient pathways, as well as talking to patients, healthcare professionals and commissioners, to identify key themes related to the provision of high quality information.

Patient information leaflets – audio versions
Public Health England has produced audio versions of some of its patient leaflets relating to screening services:

• Diabetic eye screening: description in brief
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening: invitation leaflet
• Screening tests for you and your baby: description in brief
• Breast screening: helping women decide
• Cervical screening: leaflet for women considering screening
• Bowel cancer screening: benefits and risks
• Bowel cancer screening: colposcopy

Workload pressure no defence against clinical negligence, barrister warns –
BMJ, Abi Rimmer
Judges considering prosecutions against doctors for gross negligence manslaughter would not view a lack of NHS resources as a defence against clinical negligence, a barrister who specialises in medical law and clinical negligence has said. At a conference on litigation against doctors at the Royal Society of Medicine, James Badenoch QC said that he was often asked whether judges would take into account “the impossible conditions in which some doctors work.” “The answer, to be relatively frank with you, is no,” he said. “We’ve often had discussions about whether financial constraints might …

Reducing agency spend: Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust case study – NHS Employers  
This case study shares the experience of Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust on how they reduced levels of medical agency spending.

Brexit and the NHS: election 2017 – NHS Confederation
This briefing outlines the priorities identified by NHS Confederation for the new incoming government. It calls for all political parties to commit to a series of pledges on Brexit ahead of the upcoming general election.

Investing in success: NHS priorities for the new government – NHS Providers
This briefing outlines the priorities for the incoming government that NHS Providers have identified as key to tackling the challenges that the NHS faces over the next parliament. It argues that politicians must address growing concerns over the NHS workforce and that the next government will need to work with NHS national bodies on a new long-term approach to workforce planning and pay.

Election briefing: NHS and social care funding – three unavoidable challenges – Health Foundation
This is the first in a series of briefings ahead of the 2017 General Election and it aims to clarify the debate on three of the main challenges facing the funding of health and care services. It calls for increased investment in the NHS to halt planned reductions in spending per person over the next two years. It highlights social care funding and sustainability as an urgent priority for the next incoming government.

NICE guidance updates
NICE guidelines