By Independent Review of the Liverpool Care Pathway (July 2013)
This report sets out recommendations regarding the LCP and end of life care following an independent review chaired by Baroness Julia Neuberger. The recommendations include phasing out the LCP and replacing it with an individual end of life care plan; an end to incentive payments for use of the LCP and other similar approaches; and a new system-wide approach to improving the quality of care for the dying.
By Professor Sir Bruce Keogh KBE (July 2013)
Sir Bruce Keogh’s review into 14 hospital trusts in England is the result of a series of ‘deep-dive’ reviews into other hospitals with mortality rates which have been consistently high for two years or more. It found that all 14 trusts will have to undertake strict improvement plans and 11 will be placed into special measures to ensure that Sir Bruce’s recommendations are fully implemented and patient care improves.
By The Health Foundation (2013)
This paper reports the results of a research project which critically analysed the ways that collaborative approaches are currently described; and started to examine what goes on in practice when clinicians and patients work together in ways they appreciate as meaningfully collaborative. It reflect on clinicians’ and patients’ experiences and draw on ideas from development economics and social justice.
By Henderson, C. et al. BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1035
This study found that the quality adjusted life year gain by patients using telehealth in addition to usual care was similar to that by patients receiving usual care only, and total costs associated with the telehealth intervention were higher. It concludes that telehealth does not seem to be a cost effective addition to standard support and treatment.
By The Nuffield Trust (March 2013)
This report highlights the findings of an in-depth study of commissioning, funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research (NIHR HS&DR) Programme.
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Vestbo, J. et al. The Clinical Respiratory Journal, 2012; 6(4): 208-214
The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) has published a strategy for diagnosis and for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) since 2001 and this has formed the basis for numerous national and regional guidelines.OBJECTIVES: We describe the background for the 2011 revision of the GOLD document.METHODS: The GOLD document is updated annually and revised every 5 years based on published research as well as an evaluation by an expert panel of how to best formulate and disseminate knowledge on COPD.RESULTS: The GOLD 2011 revision states that spirometry is required for making a clinical diagnosis of COPD. At the same time, the document has less emphasis on spirometric evaluation of disease severity and launches a combined assessment taking symptoms, spirometry and history of exacerbations into account. This is matched with initial treatment for COPD where smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation and physical activity in general are given high priority followed by pharmacologic treatment guided by the novel assessment scheme. Comorbidities are often present in COPD and the GOLD 2011 revision gives some guidance in how to manage these as well as how to manage COPD in the presence of comorbidities.CONCLUSION: A more clinically oriented
GOLD document will hopefully improve assessment and management of COPD.
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By NHS Improvment – Lung (2012)
This guide is based on learning from COPD and asthma service improvement projects. It aims to help future sites get started; make progress in improving quality; understand their use of resources; and measure improvement. It covers acute and primary care, home oxygen services, and asthma care.
Panella, M. et al. BMC Medicine, 2012: 10:71
Clinical pathways (CPs) are used to improve the outcomes of acute stroke, but their use in stroke care is questionable, because the evidence on their effectiveness is still inconclusive. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether CPs improve the outcomes and the quality of care provided to patients after acute ischemic stroke.
By NHS Improvment Lung (2012)
This publication is aimed at healthcare professionals, commissioners, patients and other key stakeholders involved in asthma services. It draws together the evidence and learning from the work undertaken by the national asthma improvement projects over a 12 month period in 2011/12 as part of the asthma workstream within the NHS Improvement – Lung programme.
By NHS Improvment Lung (2012)
This is a basic guide to the key principles every area should be adopting to provide good COPD care; if you do nothing else, start with these ten things and make sure they are in place for all your patients. It is also a helpful starting point for those new to commissioning for COPD services or for a stocktake for a local respiratory team.