Current information to support your practice

Subject:    Health Management

Date:     September-October 2009

Before you read on …..

Here is what some of you said about the previous editions.

“I found it very useful. I’ve looked at a couple of the articles in more depth, but just having the synopsis is a big help to understand and have an awareness of the current issues.”

“I have found this particular newsletter valuable ….

It contains an Audit Commission report that I would otherwise not have come across.”

General

The CRC energy efficiency scheme and the NHS

The Carbon Reduction Commitment energy efficiency scheme, which will begin in April 2010 with an introductory three-year phase, is a mandatory energy efficiency scheme that will affect both the public and the private sector. This Briefing outlines the main details of the scheme which will affect NHS trusts. (NHS Confederation – publications Oct 09)

Leading the field: foundation trusts and their approach to the sustainability agenda

Sustainability is a key issue on the Government’s agenda. NHS Confederation believe that foundation trusts have a significant role to play in the sustainability agenda and have talked to their members about the business drivers and obstacles of sustainability and corporate governance in foundation trusts. This publication discusses the issue. (NHS Confederation – publications, Sept 09)

Guidance on changes to recording and reporting data about necessary and planned treatment of overseas visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA)

This letter advises on changes to be made to the collection and reporting of data about overseas visitors from 12 October 2009, with detailed guidance about the processes, and information about future workshops. (Department of Health – publications, Oct 09)

Choice at the point of referral: Early results of a patient survey.
The government’s Choice policy has yet to be fully implemented and has yet to drive quality in the NHS, a study by the King’s Fund has concluded. Patients are three times more likely to consult their GP than NHS Choices when choosing a hospital, according to King’s Fund research.  Press release (Nov 09)

Patient Care & Safety

Doctors must fight for the NHS
David Levy (Consultant oncologist and government adviser on cancer)argues that with the NHS facing an uncertain future, doctors must act now to protect services for patients. (BBC News 14/10/09)

Rotation of doctors in training during pandemic influenza

As part of ongoing organisational preparedness, Ian Dalton, National Director of NHS Flu Resilience and Pat Hamilton, Director of Medical Education (England) have written this letter outlining arrangements for the rotations of doctors in training in the event of serious pandemic flu. It is accompanied by a paper by Prof David Sowden, the Pandemic Flu educational advisor to the Department of Health, and a statement of support from the Postgraduate Medical and Education Training Board (PMETB). (Department of Health – publications, Sept 09)

Managing patients’ medicines after discharge from hospital

The Care Quality Commission have published findings from its study of how well patients’ medication is managed after leaving hospital. It visited twelve PCTs, as commissioners of GP and hospital care, and surveyed 280 of their GP practices. The report suggests that the NHS may be at risk of failing to prevent harm to patients from medicines unless it improves sharing of vital information when people move between services. (Care Quality Commission – publications, Oct 09)

Oxygen safety in hospitals

New guidance, produced by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and NHS organisations across England and Wales, has been released aimed at ensuring safer systems are in place to treat patients needing oxygen. The alert to all NHS acute, community and mental health organisations, as well as the independent sector, follows reports received by the NPSA of 281 serious incidents between December 2004 and June this year.  Of these incidents, poor oxygen management appears to have caused nine deaths and may have contributed to a further 35 deaths.   (Sept 09)

Safety in doses: improving the use of medicines in the NHS.

The incidence of reported drug errors leading to avoidable deaths and patient harm is on the increase, according to a new National Patient Safety Agency report.  (Sep 09)

Patients…. not numbers, people…. not statistics
The Patients Association has published this report containing 16 first hand accounts of patient care in hospital. The report calls on government and the Care Quality Commission to conduct an urgent review of the standards of basic care being received by patients in hospital and demands stricter supervision and regulation of hospital care. (Aug 09)

Press Release

Quality Assurance / Information Governance

The right information in the right place at the right time
A study of how Healthcare Organisations manage personal data.

Care Quality Commission. (Sept 09)

Report on clinical coding and improving clinical records
A new study has made key recommendations into improving clinical records and clinical coding.  The study, by the Audit Commission and the Royal College of Physicians, took place in an acute hospital trust. Two sets of newly published standards were introduced; generic medical record keeping standards that apply to all medical notes, and structure and content standards for the doctors’ admission clerking record.  (Aug 09)

Financial Management

Auditors’ local evaluation and use of resources 2008/09: summary results for NHS trusts and primary care trusts

Each year, the Audit Commission assesses how well NHS trusts and primary care trusts manage their resources and deliver value for money. For 2008/09, these assessments have been based on the Auditors’ Local Evaluation for NHS trusts and use of resources for primary care trusts. This national report outlines the scores and how they should be viewed in the context of the overall financial performance of the NHS in 2008/09. (Audit Commission – publications, Oct 2009)

Implementing the Health Act 2006: review of fees for applications to provide pharmaceutical services in England: consultation document

The NHS Pharmaceutical Services (Fees for Applications) Directions 2008 (as amended in April 2008) came into force on 21 April 2008 and specify the types of application for which a fee will be payable and the levels of such fees. The government undertook during the passage of the Health Bill 2006 to consider a general review of this measure 18 months after it was introduced. This consultation seeks comments and views on the impact of charging on the NHS, pharmacy and appliance contractors and applicants and whether or not the current fees represent a fair contribution to NHS costs. (Department of Health – publications, Oct 2009)

Workforce

Reaping the rewards: retraining refugee healthcare professionals for the NHS

This briefing explores the benefits for the NHS in supporting and employing refugee healthcare professionals. It provides information about refugees’ right to work in the UK, a framework for engagement for the NHS, as well as showcasing the work of trusts in this area. (NHS Employers – publications, Nov 2009)

Medical Training Initiative (MTI) guide
This guidance is designed to allow overseas doctors to undertake up to two years of training and experience in the UK. It explains the benefits of the MTI and signposts additional information. (Healthcare Workforce Portal – publications, Nov 2009)

Improving staff engagement: a practical toolkit

This briefing provides pointers on how to get staff engagement rights and offers tips that have high impact at low cost. In addition it also looks at the roles managers have to play in ensuring staff are clear on what is expected of them as identifying where employees know what is expected dramatically improves performance and engagement levels. (NHS Employers – publications Nov 2009)

Leading the NHS workforce through to recovery

This briefing looks at the way that employers who have worked through past and present challenges adjusted their workforce and HR strategies to meet them, and urges immediate action from workforce leaders to meet the challenges ahead. (NHS Employers – publications Nov. 2009)

Pension Choice? Career and retirement options for the NHS

This briefing is for boards and human resource directors in NHS organisations in England.  It covers the strategic issues and potential risks for boards in relation to the NHS Pension Choice exercise. It outlines how good employment practice during the Choice exercise will help organisations to support staff, retain skills and prepare for the future. (NHS Employers – publications, Nov 09)

Can you teach bedside manner?

One of the most vital skills a doctor can learn is how to deliver difficult or bad news in a clear and sympathetic way.  Ros Levenson, a lay member of the General Medical Council, explains how their training is changing to make sure that all doctors have a good bedside manner. (BBC News 4/11/09)

Main Source: Health Management Specialist Collection (NHS Evidence)

http://www.library.nhs.uk/healthManagement/

If you have any difficulties accessing the documents referred to, please contact the Trust Library and

Information Resource Centre on x 65405 / 68189.

If you think that you would like to receive this regularly in your inbox please let me know and I will put you

on a distribution list for future updates.

If you have any feedback/comments / suggestions, please contact me on extension 65753 or send me

an email on  valerie.haigh@srft.nhs.uk

What is the clinical librarian service?

The Clinical Librarian Service is part of the Trust library service at Salford Royal Foundation Trust.  The specialist service is designed to support staff in the delivery of evidence-based practice, clinical governance, high quality patient care, education and training, lifelong learning and research.

Who can use the clinical librarian service?

The Clinical Librarian Service is available to all NHS staff working in the hospital or on placement within Salford Royal.

What does the clinical librarian service offer?

• Searching the evidence to support healthcare
• Literature searching
• Clinical query answering service
• Literature search skills training
• Help with information retrieval
• Journal club support
• Current awareness – advice on how to keep up-to-date
• Critical appraisal and evaluation of health information

Where is the Clinical Librarian Service based?

At the point of need this could be ward rounds, clinical meetings, audit meetings.

The Clinical Librarian Service can visit your workplace, present to your team a demonstration of the library services and health information resources available to them.

How can I contact the clinical librarian service?

Contact Bernadette Beisty ext 61933 or email bernadette.beisty@srft.nhs.uk

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Knowledge must not only be created by the formidable efforts of researchers, but also be systematically organised and made available to clinicians who need it. NHS Evidence – women’s health has been developed to serve the information needs of healthcare professionals involved in the care of women. It is however freely accessible by all, including our resourceful patients.

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Annual Evidence Updates (AEUs) present the highest-quality evidence on a topic which has been published in the previous 12-18 months.

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The Specialist Library for Ethnicity and Health (SLEH) became ‘NHS Evidence – ethnicity and health’ on the 1st April 2009 as part of a move of all the NHS Specialist Libraries into NHS Evidence, provided by NICE, with a single access portal

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This specialist collection addresses a wide range of topics related to the health and well being of children. It is primarily aimed at professionals involved in the care of children, but it is hoped that it will be of value to all users when seeking information on a wide variety of aspects of child health

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NHS Evidence – vascular aims to provide high quality, evidence-based information on all aspects of vascular diseases. This site is aimed at health professionals with an interest in vascular diseases

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NHS Evidence – Trauma and Orthopaedics exists primarily to support the work of NHS health professionals in the field of trauma and orthopaedics in the UK.  This electronic resource covers the management of orthopaedic trauma after the first 24 hours post injury

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NHS Evidence – stroke is being developed to provide high quality, evidence-based information on all aspects of Stroke. This site is aimed at health professionals with an interest in Stroke.