Chief inspector of hospitals announces inspection plans
CQC’s new chief inspector of hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards is introducing radical changes to the way hospitals in England are inspected.
First results from NHS Friends and Family test published
New data from the NHS Friends and Family survey, which asks patients whether they would recommend A&E and inpatient wards to their nearest and dearest based on their own experience, has been released.
NHS England and the HSCIC launch a consultation on hospital data to raise standards and improve patient safety
The HSCIC has published NHS Hospital Data and Datasets: A Consultation for views on what information should be extracted from hospitals in future in order to raise standards, improve safety, and reduce inequalities in patient care.
New research explores association between nurse staffing levels and quality of care
Research published online in BMJ Quality and Safety, finds that ward nurses say they are forced to ration care, and not do or complete certain aspects because of time constraints.
New proposals to ensure care and compassion in the NHS and in social care
All healthcare assistants and social care support workers should undergo the same basic training, based on the best practice that already exists in the system, and must get a standard
‘Certificate of Fundamental Care’ before they can care for people unsupervised, according independent Cavendish Review,
‘Certificate of Fundamental Care’ before they can care for people unsupervised, according independent Cavendish Review,
King’s Fund on state of health and social care
The report finds that for the final quarter of 2012/13, nearly 6% of patients waited four hours or longer in A&E, the highest level since 2004.
Health workforce information review
This report sets out findings and recommendations from a review of the arrangements for handling health workforce data and intelligence. A supporting document provides links to best practice and toolkits on information governance.
Acheiving value in health systems – HFMA Right Care briefing
This briefing describes how Right Care’s approach supports the delivery of reform and improvement in a robust and systematic way, ensuring that the effort of the organisation and its partners is focused on transforming the right services to deliver improvements to patients while saving money
Putting patients at the heart of care
This briefing from the NHS Confederation highlights the experiences of some of the independent sector organisations that have looked hard at the total package of care they provide to ensure they continue to meet the changing needs and demands of their patients.
New website highlights variation in avoidable death
The figures are part of Longer Lives, a new Public Health England (PHE) website which allows local people to see easily how their areas perform on early deaths from the major four killers, like heart disease and cancer, and how this varies across the country
Social media for chief executives: the essential guide
The figures are part of Longer Lives, a new Public Health England (PHE) website which allows local people to see easily how their areas perform on early deaths from the major four killers, like heart disease and cancer, and how this varies across the country.
Clinical commissioning hub
This hub brings together information to support the commissioning of secondary care services across medical specialties. It also reinforces the promotion of patient experience and education and training in commissioning decisions.
Proposals for the 2014/15 national tariff
Monitor and NHS England have published three documents on proposals for the 2014/15 national tariff.
CQC launches consultation on the future of inspection and regulation
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published plans to change the way health and social care is regulated. This consultation focuses on hospital care.
Your choices: consultant choice
NHS England will begin the staged publication of mortality rates for individual hospital consultants in ten specialties. The data – covering around 3,500 consultants – will appear on the NHS Choices website and will cover a range of operations and procedures.
Approved Costing Guidance
Costing services accurately has the potential to deliver higher quality care to patients and better value for the NHS, both through better prices and improved information for clinicians and other decision makers at health care providers. The Approved Costing Guidance sets out Monitor’s approach to costing and we are encouraging providers of NHS-funded services to adopt this approach.
King’s Fund on state of health and social care
The report finds that for the final quarter of 2012/13, nearly 6% of patients waited four hours or longer in A&E, the highest level since 2004.
Health workforce information review
This report sets out findings and recommendations from a review of the arrangements for handling health workforce data and intelligence. A supporting document provides links to best practice and toolkits on information governance.
Acheiving value in health systems – HFMA Right Care briefing
This briefing describes how Right Care’s approach supports the delivery of reform and improvement in a robust and systematic way, ensuring that the effort of the organisation and its partners is focused on transforming the right services to deliver improvements to patients while saving money.
Putting patients at the heart of care
This briefing from the NHS Confederation highlights the experiences of some of the independent sector organisations that have looked hard at the total package of care they provide to ensure they continue to meet the changing needs and demands of their patients.
Acheiving value in health systems – HFMA Right Care briefing
This briefing describes how Right Care’s approach supports the delivery of reform and improvement in a robust and systematic way, ensuring that the effort of the organisation and its partners is focused on transforming the right services to deliver improvements to patients while saving money.
New website highlights variation in avoidable death
The figures are part of Longer Lives, a new Public Health England (PHE) website which allows local people to see easily how their areas perform on early deaths from the major four killers, like heart disease and cancer, and how this varies across the country.
Social media for chief executives: the essential guide
This briefing explores how using social media platforms can help NHS chief executives develop a collaborative leadership style that helps get results in the complex system of health and social care.
Clinical commissioning hub
This hub brings together information to support the commissioning of secondary care services across medical specialties. It also reinforces the promotion of patient experience and education and training in commissioning decisions.
Proposals for the 2014/15 national tariff
Monitor and NHS England have published three documents on proposals for the 2014/15 national tariff.
CQC launches consultation on the future of inspection and regulation
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published plans to change the way health and social care is regulated. This consultation focuses on hospital care.
Your choices: consultant choice
NHS England will begin the staged publication of mortality rates for individual hospital consultants in ten specialties. The data – covering around 3,500 consultants – will appear on the NHS Choices website and will cover a range of operations and procedures.
Approved Costing Guidance
Costing services accurately has the potential to deliver higher quality care to patients and better value for the NHS, both through better prices and improved information for clinicians and other decision makers at health care providers. The Approved Costing Guidance sets out Monitor’s approach to costing and we are encouraging providers of NHS-funded services to adopt this approach
NHS launch plan to help hospital and A&E departments keep waiting times in check
Plans to strengthen performance in urgent and emergency care are being put in place across the country to help hospital A&E departments meet demand and tackle waiting time pressures
Hospital mortality review data
NHS England has published detailed data about the first four of the 14 hospitals involved in the review of mortality data.
NHS launch plan to help hospital and A&E departments keep waiting times in check
Plans to strengthen performance in urgent and emergency care are being put in place across the country to help hospital A&E departments meet demand and tackle waiting time pressures.
NHS premises assurance model
The NHS Premises Assurance Model (Pam) is a management tool that provides NHS organisations with nationally consistent approach to evaluating NHS premises performance against a set of common indicators.
Guide to hospital data for non-executive directors
The NHS Confederation has published a briefing for non-executive directors (NEDs) interested in improving their understanding of NHS data and how it can be used to determine what is going on in their hospital. It looks at elective hospital admissions, waiting times and patient experience. See also The non-executive directors’ guide to hospital data part one: Activity, pathways and datasets
The regulation and oversight of NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts
A Joint statement on changes to regulation and oversight of NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts proposed in response to the Francis report.
Model Core Constitution
The Model Core Constitution has been updated. It reflects provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which are relevant to NHS foundation trusts' constitutions and which are now in force. Aspirant foundation trust should use this version.
First year's findings about harm-free patient care published
The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has released its first publication based on the NHS Safety Thermometer tool, which reports an increase in the percentage of assessed patients who received harm-free car
The accountability framework for NHS trust boards
This framework sets out how the NHS Trust Development Authority will work with NHS trusts on a day-to-day basis, how it will assess their progress and how it will provide the development support each organisation need
Study of medical leadership models
From the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham and the King’s Fund this report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the state of medical leadership in NHS trusts today.
Healthcare groups: an alternative to merger-mania?
There is a growing consensus that acute NHS trusts in particular, are about to enter a new phase of organisational consolidation. This NHS confederation briefing summarises key learning from those who have already had involvement in developing healthcare groups and considers what might be done to take the concept further.
Three-fold variation in overall length of NHS stay following admission for hip fracture
This analysis in the latest National Hip Fracture Database report shows that the overall length of NHS stay for hip fracture across 180 hospitals ranges from 12.4 to 44.5 days – more than a three-fold variation
Clinical audit: statutory and mandatory requirements
This framework sets out how the NHS Trust Development Authority will work with NHS trusts on a day-to-day basis, how it will assess their progress and how it will provide the development support each organisation needs.
Health statistics notes and guidance: patient experience
These documents provide technical information, notes and guidance relating to the patient experience overall measure
Raising standards, putting people first: CQC strategy for 2013 to 2016
This strategy document outlines changes to the way that CQC will inspect and regulate services to make sure they provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care, and to encourage them to make improvements.
Quality accounts resource 2010-14
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) has updated its quality accounts tool to include information on the NHS outcomes framework.
Quality Governance: How does a board know that its organisation is working effectively to improve patient care?
This guidance from Monitor is designed for use across all types of NHS providers, including existing and aspirant NHS foundation trusts in the acute, specialist, ambulance, community and mental health sectors.
Using NICE guidance and quality standards to improve practice
This guide suggests what an organisation can put in place, and what staff can do to use NICE evidence-based guidance and quality standards to improve practice. It also explains ways to assess the extent to which your organisation is implementing NICE guidance and using quality standards, and how to address any gaps if you find out it is not.
Applying for NHS Foundation Trust Status: Guide for Applicants (April 2013)
The version of the Guide for Applicants published on 5 April 2013 contained a error regarding the statutory consultation process for Foundation Trust applications. The Guide was corrected and re-published on 12 April 2013.
Compassion in Practice implementation plans
NHS England has published its implementation plans for Compassion in Practice:
·
Summary Implementation Plans ·
Action area 1: helping people to stay independent, maximising well-being and improving health outcomes ·
Action area 2: working with people to provide a positive experience of care
Action area 3: delivering high quality care and measuring impact ·
Action area 4: building and strengthening leadership ·
Action area 5: ensuring we have the right staff, with the right skills, in the right place ·
Area 6: supporting Positive Staff Experience
Summary Implementation Plans ·
Action area 1: helping people to stay independent, maximising well-being and improving health outcomes ·
Action area 2: working with people to provide a positive experience of care
Action area 3: delivering high quality care and measuring impact ·
Action area 4: building and strengthening leadership ·
Action area 5: ensuring we have the right staff, with the right skills, in the right place ·
Area 6: supporting Positive Staff Experience
Improving the allocation of health resources in England
The paper from the King’s Fund explores how the health resource allocation process and the formula on which it is based have changed over time, and how it will work from April 2013.
Atlas of variation for liver disease
The NHS Atlas of Variation in Healthcare for People with Liver Disease reveals widespread variation in the prevalence of risk factors for liver disease across the NHS.
GMC publishes updated core guidance for all UK doctors
Every doctor in the UK will have to show they meet the professional standards set out in the updated guidance, Good Medical Practice from the General Medical Council.
Debt up and productivity down in NHS trusts
This report from Nuffield Trust examining patterns of spending and labour productivity, finds that the proportion of trusts in deficit has risen over the past four years, that there has been little improvement in hospital productivity
NHS standard contract deeds of variation now available
Providers are required to vary all contracts, which will run on beyond 31 March 2013 in order to incorporate policy requirements for the coming commissioning year. For the year 2013/14 these policy requirements are those set out in Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2013/14 and supporting guidance
Confirmation of payment by results arrangements for 2013/14/Collection of Reference Costs
The Department of Health has confirmed arrangements for payment by results (PbR) in 2013/14. And has issued final guidance for the collection of 2012/13 reference costs from 24 June to 26 July 2013.
The new provider licence
Monitor’s new provider licence has now been finalised and published, and is the new main tool that will regulate providers of NHS services. Foundation trusts will be licensed from April 2013, and other eligible NHS providers from April 2014
Maternity, child health, child and adolescent mental health services data sets
These data sets from the NHS Information Centre will provide comparative, mother and child-centric data that will be used to improve clinical quality and service efficiency. All NHS funded providers of these services in England should commence data collection from April 2013.
Final list of mortality indicator outliers announced
Sir Bruce Keogh has announced an investigation into hospitals that are persistent outliers on mortality indicators. The list includes ULHT.
Diagnostics waiting times and activity – November 2012
The Department of Health has published data on waiting times and activity for 15 key diagnostic tests for the month of November 2012.
New data on emergency readmissions
The NHS Information Centre has published new data on emergency readmissions.
NHS safety thermometer 2013/14: CQUIN guidance
This guidance explains how the NHS Safety Thermometer tool can be used to achieve CQUIN goals for 2013/14. It outlines a step-by-step process to aid an understanding of data, and how to use it to set improvement goals and measure improvement over time.
Review of urgent and emergency services in England
The NHS Commissioning Board is to review the model of urgent and emergency services in England. The review, will set out proposals for the best way of organising care to meet the needs of patients.
Payment by Results update eleven – January 2013
The DoH has published its eleventh Payment by Results (PbR) update. It includes information on PbR in 2013/14 and best practice tariffs.
Briefing on the new NHS standard e-contract
The new NHS standard contract has been launched and will be available for the first time as an e-contract.
Study of the use of contracts in commissioning
This report commissioning by the policy research unit at the Department of Health presents findings from research into how commissioners negotiate, specify, monitor and manage contracts.
Changes to quality accounts reporting arrangements for 2012/13
Amendments made to the National Health Service (Quality Accounts) Regulations 2010, change the reporting requirements for quality accounts being published in June this year.
New tools and resources to support NHS reconfiguration
The NHS Confederation has published resources to help NHS leaders communicate and engage with staff, patients, the public and stakeholders about changes to local services
NHS TDA publishes Planning & Technical Guidance for 2013/14
Toward High Quality, Sustainable Services: Planning Guidance for NHS Trust Boards for 2013/14 sets out the expectations for what NHS Trusts will deliver in the coming year and how the NHS Trust Development Authority will support them to achieve high quality and sustainable care for the patient and communities they serve
Any Qualified Provider (AQP)
The Department of Health has published the updated versions of the Choice of Any Qualified Provider (AQP) implementation packs. These packs contain example service specifications, prices and other information to support commissioners to commission services using the AQP route.
Best practice tariffs and their impact
The Audit Commission has published an assessment of the impact of best practice tariffs (BPTs). It looks at their influence on day case surgery, fragility hip fractures and acute stroke and how implementation can be improved.
Malnutrition toolkit for commissioners and providers
This toolkit contains guidance for commissioners and providers on defining the relevant, measurable outcomes related to nutritional care within services in order to gain value for money.
Testing the new licensing system for providers of NHS-funded care
From April 2013, a new licensing system for most providers of NHS funded services is expected to be established. This is a briefing on the simulation event held to test the licence in a set of fictitious scenarios was held.
The Quarter: quarter 2 2012/13
David Flory’s quarterly report for Q2 (July to September) 2012/13 provides a summary of the NHS financial position and performance against the national priorities set out in the NHS Operating Framework 2012/1
Payment by Results 2013-14 road test package
The road test exercise provides an opportunity for providers to test out the new tariff and to comment on the draft 2013-14 Payment by Results (PbR) guidance and PbR code of conduct.
Progress in making NHS efficiency savings
The National Audit Office reports that the NHS made a substantial amount of efficiency savings in 2011-12.
2012/13 reference costs
Draft guidance for the collection of 2012/13 reference costs from NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in July 2013 has been published for comment and feedback.
Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2013/14
The NHS Commissioning new planning guidance for 2013/14 outlines the incentives and levers that will be used to improve services from April 2013, the first year of the new NHS where improvement is driven by clinical commissioners
Some additional planning documents are also available.
Some additional planning documents are also available.
Developing operational delivery networks
The NHS Commissioning Board have announced the introduction Operational delivery networks (ODNs) will cover areas such as neonatal intensive care, adult critical care, burns and trauma and are focused on coordinating patient pathways between providers over a wide area to ensure access to specialist support and expertise.
The NHS Performance Framework 2012/13: update
The Department has published an update to annex A of NHS Performance Framework 2012/13 relating to the VTE risk assessment indicator.
How patient choice affects treatment location, England, 2003-2011
This report from the Nuffield Trust considers the extent to which patients or their referring doctors have been choosing a different location of care since 2006.
Future trends overview
This briefing from the Kings Fund summarises some of the most significant trends and drivers that will potentially affect health and social care services over the next 20 years.
NHS Outcomes Framework 2013 to 2014
The NHS Outcomes Framework 2013 to 2014 sets out the outcomes and corresponding indicators that will be used to to account for improvements in health outcomes.
The NHS Confederation has produced a “mind map” bringing together on one page all the indicators for each of the five domains in the 2013/14 Outcomes Framework.
The NHS Confederation has produced a “mind map” bringing together on one page all the indicators for each of the five domains in the 2013/14 Outcomes Framework.
Design and Use of Performance Measures to Decrease Low-Value Services and Achieve Cost-Conscious Care
This paper provides specific examples of possible measures to assess use of low-value services and discusses how these measures can be used in clinical practice and policy.
Providers to collect AHPs’ referral-to-treatment information
From April 2013 there will be a requirement for general and acute providers to collect allied health professions’ referral-to-treatment (AHP RTT) information as set out in the new commissioning data set (CDS) v6.2.
Fair Playing Field Review – for the benefit of patients: Discussion Paper
Monitor is carry out an independent review of “matters that may be affecting the ability of providers of NHS services to participate fully in improving patient care”. The purpose of this document is to outline progress and invite comments on specific issues that have arisen.
New standards for NHS boards
Standards for members of NHS boards and governing bodies in England have been published by the Professional Standards Authority. They put respect, compassion and care for patients at the centre of leadership and good governance of the NHS.
Radiotherapy Services in England 2012
This new report from the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group (NRIG) explains what the data really tells us about radiotherapy services across the country and assesses whether the metrics for radiotherapy services remain current.
Calculating Quality Reporting Service FAQs
Connecting for Health has produced a list of FAQs for the new Calculating Quality Reporting Service (CQRS) system which will replace QMAS from next year.
‘Ofsted-style’ ratings system for hospitals and care homes considered
The DoH has ordered a review into the way information on NHS and social care services is given to patients and the public. The study, to be completed by the end of March 2013, will assess the merits of an ‘Ofsted-style’ system of ratings for hospitals and care homes.
Updated never events policy framework and data published
The never events policy framework has been reviewed and updated in order to address areas of uncertainty and provide greater clarity about never events and the recommended response to them following feedback from stakeholders.
Cold Weather Plan for England
The Cold Weather Plan 2012 provides advice for individuals, communities and agencies on how to prepare for and respond to severe cold weather.
Implementing emergency preparedness arrangements
This letter from the NHS Commissioning Board provides additional instructions and information to support implementing the revised emergency preparedness, resilience and response (EPRR) arrangements in the NHS.
Launch of the national capabilities survey 2012
Emergency planning officers and emergency planning liaison officers are advised of the launch of the national capabilities survey 2012. The survey applies to both category 1 and 2 health responders.
The Quarter
David Flory’s quarterly report for Q1 (April to June) 2012/13 provides a summary of the NHS financial position and performance against the national priorities set out in the NHS Operating Framework 2012/13.
Rethinking urgent care
This Primary Care Foundation report highlights that the significant queues some Urgent Care Centres allow to build up are often associated with a process described as "triage and wait" in which patients wait once to be prioritised and then wait again for a full consultation. The report urges urgent care centres to move to a “see and treat” model that is more effective at providing a rapid response.
In hospital at home: Redditch and Bromsgrove opens virtual ward
Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG have calculated that identifying and effectively managing patients at high risk of hospital admission using the virtual ward approach should largely wipe out a projected deficit for 2012/13 of £1.4m by reversing a rise in non-elective activity at its main acute provider.
A new approach to priority setting can improve patient care and save money
This report from the Health Foundation describes how NHS Sheffield used a new approach, called Star (‘socio-technical allocation of resources’), to re-allocate resources within its eating disorder services
Ten challenges in improving quality in healthcare: lessons from the Health Foundation’s programme evaluations and relevant literature
The authors of this study aimed to integrate lessons from evaluations of the Health Foundation’s improvement programmes with relevant literature to offer insights for those who undertake improvement work in healthcare. 10 key challenges were identified and suggestions made as to how best to respond to these challenges.
Design and Use of Performance Measures to Decrease Low-Value Services and Achieve Cost-Conscious Care
This paper provides specific examples of possible measures to assess use of low-value services and discusses how these measures can be used in clinical practice and policy.
Identifying “value opportunities”: service reviews and business process engineering
West Cheshire PCT and CCGs have used Right Care principles to identify “where to look” for service improvements that can generate savings for re-investment and service quality and outcomes improvements. They have combined the use of spend and outcome tools, analysis of variation and Programme Budgeting with Service Reviews and Business Process Engineering techniques to take reform, innovation and efficiency proposals through to successful delivery, generating £7m across three service areas in one wave of service reviews, as part of a successful £15m QIPP programme.
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