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Conference: Prescribing for Success

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:37:17 +0100

Prescribing for Success Expansion or Evolution is the First International Conference to be hosted by NHS North West.

This two day event is being held at the Manchester Central Convention Centre in the heart of Manchester on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th February 2010.

This is the ultimate opportunity to share best practice ideas and learn about current developments in prescribing from across the world. Full endorsement by the Department of Health is testimony to the fact that NHS North West has been and continues to be at the forefront of developments on prescribing in the UK.

Chaired by Roy Lilley, the conference will offer four themes for consideration by delegates, from patient safety, through service development to education and support and prescribing in practice. Just some of the many reasons why you should be making sure these dates are in your diary.

Click here to download the conference flyer and booking form.

Improving health, supporting justice

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:32:57 +0100

This report contains the government's national delivery plan for health and criminal justice as developed by the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board.

This builds on Lord Bradley's 2009 review of mental health and learning disability in the criminal justice system. It contributes to key government initiatives around protecting the public, reducing health inequalities, reducing reoffending and health improvement and protection.

Improving health, supporting justice the national delivery plan of the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board (PDF, 2.2MB))
Equality impact assessment (PDF, 1.1MB)

Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:58 +0100

The purpose of this document is to give guidance to local authorities and their Children’s Trust partners mentioned in paragraph 1.2 on the exercise of their functions in relation to:

the promotion of co-operation to improve the well-being of children and young people
the making of arrangements to ensure that they take account of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when doing their jobs.

The aim is to make sure that all looked after children and young people are physically , mentally, emotionally and sexually healthy, that they will not take illegal drugs and that they will enjoy healthy lifestyles.

Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children (PDF, 874KB)

Walk a mile in my shoes - Scrutiny of dignity and respect for individuals in health and social ...

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:12:41 +0100

This guide will assist Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) to raise awareness and understanding of dignity and respect for individuals who are receiving health and social care services. Using the guide, OSCs should be in a position to:

review local leadership and partnerships to judge whether services respect the dignity of service users
promote dignity and respect for individuals and the role of the OSC
help ensure local health and care services are commissioned and delivered with dignity as a central aspect of care
gather local intelligence and provide evidence which can be reflected in local reviews of services.

Dignity is an important issue for all users of all public services and, as such, should be part of local authority overview and scrutiny in many different areas, including housing services, transport and travel, leisure and cultural services, as well as scrutiny of health and social care services or issues relating to older people.

The guide is supported by a presentation and set of exercises which can be used by OSCs to inform their work on dignity and respect, both of which can be downloaded using the links below.

Walk a mile in my shoes (PDF, 500KB)
Presentation: Scrutiny of dignity and respect for individuals in health and social care services (Powerpoint, 1.7MB)
Set of exercises (PDF, 180KB)

Real accountability: guidance on the NHS duty to report on consultation

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:05:38 +0100

New legislation will come into force in April 2010. The NHS duty to report on consultations will require all PCTs and SHAs that commission services to explain how they have acted upon feedback from patients and the public. ‘Real Accountability’ aims to help the NHS get ready for the legislation. The guidance explains the legal obligations and provides practical help and advice in terms of preparing and publishing reports.

Equality Impact Assessment:18 Weeks Referral to Treatment Standard

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:03:48 +0100

Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) is a tool aimed at improving the quality of local services by ensuring public bodies systematically consider the actual or potential impacts of their policies and practices on certain communities or population groups. Organisations are required to take action to mitigate or eliminate the negative impacts and maximise the positive impacts or opportunities for promoting equality.

This EqIA looks at the impact of the 18 weeks referral to treatment waiting times policy on different groups in the community with the aim of informing future policy development in this area. In July 2009 93.6% of admitted patients and 97.7% of non-admitted patients were treated within 18 weeks across England.. The 90% (admitted) standard at the national level was achieved for the first time in August 2008, and has been sustained in every month since. The 95% (non-admitted) standard at the national level was achieved for the first time in July 2008, and has been sustained in every month since.

The scope of the Assessment concentrates on the core policy and the introduction of referral to treatment measurement replacing stage of treatment measurement as well as looking at the new entitlement to be treated within 18 weeks proposed as an addition to the NHS Constitution.

Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 160KB)

NHS facilities website launched

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:59:49 +0100

Space for Health is aimed at all those involved in the procurement, management, design and planning of healthcare facilities, including NHS and non-NHS providers.

The website is linked to the DH’s own site, and will bring together a suite of guidance, building notes and other information into one online resource.

Users, including estates and facilities managers, NHS facility commissioners, architects, engineers, healthcare planners, and construction professionals, will be able to access nation-specific information, depending on whether their project is in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The website replaces the Knowledge and Information Portal.

Space for Health

NHS proposals to allow patients to shop around for treatment

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:35:07 +0100

NHS patients could be given the right to shop around for treatment and the legal right to die at home under proposals unveiled by the prime minister.

Gordon Brown and the health secretary, Andy Burnham, formally launched public consultations on services aimed at transforming government targets into individual patients' "entitlements".

Never again would the NHS respond to financial pressures by allowing waiting lists to build up, Burnham promised.

Announcing what is to be included in the NHS Constitution and proposals for additional rights, they also took the opportunity to expand on the government's achievements in the health service.

Several key pledges have been revealed before, while other proposals open up novel possibilities that could have significant implications for the NHS. By setting them down as entitlements, the government believes it is "empowering" patients through providing guaranteed minimum standards of treatment. When the constitution was published earlier this year, the government said it would be an "evolving" document.

Among proposals for public consultation is the suggestion there should be a big expansion of personal health budgets, a system being piloted in social care.

Press release

Three conference being endorsed by NHS Networks

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:32:19 +0100

NHS Networks are endorsing the HSJ conferences next year and details of all three can be found using the links below.

Commissioning 2010
Embedding quality, efficiency and innovation into World Class Commissioning
18 March 2010, Birmingham
Commissioning tools showcase and exhibition
19 March 2010, Birmingham
Disinvestment training seminar
19 March 2010, Birmingham

Conference: Using Patient Experience to Improve Quality of Care

editorial@nhsnetworks.info — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:26:47 +0100

This conference gives attendees the opportunity not only to understand how to measure patient experience but to go further and use that data to help deliver better services for patients.

A range of high-level, insightful and passionate keynote speakers will address issues around the importance of patient experience. Ten ‘how to’ sessions will offer attendees a range of topics to explore, discuss and learn top tips from.

Conference flyer (PDF, 1MB)
Book your place here.