Guidance: UK AMR strategy: measuring success – HM Government

Antimicrobial resistance is when infections caused by microorganisms survive exposure to a drug that was supposed to kill them or stop their growth, this is a particular problem with antibiotics. The measures agreed by the UK antimicrobial resistance strategy High Level Steering Group, taking advice from expert scientific advisory committees including the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections (ARHAI), cover 4 areas:

• trends in resistance
• quality of prescribing in primary and secondary healthcare settings
• public and professional knowledge and understanding of antimicrobials and their appropriate use.
• global security through ensuring global alignment in addressing AMR

These measures apply equally to human and animal health.

2014 Accountability hearing with the Health and Care Professions Council: First Report of Session 2014–15: Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report – House of Commons Health Committee

Highlights the following

• Time taken to conclude Fitness to Practise hearings
• Revalidation or ‘continuing fitness to practise’
• The Francis report
• Regulation of social care workers
• Statutory regulation of other new groups

Additional Items

• Government response to the House of Commons Health Committee report of session 2012-13: 2012 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council
• Government response to the House of Commons Health Committee report of session 2013-14: 2013 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council

Sustaining and assuring the quality of student  nurse mentorship: what are the challenges?

Providing mentorship to nursing students is the cornerstone of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) education standards, which ensure nurses are fit for practice at the point of registration. Assuring the quality of mentorship is a concern to the higher education and healthcare providers who share responsibility for it, particularly at a time when nursing competence is much in the public eye. Drawing on NNRU research, this Policy Plus focuses on perspectives of HEI and service personnel on sustaining and assuring the quality of mentorship within a difficult economic climate and at a time of debate about its
future direction.

Employers welcome GMC’s doctor training survey – NHS Employers

NHS Employers has welcomed the General Medical Council’s ‘National Training Survey 2014’ (23 June 2014) and its findings that overall satisfaction and standards are high.

Inquiry into the future of patient care – Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)

An independent inquiry has been set up by RCGP to look at how the NHS can best provide care for patients at a time of constrained resources, to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing number of patients with multiple long term conditions. The inquiry is calling for written evidence from interested organisations and individuals, to help inform the proceedings, to be submitted by 16th July 2014.

• Further information and details