People’s experiences of leaving hospital or care

Healthwatch is exploring new ways of conducting an inquiry. Unlike standard public inquiries, this investigation would be led by people with direct experience of unsafe discharge. Healthwatch wants to hear people’s experiences of the discharge process and learn what can be done to improve outcomes.

Research report considers staff experience and patient outcomes – NHS Employers

NHS Employers have commissioned a report on behalf of NHS England looking at the international research evidence on the links between staff and patient experience.

Addressing missing data in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): implications for comparing provider performance – Centre for Health Economics (CHE)

This paper argues that comparisons of provider performance using patient reported outcome measures should account for missing PROMs data. It argues that the missing data creates statistical problems and this may make PROMs data less representative of patient experiences. This paper tests out a statistical approach which aims to compensate for the missing data.

Series of podcasts explore impact of staff engagement in the NHS – NHS Employers

In our latest series of podcasts, we present the emerging results of a research evidence review on the impact of staff engagement in the NHS.

Biomedical engineering: advancing UK healthcare – Instistute of Mechanical Engineers

This report argues that boosting the number, as well as the influence, of engineers in the NHS would help cut the number of incidents caused by faulty medical equipment. It calls for for urgent action to prioritise the role of engineers in the NHS, and introduce a Chief Biomedical Engineer in every NHS acute trust.

How physiotherapists can take the pressure off surgery services – HSJ Article

Physiotherapists working as extended scope practitioners in the spinal surgery service at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital have had a positive impact on patients and the trust, write Patrick Hourigan and colleagues Wirral aims for digital two years early – EHI News The Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is using funding from the first round of NHS England’s technology fund to move towards a “fully digital environment” by 2016.

Commissioning for quality: views from commissioners – Dr Paul Husselbee – NHS England 

A new interactive web resource has been launched to support CCGs on commissioning high quality services that deliver improved outcomes for patients. Dr Paul Husselbee, Chief Clinical Officer of NHS Southend CCG gives his view: “High quality care for all, now and for future generations” – This is the very least the public deserves from our NHS. But how can we, as commissioners, make this vision a reality?

Manchester trust calls for suspension of Healthier Together consultation – HSJ Article

A teaching hospital, whose services are threatened by a major shake up of acute care in Greater Manchester, has called for a ‘flawed’ consultation on the plan to be suspended.

Compulsory Data Protection Audits for NHS Bodies – Health Commissioning Portal

On 15^th July 2014, the Ministry of Justice announced that the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) is to be given new powers by the end of the year to carry out compulsory data protection audits of public NHS bodies. The ICO can already carry out consensual audits of NHS bodies, but has long argued that simply relying on organisations to agree to an audit is not sufficient to address the significant compliance problems within the NHS.

Government response: Improving the NHS: response to Unite’s campaign – Department of Health

Department of Health’s response to Unite the Union’s campaign, Save our NHS. The government believes that modernisation of the NHS is necessary, in patients’ interests and is the right thing to do to secure the NHS for future generations. The NHS must keep improving if it is to meet rising public expectations, the demands of an ageing population and the costs of effective new treatments.

NICE Quality Standard: Avoiding serious illness in children with unexplained fever

NICE has published a new quality standard Feverish illness in children under 5 years (QS64) This quality standard covers the assessment and initial management of unexplained feverish illness in infants and children (from birth to 5 years).
Additional link: NICE press release

NICE consultation

Child abuse and neglect: scope consultation. Closing date for comment 20 August 2014
Personality disorders (borderline and antisocial): topic engagement exercise. Closing date for comment 7 August 2014
Osteoarthritis: topic engagement exercise. Closing date for comment 7 August 2014
Breast cancer (early) – intrabeam radiotherapy system: appraisal consultation. Closing date for comment 15 August 2014

Bulletins
NHS Managers Bulletin: issue 24

Health Statistics
Statistics on Waiting Times for Suspected and Diagnosed Cancer Patients Annual Report – 2013/14
Acute and Non-Acute Delayed Transfers of Care: monthly situation reports – June 2014
Critical care bed capacity and cancelled operations: monthly situation reports – June 2014