NHS England sets out plan for a sustainable Cancer Drugs Fund – NHS England
NHS England has pledged a £160m boost over two years for the Cancer Drugs Fund, giving more patients access to innovative drugs not routinely available on the NHS. Two new drugs will now also be added to the Fund; enzalutamide for prostate cancer and lenalidomide for a group of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood condition. With an annual budget of £200m, now rising by 40 per cent to £280m, the Fund has delivered important benefits for more than 55,000 patients since it began in 2010.

More details needed on new registration process – Royal College of Nursing 
The NMC has announced a new regime for registering nurses who trained outside the EU. The new process will involve a computer-based exam and tests in simulated clinical scenarios, replacing the current minimum three months of supervised practice.

Total Reward Statements (TRS) – Tranche one is now live – NHS Employers 
The TRS tranche one statements for North East, North West, Yorkshire & North Humberside is now live.

Govt recruitment drive for more ‘physician associates’ to save NHS – Integrated Care Today 
Physician associates will train for two years under an intensive programme, instead of the seven completed by doctors, to provide support in the diagnosis and management of patients in hospitals.

NICE guidance published 27.08.2014

• Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy – Interventional procedure guidance (IPG499)
• Total prosthetic replacement of the temporomandibular joint – Interventional procedure guidance(IPG500)
  Additional link: NICE Press release
• Minimally invasive video‑assisted parathyroidectomy – Interventional procedure guidance(IPG501)
• Dimethyl fumarate for treating relapsing‑remitting multiple sclerosis – Technology appraisal (TA320)
• Detecting, managing and monitoring haemostasis: viscoelastometric point‑of‑care testing (ROTEM, TEG and Sonoclot systems)– Diagnostic guidance (DG13)
• The hTEE system for transoesophageal echocardiographic monitoring of haemodynamic instability – MedTech Innovation Briefing (MIT7)
• The Airsonett temperature-controlled laminar airflow device for persistent allergic asthma – MedTech Innovation Briefing (MIB8)
• The PolySoft hernia patch used with the ONSTEP technique to treat inguinal hernias – MedTech Innovation Briefing (MIB9)

Bulletin

• NHS Workforce Bulletin –  26 August 2014