Trusts ‘need’ IT directors at board level – HSJ
Hospital trusts ‘need’ chief information officers on their boards and should treat IT as a leadership function instead of a back office one, Will Cavendish has said

Protecting resources, promoting value: a doctor’s guide to cutting waste in clinical care –  Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
This research identified nearly two billion pounds worth of cost savings the NHS could be making if it provided more appropriate care in just sixteen areas of clinical practice. While the authors acknowledge that it would be impossible to identify the true figure that could be saved by clinicians, health service managers and patients, the guidance being made available to doctors shows how a series of relatively simple measures could create savings which can be reinvested to improve patient care and raise standards across the healthcare system.

What is preventing progress? Time to move from talk to action on reducing preventable illness –  British Heart Foundation
This report highlights how in England tackling common risk factors such as smoking, inactivity, unhealthy diet and alcohol would drastically reduce the number of people affected by common diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma and stroke, while helping to prevent or delay the onset of conditions like dementia. It outlines nine key calls to action through which political leaders and key decision-makers can ensure disease prevention is placed at the top of the agenda.

Guidance on prevention and management of stress at work – NHS Employers
For the past two years, 38 per cent of staff have told the NHS Staff Survey that they have suffered stress in the previous 12 months. NHS Employers also estimates that over 30 per cent of all sick leave is now caused by work-related stress in the NHS, costing up to £400 million each year. This guidance aims to help managers throughout the NHS reduce stress in the workplace and better support staff who experience it.

Not more of the same: ensuring we have the right workforce for future models of care – NHS Confederation
This paper sets out some considerations for developing a primary care workforce that is fit for purpose now and in the future. It argues that workforce planning and modelling assumptions in primary care need to incorporate new, emerging and more sustainable models of primary care. See also

The efficient management of healthcare estates and facilities – Department of Health
This guidance is for NHS trusts, foundation trusts and other NHS organisations and contains advice on achieving efficiency savings and reducing costs in NHS estates. This building note is split into two parts. Part A outlines how efficiencies in the running of land and property can be achieved. Part B provides more detailed advice about the active management of land and buildings used for healthcare services.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome guideline update
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has published updated guidance Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Long-term Consequences (Green-top Guideline No. 33). This guideline has been produced to provide evidence-based information to assist clinicians with a special interest and for updating the generalist who manages women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), to allow them to advise women about the long-term health consequences of the syndrome. This guideline does not cover infertility associated with PCOS.

People in control of their own health and care – The King’s Fund
The Kings Fund has published People in control of their own health and care: the state of involvement.  This report focuses on the reasons as to why despite previous initiatives to give people more control over their health and care they have largely failed to work. It also considers how more progress could be made to advance the case for making person-centred care the core of health and care reform. Additional link: Kings Fund infographic

Consultation on innovative radiotherapy treatments – NHS England
NHS England has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the way in which stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy services are commissioned. NHS England took on responsibility for commissioning these services in April 2013 and inherited a number of different commissioning arrangements. These meant that patients were experiencing variable access to services depending where they lived. The consultation sets out a number of options for change, each is focused on achieving the best possible choice and experience for patients.  The consultation closes on 26 January 2015.

National child measurement programme – PHE
Public Health England has published National child measurement programme: practice examples. The examples demonstrate how local authorities are meeting the National child measurement programme goals, and are aimed to help health public health professionals in find examples to apply to their local requirements.

Friends and Family questions for children – Picker Institute
Picker Institute Europe, in collaboration with Barts Health NHS Trust, has tested a range of child‐friendly versions of the Friends and Family Test question to determine the most suitable question format for children and young people. The Friend and Family Test (FFT) is already used nationally as a measure of adult acute care quality. As of 1st April 2015, it will be compulsory for all children and young people to be offered a suitable version of the FFT question whether receiving care as an inpatient or an outpatient, in a day ward or accident and emergency department environment.

State of general practice – Nuffield Trust
The Nuffield Trust has published two reports relating to general practice:

• The state of general practice: the views of health and social care leaders presents the results of a survey of 100 health and social care leaders which explores the perceptions of the main challenges facing general practice.  One third of respondents considered that general practice in crisis and two thirds agreeing that it is in need of reform and two thirds agreeing that it is in crisis.  Over half of leaders (57%) supported more funding for general practice and there was a parallel call for reform of the way primary care is organised, managed and delivered.

• Is general practice in crisis?  This policy briefing, published alongside the above survey, explores in more detail many of the issues and themes raised in the survey.  It provides an evidence-based overview of the current state of general practice in England, and offers some potential solutions. It examines demand for GP services, the GP workforce, funding, and standards of access and patient care. It then presents four ideas to help solve the problems facing general practice and the wider NHS.