“Minimums should never become maximums” – RCN responds to guidelines for A&E nurse staffing
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued draft guidance to advise NHS A&E departments on how to ensure there are safe levels of nursing staff.

Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes
The National Audit office has published Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes in England. The report highlights that progress has been made in cancer outcomes since 2010, however, significant variations across the country remain, and the poorer outcomes for older patients and those from more deprived backgrounds, show that there is potential for improvement. The report also details the gap in outcomes between England and the European average.

Integrated care
Monitor has launched a consultation Integrated care licence condition: draft guidance for providers of NHS-funded services.  This draft guidance makes clear Monitor can take action if providers block efforts to deliver joined-up care for patients.  It sets out core principles and gives examples of situations which might lead to action from the regulator.  The consultation closes on the 13 February 2015.
Additional link: Monitor news report

Eyes on evidence
The January 2015 issue of Eyes on Evidence has been published and includes the following items:

•           Pharmacy-based screening for cardiovascular risk
•           Self-management of hypertension in people at high risk of cardiovascular events
•           Mental health after stopping smoking
•           Alpha-blockers for expulsion of ureteral stones
•           Haemoglobin thresholds for blood transfusion
•           Evidence Updates: spasticity in children and young people with non-progressive brain disorders; ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage; and hyperphosphataemia in chronic kidney disease.

Collection and use of patient experience information

The University of Oxford and Picker Institute have published Development of new models for collection and use of patient experience information in the NHS.  The aims of the project were to: develop a simple, conceptually grounded and unified model for assessing patient experience and to evaluate that model; and evaluate whether and how pathway and service line focused assessments of patients’ experiences provide added value to standard organisational surveys.  The study found that utilising and understanding patient experience is a consistently high priority for healthcare professionals. However national initiatives need to go further in terms of their ability to deliver more granular intelligence that can be used to improve care quality at a local level.

Diabetes state of the nation report

Diabetes UK has published State of the Nation report: challenges for2015 and beyond: England.  This annual report shows there has been little overall improvement in diabetes healthcare in the past year with 40% of people with diabetes not getting the NICE recommended checks.  The report also highlights how preventing Type 2 diabetes needs to be a greater priority to help reduce the burden of the condition on NHS resources in the future.It calls for clinical commissioning groups to set themselves performance improvement targets and implement diabetes action plans. The charity is also urging CCGs to ensure all people with diabetes have access to the support they need to manage their condition effectively, and that the local health system is designed to deliver this.

NICE guidance: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
NICE has publishedGastro-oesophageal reflux disease: recognition, diagnosis and management in children and young people(NG1).  This guideline focuses on signs and symptoms and interventions for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) n children and young people.   The guideline also advises healthcare professionals about when to think about investigations, and what treatments to offer.

Urgent care benchmarking
The NHS Benchmarking Network has published the Urgent Care Benchmarking report for the 2014 cycle of the project.  The report compares capacity and demand across primary care out of hours, community services, and secondary care.  A wide number of areas are explored including service models, access and waiting, infrastructure, activity, workforce, finance, quality and outcomes. The report also contains detailed information on the 4-hour wait target, as well as other key performance metrics.  Please note that registration for the NHS Benchmarking Network members area is required to view this report.

Change challenge
NHS Improving Quality, the Health Service Journal and Nursing Times have launched a campaign to challenge the focus on top-down change.  They want to hear about experiences and ideas on how the NHS goes about change by asking what things block or help from delivering bottom-up change.  The campaign will be facilitated via a secure website, where you are invited to submit ideas and experiences anonymously.  The next phase of the campaign will seek help to develop solutions for individuals and organisations to use to deliver bottom-up change.