DynaMed introduces a new mobile app!
If you use the clinical reference tool, DynaMed™ which the Library & Knowledge Service subscribes to, you can now access the valuable, evidence-based content anywhere with the new DynaMed mobile app. The new app has been redesigned to make it easier and faster to find answers to clinical questions.

• Contact the Library & Knowledge Service for further information about DynaMed™ or Phn. 01704 704202

Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings: a systematic review. L Perrier, et al. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2014, 21(6):1118-1124
This paper concludes that services provided to clinicians were shown to be effective in saving time for health professionals and providing relevant information for decision-making.  Two studies indicated patient length of stay was reduced when clinicians requested literature searches related to a patient’s case.

• Contact the Library & Knowledge Service  to request a Literature Search or Phn. 01704 704202

Morecambe Bay hospital services reconfiguration plans revealed – Health Service Journal 
Plans have been unveiled to reconfigure services at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust by phasing out most of the inpatient surgery at one of its hospitals.

• Contact the Library & Knowledge Service to request this article or Phn. 01704 704202

Acute trusts seek to establish ‘blueprint’ for regional locum agencies – Health Service Journal 
Nine South West trusts have embarked on an initiative to bring down the cost of hiring locum doctors, which it hopes will be a “blueprint” for the health service across the country.

• Contact the Library & Knowledge Service to request this article or Phn. 01704 704202

NICE – Medtech Innovation briefings
NICE has published four new Medtech Innovation Briefings the details are as follows:

• The AutoPulse non-invasive cardiac support pump for cardiopulmonary resuscitationMIB18
• The Arrow OnControl powered bone marrow biopsy system for bone marrow aspiration and biopsyMIB19
• The ZedScan as an adjunct to colposcopy in women with suspected cervical intra‑epithelial neoplasia. MIB20
• The SpyGlass direct visualisation system for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures during endoscopy of the biliary systemMIB21

New ‘buddy scheme’ launched
NHS Improving Quality is launching a ‘buddy scheme’ to support some NHS trusts in England to improve cancer patients’ experience of care. The scheme will see trusts that were most highly rated in the Cancer Patient Experience Survey provide support to trusts where patient feedback identified room for improvement. The aim of the scheme is to spread and accelerate innovative practice via peer to peer support and learning. It is hoped this will lead to a reduction in national variation in cancer patients’ experiences of care. All the trusts involved have volunteered to take part in the improvement programme.

New learning materials published for health visitors
The Institute of Health Visiting has developed new resources to support the continuing professional development of health visitors. The new resources include:

•  A National Framework for Continuing Professional Development for Health Visitors – This framework has been developed for employers of HVs to support the commissioning and benchmarking of CPD across all HV service providers
•  Lifelong Learning in Health Visiting a guide to personalise continuing professional development. This guide aims to enable them to review their own personal and professional development and consider how best to develop their own practice.
• A new online CPD directory for health visitors to provide them with access to a wide range of CPD opportunities to enhance their capabilities

Variation in the care of patients with COPD
The Royal College of Physicians has published COPD: Who cares matters, National Chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Audit Programme: Clinical audit of COPD exacerbations admitted to acute units in England and Wales 2014. This report is the second in the current round of the 2014 secondary care component of the national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) audit, and it covers the description of clinical care in the acute hospital setting.  It builds on the experiences of the three previous audits since 1997 and reflects not only the performance of the hospital services but also the generally improving long‐term care for patients with COPD.  This report differs from its predecessors by beginning to appreciate that it is not entirely possible to divorce the hospital episode from what is happening in the community. It also acknowledges that the shape of hospital care is changing.

Female Genital Mutilation e-learning resource
Health Education England is set to launch a new e-learning resource designed to improve the knowledge and understanding of female genital mutilation amongst healthcare professionals in the NHS.  Developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, and supported by the Department of Health’s FGM Prevention team, the material deals with the issues posed by FGM at all stages of a girl or woman’s life, including the impact on physical and emotional health, legal status and referral pathways.  The content has been written by clinicians with real practical experience of working with women and children in this field, supported by a wide range of stakeholders (including survivors). In the lead up to the official launch, HEE encourages everyone to visit the e-lfh.org.uk website to find out about how NHS staff, including school nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and GPs can gain access to this free interactive e-learning resource.

Change in the NHS
The Kings Fund has published new digital report, the future is now.  The report looks across England and overseas into future ways of changing health and health care systems.  It brings together examples of change, focusing on a future that already exists, albeit unevenly distributed. From Yorkshire and London, to Sweden and the Netherlands it provides examples of change that is unfolding among patients and the public; among NHS staff and leaders; and across systems.

NHS Constitution for England
The Department of Health has published How do I give feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service? It explains how patients can give feedback or make a complaint about NHS care or treatment. It includes information on the NHS complaints arrangements, and what patients can expect when they make a complaint. This document has been added to the suite of other documents published March 2012 relation to the NHS Constitution.

Community centred approaches to health and well-being
Public Health England has published A guide to community-centred approaches for health and wellbeing. This guide outlines a ‘family of approaches’ for evidence-based community-centred approaches to health and wellbeing. It presents the work undertaken in phase 1 of the project and provides a guide to the case for change, the concepts, the varieties of approach that have been tried and tested and sources of evidence

Statistics

• Provisional Monthly Patient Reported Outcome Measures  in England – April 2013 to March 2014 – February 2015 Release
• Provisional Monthly Patient Reported Outcome Measures  in England – April 2014 to September 2014
• Hospital Activity Data –  December 2014
• NHS cancelled elective operations – quarter ending 31 December 2014

 …and finally … Half the world’s population has a genetic mutation that makes Brussels sprouts taste extremely nasty. #1411Facts http://t.co/XAyCCPdKuT — The QI Elves (@qikipedia) February 13, 2015