Knowledge @lert for Wednesday 22nd July

July 22, 2015 CCG Daily News

Poor discharge leaving vulnerable patients ‘bewildered’ – Nursing Times
Patients leaving hospital that are older, homeless or have mental health problems are often being left “frustrated” and “bewildered” with tragic consequences in some cases, according to a new report revealing the extent of poor discharge in England.

Making change possible: A Transformation Fund for the NHS – King’s Fund and The Health Foundation
The King’s Fund and the Health Foundation both support the concept of a Transformation Fund for the NHS in England. The two organisations came together to undertake a programme to establish how such a fund would be managed and resourced. The report draws on analysis conducted by the two organisations, in particular six case studies of funding transformation, in the health sector and beyond, along with examples of local NHS initiatives. It also captures the experience of NHS leaders and some of those organisations across the NHS that have been at the forefront of efforts to implement changes in the delivery of care.

Reasons Why People With Dementia Are Admitted To A General Hospital In An Emergency – Public Health England
This study finds the proportion of people with dementia being admitted to hospital in an emergency increased by 48% between 2008 to 2009 and 2012 to 2013. It focuses on the reasons why people with dementia are admitted to a general hospital in an emergency and considers ways in which some of these could be prevented. It recommends that although strategies to improve care for people with dementia have progressed and there is greater awareness of the symptoms, there is room for improvement.

Finding a path for the cure for dementia: an independent report into an integrated approach to dementia research – Department of Health
This report by Raj Long, Senior Regulatory Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sets out what and where hurdles exist in the development of treatments for dementia. The report forms part of the ambition to help drive towards the G8 dementia summit’s goal of a cure or disease modifying therapy for dementia by 2025.

SELECTT User Guide – Department of Health
Selectt: how drugs and pharmaceutical suppliers to the NHS can submit proposals for work commissioned by the Commercial Medicines Unit.

A laboratory guide to newborn blood spot screening for inherited metabolic diseases – Department of Health
This publication covers all 6 inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) and incorporates the previous PKU and MCADD laboratory handbook. The document covers screening and diagnostic protocols and initial clinical referral guidelines for the 6 inherited metabolic diseases:

Community health services
NHS Confederation has published The art of the possible: what role for community health services in reshaping care? This discussion paper is aimed at commissioners and providers developing new care models in response to NHS England’s Five Year Forward View. It offers early thinking on how community health services can add value to emerging new models, aiming to stimulate further debate about their role at the heart of integrated, community-based care

Sentinel Stroke National Audit results
The Royal College of Physicians has published the ninth report from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP). The report reveals that eleven stroke services scored an overall ‘A’-grade for the quality of care they provide for patients, demonstrating that a world class service is achievable. The report relates to patients admitted between January and March 2015 and includes named hospital results for the entire inpatient care pathway.

Assistive technology
The Department of Health has published Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2014-15. This latest annual report provides information about the wide range of government funded projects supporting the development, introduction and evaluation of assistive technology that might increase the range of activities and independence or wellbeing of disabled and older people. The Annex provides a listing of Government-funded assistive technology research and development projects current in 2014/15.

Patient discharge from care
Healthwatch has published Safely home: what happens when people leave hospital and care settings. This report highlights the importance of transfers of care across all settings acute, mental health, community and ambulance and to and from social care and care home settings. The information comes from patients and service users with direct experience of when transfers or discharge from care has gone wrong.

Wider public health workforce
The Centre for Workforce Intelligence and the Royal Society for Public Health have published Understanding the Wider Public Health Workforce. Commissioned by Public Health England, Health Education England and the Department of Health, this review of the wider public health workforce in England, identifies the size and scope of this workforce, provides examples of its work and considers possible professional development needs for strengthening this important service. The report has found that at least 15 million people contribute to the public health agenda in England – ranging from police and fire personnel, to opticians and housing officers.

The Royal Society for Public Health has also published Rethinking the public health workforcewhich identifies a number of occupations, who have already started to support public health work.

NICE advice
NICE has published a number of NICE advice documents. These are a critical assessment of evidence to inform decision making, rather than formal NICE guidance; The following advice has been published: