HSJ roundup: (contact the library for further details on any of these HSJ articles)

Robert Francis calls for regulation of senior managers  
Senior NHS managers should be regulated in the same way as nurses and doctors to ensure public trust and confidence, the chair of the Mid Staffordshire public inquiry has said.

Government advisers criticise plans to extend investigation ‘safe  
Government plans to extend a legal “safe space” to all NHS trusts investigating safety incidents are “dangerous” and “doomed to cause problems”, according to experts who helped design the original policy.

Foundation trusts call off merger
A planned merger of two acute foundation trusts has been called off after one of the providers involved decided merging did not offer the best chance of stabilising either finances or services.

The Autumn Statement: Joint statement on health and social care – Nuffield Trust, The King’s Fund and the Health Foundation
At the end of 2015, our three organisations came together to provide an independent assessment of what the Spending Review would mean for the NHS and social care.

New programme aims to standardise hospital death reviews – NHE
Hospitals are being encouraged to adopt a new scheme, developed by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), to contribute to a national standard for learning lessons from patient deaths. The National Mortality Case Record Review Programme (NMCRRP) aims to replace the various mortality reviews currently used with one standardised, national…

GM must think ‘laterally & creatively’ about funding A&E upgrades – NHE 
Greater Manchester (GM) organisations will have to think “laterally and creatively” about the best way to access sufficient capital to enable infrastructure upgrades in the region’s urgent and emergency care departments, the chief officer of GM Health and Social Care Partnership has said. In an exclusive interview with…

Future CCG mergers must consider fit with STPs under new guidance – NHE 
Future CCG mergers will have to demonstrate that they provide a “more logical footprint” for the delivery of local sustainability and transformation plans (STPs), NHS England has stated.  In its newly published guidance – Procedures for Clinical Commissioning groups to apply for constitution change, merger or…

STPs must assess cash needed to make outdated A&E departments ‘fit for purpose’- NHE 
The sustainability and transformation plan (STP) process must include an assessment of the infrastructure investment needed to ensure type 1 emergency departments – or major consultant-led A&E departments open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – are fit for purpose, the Health Select Committee has said in a damning report on…

Innovative doctors invited to join unique training programme – NHS England
Health education leaders in England are calling for the country’s most innovative and forward-thinking junior doctors to apply for a unique national training programme. Integrated Clinical Entrepreneur Training, developed and managed by NHS England and Health Education England, is designed to keep the most forward-thinking, entrepreneurial clinicians within this country, bringing the benefit of cutting-edge […]

Hypertension resource pack
A new blood pressure resource pack for primary care practitioners and local authorities has been developed. The pack Blood pressure:  how can we do better? highlights the national picture around high blood pressure and also breaks down the data into tailored packs for every CCG, highlighting local opportunities for improvement. The pack has been developed by a group of GPs, nurses and pharmacists from the Primary Care CVD Leadership Forum, working in partnership with Public Health England, the British Heart Foundation, NHS England and other stakeholders.  The individual packs contain infographics that show how the CCG and local practices are performing in detection and management of high blood pressure.

Guidance for CCGs intending to apply for constitution change, merger or dissolution
NHS England has published Procedures for clinical commissioning groups to apply for constitution change, merger or dissolution (pdf). It provides CCGs thinking about different ways of working across boundaries with clarity about the tests NHS England will apply when considering applications to do so. It includes a list of 11 separate criteria that CCGs will have to meet for formal merger, as well as prior approval for merger of senior management.

Revised ectopic pregnancy guideline published
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Association of Early Pregnancy Units has published Diagnosis and Management of Ectopic Pregnancy (Green-top Guideline No. 21). This guideline replaces The Management of Tubal Pregnancy, which was published in 2004. The guideline provides evidence-based information on the diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancies, including the surgical, pharmacological or conservative treatment options available and the level of support that should be offered to women.

Baby visits to audiology clinics parent information published in languages
Public Health England has published new translated versions of the patient information leaflet Your baby’s visit to the audiology clinic: information for parents. This leaflet explains what happens at the first visit to an audiology clinic, including the tests involved and possible outcomes.

Physiotherapy services in general practice
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, in conjunction with the British Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners, has published General Practice Physiotherapy posts: a guide for implementation and evaluation. This guidance aims to provide GP practices, practice groups and commissioners with information and advice on employing a physiotherapist and the potential of their role within general practice. The guidance offers solutions to different scenarios in primary care with a range of practical ways to introduce a physiotherapist role in a GP surgery.

NICE advice and guidance
Evidence summary
ES1 Minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in adults: rituximab

NICE Shared Learning
NICE has added the following items to its local practice collection:
Active Mothers: moving away from Obesity Through Healthier lifestyle Exercise Relaxation and Support In Bexley