Paediatric intensive care surge standard operating procedure – NHS England
This guidance sets out instructions for managing unplanned peaks in demand for critical care beds, across the country’s 29 paediatric intensive care units.

The After Francis policy commentary
Picker has published The After Francis policy commentary.  This document is based on a research project which looked at the value of collecting and reporting real-time patient feedback and how it can support relational care provision in hospitals.  A toolkit, consisting of the survey instruments, guidance and case studies, has been developed as part of the project and will be published in February 2017.  A full report evaluating the study will be published in Spring 2017.

Analysis of NICE technology appraisal decisions
The Office of Health Economics has published An analysis of NICE technology appraisal decisions ‘recommended in line with clinical practice’.  This paper explores decisions by NICE that new technologies are to be ’recommended in line with clinical practice’, to be distinguished from ’recommended in line with marketing authorisation’. 44% percent of all ‘recommended’ decisions in the period 2007-2016 were given this classification.

Responding to a request for assistance to die
The Royal College of Nursing has updated its guidance When someone asks for your assistance to die. This guidance supports nurses, health care assistants and other health professionals in adult practice who may be asked by patients, or their families or carers, to become involved in assisting suicide. It covers the law on assisted suicide in the UK, as well as the law on advance decisions

Maternity services and STPs
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has published NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) as at November 2016.  The RCM has analysed the content of the 35 STPs that have been published to date in order to see what references are made to implementing the Better Births maternity review report.

Draft multispecialty community provider (MCP) Contract
NHS England has published a number of supporting documents which provide additional information relating to the Draft multispecialty community provider (MCP) contract.   NHS England is inviting feedback on the documents by 20 January 2017.

Consultation on use of resources and well-led assessments – NHS Improvement
This consultation contains proposals for how NHS trusts and foundation trusts can make effective use of resources, leadership and governance enabling them to provide sustainable high quality services for patients. The deadline for responses is 14 February 2017.