National early warning score
The Royal College of Physicians has published National Early Warning Score (NEWS)2: standardising the assessment of acute-illness severity in the NHS.  This updated report from 2012 has now received formal endorsement from NHS England and NHS Improvement to become the early warning system for identifying acutely ill patients, including those with sepsis, in hospitals in England.

Out-of-area screening
Public Health England has published Breast screening: guidance for providers on ‘out-of-area screening. This guidance outlines national policy on the screening of women at a different NHS breast screening unit from the one the local screening provider invites her to attend.  Services have a responsibility to screen women who ask for breast screening at their unit.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has published a new patient information leaflet Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy and newborn babies. This leaflet provides advice for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant about Group B Streptococcus infection in newborn babies.

Medicines and pharmaceutical products and services
The NHS Specialist Pharmacy Agency has published An overview of NHS procurement of medicines and pharmaceutical products and pervices for acute care in the United Kingdom.  This paper gives an overview of the current arrangements for the procurement of medicines and pharmaceutical products and services in the UK. It is intended as a resource document for individuals working in the NHS who do not have a background in medicines and pharmaceutical products and services.

NICE guidance

Clinical guideline

• CG128    Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis

Diagnostics guidance

• DG14     Atrial fibrillation and heart valve disease: self-monitoring coagulation status using point of care coagulometers (the CoaguChek XS system)

Interventional procedures guidance

• IPG599 Transvaginal mesh repair of anterior or posterior vaginal wall prolapse
• Additional link: NICE news
• IPG600  Endobronchial valve insertion to reduce lung volume in emphysema
• IPG601  Transcutaneous microwave ablation for severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis
• IPG602  Artificial heart implantation as a bridge to transplantation for end-stage refractory biventricular heart failure
• IPG603  Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion for preventing sudden cardiac death

Fragmentation across local health and care systems
The Care Quality Commission has published Local system reviews: Interim report. This review examined health and social care systems in twenty local areas to find out how services are working together to care for people aged 65 and older. The report highlights that in too many instances older people find the experience of moving between health and social care services confusing. Too often, care is fragmented, choice is limited and people are uncertain about who is coordinating their care needs.

New specialised treatments for patients
NHS England has announced the results of the first of two prioritisation rounds to decide which new specialised commissioning treatments and services will be made available for patients for the 2018/19 financial year. Funding for the new treatments and services will begin from April and will benefit an estimated 3000 patients in the first year and thousands more annually after that.

Reducing delayed transfers of care
NHS England has published Framework for maximising the use of care homes and use of therapy-led units for patients medically fit for discharge. The purpose of this framework is to supplement local escalation plans by describing standards of care and ways of working, which are in use and making a difference to discharging patients and maximising use of beds outside the hospital setting.

Make the most of new innovations
The Nuffield Trust has published Falling short: why the NHS is still struggling to make the most of new innovations. This briefing examines the reasons why the NHS is slow to adopt seemingly well-evidenced innovations.

State of medical education and practice in the UK
The General Medical Council has published The state of medical education and practice in the UK 2017. This seventh annual report on the state of medical education and practice in the UK sets out an overview of issues that feature prominently in healthcare. It examines the GMC data relating to the changing medical register and explores the patterns of complaints about different groups of doctors.

Diagnosing cancer in primary care
The British Journal of General Practice has published Diagnosing cancer in primary care: results from the National Cancer Diagnosis Audit. This audit shows that GPs are doing a good job at identifying patients they suspect of having cancer, and referring them in an appropriate and timely manner within five days of initial presentation. The findings highlight the usefulness of audits in taking a stocktake of where primary cancer is in cancer diagnosis across the NHS, and identifying areas for improvement moving forward.

NHS efficiency map updated
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) in partnership with NHS Improvement have update and revised the NHS efficiency map. The map is a tool that promotes best practice in identifying, delivering and monitoring cost improvement programmes (CIPs) in the NHS. The map contains links to a range of tools and guidance to help NHS bodies improve their efficiency.

Commissioning rituximab for chronic inflammatory conditions
NHS England has published Commissioning Policy: Rituximab for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), multifocus motor neuropathy (MMN), vasculitis of the peripheral nervous system & IgM paraprotein-associated demyelinating neuropathy (adults).   Following a review of evidence NHS England has decided that will not routinely commission this specialised treatment in accordance with the criteria described in this policy.

Specialist rehabilitation following major Injury
The British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine has published The National Clinical Audit for Specialist Rehabilitation following major Injury (NCASRI) Second Year Audit Report: overcoming the challenges of    NCASRI. This inquiry was commissioned to determine the scope, provision, quality and efficiency of specialist rehabilitation services across England and improve the quality of care for adults with complex rehabilitation needs following major trauma.

Seven day hospital services
NHS Improvement has published Seven day hospital services: challenges and solutions. The seven day hospital services programme aims to ensure that patients requiring emergency treatment receive high quality, consistent care every day of the week. The programme centres on delivering the ten clinical standards with four standards identified as priorities.  This document describes key challenges and practical solutions that trusts identified.

Oesophago-Gastric cancer audit report
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership has published National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit Report 2017. This 2017 annual report provides the most up-to-date information on the care and outcomes of patients diagnosed with OG cancer or oesophageal high grade dysplasia. The information is primarily published to support the quality improvement activities in hospitals providing OG cancer care as well as the commissioners of cancer services.

Bulletins

• Drug Safety Update: December 2017

Statistics

• Childhood Immunisation CCG/GP Practice level Coverage Statistics (Management Information)
• Suicides in the UK: 2016 registrations
• Monthly data on patient safety incident reports: England December 2016 – November 2017