NHS safety culture: reducing never events
The Care Quality Commission has published Opening the door to change: NHS safety culture and the need for transformation.  This report examines the underlying issues in NHS trusts that contribute to the occurrence of Never Events and the learning that can be applied to wider safety issues.  It finds that too many people are suffering unnecessary harm because NHS staff are not supported by sufficient training, and because the complexity of the current patient safety system makes it difficult for staff to ensure that safety is an integral part of everything they do.  Additional link: CQC press release

Financial sustainability of health and social care
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has published Department of Health and Social Care accounts.  The financial sustainability of health and social care is a serious and ongoing concern of the Committee.  It finds the Department should provide an assessment of the impact of regional variations on patient care; urgent action needed on risks Brexit poses to recruitment and the supply of medical equipment; and  the NHS 10-year plan must explain how the service will address the many challenges it faces.

Pain relief during pregnancy and breastfeeding
The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists has published Antenatal and postnatal analgesia (Scientific Impact Paper No. 59).  Following reported concerns over the use of codeine during breast feeding, this paper reviews existing evidence-based guidance on the use of painkillers during and after pregnancy, as well as during breastfeeding.

Skills advisory panels
The NHS Confederation has published Skills advisory panels.  This briefing aims to provide an update on the skills advisory panels, which will play an important role in identifying, prioritising and addressing local skills gaps.  It will be of particular interest to STPs and ICS leaders, including those responsible for strategy and workforce, and NHS HR Directors.

Complaints about the NHS
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has published Complaints about the NHS in England: quarter 2 2018-19.  This report presents statistics on complaints about the NHS in England. It presents data about the NHS complaints received, assessed and investigated from July to September 2018, as well as the recommendations made.

Women’s Mental Health Taskforce
The Department of Health and Social Care has published The Women’s Mental Health Taskforce: final report.  This report sets out how women’s experience of mental ill health can differ to men’s and the strategic priorities for the future.  It urges commissioners and providers across the health and care system to take note of the report findings and to embed these in their work.

Cancer in children and young people
NCEPOD has published On the right course? A review of the quality of care provided to patients aged 24 years and under who were receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy and subsequently died or were admitted to critical care.   This analysis of care delivered to children and young adults who either died or had an unexpected admission to critical care within 60 days of receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) has shown a mixed picture of care received.

Clinically-assisted nutrition and hydration
The BMA and Royal College of Physicians have jointly published Clinically-assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) guidance to support doctors making decisions about CANH for adults who lack capacity.  The guidance includes a decision-making flowchart, training materials, infographic and information for family and friends.

Cannabis-based medicines
The Royal College of General Practitioners has published Cannabis-based medicines: an interim desktop guide. This guide provides practical information to support GPs to hold informed discussions and make decisions when patients request for cannabis. The guide outlines the key issues to consider around the use of cannabis-based products for medicinal purposes.

Robust system risk management
The Healthcare Financial Management Association has published How do you ensure robust system risk management arrangements. This briefing explores how to develop robust risk management arrangements across systems.

NICE guidance:

NICE guideline

Technology appraisal guidance

Interventional procedures guidance

Medtech innovation briefing

Diagnostics guidance

Statistics

• General Practice Workforce – Final 30 September 2018, Experimental statistics
• NHS Payments to General Practice – England, 2017/18
• Learning Disability Services Monthly Statistics – Provisional Statistics (AT: November 2018, MHSDS: September 2018 Final)
• Breast Screening Programme, England – Provisional Statistics 2017-18
• Diagnostic Imaging Dataset – August 2018
• NHS Sickness Absence Rates – August 2018, Provisional Statistics
• NHS Workforce Statistics – September 2018
• NHS Staff Earnings Estimates – September 2018, Provisional Statistics
• National Data Opt-Out – December 2018
• Surveillance of surgical site infections in NHS hospitals in England: 2017 to 2018
• Zoonoses report UK 2017
• Summary report for importation of unlicensed medicines – 1 July to 31 September 2018
• NRLS Monthly Report England – December 2017 to November 2018
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: performance against our service charter 2018/19 – July to September
• Living longer: fitting it all in – working, caring and health in later life