Improving midwifery preceptorship with a midwifery development pathway
This case study by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust details their improved offer for junior midwives.

Writing a criteria-led discharge policy
Guidance on writing a patient discharge policy or standard operating procedure for the implementation of criteria-led discharge (CLD).

Integrated care payment design
The NHS Long Term Plan outlines how closer working across health and care organisations could help the NHS in England. We are working to develop a payment system which better supports integrated care.

Community Services Operating Model Guidance
Improving how we deliver community based services is essential to achieve the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan, in particular for improving response times, quality of care and the productivity of the workforce.

Learning disabilities mortality
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership has published The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review annual report 2018.  This is the third annual report of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme. It presents information about the deaths of people with learning disabilities aged 4 years and over notified to the programme from 1 July 2016 – 31 December 2018.

Also, NHS England has published Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) Programme: action from learning.  This report provides examples of the local changes that have been made to services so far and highlights the extensive work which is happening nationally in response to common themes raised through LeDeR reviews across the country.

NHS accountability framework
The Department of Health and Social Care has published The government’s 2019 to 2020 accountability framework with NHS England and NHS Improvement.  The government’s accountability framework with NHS England and NHS Improvement combines the annual statutory mandate to NHS England with its remit for NHS Improvement. The financial directions to NHS England provide further detail on how NHS England’s budget is broken down.

Mental health outcomes and the natural environment
RAND Europe has published A scoping study on the link between exposure to or interaction with the natural environment and mental health outcomes.  This study looks at scientific literature regarding the impact that exposure to nature has on mental health.  It finds that while the topic area is expanding, the evidence base is currently in its infancy and therefore weak.  However, there is emerging evidence suggestive of a positive association between nature and mental health.

Early intervention for eating disorders
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published Position statement on early intervention for eating disorders.  This position statement sets out the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ view, with supporting evidence, that early intervention for eating disorders is essential.  It also makes recommendations for actions to improve service provision in this area.

Health inequalities data
Public Health England has published the following data on health inequalities:

• Health Inequalities Dashboard: data update – monitors progress on reducing inequalities for 18 indicators
• Segment Tool – information on the causes of death and age groups at local area level.

Improving primary care access out of hours
The Nuffield Trust has published Improving access out of hours: evaluation of extended-hours primary care access hubs.  This report explores whether schemes aiming to increase the availability of primary care access out of hours improved the overall quality of services and patient experience in north London.  Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge CCGs commissioned this report to evaluate the impact of access programmes in their areas.

Technology and the NHS estate
The King’s Fund has published Clicks and mortar: technology and the NHS estate.  This report examines how current developments in technology in the NHS are affecting the NHS estate (primary, community and adult sectors) and identifies the opportunities technology may create for the estate in future.  It suggests STPs and ICSs will play a key role in planning technology and the estate across organisations.

A vision for general practice
The Royal College of General Practitioners has published Fit for the future: a vision for general practice.  This document sets out the RCGP’s vision for the future of general practice which includes longer appointment times, an overhaul of the GP-patient record into a personalised ‘data dashboard’, the development of ‘wellbeing hubs’, continuity of care via ‘micro-teams’ and a greater use of artificial intelligence.

Use of restrictive interventions for people with mental health problems, a learning disability and/or autism
The Care Quality Commission has published Interim report: segregation in mental health wards for children and young people and in wards for people with a learning disability or autism.  This interim report from the CQC review of restraint, prolonged seclusion and segregation for people with a mental health problem, a learning disability and or autism presents initial findings on the use of long-term segregation on mental health wards for children and young people and wards for people with a learning disability and/or autism.  The final report will be published in Spring 2020.  In the meantime, the CQC has made a number of recommendations for immediate action.

District Nursing
The Royal College of Nursing and Queen’s Nursing Institute have published Outstanding models of District Nursing.  This report aims to identify what makes an outstanding District Nursing service.  It explores a variety of District Nursing service models as well as the views and experiences of a wide range of stakeholders.  The report makes a number of recommendations based on the findings.

Dementia awareness e-learning
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has launched an e-learning course to raise the awareness and skills of care staff who work with people with dementia.  The course seeks to improve the wellbeing and experience of people with dementia and of the care staff working with them.