Chief Medical Officer confirms cases of coronavirus in England 
Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, statement about cases of novel coronavirus in England.

How-to guide: non face-to-face (virtual) clinics 
This guide, developed in collaboration with NHS clinicians, managers and patients, provides a comprehensive guide to setting up non-face-to-face clinics (also known as virtual clinics). These can help reduce unnecessary outpatient visits, saving time and money for patients and the health service. The NHS aims to avoid up to a third of the number of face-to-face outpatient visits over five years, removing the need for up to 30 million outpatient appointments each year. The guide is free to use, delivered through both text and videos and includes how to develop a project plan and business case.

NHS Long Term Plan: what people want
Healthwatch has published What people want from the next ten years of the NHS.  This report summarises the views of over 40,000 people on how they would like the NHS Long Term Plan priorities to be implemented locally.  The report covers access to services, improving people’s experiences of digital services, people’s experiences of different conditions, person-centred care, prevention and social prescribing, mental health, carers, people’s experiences of service integration and transport to healthcare.

King’s Fund Strategy 2020-24
The King’s Fund has published The King’s Fund strategy 2020-24: towards better, fairer health and care.  The King’s Fund has chosen three areas of focus for the next five years where it has the greatest opportunity to use its skills and resources to improve health and care.  These are: drive improvements in health and wellbeing across places and communities; improve health and care for people with the worst health outcomes; and support people and leaders working in health and care.

NIHR Signals
The following research summaries have been added to the National Institute for Health Research website:

• Two commonly used pressure redistributing mattresses are similar for preventing pressure ulcers but differ on price
• Impact of a national quality improvement programme for hospital wards is unclear
• Fewer infections with antibiotic-impregnated shunts for hydrocephalus
• Computerised speech and language therapy can help people with aphasia find words following a stroke

NICE consultations

• Supporting adult carers: topic engagement.  Closing date for comments: 13 February 2020.
• Esketamine for treatment-resistant depression: appraisal consultation.  Closing date: 18 February 2020.
• Lorlatinib for treating ALK-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: appraisal consultation.  Closing date for comments: 18 February 2020.

Forthcoming national health campaigns – February 2020

• World Cancer Day – 4 February 2020
• Time to Talk Day – 6 February 2020

Statistics

• Acute Patient Level Activity and Costing, 2018-19
• Appointments in General Practice – December 2019
• Breast Screening Programme, England 2018-19
• Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England – April 2019 to September 2019
• Maternity Services Monthly Statistics – October 2019, experimental statistics
• Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) 2019 – England
• National Wheelchair Data Collection – Quarter 3 2019/20
• Alcohol and drug treatment in secure settings 2018 to 2019

Bulletins

• NICE Update for Primary Care – January 2020
• NICE News – January 2020
• Drug Safety Update – January 2020