NICE guidance updates

• Covid-19 Rapid Guidance:

NICE guideline NG159 COVID-19 rapid guideline: critical care in adults has been updated following concerns about the application of the guideline.

Other NICE guidelines:

Minimum statutory/mandatory training for returning staff – NHS Employers
To support returning staff to the NHS, there are four statutory/mandatory training e-learning modules that are required to be completed as a minimum:

• Health, safety and welfare
• Fire safety
• Infection prevention and control – level 2
• Resuscitation – level 2.

It has also been recommended that, for current NHS employees who have not changed roles and who have previously undertaken training in the core subjects of statutory/mandatory training, refresher training requirements should be suspended for the duration of the current crisis.

Technical specifications for personal protective equipment (PPE) – Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) UPDATED 6/4/20
These documents define the technical and regulatory standards for Personal Protective Equipment.

COVID-19  E-Learning programme
This programme has been created by Health Education England e-Learning for healthcare (HEE e-LfH) in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. Content now available in the COVID-19 programme includes:

• Essential Guidance from the NHS, UK Government, WHO and BMJ

The King’s Fund – recent posts:

• Leading through Covid-19: supporting health and care leaders in unprecedented times
• Covid-19: why compassionate leadership matters in a crisis 
• Responding to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak: the dark side and the brighter
• Integrating health and social care in the Covid-19 (coronavirus) response
• A very brief introduction to teaming
• Leading virtual meetings – top tips

Mental health and psychosocial considerations during Covid-19 outbreak -World Health Organization
These guidelines were developed as messages targeting different groups to support mental and psychosocial well-being during the Covid-19 outbreak.

COVID-19: Return to practice learning plan (Primary Care)

This free learning plan covers key recent developments in primary care, for GPs and nurses returning to practice during the coronavirus pandemic. As well as advice on COVID-19, the plan provides information on latest NICE guidance and recent changes to prescribing recommendations and clinical practice in key topic areas.

COVID-19 Resource Hub for GPs

The COVID-19 Resource Hub has been created to support GPs in understanding and managing this pandemic, with topics ranging from diagnosis to keeping your practice safe. This hub will be updated daily with the latest developments and guidance.

Updates from NHS England & NHS Improvement

Recent HSJ Coverage of Covid-19

• Fifth of trust’s medical workforce absent amid covid-19 pandemic Absence rates for medics at a community and mental health trust have risen to nearly 20 per cent in the last three weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak, new figures have revealed.
• Exclusive: Non-acute services to receive 30 million PPE products Adult social care services are to receive millions of personal protective equipment products following a national audit of PPE, HSJ can reveal.
• NHS England urgently appeals to GPs to staff triage service A key element in the new covid-19 response service run by NHS 111 urgently needs more doctors, NHS England has said.
• NHS needs a third fewer ventilators than forecast, says Hancock Matt Hancock has revealed the NHS is now aiming to have 18,000 ventilators to meet a “worst case scenario” – a reduction of more than a third from previous estimates.
• NHS rushes to increase oxygen supply as virus cases surge Several NHS trusts in London will get engineering support to increase their oxygen supplies, amid concerns that hospitals are running short of medical gases.
• Six trusts get early support to increase oxygen supplies Several NHS trusts in London will get engineering support to increase their oxygen supplies, amid concerns that hospitals are running short of medical gases.
• Coronavirus response could create ‘very serious unintended consequences’ National NHS leaders are to take action over growing fears that the “unintended consequences” of focusing so heavily on tackling covid-19 could do more harm than the virus, HSJ has learned.
• NHS needs a third less ventilators than forecast says Hancock Matt Hancock has revealed the NHS is now aiming to have 18,000 ventilators to meet a “worst case scenario” – a reduction of more than a third from previous estimates.

COVID-19 messaging service
The NHS has launched a new NHS messaging service for people staying at home suffering with suspected coronavirus symptoms.  Daily texts will be sent by the NHS to new patients who register their Covid-19 symptoms and contact details with the 111 online service.  The messages will check how people are, and ensure that those who need help to get them through the isolation period receive it.

COVID-19: NHS workforce
NHS Employers has published Further COVID-19 guidance for the NHS workforce.  The third part of COVID-19 guidance for NHS workforce leaders is now available, offering guidance on staff terms and conditions during the COVID-19  pandemic. The guidance deals with the workforce and HR issues that are likely to arise during the current pandemic and is intended to supplement local plans and help enact them.

COVID-19: financial governance
The Healthcare Financial Management Association has published Covid-19 financial governance considerations.  This document sets out the issues that NHS bodies need to consider in relation to: authorised signatories; procedure notes; business continuity plans; schemes of delegation; Covid-19 expenses; 2020/21 financial reporting; cash flow; inventory; fraud; and Cost improvement programmes 2020/21.

Statistics

• Never Events Data – 1 April 2019 to 29 February 2020
• Maternity Services Monthly Statistics – December 2019, experimental statistics
• NHS Staff Earnings Estimates – December 2019, Provisional Statistics
• NHS Sickness Absence Rates – November 2019, Provisional Statistics
• NHS Workforce Statistics – December 2019
• Appointments in General Practice – February 2020
• Group A streptococcal infections: activity during the 2019 to 2020 season