NHS England enacts winter pressures protocol as services feel strain

NHS England has kicked into gear a series of recommendations to help hospitals handle increased pressure on services, activating the NHS Winter Pressures Protocol.

This includes extending the deferral of all non-urgent inpatient elective care to 31 January, deferring day-case procedures and routine outpatient appointments and advising clinical commissioning groups to temporarily suspend sanctions for mixed sex accommodation breaches.

The measures, put forward by the National Emergency Pressures Panel (NEPP), come in response to strains being felt by NHS services across the country over the festive period.

Summary of published key strategic guidance for health Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response (EPRR)

The charts shown in this NHS England document give an overview of the key strategic EPRR guidance documents currently published. For published documents, website links are embedded in the charts.

How the health and social care system is preparing for winter

This briefing from the NHS Confederation provides an overview of the key challenges facing health and social care over the winter period and the work being undertaken to prepare for the coming months.

Managing risk in health and care this winter: update

This report from NHS Providers assesses NHS planning for the upcoming winter season and finds whilst the level of planning and support is more developed than last year, the system still requires emergency funding to ensure patient safety. NHS Providers warns that a failure to make an emergency investment of £200-£350 million will lead to longer patient waiting times and increased patient safety risks.

The government response to the House of Commons Health Select Committee report on winter pressure in accident and emergency departments

The report from the Department of Health responds to each of the 27 conclusions and recommendations in the Health Select Committee’s report. It highlights how the NHS prepares for winter, as part of its year-round operational resilience planning, to ensure the health and social care system in England is fully prepared for the increased pressures at that time of year.

See also the Parliamentary Health Committee's report.

Latest guidance for the NHS on protecting against cyber attack

NHS Digital has produced guidance documentation for NHS organisations impacted by the cyber incident. This information has been sent directly to NHS organisations via CareCERT bulletins but it can also be accessed on the NHS Digital website via the link above.

Guidance on decontamination of buildings, infrastructure and open environment

This guide has been produced by the Cabinet Office for those in the public and private sector responsible for contingency planning. It gives basic information on the decontamination and remediation that may be required following a deliberate or accidental release of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear) materials.

ECDC roadmap for integration of molecular typing into European level surveillance and epidemic preparedness

This roadmap Version 2.1, 2016–19 presents the recommended priority list of pathogens/diseases and technical implementation options for the medium-term integration of molecular/genomic typing into EU-level surveillance and epidemic preparedness. It is meant as a strategic framework to guide the consolidation of ECDC activities in relation to molecular typing of human pathogens and to focus the development of genomic-typing-enhanced surveillance over the next four years. It builds upon and synthesises evidence and the opinion of experts in Member States and at ECDC.