Refreshing NHS plans for 2018/19

This guidance from NHS England, and published jointly with NHS Improvement, sets out the plans for the NHS in light of the November 2017 budget announcements. It outlines how the additional funding will impact on emergency and urgent care, elective surgery and other core frontline services such as mental health and primary care. It is accompanied by revised CCG allocations for the financial year 2018/19.

Guidance on menopause and the workplace

The Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) has produced guidance on menopause and the workplace. It pulls together the latest information on how menopause affects some women at work.

The guidance is aimed at women going through menopause and offers employers practical guidance on how to improve workplace environments for them.

Joint working protocol: when a hospital, services or facility closes at short notice

This document from NHS England provides guidance and direction to any organisation involved in a short notice closure to take appropriate and timely action in supporting patients and making sure they get the care and treatment they deserve.

Interventional radiology leaders release guidance to help speed up rollout of vital life-changing stroke treatment

The Supplementary Guidance to Facilitate the Training of Interventional Radiology Consultants to Undertake Stroke Thrombectomy has been produced by The Royal College of Radiologists, the British Society of Interventional Radiology, the British Society of Neuroradiologists and the UK Neurointerventional Group, to help hospitals train more specialist radiologists to perform life-changing stroke thrombectomy treatment.

Data security and protection for health and care organisations

Document outlining action expected from health and care organisations in 2017 to 2018, to implement recommendations by the National Data Guardian.   It has been updated.

Safeguarding adults protocol: pressure ulcers and the interface with a safeguarding enquiry

This guidance from the Chief Social Worker helps practitioners and managers across health and care organisations to provide caring and quick responses to people at risk of developing pressure ulcers.

Changes to the DHSC group accounting manual 2018 to 2019

This DHSC consultation seeks views on the guidance for financial reporting and preparing annual reports and accounts for the department and related bodies (non-Foundation Trusts). The consultation document outlines the proposed changes for the next financial year and feedback will be accepted until 23 February 2018.

NHS Digital publishes guidance on data off-shoring and cloud computing for health and social care

National guidance has been published, setting clear expectations for health and care organisations who want to use cloud services or data offshoring to store patient information.

The guidance will ensure that organisations know how to use these solutions safely and securely, especially in the light of the fact that tighter restrictions on the processing and transfer of personal data are being brought in through the launch of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May.

NHS standard contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition) – eContract system

The eContract system has been updated in line with the NHS standard contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition – both full length and shorter).

The eContract system reduces the time taken to draft the contract. NHS England strongly recommends that commissioners and providers use the eContract system. 

Updated: David Behan steps down as CQC chief

Sir David Behan has announced he will step down as chief executive of the Care Quality Commission in the summer.

Sir David joined in 2012, at a time of huge controversy about the behaviour of and standards at the regulator. It has made substantial changes to how it works under his leadership, many in response to the Francis inquiry into events at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.

To obtain this article copy and paste the post into an email and send it to libraryw@uhcw.nhs.uk

Child vision screening guidance updated

Public Health England has updated its guidance on child vision screening. The resources for commissioners and providers include a service specification, competencies, leaflets and template letters.

Exclusive: A&E doctors tell prime minister patients are dying in corridors

Clinical leads for emergency departments warn prime minister of premature deaths in corridors
A&E waiting time performance has dipped to between 45 per cent and 75 per cent at times
Doctors say winter preparations failed to deliver and call for significant funding boost

Senior doctors in charge of more than 60 hospital emergency departments have written to the prime minister warning of “very serious concerns” about patient safety amid the winter crisis, including a case of patients dying prematurely in corridors.

To obtain this article copy and paste the post into an email and send to libraryw@uhcw.nhs.uk

Exclusive: CQC suspends routine inspections over winter pressures

Routine inspections of some services cancelled by CQC due to winter pressures

Regulator says decision will allow staff to focus on caring for patients

Chief executives criticise decision as a “mockery” and counter to the policy of “minimum standards”

The Care Quality Commission is suspending routine inspections of some hospitals, GP practices and urgent care services during January due to winter pressures, HSJ can reveal.

To obtain this article copy and paste the post into an email and send it to libraryw@uhcw.nhs.uk

Guidance on National Variations to existing 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) full length contracts, and 2016/17 and existing 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) shorter-form contracts

This document from NHS England contains guidance on the completion of the mandatory National Variations to existing full length NHS Standard Contracts on the 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) forms, and existing shorter-form contracts on 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) forms, to enact changes reflected in the NHS Standard Contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition).

International recruitment quick guides updated

NHS Employers has updated its range of quick guides on international recruitment.

This resource is designed to help employers identify the right tier for different professions when recruiting individuals from outside of the UK that require a sponsor to work in the UK.

Immigration and the Tier 2 recruitment process
This guide sets out the recruitment process that an employer should follow to meet the Home Office UK Visas and Immigraion (UKVI) requirements to sponsor migrants under Tier 2 (General) of the points-based system.

Step-by-step guide to applying for certificates of sponsorship (CoS)
This step-by-step guide highlights the differences between the unrestricted and restricted certificates of sponsorship and the process that employers should use when applying for them.

Department of Health gender pay gap revealed

Women working at the at the Department of Health earn up to 14 per cent less than men an hour – despite women making up two-thirds of its workforce.

The DH has published a report on its gender pay gap alongside other Whitehall departments, which reveals the scale of the challenge to achieve pay equality for women in the civil service.

To obtain this article copy and paste the post into an email and send to libraryw@uhcw.nhs.uk

Framework for maximising the use of care homes and use of therapy-led units for patients medically fit for discharge

This best practice framework from NHS England aims to address two models and the implementation approach that needs to be taken by sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) and their provider organisations with ensuing threats to patient safety, during the winter months.

Transforming gastroenterology elective care services

This handbook from NHS England has been created to to support the improvement of local health and care systems for gastroenterology elective care services.

Transforming musculoskeletal and orthopaedic elective care services

This handbook from NHS England has been created to to support the improvement of local health and care systems for musculoskeletal and orthopaedic elective care services.

Managers endorse CSP’s flexible working guide

The Building a better balance guide, already available to stewards, has been re-issued by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists with specific guidance for managers dealing with requests for flexible working.