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.

Better mental health: JSNA toolkit

The release of this toolkit signals the National Mental Health Intelligence Network’s (NMHIN) intent to support the development of mental health and wellbeing joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs). It has been developed for those seeking to understand the breadth and complexity of mental health issues in their area, such as JSNA and mental health leads in local authorities and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). It helps people to consider factors that affect mental health and wellbeing and to identify some of the key data, information and knowledge that local areas may use to build a picture of need.

Sustainability and Transformation Plans: five key questions for planners

This analysis from the Centre for Health and the Public Interest identifies five key questions to ask of each of England’s 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plans. It aims to set out a framework for assessing their potential impacts.

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.

Local growth and the NHS: Building the foundations of a healthy economy

By influencing local strategic economic planning, the NHS can improve its service to the community, have a much greater say in devolved strategic discussions and secure long-term, additional funding into the health service.

This briefing explores the context within which local growth is increasingly shaping local economic planning and the NHS’ role in contributing to this agenda.

It will be of interest to sustainability and transformation plan leads, NHS chairs, chief executives and non-executive directors, as well as directors of finance, strategy, HR, transformation and public health.

International Code for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services

CECOPS has developed a first-ever International outcomes-based Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS).


The end-to-end Code can help organisations prepare for engaging with TECS, as well as providing a quality framework for procurement and provision of services, simplifying the commissioning and tendering of services. It can also help with assessing, progressing and accelerating organisational readiness.


This new Code brings together all these technologies in one truly integrated framework. Uniquely, this Code, which sets out standards covering every aspect of services, offers an end-to-end and whole-system approach, ranging from the early planning stages through to post-implementation of services. It can be looked at as a value-chain solution that interlinks those responsible for planning and commissioning services with service users, through the activities of clinicians and providers.

NHS estates. Review of the evidence

The government considers the NHS estates to have a key role in delivering efficiency, and in supporting the transformation of services set out in the NHS five year forward view. To enable the estates to fulfil this role, the government is intending to develop a long-term strategy for their use. As a first step, it has commissioned Sir Robert Naylor to undertake an independent review of NHS estates and property.

NHS property and estates: Naylor review

The report examines how the NHS can make the best use of its estate to support NHS England’s Five Year Forward View.

It highlights the opportunities available to support sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) and optimise the use of NHS land and buildings.

The government is already acting on some of the recommendations by:

• creating a new NHS property body
• making a £325 million capital investment over the next 3 years to develop local STPs - as announced in this year’s Budget
• developing an incentive scheme to guarantee that proceeds of sales are available for reinvestment

The government will consider a further multi-year capital programme in the autumn.
The government welcomes the review and will consider the recommendations carefully and respond in due course.

Pioneering venture launched to help solve 'capital finance conundrum'

The Local Growth Academy, an exciting cross-sectoral venture, has been launched to help NHS organisations understand how to access the new and emerging finance mechanisms determining local infrastructure planning.

With capital finance severely constrained yet critical to realising the ambitions of local plans, the Local Growth Academy aims to build NHS organisations’ capacity to maximise their contribution and involvement in local developments.

Mission impossible? The task for NHS providers in 2017/18

This report from NHS Providers presents a detailed assessment of the demands that are being placed on NHS trusts through the NHS planning guidance. These are compared against next year’s significantly lower funding increases, revealing a currently unbridgeable gap.

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.

Five year forward view for mental health: one year on

This report marks the anniversary of the publication of the Five year forward view for mental health. It highlights the progress made in the first year of the programme, and takes a look at the achievements that need to be built upon to deliver next year and beyond.

• Report
• Associated documentation

RCP launches full version of specialty service planning resource

The Royal College of Physicians, in partnership with the UK’s medical specialty societies, has launched the full version of Medical Care, its first ever web-based planning resource for medical specialties.

The Medical Care website will help those involved in the planning and provision of services get a clearer picture of the specialty services that need to be in place to provide great patient care.

Take Me To Your Leader: Hospital Collaboration In The NHS - STPs

This report discusses the need for collaboration born out of the arrival of the Sustainability and Transformation Plans and a new two year planning guidance. It looks at what makes collaboration successful and what prevents it.

Commissioning For Value: Where To Look Packs

These packs from NHS RightCare provide local health economies with data to support service planning and to support initiatives such as sustainability and transformation plans (STPs). It is recommended that these data packs are used as part of annual planning cycles to support discussions about prioritising areas for change and utilising resources.

Cold weather plan (CWP) for England

Includes plan and evidence summary on planning to protect health in cold weather. This plan is valid from October 2016 until further notice.

Technical guidance for NHS planning 2017-19 updated

The guidance now includes joint technical definitions for performance and activity. In addition, changes have been made to Annex B – information on the quality premium. The final CQUIN document will be published in the week of 31 October 2016.

Case studies' library at NHS England's Learning Environment

NHS England continues to expand the NHS England Learning Environment with more than 25 new case studies added in the past month, including examples of CCG engagement with young people, initiatives to tackle antibiotic resistance and consultations on primary care strategy.   

Development areas covered include:

• Collaboration and commissioning
• Leadership development
• Delivering transformational change
• Organisational development
• Communications, patient, public and member engagement
• Strategic and operational planning

Long Term conditions Commissioning Handbook

This handbook is the main output of the NHS England Long Term Conditions Year of Care Commissioning Programme, which worked to change the way services are both commissioned and provided to offer meaningfully person-centred coordinated care.

The handbook describes the experiences of five care economies as they work towards developing capitated budgets for some patients and services. It provides practical advice and guidance on capitated budgets, population segmentation, leadership, co-production, planning for service change, and evaluation.

Delivering The Forward View: NHS Operational Planning Guidance For 2017/18 And 2018/19

This NHS England guidance aims to provide NHS trusts and commissioners with tools they need to plan for the years ahead. For the first time, the guidance covers two financial years, to provide greater stability, underpinned by a two-year tariff for NHS patients and a two-year NHS Standard Contract.

See also Technical guidance for NHS planning 2017/18 and 2018/19