The value of patient organisations

The added value of patient organisations | The European Patients Forum

The objective of this report is to emphasise the contribution of patient organisations in representing and voicing the situation of a specific population that would otherwise not be represented.

Image source: http://www.eu-patient.eu

Patient organisations are able to help policy-makers understand the experience of living with a disease or a condition. They use this ‘end-user perspective’ to promote the interests of patients at all stages of policy development and in a range of institutional settings.

The main activities of patient organisations are set out in four different areas: policy, capacity building and education, peer support and research & development (both health and pharmaceutical).

Full report: The added value of patient organisations

What does the Autumn Budget mean for the NHS and social care?

In the budget this week, the Chancellor committed around £2 billion extra for the NHS next year. Nigel Edwards of the Nuffield Trust said this will bring respite for patients and staff, but is only around half of what’s needed.

In a Q&A about the budget, Tom Moberly, The BMJ’s UK editor, met with John Appleby (Nuffield Trust), Anita Charlesworth (Health Foundation) and Siva Anandaciva (King’s Fund) to discuss what it all means for the NHS and social care. You can watch the discussion below:

See also: Autumn Budget 2017: what it means for health and social care | The Kings Fund | Nuffield Trust | The Health Foundation

 

 

Progress report on the UK 5 year antimicrobial resistance strategy

The third annual progress report on the UK 5 year antimicrobial resistance (AMR) strategy, including future plans | Department of Health

The third annual progress report describes the activities and achievements in the third year of implementation of the UK 5 year antimicrobial resistance (AMR) strategy 2013 to 2018, including significant international achievements.

The UK AMR strategy represents an ambitious programme to slow the development and spread of AMR, taking a ‘One Health’ approach spanning people, animals, agriculture and the wider environment.

The report sets out progress made in 2016, and notes that for the remaining 2 years of the strategy, the programme will focus on delivery of the government’s ambitions set out in response to the review on AMR led by Lord O’Neill. These include ambitions to halve certain types of infection and the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Full report: UK 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy 2013-2018. Annual progress report, 2016

 

Public Health England: evaluations and recommendations

This document is the final report of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes peer review of Public Health England. It looks at Public Health England’s progress as an organisation, with both commendations and recommendations for future work.

The authors report that in less than five years, Public Health England has, under strong and visionary leadership, transformed a geographically and functionally siloed group of 129 bodies into a strong, capable, coordinated, united and efficient public health agency that rivals any in the world.

Image source: http://www.gov.uk

The report goes on to state that PHE meets or exceeds the standards outlined in the UK Government Cabinet Office Model of Capability including those for delivery, leadership and strategy.

It notes that PHE’s experience in change management over the past five years, and its expertise in delivering the Essential Public Health Functions should be used as a best practice by other countries wishing to conduct and organize public health at the highest level of excellence.

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Preventing malnutrition in later life

State of the Nation: an overview of older people and malnutrition in the UK today | The Malnutrition Task Force. 

This report focuses on the scale and challenges of malnutrition in later life in the UK. Research shows that 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. This silent and often hidden condition can seriously affect an older person’s health and wellbeing and increase hospital admissions and long-term health problems.

Image source: http://www.malnutritiontaskforce.org.uk

The report examines the causes and consequences of malnutrition in the UK. It also looks at economic costs and pressures, and whether the NHS and social care services are currently able to support older people at risk and how invested they are in this issue.

It brings together information, statistics and evidence from across the health and social care system to highlight what is happening to older people who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition in England.

Full report: State of the Nation: an overview of older people and malnutrition in the UK today 

High-impact innovations for patient benefit

App that helps pregnant women monitor hypertension among new NHS innovations that will save lives and improve treatment | NHS England

A wireless sensor that better detects breathing rate in hospital patients, an app to help pregnant women monitor hypertension and another that directs patients with minor injuries to treatment units with the shortest queues are among the latest innovations set to be spread across the NHS.

Eleven projects are being backed in the latest round of NHS England’s programme to develop and spread pioneering ideas, equipment and technology that have the potential to save lives as well as money.

Further detail of this latest round of the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) programme  can be found at NHS England

 

 

CCG Improvement and assessment framework

CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework 2017/18 | NHS England 

This updated framework describes the CCG annual performance assessment and the metrics that will inform that assessment for 2017/18; it replaces the Improvement and Assessment framework (IAF) for 2016/17.  The framework is accompanied by a technical annex which provides the detail of the construction and purpose of each of the indicators in the framework.

Full document at NHS England