Nuffield Trust: NHS reforms in England: managing the transition

NHS reforms in England: managing the transition identifies ways both to minimise the risks associated with the Government’s NHS reforms, as well as capitalise on the opportunities they present.

New website to support service development for carers

Carers' Hub, a website created by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care aims to inspire creative, inventive and cost-effective ways for commissioners to deliver local and personalised carer support services, whilst meeting the five outcomes set out in the National Carers Strategy.

NICE: New guidance to tackle alcohol problems

Just 6 per cent of people in England who have an alcohol problem are receiving treatment for it, as NICE calls for screening and better access to alcohol withdrawal services. Over one million people in England are dependent on alcohol, but every year there are over 940,000 people who are either not seeking help, do not have access to the relevant services, or whose symptoms are not being appropriately identified by healthcare professionals. In an attempt to improve the situation, NICE has published guidance outlining how the NHS should diagnose, assess and treat the condition.

Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people  

The Department of Health Offender Health team is inviting the NHS to submit expressions of interest to become a youth justice point of arrest diversion pathfinder. Funding is available to identify health needs and other vulnerabilities and help under 18-year-olds move into interventions at the earliest stage possible.

Offender personality disorder pathway implementation

A joint Department of Health and Ministry of Justice consultation document on ‘Offender personality disorder pathway implementation plan’ has been launched. It sets out the Government’s plans to reshape services, interventions and treatments for offenders with severe personality disorders.    

Payment by Results: confirmation of arrangements for 2011-12

The final Payment by Results arrangements for 2011-12 have now been published. The Government has published guidance setting out how the tariff should be implemented, together with details of the small number of changes that have been made to prices and exclusions lists since the tariffs and guidance were tested in January.

Raising our sights – the Government response

The Government has published its response to the Raising Our Sights’ report by Professor Jim Mansell. The report responded to concerns raised in the Valuing People Now consultation that the needs of adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities were not being properly addressed.  

New proposals on special needs 

Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability makes wide-ranging proposals to respond to the frustrations of children and young people, their families and the professionals who work with them. Under the proposals, parents will be given a bigger choice of schools, and by 2014, a legal right to control the funding for their child's support. The current system of special educational needs "SEN" statements, used to assess what support a child needs, will be replaced by a single SEN plan which takes in education, health and care. This will stay in place until a youngster reaches 25.

More protection for borrowers

Following an independent review carried out by Professor Lorne Crerar, chairman of commercial law firm Harper Macleod, consumers who borrow money from the major banks and building societies are set to receive greater protection following improvements to the Lending Code. There will also be greater assistance for consumers who get into financial difficulties who have mental health problems. These new measures will come into force at the end of March.

The functions of GP Commissioning Consortia

The Department of Health, working in partnership with the Royal College of GPs, NHS Alliance, National Association of Primary Care and Family Doctor Association, has developed a working document describing the proposed statutory functions of GP consortia.

Healthy Lives, Healthy People: a tobacco control plan for England

The Plan sets out government action to drive down smoking prevalence and support local action to achieve reduced smoking rates by 2015.

Innovation in outcomes competition  

The Department of Health has launched a competition to find new indicators for some of the health outcomes in the NHS Outcomes Framework. It is  asking frontline staff, clinical teams to suggest indicators based on their experience in the areas of improving recovery from stroke and improving children’s and young people’s experience of healthcare. We are also looking for indicators relating to learning disabilities, children with long-term conditions, mental health illness in children and young people and dementia.

Continued government support for people with learning disabilities  

Paul Burstow MP, Minister for Care Services, announced continued government support to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. This includes extending contracts for the Learning Disabilities Confidential Inquiry and Public Health Observatory to March 2013.

Investment for research in the NHS  

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced £775 million in funding for biomedical research centres and units to be made available through the National Institute for Health Research.

New chair for Monitor

Dr David Bennett has been appointed the new Chair of Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts.  He said, “After nearly 12 months as Interim Chief Executive at Monitor, I am delighted that the Secretary of State has asked me to take on the role of Chair. The successful implementation of this next phase of reform for health and adult social care, if agreed by Parliament, will be critical to ensuring that the sector can continue to provide affordable, high quality care, and Monitor will play a central role in making sure this is so.”