part of June 2009 Commercial Operating Model launched by DH England. Has oversight of the delivery of Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 savings, and includes professional training and development and procurement policy.
Related Words Commercial Operating Model; Commercial Support Units (CDUs)
In England, as part of High Quality Care for All, a new National Quality Board met for the first time on 30 March 2009 to provide strategic oversight and leadership on quality. It oversees 8 dimensions (and these will be underpinned by the clinical revalidation programme): Quality Standards (led by NICE – 20 per year) Quality Metrics (led by Information Centre approx 200) Quality Accounts CQINs (led by PCTs) Quality Observatories (1 per SHA) Clinical Excellence Awards (led by ACCEA) QOF (led by NICE) QIPP The Quality Board’s work programme includes the Mid Staffs Review, clinical prioritisation to influence 2010/11 Operating Framework, NICE quality standards (4 so far: stroke care, specialist neonatal care, VTE prevention and dementia), indicators for quality improvement (IQI), quality accounts, MRSA new target and clinical excellence awards all in the context of QIPP. Its membership, aims and papers are available here
Related Words QIPP; Quality; Quality Accounts ; Quality and outcomes framework (QOF)
– see Clinical Strategy
Related Words Clinical Strategy
This is an activity led by PCTs to inform what services are needed by the local population. It combines population-level data eg the prevalence of COPD by age, sex and GP practice, with an understanding drawn from patients and clinicians about what every individual patient or person at risk of the disease needs. It highlights inequalities in access to healthcare and in health outcomes, which then informs the planning of local services and changes in investment. Need is defined as an ability to benefit from an intervention. The intervention for COPD might be the provision of information, advice and treatment on smoking cessation, a prescription for drugs or any other service that would improve a person’s quality of life, independence, and sense of wellbeing. Given that the best person to judge what makes such a difference is the patient, there is a strong obligation on commissioners to involve patients and the public in both needs assessment and the design of services. An example of public health data that uses QOF (see below) and hospital data can be found here giving prevalence rates and emergency admission rates in the North West. Detail is often found in Public Health Reports that focus on health inequalities, and variation. See also Mosaic. See also JSNA.
The National Patient Safety Agency is working with the NHS to develop a national set of Never Events and guidelines for their use during 2009/10. An initial list of Never Events is developed. Primary Care Trusts will choose priorities from this list in their annual operating plan. The initiative will launch in Spring 2009. The proposed list as at Dec 2008 is here. 1. Wrong site surgery 2. Retained instrument post-operation 3. Wrong route administration of chemotherapy 4. Misplaced naso or orogastric tube not detected prior to use 5. Inpatient suicide using non-collapsible rails or whilst on one-to-one observations 6. Absconding of transferred prisoners from medium or high secure mental health services 7. In-hospital maternal death from post-partum haemorrhage after elective Caesarean 8. IV administration of concentrated potassium chloride
The National Patient Safety Agency is working with the NHS to develop a national set of Never Events and guidelines for their use during 2009/10. An initial list of Never Events is developed. Primary Care Trusts will choose priorities from this list in their annual operating plan. The initiative will launch in Spring 2009. The proposed list as at Dec 2008 is here.
1. Wrong site surgery 2. Retained instrument post-operation 3. Wrong route administration of chemotherapy 4. Misplaced naso or orogastric tube not detected prior to use 5. Inpatient suicide using non-collapsible rails or whilst on one-to-one observations 6. Absconding of transferred prisoners from medium or high secure mental health services 7. In-hospital maternal death from post-partum haemorrhage after elective Caesarean 8. IV administration of concentrated potassium chloride
. The NHS "once in a generation" review by Lord Darzi: High Quality Care For All was published in June 2008. A downloadable copy of the review is available from the Our NHS website here. For more information go to our IMPRESS policy pages.
(click here) This is a 50/50 venture between the NHS and Dr Foster and is the public’s gateway to choosing a hospital, booking appointments and gathering validated health information. It is an important development and one in which clinicians should take an interest, including validating the data that is provided to help the public make choices.
Provides comparative data to enable commissioners and providers to investigate local activity, costs and outcomes. It includes SUS data as well as QOF information, GP practice demographic information and prescribing data. It is available to all GP practices, SHAs, PCTs, NHS Trusts, and other “relevant organisations". You first need to request a log-in from The NHS Information Centre's Contact Centre by calling on 0845 300 6016 or email enquiries@ic.nhs.uk and ask for 'NHS Comparators log-in'. Click here for more information.
was published on 21 January 2009. It brings together in one place for the first time in the history of the NHS, what staff, patients and public can expect from the NHS. As well as capturing the purpose, principles and values of the NHS, the Constitution brings together a number of rights, pledges and responsibilities for staff and patients alike. These rights and responsibilities are the result of extensive discussions and consultations with staff, patients and public and it reflects what matters to them. Subject to Parliamentary approval, all NHS bodies, and private and third- sector providers supplying NHS services in England will be required by law to take account of the Constitution in their decisions and actions. The Government will have a legal duty to renew the Constitution every 10 years. No Government will be able to change the Constitution, without the full involvement of staff, patients and the public.
(click here) It has a huge array of tools to support commissioners and clinicians to improve services. For example see the sustainability model and 10-point checklist here.
From 1 October 2008, all NHS commissioners in England will be required to post information about tendering opportunities and contract awards on NHS Supply2Health nww.supply2health.nhs.uk The public site is here.
is the provision of ventilatory support using an electrically powered portable ventilator and a tight-fitting nasal or face mask or similar device. It is an effective treatment for selected patients with respiratory failure. It may be used acutely for a limited time in hospital and a small number of patients may also have NIV at home, usually for overnight use. For guidelines and further information click here. Note that the British Thoracic Society Standards of Care Committee - Thorax 2002; 57:192-211. while produced in 2002, it is a very detailed and helpful guide. For a patient information leaflet, and a discussion on how to use it, please download this document.
Related Words End of life
Is charged with creating a multi-billion pound infrastructure that aims to improve patient care by enabling clinicians and other NHS staff to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. It will be delivered by Connecting for Health. The programme includes the NHS Care Record, the Choose and Book scheme, electronic prescriptions, and developing a new IT infrastructure.
The last printed version (please note the online version is more up to date) of the IMPRESS NHS Jargon Buster (pdf) is available to download here
Appendix 1
Appendix 2