Female residents experiencing medical errors in general internal medicine

"After having experienced a medical error, the female residents in our study report a high level of emotional distress. This takes place within a professional culture that has a long way to go before errors can be addressed openly and constructively."

Female residents experiencing medical errors in general internal medicine: a qualitative study
CO Mankaka, G Waeber, D Gachoud
BMC Medical Education 2014, 14:140

Read more here.

Influence of shared medical appointments on patient satisfaction

"Patient-centered, accessible, and timely care is a vital element of quality primary care. Our findings suggest greater overall patient-reported satisfaction, superior appointment access, and enhanced sensitivity to patients’ needs with shared medical appointments as compared with the traditional encounter within primary care" 

Influence of shared medical appointments on patient satisfaction: a retrospective 3-year study
L Heyworth, R Rozenblum, JF Burgess, E Baker, M Meterko, D Prescott, Z Neuwirth, SR Simon
Annals of Family Medicine, 2014; 324-330.

Read more here.

Prevalence and severity of patient harm detected by the Paediatric Trigger Tool

"There is a significant, measurable level of harm experienced by children admitted to hospitals in the UK. While most of this harm is temporary, some of it is serious. The UKPTT offers organisations the means to measure and examine the adverse events occurring in their hospital in order to reduce harm."

Prevalence and severity of patient harm in a sample of UK-hospitalised children detected by the Paediatric Trigger Tool
SM Chapman, J Fitzsimons, N Davey, P Lachman
BMJ Open, 2014; 4: e005066

Read more here.

NHS Atlas of Variation: Procurement

The NHS Atlas of Variation for procurement shows how much hospitals are paying for items such as gloves, dressings, aprons and other everyday basics. The data can be used to compare and highlight where Trusts may be paying too much, and help them to make cost savings.

Access the Atlas here.

RAPID Outcome Mapping Approach: a guide to policy engagement and influence

"ROMA is an approach to improving your policy engagement processes, to influence change. It comprises a suite of tools that any organisation can use at any stage in their policy engagement process" 

ROMA: a guide to policy engagement and influence
Research and Policy in Development
Overseas Development Institute
2014

Find out more and access the guide here.

No more leaving it to chance: how to take charge of improvement

"Looking back on her time and experience in the NHS, Janet Williamson offers advice on how best to effectively lead healthcare improvement work and take ‘luck’ out of the equation."

No more leaving it to chance: how to take charge of improvement
J Williamson
Health Service Journal
July 2014

Read more here.

Implementing medication reconciliation from the planner's perspective

"Medication reconciliation can reduce adverse events associated with prescribing errors at transitions between sites of care."

Implementing medication reconciliation from the planner's perspective: a qualitative study
SH Sanchez, SS Sethi, SL Santos, K Boockvar
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:290

Read more here.

Commissioning for quality: views from commissioners

"This resource seeks to provide support to commissioners in terms of their responsibilities for quality – CCGs and NHS England commissioners. It should be read alongside the ‘How to’ guide developed by the Quality Working Group on setting and delivering ambitions for improving outcomes as part of five year strategic planning."

Commissioning for quality: views from commissioners
NHS Commissioning Assembly
July 2014

Read more here.

NHS Commissioning Board Annual Report & Accounts 2013–14

"This annual report describes NHS England’s first full year of operation. It highlights the substantial work required to establish a new commissioning system for England from 1st April 2013."

National Health Service Commissioning Board 
Annual Report & Accounts 2013–14
NHS England

Read more online.

Sport and Exercise Medicine: A Fresh Approach in Practice

"The diverse range of sport and exercise services in this document highlights the opportunities to commission new services to positively improve health and health economics in the NHS." 

Sport and Exercise Medicine: A Fresh Approach in Practice: a National Health Service information document
Weiler R, Jones N et al.
Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine
July 2014

Read more here.

NHS 111 Commissioning Standards

"This document sets out the Commissioning Standards for the NHS 111 service in England which has been jointly developed between CCGs and NHS England." 

NHS 111 Commissioning Standards
NHS England
June 2014

Read more here.

NHS 111: quality and safety report

"This report was commissioned to provide assurance on the quality (safety, effectiveness, equity and patient experience) of NHS 111 services to support effective decision-making."

NHS 111: quality and safety report
M Durkin
NHS England
July 2014

Read more here.

Better care for older people (GMC)

The General Medical Council have created some new webpages and resources to help doctors improve their care of older patients.

Access the new webpages and resources here.

Friends and Family Test guidance

"NHS England has published new guidance to support the introduction of the NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) to NHS funded services and GP practices."

Friends and Family Test: guidance
NHS England
July 2014

Find out more and access the guidance here.

Patient and Family-Centred Care toolkit

"Patient and Family-Centred Care (PFCC) is a simple, step-by-step method for understanding what a care experience is like, what needs to change, and which small improvements can make a big difference to patients, families and staff alike. Across the country, teams have implemented the approach to improve services, ranging from paediatric accident and emergency to the care of frail older people, with measurable results." 

Patient and Family-Centred Care toolkit
The King's Fund, The Health Foundation

Find out more and access the toolkit here.

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care?

"This report provides a summary of published reviews on the economic impacts of integrated care approaches." 

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care? 
E Nolte, E Pitchforth
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
2014

Read more here.

Prioritising person-centred care - the evidence

"In our search for evidence we looked at how patient involvement interventions contribute to four key outcomes:

•   improving people’s knowledge
•   enhancing people’s experience of services
•   impact on service use and cost, and
•   impact on people’s health"

Prioritising person-centred care - the evidence: summarising evidence from systematic reviews
National Voices
2014

Read more and access the summaries/guides here.

Good for what ails us: the disruptive rise of value-based care

"Thanks to strong and increasing demand for better value in health care, there is potential for a disruptive innovator to leverage technology and provide a low-cost alternative to the traditional ways physicians provide patient care." 

Good for what ails us: the disruptive rise of value-based care
Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
2014

Read more here.

Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health

"This document describes the strategic approach to information and knowledge that the public health system needs to take in order to improve and protect public health and reduce inequalities. It is a response on behalf of the whole public health system, under the leadership of PHE, to the Department of Health information strategy, The Power of Information: Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need."

Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health
Public Health England
June 2014

Read more here.

Investigating time lags and attribution in the translation of cancer research

"The aim of the case studies was to help to examine and analyse two key assumptions used in estimating the internal rate of return – the elapsed time and attribution – as well as to contribute to the qualitative understanding of how research investments lead to health gain. " 

Investigating time lags and attribution in the translation of cancer research: A case study approach
by Susan Guthrie, Alexandra Pollitt, Stephen Hanney, Jonathan Grant
RAND Europe
2014

Read more here.

Integrated health and social care in England

"This briefing paper is part of a series of RCN documents examining the policies and practical arrangements surrounding the integration of health and social care."

Integrated health and social care in England: the story so far
Royal College of Nursing
May 2014

Read more here.

Improvement collaboratives in health care

"This scan suggests that collaboratives may have some potential to support improvements in the quality of health care but, like most initiatives, they are not a ‘silver bullet’ and cannot be relied upon in isolation to spread broad change." 

Improvement collaboratives in health care: Evidence scan
The Health Foundation
July 2014

Read more here.

Focus on: A&E attendances

"We explored a range of factors thought to be contributing to increased pressure on A&E in the English NHS and tested whether recent changes in these factors could explain the current pressures observed in the system." 

Focus on: A&E attendances: Why are patients waiting longer?
I Blunt
Nuffield Trust, The Health Foundation
July 2014

Read more here.

Networking between community health programs

"This case study demonstrates an example of a successful and effective network of community health programs. The development of relationships was seen to be to be an important part of promoting effective resource sharing, training opportunities, government networking and resource mobilisation and will be important for other health networks to consider."

Networking between community health programs: a team-work approach to improving health service provision
NJ Grills, R Kumar, M Philip, G Porter
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:297

Read more here.

Scoping review of patient-centered care approaches in healthcare

"The fact that all identified approaches to patient-centered care incorporated strategies to achieve effective communication, partnership, and health promotion indicates that clinicians can select a patient-centered approach from the literature that best suits their patient’s needs"

Scoping review of patient-centered care approaches in healthcare
MK Constand, JC MacDermid, V Dal Bello-Haas, M Law

BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:271

Read more here. 

Adaptation of health care for migrants: whose responsibility?

"Health care professionals do not consider it to be their responsibility to adapt to ethnic diversity. If health professionals do not feel a responsibility to adapt, they are less likely to be involved in culturally competent health care."

Adaptation of health care for migrants: whose responsibility?
M Dauvrin, V Lorant
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:294

Read more here.

Wheelchair interventions, services and provision for disabled children

"There is a distinct lack of high quality effectiveness and economic evidence in this field. Social and health needs should be seen as equally important when assessing the mobility needs of disabled children."

Wheelchair interventions, services and provision for disabled children: a mixed-method systematic review and conceptual framework
N Bray, J Noyes, RT Edwards, N Harris
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:309

Read more here.

The patient safety culture as perceived by staff before and after introducing a flow-oriented working model

"The aim of the present study was to describe the patient safety culture in an ED at two different hospitals before and after a Quality improvement (QI) project that was aimed to enhance patient safety."

The patient safety culture as perceived by staff at two different emergency departments before and after introducing a flow-oriented working model with team triage and lean principles: a repeated cross-sectional study
L Burström, A Letterstål, M Engström, A Berglund, M Enlund
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:296

Read more here.

Rethinking the patient

"Burden of Treatment Theory is oriented to understanding how capacity for action interacts with the work that stems from healthcare. Burden of Treatment Theory is a structural model that focuses on the work that patients and their networks do. It thus helps us understand variations in healthcare utilization and adherence in different healthcare settings and clinical contexts."

Rethinking the patient: using Burden of Treatment Theory to understand the changing dynamics of illness
CR May et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:281

Read more here.

Using health worker opinions to assess changes in structural components of quality

"Compared to usual care, managed care was significantly associated with better process in terms of diabetes care, fewer secondary care consultations and lower health care costs. The same trends were seen for protocolized care, however they were not statistically significant."

Resource use and costs of type 2 diabetes patients receiving managed or protocolized primary care: a controlled clinical trial
A van der Heijden, et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:280

Read more here.

A system under strain: the views of NHS and social care leaders

"Health and social care leaders are deeply concerned about the financial future of the NHS and social care system. More than four in five respondents said they were concerned about the financial viability of their local NHS or social care provider(s). More than two thirds (70 percent) believed that NHS providers will need to go into deficit in order to maintain high-quality services."

A system under strain: the views of NHS and social care leaders
Health and Social Care Leaders’ Panel, A McKeon
Nuffield Trust
July 2014

Read more here.

NICE local practice case studies

"The NICE Local practice collection includes shared learning examples showing how NICE guidance and standards have been put into practice, and quality and productivity case studies outlining quality improvement initiatives which have also helped cut costs and save money."

The Local Practice collection combines case studies from the Quality and Productivity collection (formerly QIPP) and the Shared Learning collection.

Find out more and access the case studies here.

New NICE website

A new version of the NICE website was launched last month, with improvements in usability. Information about the NICE quality standards and  the Quality and Outcomes Framework can now all be found on the one page at: www.nice.org.uk/standards-and-indicators

A list of NICE Quality Standards can be found here.

The Into Practice webpage contains links to Commissioning Support, Audit and Service Improvement tools, and more.

NICE are welcoming your feedback on the new site - leave your comments here.

QualityWatch

"Our programme [QualityWatch] will aim to provide an independent picture of the quality of care and, in so doing, both augment and inform the work of other statutory national bodies and initiatives.

More specifically, we will: 

• provide an authoritative resource on the overall quality of health and social care; 
• monitor and comment on changes over time, independently of government and the statutory bodies; 
• highlight where there are clear and compelling gaps between what is being achieved and what is possible in order to incite action and improvement; 
• and contribute to improving measures of quality."

Read more here.

Quality Standards: care of adults with acquired brain injury

"Quality Standards aim to improve the quality of services for adults with acquired brain injury and help to answer the question: “For each service, how will I know that national guidance and evidence of best practice have been implemented?” The Quality Standards are suitable for use in self-assessment, monitoring by commissioners and providers, and peer review visits." 

Quality Standards: care of adults with acquired brain injury
West Midlands Quality Review Service
July 2014

Read more here.

Early erythropoietin for preventing red blood cell transfusion in preterm and/or low birth weight infants

"The Cochrane Quality and Productivity topics to help the NHS identify practices that could be significantly reduced or stopped completely, releasing cash and/or resources without negatively affecting the quality of NHS care."

Early erythropoietin for preventing red blood cell transfusion in preterm and/or low birth weight infants

Cochrane Quality and Productivity topics
July 2014

Read more here.

How is the NHS performing?

"As the NHS starts its fourth year with effectively no real increase in funding and faced with undiminished urgency to generate more care to meet growing demands, it is of little surprise that our latest survey of finance directors reveals continuing pessimism about the financial position of health organisations and local health economies."

How is the NHS performing? Quarterly monitoring report
The King's Fund
July 2014

Read more here.

Medicines optimisation prototype dashboard

“Medicines Optimisation Prototype Dashboard” brings together a range of medicines-related data in a way never previously done. We hope it will help CCGs explore how well their local populations are supported to optimise medicines use. The dashboard is presented to allow local NHS organisations to develop improvements"

Medicines optimisation - CCG prototype dashboard

NHS England

Read more here. 

7 Day Services self assessment tool

"The 7 day self-assessment tool is an evolving development. Its aim is to enable organisations to baseline their provision of seven day services in order to understand local needs and support local decision making, by assessing your current level of seven day service provision, using nationally agreed definitions and the seven day services national clinical standards."

7 Day Services self assessment tool
National Clinical Analysis and Specialised Applications Team, NHS Improving Quality

Access the tool and all the resources here.

Medical engagement: a journey not an event

"This report has specifically focused on the importance of medical engagement as part of the cultural change needed within the NHS. The case studies highlight what can be achieved if there is a sustained and collective vision and will to create the organisational culture where all staff, particularly doctors, are motivated to share in delivering the highest quality care."

Medical engagement: a journey not an event
J Clark, V Nath
The King's Fund
July 2014

Read more here.

Funding opportunity: Innovating for Improvement programme

The Health Foundation are making 1.5 million pounds available to fund innovative quality improvement projects.

Find out more and make your application here.

Development, Impact & You toolkit

"This is a toolkit on how to invent, adopt or adapt ideas that can deliver better results. It’s quick to use, simple to apply, and designed to help busy people working in development."

Development, Impact & You toolkit: practical tools to trigger and support social innovation
Nesta
2014

Read more here.

The NHS and the lust for certainty

"While there are some exceptionally forward thinking people within the NHS who do manage to put new technology to work, I think it would be widely acknowledged that the health system struggles to fully exploit the potential of new technologies to help patients."

The NHS and the lust for certainty
J Loder
NESTA (blog)
May 2014

Read more here.

2013 Cost trends report: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

"To identify potential opportunities for savings in Massachusetts, we reviewed three cost drivers in depth: hospital operating expenses, wasteful spending, and high-cost patients." 

2013 Cost trends report 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Health Policy Commission

Read more here.

Improved access to primary care and supply-induced demand

"We examine what supply-induced demand is, distinguishing between demand for services that is stimulated by easier access to new forms of primary care (described as ‘induced demand’) and clinical practice in direct access primary care that stimulates additional use of other services (described as ‘induced utilisation’)."

Meeting need or fuelling demand? improved access to primary care and supply-induced demand 

R Rosen

Nuffield Trust

June 2014

Read more here.

Framework for personalised care and population health for nurses, midwives, health visitors and allied health professionals

"The Framework has been developed as a resource to support nurses, midwives, health visitors and allied health professionals’ access to best evidence and support them in delivery of their public health role. It is also a tool for clinical leaders, managers and commissioners to develop services which use the knowledge and skills of healthcare practitioners to deliver the best health outcomes for the populations they serve."

A framework for personalised care and population health for nurses, midwives, health visitors and allied health professionals: caring for populations across the lifecourse 
Department of Health, Public Health England
July 2014

Read more here.

Open consultation: changes to Mental Health Act (1983) Code of Practice

"This consultation sets out the proposed changes to the Mental Health Act 1983: Code of Practice (‘the Code’), which was last revised in 2008. The Code is a document which provides guidance to mental health professionals and others in respect of the Act, to help them safeguard patient’s rights and ensure that they work within the law. It is also provides people that are detained or treated under the Act, with information about their rights and expectations." 

Open consultation: changes to Mental Health Act (1983) Code of Practice
Mental Health Act Code of Practice Review, Local Government and Care Partnership Directorate
Department of Health
July 2014

Read more here.

Fundamental standards for health and social care providers

"This document sets out our approach to introducing new fundamental standards, the Duty of Candour and the fit and proper persons requirement. It provides a combined response to three separate consultations recently carried out by the Department of Health:

• Introducing fundamental standards: consultation on proposals to change CQC registration regulations 
• Consultation on the fit and proper persons regulations 
• Introducing the statutory Duty of Candour" 

Consultation outcome: fundamental standards for health and social care providers
Department of Health
July 2014

Read more here.

Proactive care programme: CCG support for implementation

"This document is supporting guidance for CCGs for the Avoiding Unplanned Admissions enhanced service (ES) which is designed to help reduce avoidable unplanned admissions by improving services for vulnerable patients and those with complex physical or mental health needs, who are at high risk of hospital admission or re-admission."

Proactive care programme: CCG support for implementation
NHS England
May 2014

Read more here.

Mental Health, Dementia and Neurology Intelligence Network

"The Mental Health Dementia and Neurology Intelligence Network (MHDNIN) analyses information and data and turns it into timely meaningful health intelligence for commissioners, policy makers, clinicians and health professionals to improve services, outcomes and reduce the negative impact of mental health, dementia and neurology problems."

Access the resource here.

Inflammatory bowel disease audit reports

"Patients are experiencing differences in the quality of care and treatment they receive for Ulcerative Colitis (UC) according to the latest round of results from the UK Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) audit."

Inflammatory bowel disease audit reports
Royal College of Physicians, Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
June 2014

Read more here.

Can we live with how we’re dying? advancing the case for free social care at the end of life

"this report provides an assessment of the views of senior health and social care decision makers about the economic case for free social care at the end of life."

Can we live with how we’re dying? advancing the case for free social care at the end of life
Macmillan Cancer Support
June 2014

Read more here.

Developing pharmacy’s contribution to public health

"The challenge is to ensure that commissioners, both national and local, understand fully the contribution pharmacy can, and now is, making to health and wellbeing. Investment will be required, through a combination of pump priming, cascade funding, commissioning budgets, and/or local procurement. But the potential health dividends and financial savings far outweigh the investment costs." 

Developing pharmacy’s contribution to public health: a progress report from the Pharmacy and Public Health Forum
Public Health England
June 2014 

Read more here.

Exploring variations in access to surgery among older people

"CCGs should evaluate their treatment rates across each 

procedure and seek to explain whether, and if so why, their rates are appropriate. 

CCGs should look to benchmark their own rates against those of their peers, identify 

what action is required to improve access to treatment for older patients and improve 

their assurance process through changes across the commissioning cycle."

Access all ages 2: exploring variations in access to surgery among older people

Royal College of Surgeons, Age UK
July 2014

Read more here.

Understanding the new NHS (Guide)

"In reading this guide, we hope that the structures of the NHS, and your place within it, become a little clearer. With understanding comes the confidence to engage with and challenge the system, helping to improve our NHS for patients and staff, now and in future generations."

Understanding the new NHS: a guide for everyone working and training within the NHS 
NHS England
June 2014

Read more here.

Patient blood management recommendations

"This document provides initial recommendations from the National Blood Transfusion Committee about how the NHS should start implementing Patient Blood Management, which is a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based approach to optimising the care of patients who might need blood transfusion." 

Patient Blood Management An evidence-based approach to patient care
National Blood Transfusion Committee
June 2014

Read more here.

Commissioning for outcomes: a narrative from and for clinical commissioners

"The purpose of this document from the Quality and Outcomes Working Group (QWG) is to stimulate discussion amongst CCG members on the practical tools we now require to be developed for all 211 CCGs, as well the barriers that need to be removed, to support our commissioning for outcomes"

Commissioning for outcomes: a narrative from and for clinical commissioners
NHS Commissioning Assembly
June 2014

Read more here.

National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2013 national summary

"The National Diabetes Inpatient Audit is a snapshot audit of diabetes inpatient care in England and Wales. The audit is set out to answer the following questions:

• Did diabetes management minimise the risk of avoidable complications?
• Did harm result from the inpatient stay?
• Was patient experience of the inpatient stay favourable?
• Has the quality of care and patient feedback changed...?"

National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2013 national summary

Health and Social Care Information Centre

2014

Read more here.

Positive Cardiometabolic Health Resource

"This clinical resource supports the implementation of the physical health CQUIN http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sc-cquin-guid.pdf which aims to improve collaborative and effective physical health monitoring of patients experiencing Serious Mental Illness. It focusses on antipsychotic medication for adults"

Positive Cardiometabolic Health Resource: an intervention framework for people experiencing psychosis and schizophrenia
DE Shiers, I Rafi, SJ Cooper, RIG Holt
Royal College of Psychiatrists
2014 update

Read more here.

Future organisational models for the NHS

"How might new organisational arrangements help drive improvements in struggling NHS organisations and services? Here, we set out some of the organisational options and the evidence, both national and international." 

Future organisational models for the NHS: perspectives for the Dalton review

C Imison, C Ham, C Hopson, B Stoltz, J Fagge, N Marsden, M Deegan, S Dunn, S Melton, L Heller, A Marsh, A Brogan, D Hamlett
The King's Fund
July 2014

Read more here.

Commissioning of public health services for children

"The purpose of the High Impact Area documents is to articulate the contribution of health visitors to the 0-5 agenda and describe areas where health visitors have a significant impact on health and wellbeing and improving outcomes for children, families and communities.

The six High Impact Areas are:

• Transition to Parenthood and the Early Weeks 
• Maternal Mental Health (Perinatal Depression)
• Breastfeeding (Initiation and Duration)
• Healthy Weight, Healthy Nutrition (to include 
• Physical Activity)
• Managing Minor Illness and Reducing 

  Accidents (Reducing Hospital 

  Attendance/Admissions)
• Health, Wellbeing and Development of the 

  Child Age 2 – Two year old review 

  (integrated review) and support to be ‘ready for school’"

Commissioning of public health services for children

Department of Health

July 2014

Find out more and access all the resources here.

Health Foundation Research Scan June 2014

The Health Foundation have published their latest research scan summarising 60 of June's most interesting studies on healthcare improvement, covering the topics of patient-centred care, patient safety, value for money and approaches to improvement.

Access the scan here.

Putting quality on the global health agenda

"Investing in programs to improve access to health care services is critically important — but will not be enough to improve the health of the world's population. We need to prioritize both access and quality, because doing more isn't better. Doing better is better."

Putting quality on the global health agenda
KW Scott, AK Jha
New England Journal of Medicine, 2014; 371: 3-5

Read more here.

National training survey 2014

"The survey is an important part of how we make sure medical education and training is meeting the standards we set to support high quality medical care and patient safety across the UK."

National training survey 2014
General Medical Council

Read more here.

Transitions at the end of life for older adults

"Development of a shared understanding of professional and carer roles in end-of-life transitions may be one of the most effective ways of improving patients’ experiences."

Transitions at the end of life for older adults – patient, carer and professional perspectives: a mixed-methods study
B Hanratty, E Lowson, G Grande, S Payne, J Addington-Hall, N Valtorta1, J Seymour
Health Services Delivery Research, 2014; 2(17)

Read more here.

Barriers to implementation of a redesign of information transfer and feedback in acute care

"Accurate communication is an important feature of seamless care and enhances patient safety. Information transfer and patient handovers are noted to be potentially hazardous areas for error in emergency care."

Barriers to implementation of a redesign of information transfer and feedback in acute care: results from a multiple case study
JE van Leijen-Zeelenberg, AJA van Raak, IGP Duimel-Peeters, MEAL Kroese, PRG Brink, D Ruwaard, HJM Vrijhoef
BMC Health Services Research, 2014, 14: 149

Read more here.

Collaborative pharmaceutical care in an Irish hospital

"PACT improved the quality and safety of prescribing for medical patients receiving acute hospital care: it reduced the prevalence of all medication error and potentially severe error; it improved the quality of prescribing in patients aged 65 years or older" 

Collaborative pharmaceutical care in an Irish hospital: uncontrolled before-after study
TC Grimes, E Deasy, A Allen, J O'Byrne, T Delaney, J Barragry, N Breslin, E Moloney, C Wall
BMJ Quality and Safety, 2014; 23: 574-583

Read more here.

Estimating the economic returns on cancer research in the UK

"The results of this cancer-focused study strongly suggest that UK public and charitable funding of biomedical and health research provides a sizeable return on investment."

Estimating the economic returns on cancer research in the UK (Project)
RAND Corporation

Read more here.

Health and healthcare: assessing the real world data policy landscape in Europe

"Real World Data is any data not collected in conventional randomised controlled trials. It includes data from existing secondary sources (eg databases of national health services) and the collection of new data, both retrospectively and prospectively." 

Health and healthcare: assessing the real world data policy landscape in Europe
C Miani, E Robin, V Horvath, C Manville, J Cave, J Chataway
RAND Corporation
April 2014

Read more here.

The role of interpersonal communication in the process of knowledge mobilization

"Findings suggest that interpersonal communication is associated with knowledge mobilization and highlight how the network structure could be improved for further dissemination efforts." 

The role of interpersonal communication in the process of knowledge mobilization within a community-based organization: a network analysis
HL Gainforth, AE Latimer-Cheung, P Athanasopoulos, S Moore, KA Martin Ginis
Implementation Science, 2014, 9: 59

Read more here.

Redirecting innovation in U.S. health care

"Our work for this project focused on identifying promising policy options to change which medical technologies are created in the first place, with these two related policy goals:

1. Reduce total health care spending with the smallest possible loss of health benefits.
2. Ensure that new medical products that increase spending are accompanied by health benefits that are worth the spending increases."

Redirecting innovation in U.S. health care: options to decrease spending and increase value
S Garber, SM Gates, EB Keeler, ME Vaiana, AW Mulcahy, C Lau, AL Kellermann
RAND Corporation
2014

Read more here.

Improving dementia long-term care

"RAND identified 25 high-impact policy options covering five broad objectives to improve dementia long-term services and supports (LTSS) delivery system, workforce, and financing."

Improving dementia long-term care: a policy blueprint
RA Shih, TW Concannon, JL Liu, E Friedman
RAND corporation

Read more here.

Report on inquiry into respiratory deaths

"Strategic and effective investment has the power to bring not only significant savings to the NHS, but improvements in patients’ quality of life and a significant reduction in deaths from respiratory disease."

Report on inquiry into respiratory deaths
APPG on Respiratory Health
June 2014

Read more here.

Local Authority health scrutiny

"The primary aim of health scrutiny is to strengthen the voice of local people, ensuring that their needs and experiences are considered as an integral part of the commissioning and delivery of health services and that those services are effective and safe." 

Local Authority health scrutiny: guidance to support Local Authorities and their 
partners to deliver effective health scrutiny
Department of Health
June 2014

Read more here.

Tackling health inequalities: the case for investment in the wider public health workforce

"In this report we look at the evidence for engaging the ‘wider workforce’ and particularly the role of health trainers and champions in supporting behaviour change within their own communities, providing peer-to-peer support from a position of understanding and common ground. The investment in them is, in light of the economic cost of treating illness, money well spent."

Tackling health inequalities: the case for investment in the wider public health workforce
Royal Society for Public Health
June 2014

Read more here.

Commissioning Excellence newsletter

The latest issue of Commissioning Excellence from the Primary Care Commissioning CIC is available here.