Commissioning for Value Focus Packs

"These focus packs provide more detailed information on those highest spending programmes previously covered by the earlier Commissioning for Value packs. The areas covered are: cancer; the CVD family of conditions including renal, stroke and diabetes; maternity and early years; mental health and dementia; musculoskeletal and trauma; neurology; and respiratory. The packs include a wider range of outcome measures and information on the most common procedures and diagnoses for the condition in question. They help CCGs begin work on phase two of the RightCare approach ‘What to Change’ by using indicative data to identify improvement opportunities."

There are two Commissioning for Value focus packs available for each CCG:

• Cancer, Mental health and dementia, MSK and trauma – May 2016
• CVD, Neurological, Respiratory, Maternity – April 2016

Find out more and access the packs here.

Dementia and housing: An assessment tool for local commissioning

"Commissioned by Public Health England ... this self-assessment tool focuses on local commissioning processes and decision-making. The main principle being applied in this tool is that all available assets and resources need to be combined, both to create the conditions that reduce the risk of developing dementia, and to develop a framework of support to help those with dementia, their families and carers, to have as good a quality of life as possible."

Dementia and housing: An assessment tool for local commissioning
Housing Learning & Improvement Network
May 2016

Read more here.

The Impact of Primary Care Quality on Inpatient Length of Stay for People with Dementia

"For those who are discharged home or to the community setting, the QOF review may have a small negative influence on length of stay. Such modest effects suggest that the QOF review does not have a major influence on LoS for dementia hospital admissions. However, this does not mean the review is unimportant for patient care: the increasing prevalence of dementia and the constraints on capacity in the acute hospital sector may mean even modest impacts are important financially. "

The Impact of Primary Care Quality on Inpatient Length of Stay for People with Dementia: An Analysis by Discharge Destination
P Kasteridis, M Goddard, R Jacobs, R Santos, A Mason
CHE Research Paper 113
Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK

July 2015

Read more here. 

Triggers for palliative care: Improving access

"This report explores the evidence around access to palliative care for people with terminal illnesses other than cancer."

Triggers for palliative care:  Improving access to care for people with diseases other than cancer
Marie Curie
June 2015

Read more here.

Improving quality of life for people with dementia and their carers through impact investment

"The development of products and services to tackle dementia needs more proactive support from government, policymakers, charities and healthcare professionals"

Remember me: Improving quality of life for people with dementia and their carers through impact investment 
E Ní Ógáin, K Mountain

Nesta
March 2015

Read more here.

The cost of hospital-acquired complications for older people with and without dementia

"Increased length of stay and high rates of adverse clinical events in hospitalised patients with dementia is stimulating interest and debate about which costs may be associated and potentially avoided within this population."

The cost of hospital-acquired complications for older people with and without dementia; a retrospective cohort study

K Bail, J Goss, B Draper, H Berry, R Karmel, D Gibson
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:91  doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0743-1

Read more here.

Advice from NICE on Medicines Optimisation of Key Therapies

NICE have released a number of evidence-based Key Therapeutic Topics to support medicines optimisation. Access them below:

• Antibiotic prescribing – especially broad spectrum antibiotics (KTT9)
• First-choice antidepressant use in adults with depression or generalised anxiety disorder (KTT8) 
• Low-dose antipsychotics in people with dementia (KTT7)
• Hypnotics (KTT6)
• High-dose inhaled corticosteroids in asthma (KTT5)
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (KTT4)
• Lipid-modifying drugs (KTT3)
• Renin-angiotensin system drugs (KTT2)
• Wound care products (KTT14)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (KTT13)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (KTT12)
• Minocycline (KTT11)
• Three-day courses of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infection
• Laxatives (KTT1)

Improving early recognition of delirium using SQiD

"Following awareness raising activities, the awareness and use of SQiD increased from 12.5% to 83% and 20% respectively. Incorporating the SQiD question into the care round form delivered 100% awareness and 50% use during testing."

Improving early recognition of delirium using SQiD (Single Question to identify Delirium): a hospital based quality improvement project
E McCleary, P Cumming
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u206598.w2653

Read more here.

Best practice in Memory Services

"With the increase in the interest in dementia and the need for high quality services, memory services have an important role to play in the assessment, diagnosis and management of people with suspected dementia."

Best practice in Memory Services: Learning from across England
A Burns, A Wilkinson, S Peachey
NHS England
December 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.

Dementia roadmap

"The Dementia Roadmap provides high quality information about the dementia journey alongside local information about services, support groups and care pathways to assist primary care staff to more effectively support people with dementia and cognitive impairment, their families and carers."

Find out more and access the resource here.

The importance of multimorbidity in explaining utilisation and costs

"This work forms a basis for identifying groups that would most benefit from improved integrated care, which might be facilitated by integrated financial arrangements and better pathway management."

The importance of multimorbidity in explaining utilisation and costs across health and social care settings: evidence from South Somerset’s Symphony Project
P Kasteridis, A Street, M Dolman, L Gallier, K Hudson, J Martin, I Wyer
Centre for Health Economics, University of York
February 2014

Read more here.

Positive and Proactive Care: reducing the need for restrictive interventions

"Rigorous governance is needed to ensure that positive and proactive care is the main approach within services to reduce excessive reliance on restrictive interventions and to ensure that if they are used, it is only ever as a last resort, and they are undertaken in a proportionate and least restrictive way."

Positive and proactive care: reducing the need for restrictive interventions
Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnership Directorate
Department of Health
April 2014

Read more here.

Care in crisis: what’s next for social care?

"The care system in England is in crisis. Older people, their families and carers are often placed under incredible pressure navigating a system which is confusing and unfair. Many are denied access to help, while others are forced to sacrifice what they have worked all their lives for."

Care in crisis: what’s next for social care?
Age UK
January 2014
Read more here.

Making our health and care systems fit for an ageing population

"Improving services for older people requires us to consider each component of care, since many older people use multiple services, and the quality, capacity and responsiveness of any one component will affect others."

Making our health and care systems fit for an ageing population
D Oliver, C Foot, R Humphries
The King's Fund
March 2014


Read more here.

G8 dementia summit declaration

"We acknowledge the on-going work occurring in our countries and globally to identify dementia as a major disease burden and to address issues related to ageing and mental health."

G8 dementia summit declaration
G8 UK
December 2013

Read more here.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and dementia - where are we now?

"Very little is known about the prevalence of dementia in the UK black and minority populations despite some of these communities being at higher levels of risk than the indigenous white population."

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and dementia - where are we now?
D Truswell
Race Equality Foundation
November 2013

Read more here.

Putting dementia on the map

"Around 670,000 people in England live with dementia – a number which will double in the next 30 years. This map sets out what we currently know about dementia care, support and research across the country."

Putting dementia on the map
Department of Health
November 2013

Access the map here.

State of the nation report on dementia care and support in England

"This report sets out what is known about dementia care, support and research. It highlights where improvements are being made and where progress can be seen – it also shows where improvements are needed, including where better data is necessary."

Dementia: A state of the nation report on dementia care and support in England
Department of Health
November 2013

Read more here.

Building dementia-friendly communities: a priority for everyone

"In order for dementia-friendly communities to succeed, the views and opinions of people with dementia and their carers must be at the heart of any considerations or decisions."

Building dementia-friendly communities: a priority for everyone
Alzheimer's Society
August 2013

Read more here.