The week:  4 to 10 January 2013 
for NHS and social care leaders

Issue: 280

On the agenda

£5.45 billion budget for local public health services announced
A £5.45 billion two-year ring-fenced public health budget for local authorities has been announced by the Department of Health.  From April 2013, when local authorities take the lead for improving the health of their local communities, public health budgets will be protected for the first time.  This will help drive local efforts to improve health and wellbeing by tackling the wider determinants of poor health.

Building on advice from an independent expert group – the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) – funding is specifically targeted for the first time at those areas with the worst health outcomes.

In 2013/14, the total budget for local public health services will be just under £2.7 billion. In 2014/15, the budget will be just under £2.8 billion. Every local authority will receive a real terms increase in funding.
 
For further information go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/public-health-budgets/

Government investment to boost health research
New funding for health research will benefit millions of patients and tackle some of the country’s biggest health problems over the next five years.

The £120 million National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) scheme will support up to 12 projects and is part of the Government’s commitment to put the UK at the forefront of health research. Previous funding has led to the development of innovative health solutions, such as a new blood clotting drug that reduces the risk of death in patients by 30 percent, and improved follow up care for stroke survivors using a targeted questionnaire. The competition is now open for bids and will close in May 2013. 

For further information go to: http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2013/01/09/government-invests-120-million-to-boost-health-research/

Policy news
No news this week

Consultations and evaluations
No news this week

Publications
1. Developing operational delivery networks: the way forward 

Conferences and events

i. what’s new
2. Electronic document management in healthcare 
3. Safe and effective nursing staffing
4. Safeguarding vulnerable adults in mental health services 

ii. places still available
No news this week

Patient safety alerts
Refer to website below

Extra notes
Chief executives are reminded that all communications requiring the attention of NHS and local authority management must include a Gateway reference number.  In order to streamline the number of communications issued by the Department, these will continue to be summarised in ‘the week’ every Thursday.

Policy news
No news this week

Consultations and evaluations
No news this week

Publications

1. Developing operational delivery networks: the way forward 
(Gateway reference number: 18617)
Information about operational delivery networks (ODNs) covering areas such as neonatal and adult critical care, burns and trauma has now been published.
Developing ODNs: The Way Forward sets out the purpose, benefits and key principles of ODNs, as well as information about funding, accountability and HR.
 
Link: http://www.commissioningboard.nhs.uk/2012/12/21/odn/
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to review this NHS Commissioning Board document and consider the implications.

Conferences and events

i. what’s new 

2. Electronic document management in healthcare
(Gateway reference number: 18618)
Ken Lunn, Director for Data Standards and Products at the NHS Commissioning Board, will open this conference on Thursday 14 March 2013 in London. It will outline different strategies for the implementation of electronic document management and discuss the legal framework and information governance. 

Link: http://www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk/electronic-document-management-paperless-nhs-edm
Action: NHS chief executives and their colleagues can download the brochure at the link above or contact kerry@healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk for further information. A 20 percent booking discount is available by quoting ref: hcuk20theweek. 

3. Safe and effective nurse staffing
(Gateway reference number: 18619)
Professor Juliet Beal, Director of Nursing (Quality Improvement and Care), will chair this conference on Tuesday 19 March 2013 in London at the NHS Commissioning Board. It will provide a practical guide to planning nurse staffing, putting forward a business case for effective nurse staffing and managing staffing and skills mix in clinical areas.

Link: http://www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk/nursing-staff-levels-skills-mix  
Action: NHS chief executives and their colleagues can download the brochure at the link above or contact kerry@healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk for further information. A 20 percent booking discount is available by quoting ref: hcuk20theweek. 

4. Safeguarding vulnerable adults in mental health services
(Gateway reference number: 18620)
Claire Crawley, Senior Policy Manager - Adult Safeguarding, at the Department of Health, will open this practical conference on Tuesday 26 March 2013 in London. She will outline what safeguarding should include and which incidents should be put through the safeguarding system rather than standard management and risk processes.

Link: http://www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk/safeguarding-vulnerable-adults-mental-health-training  
Action: NHS chief executives and their colleagues can download the brochure at the link above or contact kerry@healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk for further information. A 20 percent booking discount is available by quoting ref: hcuk20theweek. 

ii. places still available
No news this week

Patient safety alerts

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has sent the NHS the latest medical device alerts in the link below.  NHS Trusts are expected to take the specified action by the date given.

Link: www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetywarnings/MedicalDeviceAlerts/index.htm

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Change in contact details
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Technical difficulties
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www.dh.gov.uk/health/contact-dh/

General comments
If you would like to comment on 'the week', please email theweek@dh.gsi.gov.uk or write to NHS Staff Comms Team, Department of Health, Room 444, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2NS.

Unless otherwise stated, guidance referred to in the bulletin has not been commissioned or endorsed by the Department of Health – it is evidence that organisations and professionals may find helpful in improving practice. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is the Department's provider of accredited evidence and guidance, which can be found on the Institute's website at www.nice.org.uk  

Sir David Nicholson's role as NHS Chief Executive transfers completely to the NHS Commissioning Board in April 2013. Sir David would still like to communicate with you in his new role and we are therefore asking if you are happy for your email address to be shared with the NHS Commissioning Board. If you do not want your email address shared, please email the theweek@dh.gsi.gov.uk