The national hip fracture database report 2012

This is the fourth national report on hip fractures and the care of hip fracture patients in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. In terms of the six Blue Book standards, there are concerns that the previous year-on-year improvement in compliance with all six standards has not been sustained.

Innovation, health and wealth - Digital First report

A report on Digital First: the delivery choice for England’s population, has been published.  It identifies ten simple uses of technology worth implementing, which could reduce inappropriate face-to-face contacts, through making use of existing technologies.

Transforming the delivery of health and social care: the case for fundamental change

This paper from the King’s Fund exploring how the current health and social care delivery system has failed to keep pace with the population's needs and expectations, argues that incremental changes to existing models of care will not be sufficient in addressing these challenges and that a much bolder approach is needed to bring about innovative models that are appropriate to the needs of the population and are high quality, sustainable and offer value for money.

Report recommends which specialised services should be commissioned nationally

A report by the Clinical Advisory Group for Prescribed Services (CAG) recommends which services for people with rare conditions should be commissioned nationally in England. The services listed in the report will be commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board from April 2013, rather than by clinical commissioning groups.

Designing and commissioning services for adults with asthma: a good practice guide

To help improve asthma care, PCC has produced Designing and Commissioning Services for Adults with Asthma:  a Good Practice Guide which sets out the 15 points that good asthma services need to include, with detailed advice for commissioners and service developers together with examples of good practice.

Report on assistant practitioner role in children and young people’s services

This publication examines the background and development of the assistant practitioner role in children and young people’s services and looks at key policy issues as well as making recommendations for future development and implementation.

Developing a powerful disruptive innovator to create integrated and accountable programmes of care

There is broad agreement about the need to commission integrated care. This casebook, explores and develops the idea that commissioners could commission an Integrated and Accountable Programme of Care for a population of patients with particular needs.

Procurement of healthcare (clinical) services: Briefings for CCGs

The NHS Commissioning Board has developed a series of procurement briefings for CCGs that summarise the key elements of legislation and guidance currently governing NHS procurement of healthcare services. These briefings also provide an overview of the different procurement approaches that CCGs may adopt and outlines some of the key considerations when undertaking a procurement process.

Safe staffing for older people

Report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on safe staffing for older people.

Atlas of Variation in Healthcare for People with Respiratory Disease

Right Care have produced a new themed Atlas which highlights variation in care for people with respiratory disease The Respiratory Disease Atlas, together with the 2011 Outcomes Strategy for COPD and Asthma and the NHS Companion Document to the Strategy , can be used by healthcare professionals to increase the value of care they offer to people with respiratory disease.

UK audit reveals variation in care for children with epilepsy

The Epilepsy12 Audit led by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) found some encouraging results in the quality of care for children with epilepsy and their families, but also significant variation such as: only 46% of children saw an epilepsy specialist nurse; 40% of children did not see a paediatric neurologist where required; and 35% of children did not have a complete first assessment.

Hospitals on the edge? The time for action

The Royal College of Physicians has published a report on the state of hospital services in the UK which has found that the number of acute and general beds has been cut by a third in the past 25 years. They have warned that hospitals are "on the brink of collapse" as they struggle to cope with increased numbers of patients.