Acute oncology on the acute medical unit

This toolkit stresses the importance of patients having access to cancer specialists as soon as possible, and suggests that NHS trusts set up acute oncology services, which can work with the team in the acute medical unit to help in the management of patients with acute oncology problems.

Co-ordinated care for people with complex chronic conditions

This report presents the findings from a two-year research project, which aimed to understand the key components of effective strategies employed by studying five UK-based programmes to deliver co-ordinated care for people with long-term and complex needs.

Case study on virtual wards in South Devon and Torbay

South Devon and Torbay CCG uses proactive case management and community virtual wards to identify people at risk of an unnecessary hospital admission in the next 12 months.

Homecare survey generates ideas to help improve services

The ideas were among comments received from more than 1000 service users, their friends and family, providers of care and care professionals. Suggestions to improve homecare included: care providers having an online or telephone booking system; using tablets to record care visits with access for the family doctor, local nurse and the person’s family; and creating local care teams so intimate care is never delivered by a stranger

New professional guidance on pharmacy services for clinical trials

The National Pharmacy Clinical Trials Advisory Group (NPCTAG) has produced new guidance intended for use by pharmacy staff involved with the provision of clinical trials services at policy, strategic and operational levels.

NHS needs complaints handling revolution

An independent report by Ann Clwyd and Professor Tricia Hart calls for a revolution in the way in which the NHS handles complaints. The review received 2,500 responses describing poor care, lack of compassion and dissatisfaction with the handling of complaints. 

Reconfiguring services: when must NHS bodies consult the public? How do they go about doing it? And how can they protect themselves from legal challenge?

Commissioners have difficult decisions to make about services - which to continue, which to commission, and which to stop. This briefing from Mills and Reeve draws out the central principles from the case law and from published guidance, setting out the ground rules for a lawful consultation and pointing out the “elephant traps” to avoid.

Managing demand for emergency hospital admissions

Many emergency admissions to hospital are avoidable and many patients stay in hospital longer than necessary, according to a report by the National Audit Office.  Improving the flow of patients through the system will be critical to the NHS’s ability to cope with future winter.

Seven-day services in the NHS

The BMA has published information about the proposals to make more NHS services available all week round including background, the BMA’s position and evidence about the impact of the plan on hospitals.