Diabetes in the NHS: Commissioning and providing specialist services

Diabetes has come a long way since the publication of the National Service Framework (NSF). Self management is now recognised as the key to improved health outcomes, but people with diabetes also need the active support of organised, proactive and expert health, community and social services.

This small booklet aims to address this issue by providing details of the improved pathways that can be designed for people with diabetes, the governance issues that can be addressed by PCTs and the money the can be saved by acute trusts and commissioners, if the expertise of consultant diabetologists and the teams they work with is used to the full.

(Published September 2007, 26 pages)

NHS Stop Smoking Services

This updated guidance is intended for everyone involved in managing, commissioning or delivering NHS stop smoking services. It has been developed by means of a collaboration with representatives from SHAs, PCTs, the Information Centre and academics from the field of smoking cessation.

(Published October 2007, 26 pages)

Commissioning for Patient Pathways

This practical guide will support commissioning managers by creating a structured approach to commissioning planned care pathways that will meet 18 weeks and build towards a sustainable pathway-based commissioning approach.

(Published September 2007, 54 pages)

Commissioning specialist adult learning disability health services

Good practice guidance on the commissioning of specialist adult learning disability health services for adults, in particular to assist in responding to shortcomings identified in these services in recent Healthcare Commission reports including those into abuse in Cornwall and Merton and Sutton.

(Published October 2007, 21 pages)

Care Outside Hospital

The NHS Operating Framework for 2008/2009 expects PCTs to take ambitious steps toward providing care as close to the patient's home as possible. NHS organisations need to focus their efforts on those areas most likely to bring significant benefits and to apply effective approaches to ensure that the change delivers.

Prioritise Opportunities: User Guide

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Toolkits

Delivering the 18 week patient pathway

Delivering an 18 week patient pathway from GP referral to the start of treatment by the end of 2008 is a key objective for the NHS. This website is dedicated to supporting the Service and provides access to: information to help you implement the changes, details of initiatives around the NHS that are already achieving improvements in the patient's journey, case studies to allow you to share best practice, and programme resources, including presentations and reports.

Eye care

PCTs have an increasing role to play in commissioning a wide range of community based services for patients with chronic eye conditions. In the National Eye Care Services Steering Group's first report it has made recommendations for PCTs in commissioning services for glaucoma, cataract services, low vision services and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). A new step by step guide has been produced to support Commissioners.

(Published October 2007, 64 pages)

Commissioning Roadmap

The North West Commissioning Roadmap website is aimed at commissioners of adult health and wellbeing services in local authorities and PCTs in the North West.

It is a way of sharing practice around the region by offering advice, case studies, summaries of national guidance, comprehensive resources sections with links to other websites, and regional contact details.

Facing the Future

The Government's response to Facing the Future: a review of the role of health visitors. It includes recommendations on the workforce and sets out the government plans for taking forward the relevant recommendations.

(Published October 2007, 22 pages)

Report of the High Level Group (HLG) on Clinical Effectiveness

There is variation in clinical practice in the NHS and in the treatments that patients receive. Some of this may be appropriate but patients may also receive treatments which are not very effective or for which there is no evidence. The HLG found that there is much work already being undertaken by a range of organisations and some good examples in local organisations. It also found that there is no ‘single bullet’ to address the issue of clinical effectiveness. This is a complex issue. Staff in the NHS need to be empowered locally to take ownership of the agenda and promote clinically effective practice.

(Published October 2007, 56 pages)

Other documents

16th wave: clinical guidelines and public health guidance referred in September 2007

Helping GPs to commission services more

Practice Based Commissioning GP practice survey

National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group Annual Report 2006/07

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