Move towards more coordinated services and the value of targeting populations, says the Health Foundation

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This is a critique of a report from the Health Foundation looking at the coordinating services and targeting populations rather than acute health goals.

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Clinical commissioning for key health challenges in English cities

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Caroline Storer summarises a recent NHSCC report, which defines how clinical commissioning groups in England’s core cities are responding to the Five Year Forward View.

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Reducing the bureaucracy in general practice must be a national priority, says NHS Alliance

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Sarah McDonald reviews a new NHS Alliance report, which provides a snapshot of GP and Practice Manager views on the day-to-day work demands that exist outside of general practice consultations.

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NHS Clinical Commissioners present case studies showing successful partnership working between commissioners and providers

Ambulance on the move

The National Ambulance Commissioners Network have published a briefing on Good Practice in Ambulance Commissioning. The briefing contains seven case studies relating to emergency ambulance services. It also summarises some of the key areas commissioners should focus on. Caroline Storer takes a look at it.

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Build upon successful local collaborations for effective communication in community health services, says review

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The aim of this literature review from the Policy Research Unit in Commissioning at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is to help decision-makers support acute care, by moving some services out of the hospital, and into the community.

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“Financial crisis provides a window of opportunity and stimulus for reform” says a Health Foundation report

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This is a summary of an evidence scan produced by The Health Foundation about lessons the NHS can learn from other countries about managing financial crisis.

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“We must all work together in the interests of patients” says the NHS Commissioning Assembly

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This comprehensive resource has been written for all the organisations involved in delivering quality services, in particular commissioners and local authorities, who “are responsible for commissioning social care services for adults and children.” The document starts off by explaining what the NHS means by quality, looking at three dimensions, as defined by Lord Ara Darzi [read the full story…]

Mental health has led the move away from hospital care to home based treatment says guide

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This guide is an excellent example of developing resources to help learn from good practice. It has been written for all commissioners and providers, but in particular clinical commissioners, and mental health commissioners and practitioners. Primary care mental health The first section of the guide gives a comprehensive overview of the state of primary care [read the full story…]

Every commissioner should address ethnic inequalities in mental health says panel of experts

Psychological therapists and occupational therapists were not included in this qualitative study of 27 mental health staff, which is a shame.

Anyone can suffer from mental illness, but current mental health services may not be appropriate for the whole population. People from black and minority ethnic groups may have different requirements, and this guide aims to help commissioners reduce inequalities by procuring good health care for all. This guidance has been produced by the Joint Commissioning [read the full story…]

Commissioning for health improvement can help tackle health inequalities, says report

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This new guide from the Royal Society for Public Health is most relevant to commissioners, providers, local authorities, people working in health improvement and public health practitioners. Take a look and see which areas will be most useful to you in terms of reducing health inequalities and improving health and wellbeing in your area.

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