Diagnostics waiting times and activity data: month ending August 2008

This report from Age Concern found that gaps in NHS services, including transport, chiropody and dental services, can affect older people disproportionately, particularly if they have low incomes. The research gathered evidence of older people's experience of the services they use most often and those where access is known to be a problem. Age Concern's recommendations for action draw on these experiences. (Age Concern - publications)

Dear colleague letter from Gary Belfield, Director of Commissioning, to SHA Chief Executives and Directors of Commissioning, with a monthly progress report on the world class commissioning programme. (Department of Health - publications)

This document demonstrates good practice in adolescent health in primary care and can be adapted and used as a basis for an enhanced service via a primary care contract or service level agreement. This should avoid duplication of effort and speed up the commissioning process. (Primary Care Contracting - news)

This report from the National Audit Office (NAO) found that navigating complaints systems is not straightforward, particularly for health service users, and handling some complaints takes too long. There is little sharing of lessons from complaints or evidence that services are improving as a result. The report identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the current arrangements and the issues that need to be addressed. (NAO - press release) [BBC Health - News]

In 2000, the Department of Health determined that many of its planned improvements in primary care were unlikely to be achieved without a new contract for general practice. Fully implemented in April 2004, the new contract was intended to attract more doctors into general practice through better pay and improved conditions. This report examines the contract negotiation, the cost implications, and the extent to which the expected benefits for patients and the NHS are being realised. (House of Commons - publications) [BBC Health - News]

On 2 July 2008 the European Commission published a draft Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. This draft Directive seeks to clarify and codify existing European Court of Justice case law on when patients can exercise their freedom to obtain health services to which they are entitled in the UK in other European Union Member States. It also proposes that the Commission should co-ordinate across, or issue guidelines on, Member States in some areas of healthcare. A partial impact assessment including an equality screening template on the Directive has also been published. Comments are invited on both documents by 3 December 2008. (Department of Health - publications)

This toolkit is to help PCTs and Local Authorities plan, coordinate and implement comprehensive strategies to prevent and manage obesity. It provides information and tools including useful statistics, practical initiatives, evidence of effectiveness, checklists, frameworks and examples of good practice. It is an update on the previous toolkit, with new tools that provide a breakdown of the cost of obesity to every PCT and includes research from the upcoming Change4Life campaign that provides insight into families views on diet and activity. (Department of Health - publications)