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News - April 2007

Criteria published to help ensure services are 'young people friendly'

The Department of Health has published 'You're welcome quality criteria—making health services young people friendly', which aims to help healthcare services to be young people friendly. The criteria are based on examples of effective local practice working with young people aged less than 20 years. They support the implementation of Standard 4 of the 'National service framework for children, young people and maternity services', and build on the Royal College of General Practitioners' initiative 'Getting it right for teenagers in your practice'.

Areas covered include: accessibility; confidentiality and consent; staff training, skills, attitudes, and values; sexual and reproductive health services; and child and adolescent mental health services.

A companion toolkit has also been developed to support quality assurance and commissioning leads.

www.dh.gov.uk

GPIAG recommends changes to QOF respiratory indicators

The General Practice Airways Group (GPIAG) has recommended the following changes to the respiratory indicators in the quality and outcomes framework for 2008/09:

ASTHMA 6 (updated): the percentage of patients with asthma who have had an asthma review, including an assessment of control using the Royal College of Physicians three questions, in the previous 15 months—this suggested modification recognises that asthma is a variable condition and a review will need to be adapted to reflect individual clinical need.

ASTHMA (new): the percentage of patients (5 years and over) with asthma who have a written Personal Asthma Action Plan, supported by a discussion of self-management within the previous 15 months—this indicator has been suggested as the interrelationship of asthma reviews and self-management is theoretically grounded, is supported by evidence, and is recommended by guidelines.

COPD 10/11 (updated): the percentage of patients with COPD who have had a review, including an assessment of breathlessness using the MRC dyspnoea score, in the previous 15 months—this change replaces the medical model of monitoring the degree of airway obstruction with the assessment of a key symptom, which indicates the burden of disease and can trigger appropriate management.

The GPIAG states that suggested changes should help to improve patient care, can be applied to everyday general practice, and are underpinned by evidence.

The GMS contract and QOF is currently under review and the finalised changes for 2008/09 are due to be published in January 2008.

www.gpiag.org

Guidance published by the BTS on 'hospital at home' care for COPD

The British Thoracic Society (BTS) has published 'Intermediate care—Hospital-at-Home in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: British Thoracic Society guidance'.

This guideline takes into account the NICE guidance on the management of COPD in adults in primary and secondary care, which evaluated hospital at home care, and uses current evidence to answer the questions raised by the NICE guideline. Recommendations on patient assessment, making the decision to treat at home, and treatment are included in the BTS guideline, along with details on the different service provision models that may be suitable for particular hospital settings.

The guideline recommends that clinical responsibility and out of hours cover should be undertaken by the acute trust, and that this should transfer to primary care when a patient is discharged from care.

www.brit-thoracic.org.uk

New project aims to improve COPD care

The National COPD Resources and Outcomes Project, which is being run by the British Thoracic Society, British Lung Foundation, and the Royal College of Physicians, and is funded by The Health Foundation, has been launched. It aims to improve care for patients with COPD by measuring care in the four key areas: availability of early discharge schemes for patients from hospital; access to non-invasive ventilation when required; pulmonary rehabilitation schemes; and the provision of oxygen services. During the project, teams of healthcare professionals and managers from two hospitals will work together to share good practice, produce an action plan, and implement changes.

www.rcplondon.ac.uk

Working group report published on the use of insulin pumps

A report to help clarify the NICE guidance on the use of insulin pumps has been produced by the Insulin Pumps Working Group and published by the Department of Health. The aim of the guidance is to address variation in access to this therapy across the country, providing examples of best practice in improving access to pump therapy.

www.dh.gov.uk
www.diabetes.org.uk

NICE has issued guidance on 'Interventions to reduce substance misuse among vulnerable young people'

Advice on helping young people to access the right support and services is provided, along with guidance on individual, family, and group-based support

www.nice.org.uk

An online toolkit to help with the provision of services and support for overweight and obese people has been developed

'Lightening the load: tackling overweight and obesity', is published jointly by the National Heart Forum and Faculty of Public Health.

www.heartforum.org.uk

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