vCJD transmission by blood components: risk assessment

vCJD transmission by blood components: risk assessment
DHSC 31 October 2019

• A mathematical model to estimate the number of cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) that could be caused by transfusions of blood products.

The prevalence of frailty in patients on hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prevalence of frailty in patients on hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Int Urol Nephrol. 2019 Oct 23. doi: 10.1007/s11255-019-02310-2.

• Analysis of data from the international literature concludes that prevalence frailty influences almost three in ten patients on haemodialysis. There were no significant relationships between frailty in haemodialysis and factors such as country (Europe & USA vs Asia) or duration of haemodialysis.

Abstract

End of life care for adults: service delivery

End of life care for adults: service delivery
NICE guideline [NG142] October 2019

• Resources and tools.

Association of early postnatal transfer and birth outside a tertiary hospital with mortality and severe brain injury in extremely preterm infants

Association of early postnatal transfer and birth outside a tertiary hospital with mortality and severe brain injury in extremely preterm infants: observational cohort study with propensity score matching
BMJ 2019; 367 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l5678 (Published 16 October 2019)

• An observational study of neonatal care services found that in a cohort of extremely preterm infants born at less than 28 gestational weeks, birth in a non-tertiary hospital and transfer within 48 hours are associated with poor outcomes when compared with birth in a tertiary setting.

Abstract:

Report of The Independent Review of Adult Screening Programme in England

Report of The Independent Review of Adult Screening Programme in England
NHS England 16 October 2019

• The review makes a number of recommendations regarding screening in England around governance, IT systems, uptake and delivery, performance, financial incentives, creating capacity to change, improving audit and research. 
• A key change is that NHS England should take responsibility for the delivery of all screening programmes, integrating the delivery of targeted and population screening previously split between NHS England and PHE.

Bowel cancer screening: guidelines for CTC imaging

Bowel cancer screening: guidelines for CTC imaging
PHE updated October 2019

• Information about imaging practice standards for bowel cancer screening of individuals unsuitable for a colonoscopy. It reflects the experience and changing evidence of the role of imaging and particularly of computed tomography colonography (CTC) as the main colonic examination.

National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit

National Early Inflammatory Arthritis
HQIP 10 October 2019

• The first annual report of the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis audit. The audit assesses seven key metrics of care provided for people with new symptoms of arthritis attending rheumatology services for the first time:

1. How quickly do primary care health professionals refer people suspected to have inflammatory arthritis?
2. How soon after referral are people seen in secondary care?
3. How long does it take to start treatment?
4. Do patients receive timely education about their condition?
5. Are treatment targets set and agreed?
6. Do patients have access to emergency advice?
7. Are annual reviews taking place?

Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group for Specialised Commissioning: Assurance Report 2018/19

Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group (PPV AG) for Specialised Commissioning: Assurance Report 2018/19
NHS Englnad 8 October 2019

• This assurance report details how and when the Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group (PPV AG) to NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning Directorate formed, the roles and responsibilities of the group, membership, and how PPV AG has supported the development and implementation of an internal assessment process linked to the legal 13Q duty of the Health and Social Care Act – to ensure that NHS England adequately involves patients and the public.

Clinical decision support for therapeutic decision-making in cancer: A systematic review

Clinical decision support for therapeutic decision-making in cancer: A systematic review

International Journal of Medical Informatics Volume 130, October 2019, 103940 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.07.019

• Ten studies of clinical decision support in cancer management were identified. Of the nine studies that measured process outcomes, five demonstrated significant improvement; and of the six that measured patient outcomes, four demonstrated significant improvement. In conclusion, CDS to guide cancer therapeutic decision making is an understudied but promising area.

Abstract

UK Guidelines on Pancreas and Islet Transplantation

UK Guidelines on Pancreas and Islet Transplantation
British Transplantation Society September 2019

• These guidelines cover solid organ pancreas transplantation and allogeneic islets of Langerhans transplantation, but exclude islet autotransplantation. Includes a Summary Table of Outcome Measures in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation.

Provision of Interventional Radiology Services, 2 ed

Provision of Interventional Radiology Services, 2 ed
Royal College of Radiologists September 2019

• This document demonstrates the range of services offered by interventional radiologists and sets out the core requirements for the provision of an IR service both in district general hospitals and tertiary or teaching hospitals, advising on how services may be set up collaboratively within regions to offer the highest quality of care to patients.

Caring for People with Liver Disease including Liver Transplantation: a Competence Framework for Nursing

Caring for People with Liver Disease including Liver Transplantation: a Competence Framework for Nursing

Royal College of Nursing 18 September 2019

• This updated framework describes the professional standards expected of practitioners when caring for people with liver disease including liver transplantation. It is designed to support practitioners in a clear, consistent and evidence-based format to reflect their specialist knowledge and skills. This edition includes competencies for liver transplantation.

Developing the nursing associate role in a critical care unit

Developing the nursing associate role in a critical care unit
Nursing Times [online]; 115: 10, 21-24. 16 September 2019

• This article looks at the experience of a small critical care unit in North Devon in taking on an nursing associate trainee.

Abstract

Comparing modular and personal service delivery in specialised outpatient care: A survey of haematology and oncology patient preferences

Comparing modular and personal service delivery in specialised outpatient care: A survey of haematology and oncology patient preferences
Health Services Management Research Volume: 32 issue: 4, page(s): 209-217, 12 August 2019 https://doi.org/10.1177/0951484819868681

• This study compares preferences of oncology patients treated by named nurses in a traditional specialty-focused day hospital and haematology patients treated without named nurses in a modularised day hospital. 
• The findings suggests that patients can be satisfied with outpatient care with or without named nurses. However, as several factors affect patient satisfaction and experience, more in-depth research is needed to understand how modularisation and patient preferences may be linked.

Abstract

Impact of cancer service centralisation on the treatment of men with prostate cancer:

Impact of cancer service centralisation on the radical treatment of men with high‐risk and locally advanced prostate cancer: A national cross‐sectional analysis in England
Int J Cancer. 2019 Jul 1; 145(1): 40–48. 17 January 2019. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32068

Analysis of data from the National Prostate Cancer Audit database indicates that centralisation of specialist cancer services does not affect whether men receive radical treatment, but it does affect treatment modality.

Abstract

Establishing MRI-guided prostate intervention at a UK Centre

Establishing MRI-guided prostate intervention at a UK Centre
Br J Radiol. 2019 Jun; 92(1098):20180918. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20180918. 

This article gives an account of establishing the first MRI intervention suite in the UK [University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust]. It demonstrates some of the logistical considerations, and offers the unit's early experience.

Abstract