Screening programmes; commissioning and co-ordination

Between 2002 and the NHS re-structure in 2013, SPH provided commissioning and public health support and advice to the commissioners of all cancer and non-cancer screening programmes across one region, including nine cancer screening programmes, two Diabetic Eye screening programmes and one Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening programme. SPH also supported all antenatal and new-born screening programmes in up to four NHS hospital trusts over an 11-year period.
The types of activity that SPH undertook for this work included:

  • Supporting commissioners to meet the requirements and standards of national and local service specifications
  • Ensuring that all screening programme contracts are monitored regularly and action plans implemented where necessary to recover performance
  • Providing public health advice and expertise to commissioners and screening programmes about national and local policies, standards and pathways
  • Co-ordination of all relevant service providers along the screening pathway to support performance management of programmes
  • Identifying differences in access to screening programmes and developing actions to address them
  • Responding to enquiries from stakeholders
  • Participating in the investigation of serious untoward incidents and putting systems in place to ensure they are not repeated
  • Identifying and disseminating best practice
Evidence Reviews
Non-invasively lengthened spinal rods for scoliosis
Rituximab for acquired haemophilia
Appraisal of screening for depression
Screening for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
Intravenous iron for the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps
Occlusion of the left atrial appendage to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation
Management of eating disorders in children and young people: In-patient, specialist out-patient or community child and adolescent mental health services
Repair of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal hernias in adults
Transformal epidural injections for the diagnosis and management of sciatica
GuideLites
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NICE Guidance Reference
Title
CG30
Long-acting reversible contraception (update)
CG156
Assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems
CG168
The diagnosis and management of varicose veins
CG178
Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: treatment and management
CG175
Prostate cancer: diagnosis and treatment
CG180
Atrial fibrillation: the management of atrial fibrillation
CG181
Lipid modification: cardiovascular risk assessment and the modification of blood lipids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease
CG185
Bipolar disorder: the assessment and management of bipolar disorder in adults, children and young people in primary and secondary care
CG189
Obesity: identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in children, young people and adults
CG190
Intrapartum care: care of healthy women and their babies during childbirth
CG191
Pneumonia: Diagnosis and management of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia in adults
NG2
Bladder Cancer: diagnosis and management
NG3
Diabetes in pregnancy
NG5
Medicines optimisation
NG12
Suspected cancer: recognition and referral
Case Studies

Improving allocative value decision-making in the stroke pathway (STAR tool)

The Mid and South Essex stroke stewardship group wanted to better understand which of the interventions they delivered were high value and which were low value to inform decision-making on use of resources and investment. Arden & GEM’s Healthcare Solutions team provided training and support to enable the group to use the Socio-Technical Allocation of Resources (STAR) process in value based decision-making. As a result, the MSE stroke stewardship group has the insight needed to improve the allocation of their existing resources and improve outcomes for their patients. SPH were part of the project team, conducting a librarian review of economic evidence relating to cost-effectiveness of the stroke interventions to feed into the first workshop. This comprised a review of existing economic cost-effectiveness assessments (ideally by NICE as these are recognised as the guiding authority within the NHS). Where an economic assessment had not been undertaken then this was noted for further consideration. More detail here

Health Needs Assessment for Children & Young People

SPH carried out a Health Needs Assessment for a local authority that was recommissioning its Healthy Child Programme (HCP). The purpose was to review whether existing provision and service configuration of the HCP was meeting the needs of children and young people in the county, and to identify gaps and potential options for improvement. This is a preventative programme which includes Health Visiting and School Nursing Services, Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) Programme and healthy start vouchers and vitamins, linking with childhood immunisation services, community paediatrics, speech and language, services for children with a learning disability and complex needs and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), among others. The HNA was carried out jointly by SPH and the local authority, with the epidemiological needs assessment and service description provided by the local authority. The report was compiled using a range of publicly available and locally collected epidemiological and service use data. In addition, SPH carried out a consultation of key corporate stakeholders as well as children and young people, their parents and carers. This included semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in a range of organisations, a survey of a wider range of staff who work with children and young people and a survey of children and young people, their parents and cares which was distributed through the services.
Testimonials
Highlights
Understanding diagnostic delays in Crohn’s and Colitis: an evidence review for Crohn’s and Colitis UK >>
Anticipatory Care Resources: Evidence Map, Evaluating Anticipatory Care & Rapid Evidence Review >>