Main description:

The Health and Social Care Bill received royal assent in March 2012 leading to significant changes in the way NHS services are commissioned and provided. The latest edition of this popular guide has been fully revised and updated to help you make sense of these changes. Written in clear and concise language the handbook is comprehensive and easy to use. Contents of this title include: the new structure of the NHS in England; commissioning; providing services; policy and strategy: creating a 'vision' for the NHS; quality and safety; accountability and regulation; financing the NHS Staffing and human resources; evidence, research and development; information technology; the NHS in Scotland; the NHS in Wales; the NHS in Northern Ireland; the NHS in Europe; and, acronym buster 248. How can "The NHS handbook" help you? However you work within, alongside or in conjunction with the NHS, whatever your interest in the health service, this timely guide will help you keep up with the change to the NHS. Clinical and non-clinical leaders: gain insight into how the changes will affect your work. New to the NHS? Build on your knowledge of how the health service fits together.
Partners and suppliers: access information you need to make the most of your relationships within the NHS.

Contents:

Contents Forewords 6 NHS Confederation 8 Introduction: one system - four structures 9 01 The new structure of the NHS in England Parliament 12 Department of Health 15 Other government departments 17 Arm's-length bodies 17 NHS Commissioning Board 18 Clinical commissioning groups 20 Health and wellbeing boards 22 Foundation trusts 23 Independent providers 25 Managing the transition 30 02 Commissioning The basics 34 Clinical commissioning groups' role 35 NHS Commissioning Board's role 38 Health and wellbeing boards' role 39 Commissioning and competition 42 Public health 45 03 Providing services Primary care 60 Community health services 69 Integrated care 72 Secondary care 77 Urgent and emergency care 84 Maternity services 91 Mental health 92 Care for special groups 99 04 Policy and strategy: creating a 'vision' for the NHS The planning framework 106 Equality and diversity 110 05 Quality and safety Ensuring quality 116 Ensuring patient safety 127 06 Accountability and regulation The role of boards and governing bodies 132 Engaging patients and the public 137 Complaints 143 Regulation and inspection 147 Professional regulation 150 07 Financing the NHS Sources of funding 158 Resource allocation 161 Capital 163 NHS spending 166 Buying goods and services 169 08 Staffing and human resources Workforce planning 176 Pay and pensions 180 The NHS as an employer 183 09 Evidence, research and development Government, strategy and infrastructure 188 Funding R&D 193 Research organisations 194 Nurturing innovation 195 10 Information technology IT policy and the information strategy 200 IT infrastructure 202 Collecting and using data 206 11 The NHS in Scotland The structure of NHSScotland 210 Strategy and policy 218 12 The NHS in Wales The structure of NHS Wales 222 Strategy and policy 227 13 The NHS in Northern Ireland The structure of the NHS in Northern Ireland 232 Strategy and policy 236 14 The NHS in Europe EU health policy 243 Cross-border healthcare 244 Current EU policy initiatives 246 Acronym buster 248 Index 259 Acknowledgements 267