Annual Evidence Update on Diabetic Retinopathy 2008

The Diabetes Specialist Library has gathered and evaluated information on topics suggested by diabetic retinopathy experts and compiled them into an update for National Knowledge Week for Diabetic Retinopathy. The comprehensive collection includes systematic reviews, guidelines and primary research.
Click on the link to access the knowledge updates: http://www.library.nhs.uk/diabetes/Page.aspx?pagename=DR

NHS System Reform Annual Update October 2008

The Health Management Specialist Library has brought together the latest evidence, published since June 2007, about several key aspects of NHS reform. These include patient choice, payment by results, commissioning, foundation trusts, alternative providers (such as independent and third sector) and regulation. Click here to view the update: http://www.library.nhs.uk/healthManagement/page.aspx?pagename=AEUSR

National Knowledge Week for Ethnicity and Health 2008

The Ethnicity and Health Specialist Library has published a series of articles for its National Knowledge Week for Ethnicity and Health 2008. The articles have been written by experts and include topics such as commissioning, oral health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and learning difficulties.
Click on the link to view the complete list of articles: http://www.library.nhs.uk/ethnicity/Page.aspx?prv=y&pagename=NKW2008

Vital Signs

Operational Plans 2008/09 - 2010/11

The Operating Framework, published the end of last year, introduced a new approach to planning and managing our priorities both nationally and locally – the Vital Signs. This guidance explains how organisations can use the Vital Signs to develop local operational plans to deliver against national priorities and how to select - or even create - local priorities. The document sets out how performance will be managed against each of the three tiers of the Vital Signs, limiting central performance management to the tier one national priorities and beyond that only to those areas or organisations where performance is weak. Click here for the link

Annual Evidence Update 2008 - Osteoarthritis

The Musculoskeletal Specialist Library has worked with the Trauma & Orthopaedics Specialist Library to do a detailed literature search of all the evidence published on Osteoarthritis in the preceding year. The result is the Annual Evidence Update 2008. Guidance from NICE, RCP and Clinical Knowledge Summaries are included in the Update, as are systematic reviews of pharmacological therapies, physical therapies, complementary and alternative therapies, and surgery. Click here to see the Update: http://www.library.nhs.uk/musculoskeletal/

2008 Annual Evidence Update on Breast Cancer

The Cancer Specialist Library has launched its 2008 Annual Evidence Update on Breast Cancer. The resources are mostly systematic reviews and some guidance, all published between 2007 and 2008. The amount of literature reviewed is so large that the Update has been divided into three parts. Click on the link to review the resources available: http://www.library.nhs.uk/Cancer/Page.aspx?pagename=KW08BCCO

Heart Failure National Evidence Update

The Cardiovascular Diseases Specialist Library has produced the 2008 Annual Evidence Update on Heart Failure. A panel of experts has reviewed all the high quality literature produced since last year. The result is an update of systematic reviews and other key evidence on heart failure, which you can view here:
http://www.library.nhs.uk/cardiovascular/Page.aspx?prv=y&pagename=HFAEU08INT

Hepatitis B & C Annual Evidence Update 2008

The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Specialist Library has produced a Hepatitis B & C Annual Evidence Update, drawing from evidence published in 2007 and 2008. The literature has been reviewed by subject specialists and divided into categories such as diagnosis, treatment and risk factors. View the Update here: http://www.library.nhs.uk/Gastroliver/ViewResource.aspx?resID=292642&tabID=289&catID=13873

Annual Evidence Update on Headache

The Neurological Conditions Specialist Library has published the Headache Annual Evidence Update. Literature published from 2006 to 2008 was gathered and peer-reviewed for this update, which contains guidelines, systematic reviews and other high quality evidence. To view the evidence on treatment, prevention and other aspects of headache, click here: http://www.library.nhs.uk/neurological/ViewResource.aspx?resID=292337

Depression Annual Evidence Update 2008

The Mental Health Specialist Library has searched four major databases for high-quality evidence of depression and has produced an Annual Evidence Update. The evidence, published between January 2007 and August 2008, has been organised into four categories: Incidence and prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and populations. To peruse the Update, click on the following link: http://www.library.nhs.uk/mentalHealth/Page.aspx?pagename=DEPRESSION

healthtalkonline.org

DIPEx, the Database of Individual Patient Experiences, has changed its name to Healthtalkonline.

People around the UK from a variety of different backgrounds share their experiences of illnesses and general health topics such as bereavement. There are interview clips and an online forum. It is a useful site, not only for patients, but also for healthcare professionals who can view the effects of an illness from a patient's perspective.

See more at http://www.healthtalkonline.org/

The Information Centre has a new look!

The NHS Information Centre website has been revamped with a new look and extra functions.

There is high-quality information for frontline staff in areas such as commissioning, public health, finance and performance. It is also a useful source of statistics and data collections. One new feature is an interactive map that demonstrates every stage of the commissioning process.

Click on http://www.ic.nhs.uk/ and try it out!

Opinion: Why current publication practices may distort science

An interesting opinion piece from the essay section of PLoS Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by the PLoS (the Public Library of Science). The PLoS is a not-for-profit organisation which is dedicated to producing scientific and medical literature that is freely available to everyone.

Read the article here: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0050201

Health and Care Services for Older People: Overview report on research to support the National Service Framework for Older People

This report summarises the key findings from a group of 16 studies commissioned by the Policy Research Programme under the ‘Older People’s use of services’ Research Initiative. The aim of the initiative was to inform and assess the implementation of the National Service Framework for Older People (2001).