General
The standard NHS contracts for acute hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services and supporting guidance
The NHS standard contracts will cover agreements between PCTs and providers for the delivery of NHS funded services, including acute services.
Medicines in unplanned care toolkit published
The Medicines Management Network North West has published the Medicines in Unplanned Care Toolkit, produced to help all those involved in the delivery of urgent care to review and look in more depth at progress and solutions for access to medicines.
2nd quarter (Jul-Sep 2008) A & E hospital activity statistics
A & E Attendances
Admissions from A & E
Total Time in A & E
Evidence-Based Medicine
BestBETS – Best Evidence Topics provide rapid evidence-based answers to real-life clinical questions, using a systematic approach to reviewing the literature. Four new or modified BETS were added last month.
Topical anaesthetic and pain associated with lumbar puncture in neonates
C reactive protein in the differential diagnosis of heart failure and chest infection
Is NIV an effective intervention for patients with acute exacerbations of asthma?
Are beta-blockers superior and safer to digoxin for rate control of acute atrial fibrillation in the emergency department?
Cochrane Library
Cochrane Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects
Highlights of reviews published last month include:
A systematic review of prophylactic antibiotics in the surgical treatment of maxillofacial fractures
Cell-free hemoglobin-based blood substitutes and risk of myocardial infarction and death: a meta-analysis
Effect of nitric oxide donors on blood pressure and pulse pressure in acute and subacute stroke
Efficacy of TNP on lower limb wounds: a meta-analysis
Meta-analysis of defibrase in treatment of acute cerebral infarction
Shoulder adhesive capsulitis: systematic review of randomised trials using multiple corticosteroid injections
The effectiveness of non-invasive treatments for active myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review of the literature
Treatment of acute scaphoid fractures: systematic review and meta-analysis
Guidelines
Infliximab for acute exacerbations of ulcerative colitis (NICE)
Management of patients with stroke or TIA: assessment, investigation, immediate management and secondary prevention (SIGN)
Rapid response report : reducing risk of overdose with midazolam injection in adults (NPSA)
Thrombolytic therapy and balloon angioplasty in acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). (NGC)
Clinical policy: critical issues in the evaluation and management of adult patients presenting to the emergency department with acute headache. (NGC)
Highlights from the Literature
Emergency Medicine Online, January 2009, vol. 26, issue 1
Protocol compliance and time management in blunt trauma resuscitation
The utility of routine laboratory testing in hypoglycaemic emergency department patients
Door to relocation time for dislocated hip prosthesis: multicentre comparison of emergency department procedural sedation versus theatre-based general anaesthesia
This bulletin is brought to you by the Knowledge and Information Service. It aims to keep you up-to-date with infection control issues. At the beginning of each month, a librarian will update the bulletin with relevant information published in the preceding month. If there are areas you think we also need to cover, please let us know.
This bulletin is brought to you by Library and Knowledge Services. It aims to keep you up-to-date with accident and emergency issues. At the beginning of each month, a librarian will update the bulletin with relevant information published in the preceding month. If there are areas you think we also need to cover, please let us know.
