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Bulletin
for allied health professionals June 2002
Issue 9
Introduction
Welcome to the ninth edition of the AHP bulletin, with, I hope, more
helpful information and contacts. In particular, I would like to bring
to your notice this month the CHI's need for more AHP team members.
The Commission for Health Improvement
As you will be aware, the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) was
set up in November 1999 by the government to improve the quality of patient
care in the NHS across England and Wales. CHI is now developing a methodology
and undertaking pilot reviews in primary care and mental health trusts.
It plans to roll out these reviews in September 2002.
CHI is looking for senior allied health professionals to participate
in the reviews as members of the multi-professional review team. Following
a selection process, training is provided over two days, with each review
being conducted over seven days.
CHI is particularly interested in people who can demonstrate:
- knowledge and awareness of service delivery issues
- a breadth of understanding across the clinical governance agenda
- experience of managing multi-professional teams
- the ability to apply knowledge and principles gained from their own
profession to other professions
- interest in looking at clinical governance across a number of different
clinical teams in different organisational contexts.
Applicants must be state-registered AHPs, able to demonstrate broad
clinical experience, and with at least three years' management experience
at departmental or equivalent level.
Please consider this developmental opportunity seriously. You can obtain
an application form via the CHI web site, www.chi.nhs.uk.
Further information is available from Jo Dent, CHI's AHP advisor, on
0121-7448-9390 or at jo.dent@chi.nhs.uk.
Finally, please continue to give us feedback on the bulletin, particularly
if you think we've missed something you would like to share with colleagues.
Please send comments and suggestions to: Alan.Robson@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Avril Imison
Head of Policy - allied health professions
Contents:
Health and social care interest
1. Primary care workforce planning framework
2. Guidance on eligibility criteria for adult social care
3. Delayed discharges: change agent team work programme
4. Invest to Save Budget Round 5: bidding guidance
5. Safety notice - Smith & Nephew Homecraft Ltd, Liftmaster
160 and 190 hoists
NHS interest
6. Pre and post appointment checks for all NHS staff
7. Health protection functions transferring to the Health
Protection Agency
8. Copying letters to patient initiative
9. Changes to entitlement to sight test vouchers
Social Care Interest
10. Star ratings
AHP Human Resource Interest
11. Criminal Records Bureau - applications for disclosures
12. NHS Beacons website
13. Working Lives in Public Services Conference 2002
General issues
14. Keeping up to date
NHS and social care interest
1.. Primary care workforce planning framework
A framework has been developed for primary care trusts to use and adapt
for their local workforce planning activity.
It can be accessed on www.natpact.nhs.uk,
as part of the competency framework for PCTs.
2. Guidance on eligibility criteria for adult social
care
Guidance has been published on fair access to care services, under cover
of a local authority circular - LAC (2002)13. Principally the guidance
provides councils with a framework for setting their eligibility criteria
for adult social care, and reminds them of their responsibilities to review
the needs of service users at regular intervals.
The guidance also provides a starting point for eligibility criteria for
packages of continuing health and social care, and joint eligibility for
services provided under section 31 of the Health Act 1999.
The guidance can be accessed at www.doh.gov.uk/publications.coinh.html
or www.doh.gov.uk/scg/facs/index.htm
Further details are available from Raymond Warburton, Department of Health,
Wellington House, 133 - 155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, tel020 7972
4286, or from SSI regional contacts.
3. Delayed discharges: Health and social care change
agent team - work programme September 2002 to March 2003
The closing date for expressions of interest in phase two of the work
on delayed discharges is 30 June 2002. This relates to the work programme
of the health and social care 'change agent' team from September 2002
to March 2003.
Guidance for expressing interest is available at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/changeagents.htm
Contact Amy Nicholas, health and social care change agent team co-ordinator,
tel 020 7210 5077
4. Invest to Save Budget: Round 5 - bidding guidance
The Treasury has launched the bidding process for the Invest to Save Budget
(ISB) Round 5. The ISB is designed to help develop projects that bring
together two or more public service bodies to deliver services in an innovative
and more efficient fashion. Guidance is available on the ISB website at
www.isb.gov.uk/
Project bids related to health or personal social services will require
support from the Department of Health. Those seeking support from the
department should send their expressions of interest to Carol Frater by
e-mail at Carol.Frater@doh.gsi.gov.uk
no later than 28 June 2002. For further information please telephone 0113
254 5373.
5. Safety notice - MDA SN2002(16) Smith & Nephew Homecraft
Ltd, Liftmaster 160 and 190 Hoists
This safety notice was issued on 21 May 2002.
For further information see http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk.
NHS Interest
6. Pre and post appointment checks for all NHS staff
Recent cases have highlighted the need to strengthen recruitment and retention
procedures in the NHS. A new circular on this subject is intended to supplement
the checks and enquiries that NHS bodies are required to carry out by
law, both before and after appointment.
See HSC 2002/008 at http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/coin4.nsf/Circulars?ReadForm
7. Health protection functions transferring to the
Health Protection Agency T
he chief medical officer's report, Getting Ahead of the Curve,
proposed (among other things) the establishment of the Health Protection
Agency (HPA). The agency will take overall responsibility for the surveillance
of infectious diseases, and for commissioning and co-ordinating specialist
and reference microbiology laboratories. It will play a key role in the
provision of a service for the prevention and control of infectious diseases,
chemical and radiation hazards in the population.
Resources currently used by these services will need to be transferred
to the HPA. For staff currently working in the field, a data collection
exercise has been instigated. Information gathered, once validated, will
be used to inform financial allocations and transfers of individual staff.
Issued by Pauline Farr, finance lead, Health Protection Agency implementation
team, Room 505, Hannibal House, tel 0207 972 2343, e-mail: pauline.farr@doh.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/hpaletter30may.htm
8 . Copying letters to patients initiative
This is the latest in a series of updates on this initiative. The Department
of Health has set aside some funds in this financial year (2002/03) to
launch a programme of pilot projects. The working group on copying letters
to patients identified a number of areas which could be informed by pilot
work, such as particular issues around mental health, children and carers.
The purpose of this update is to alert NHS colleagues that an invitation
for proposals will be made in the next few weeks. Details will be posted
on the Department of Health's website at the following address: www.doh.gov.uk/patientletters/issues.htm
The invitation for proposals will also be announced through another update
on this bulletin.
Further information about this initiative can be obtained from Sue Sharples,
policy lead at the Department of Health at Department of Health, Room
1N13, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE.
9. Changes to entitlement to sight test vouchers
The letter below explains changes, valid from 3 June 2002, in the entitlement
to sight test vouchers for patients who hold partial exemption certificate
HC3. The redemption value of such vouchers should be calculated using
the following amounts:
- private sight test carried out at an ophthalmic practice up to a
maximum of a NHS sight test fee of £16.72
- a private domiciliary sight test up to a maximum of a NHS domiciliary
sight test fee of £46.16.
The letter is on the POINT database and at www.doh.gov.uk/ophthalmicservices
Please direct any enquiries to Claire Housego, Room 330A Wellington House,
135-155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG, tel 0207 972 3976, fax 0207 972
4853, e-mail claire.housego@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Social Care Interest
10. Star ratings
On 30 May 2002, the Department of Health published the first set of social
services 'star' ratings. These cover all councils with social services
responsibilities in England for the year April 2001 to March 2002. These
performance ratings have been formulated from evidence from published
performance indicators, inspection, Social Services Inspectorate (SSI)
/ Audit Commission Joint Reviews, review of plans and in year performance
information from both the SSI and the external auditors for each council.
The ratings give a rounded picture of each council's performance in carrying
out their social services functions. Separate judgements for both adults'
and children's services are also included. The social services star ratings
will form part of the comprehensive performance assessment of local councils
which is being led by the Audit Commission. The ratings are available
at www.doh.gov.uk/pssratings
AHP Human Resource Interest
11. Criminal Records Bureau - applications for disclosures
Some organisations are experiencing delays with applications for disclosures
from the Criminal Records Bureau. The CRB is working to resolve the problems
as soon as possible. In the meantime NHS bodies should be aware that telephone
applications can be made by the registered body on behalf of the applicant
of the disclosure, and that this method allows faster processing than
using the blank application forms.
For further information contact Lucy Ashall, tel 0113 254 7351 or e-mail
lucy.ashall@doh.gsi.gov.uk
12. NHS Beacons website
There are two additions to the NHS Beacons website: the Information Exchange
and Real NHS Improvements. These are new features designed to improve
sharing and learning among colleagues in the NHS and associated agencies.
Information can be accessed at http://www.modernnhs.nhs.uk
selecting 'NHS Beacons' from the Quick Links.
13. Working Lives in Public Services Conference 2002
The Working Lives in Public Services Conference is being held at the Queen
Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 26 September 2002 by the Public Service
Partnership.
The conference will focus on Improving Working Lives and work-life balance
programmes within the public sector. It is aimed at HR, finance, nursing,
medical and clinical directors, as well as Improving Working Lives leads,
trade union and professional body officials.
Further information from Michelle Towlson on 0161 975 6292 or mtowlson@pso.org.uk
General issues
14. Keeping up to date
If you are interested in keeping up to date with developments across
the NHS, you might find the following of interest:
- The attached link takes you directly to the home page of all the current
and future National Service Frameworks:
http://www.doh.gov.uk/NSF/home.htm
- NHSMagazine. Contains analysis and discussion of health care and
health management issues and aims to engage people at the forefront
of change and service modernisation locally. The Department of Health
publishes the magazine ten times a year. The magazine is available free
of charge to anyone in the NHS or social care. If you would like to
be on the regular mailing list e-mail your name and address details
to neil.cussons@doh.gsi.gov.uk.
or see www.nhs.uk/nhsmagazine
- Primary Care, is a new magazine published by the Department of Health.
Its aim is to share good practice, stimulate debate, encourage genuine
dialogue and keep health professionals up to date with the important
issues in this time of change. You can link to Primary Care via: www.nhs.uk/nhsmagazine/primarycare
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