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Bulletin for allied health professionals July/August 2002
Issue 10

Introduction

Welcome to the tenth edition of the AHP bulletin, which I hope will provide you with more helpful information and contacts. In particular, I would like to bring to your attention this month the recently published working paper by the Modernisation Agency emphasising the role of healthcare professions within critical care services.

The modernisation of critical care services began with the publication of Comprehensive critical care: a review of adult critical care services, by the Department of Health in May 2000. The establishment of an Allied Health Profession (AHP) and Healthcare Scientists (HCS) advisory group to the critical care programme (a national team commissioned by the Modernisation Agency) was quickly established.

The role of healthcare professions within critical care services, a paper written by the advisory group, is crucial to the modernisation of critical care services. The paper demonstrates the value of a collective approach with professions working together, by highlighting the unique contribution of individual professions alongside the collective value of all professions in healthcare.

The paper includes an introduction which highlights the comprehensive critical care document and the work of the critical care programme. Each profession involved has an individual section including background, their role within critical care, examples of improving practice and key issues facing each specific profession. The professions included within the paper are dietetics, occupational therapy, clinical pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, diagnostic radiography, speech and language therapy and critical care technology.

Clear recommendations are provided for the active involvement of AHPs and HCS in the modernisation of critical care including communication strategies, representation strategies, workforce development issues, role expansion and blurring of professional boundaries. The AHP and HCS advisory group, alongside engaged local AHP and HCS staff within networks, will continue to work to ensure implementation of the recommendations.

To access the papers go to www.criticalcare.nhs.uk following the links to working groups or contact Jill Chapman 0116 222 5119 or jill.chapman@npat.nhs.uk

For further information please contact Fran Woodard – Chair of the AHP and HCS critical care advisory group on fran.woodard@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Finally, please do 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 your 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. Leadership through effective HR management
2. Workforce event
3. Local 'better care, higher standards' charter
4. Asylum seekers

NHS interest

Social care interest

12. Developing services for ethnic minority older people
13. CI(2002)7 Inspection of mental health services
14. CI(2002)8 Modernising services to transform care

AHP human resources interest

15. Professions allied to medicine and related grades of staff (PAMs) – pay for 2002/2003. Amendment to dieticians’ basic grade on PAMs Advance Letter 1/2002

General issues

16. Keeping up to date

NHS and social care interest

1. Leadership through effective HR management

The AHP and HCS leadership programme will be funding a number of places on this successful and highly sought after 18 month programme commencing in January 2003. A consortium of world-class organisations supported by the best leaders and opinion shapers from the Department of Health and NHS deliver the programme.

The leadership through effective HR management programme consists of a combination of residential modules, service improvement projects, learning sets and e-learning. Further information about the programme, and the application process can be accessed on the web site www.hrmdev.com and from the attached information.

This programme is appropriate for staff working at director level, and those who are managing complex services and diverse staff groups. Each residential module is followed by a service improvement project undertaken within the workplace.

The selection process commences with an online application, which incorporates an application form (including a self-rating against capabilities defined for the programme), a business case relating to service improvement, an application form and rating from a sponsor (chief executive officer) and a rating from a referee (reference). This element of the application has a deadline of 16 September 2002. Successful applicants will be shortlisted in September 2002 and then assessment events will be held in October 2002 to determine those who will participate in the final course.

The AHP and HCS leadership programme will fund the core residential modules (including accommodation and meals but excluding travel) and the international elective modules (excluding travel, accommodation and meals). Applicants will have to secure their own funding for travel within the UK for the residential modules, and for travel, accommodation and meals for the international electives.

Access to this programme provides exciting development opportunities for senior AHPs and HCS. It will provide the opportunity to become one of the leaders of the future. For any further information please access the web page or for an informal chat please contact Fran Woodard, national project lead AHP and HCS leadership programme, on fran.woodard@doh.gsi.gov.uk / 07789653164, or your regional leadership lead.

2. Workforce event

The changing workforce programme, with colleagues from workforce confederations, is running a major workforce event on role redesign on 14 October 2002 at the Barbican Centre, London.

The event is the biggest of its type in the UK, focusing on new roles in health and social care. It will comprise key-note speeches, practical workshops and an information 'market place', giving delegates the opportunity to learn the various tools and techniques involved in role redesign.

The event is suitable for frontline staff, HR directors, clinical directors, support staff and all those involved in workforce modernisation.

To book a place at this event please call Lezette Dreyer on 020 210 5882 or email her on lezette.dreyer@doh.gsi.gov.uk

3. Local 'better care, higher standards' charter

For the attention of all social services authorities and PCTs. HSC 2001/6/LAC(2001)6 provides guidance on the content of local 'better care, higher standards' charters for the two years 2001/02 and 2002/03.

Local charters for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 should have been published by 30 June 2002.

As described in HSC2001/6/LAC(2001)6 each charter should include a jointly agreed strategy for providing information to service users about long term care services across health, social services, and housing.

For further information contact Catherine Alexander on 0207 972 4058 or at Catherine.alexander@doh.gsi.gov.uk

HSC 2001/6: LAC (2001)6

4. Asylum seekers

Health and social care policy for asylum seekers is now being co-ordinated by a small section in the Department of Health. The team aims to keep all those who are working on the health of asylum seekers informed of developments within the department and elsewhere. For example, work is now well advanced with the Refugee Council to produce a resource pack of advice and good practice covering health, social care and mental health services. It is hoped to launch this later in the summer.
If you would like to be kept up to date on developments, contact Michael Swaffield on 0113 254 5002 or e-mail michael.swaffield@doh.gsi.gov.uk

NHS interest

5. PCT professional executive committee (PEC) chairs – development opportunities, from NatPaCT

The role and performance of PEC chairs is an essential element of a PCT's ability to take forward its challenging agenda. The National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme (NatPaCT), in conjunction with the leadership centre, have recognised that professional executive committee chairs must have access to support and development programmes.

Steve Feast, lead PEC chair for NatPaCT, and other PEC chairs from NatPaCT's area teams are keen to involve PEC chairs in:

• PEC chair development events – based on a tested model but tailored to address local interests
• leadership workshops
• establishing new networks

They are also keen to connect with existing PEC networks, whether formal or informal.

Click here to download the letter to all PCT PEC chairs. http://www.natpact.nhs.uk/downloads/PEC_Chairs_110702.pdf

6. Guides for improvement leaders

The NHS Modernisation Agency has just released the first three in a series of seven guides for improvement leaders in the NHS. The aim of the guides is to summarise current learning and thinking. They have been written in response to a huge demand for tools and techniques to support improvements in patient care.

The guides have been written by experienced healthcare staff for improvement leaders right across the NHS – everyone in the service who wants to improve the care and experience of patients is an improvement leader.

Guides can be found at www.modern.nhs.uk/improvementguides

For further information please contact Mike McBride on 0116 222 1410.

7. Developing & modernising primary care in prisons

The prison health policy unit and task force are publishing Developing & modernising primary care in prisons this month. The document will provide a framework for developing and modernising primary care in prisons, and will set primary care services for prisoners in the context of the wider NHS primary care development agenda.

The guidance offers practical advice and support about how changes and benefits can be achieved over the next two to three years. It does not endorse one particular model for service delivery but highlights the key principles and characteristics of a good primary care service.

The strategy for primary care in prisons is to increase integration with primary care planning and development through the local primary care trust.

To find out more contact Beverley Anderson at beverley.anderson@doh.gsi.gov.uk

8. Patient prospectus

The first patient prospectus will be compiled by PCTs on behalf of the local health community for publication in September 2002. It will provide information to the public about the availability, quality and performance of local health services. The aim will be to deliver a prospectus to every household within the PCT's geographic area using new and established methods of communication. The Department is working with a cross section of NHS representatives to establish a framework of guidance, which will help PCTs by:

• drawing up an 'electronic template' against which all prospectuses can be easily compiled
• issuing guidance to contributing trusts about what material they should pre-prepare
• offering practical advice about distribution options and relative costs

The Department will issue detailed guidance and contact numbers on its website during July so that the prospectuses can be compiled over the summer and be ready for distribution in September.

9. Practice level incentives

In March 2001 the Prime Minister announced an extra £100m towards local incentive schemes to promote new ideas that improve patient care, supporting the delivery of NHS Plan targets and local health improvement and modernisation plans.

Resources were made available to PCTs to work directly with GP practices and primary care professionals to create incentive schemes that encourage innovation and service modernisation and development.

To reward those practices that have achieved in whole or in part the targets agreed with the relevant PCT, an additional £50m was made available to PCTs at the beginning of April. Reward funds may be reinvested in further developing primary care services, or paid in non-consolidated cash bonuses to staff (these bonuses are superannuable).

The £50m for 2002/3 schemes was allocated to health authorities in April. Please contact your PCT if you are not already discussing in detail what schemes you wish to incentivise this year.

To help practices improve service delivery and share best practice, the Department of Health has created a new database. It has the ability to search by keyword, enabling practices to view schemes from across the county. There is also a discussion forum allowing important information to be shared.

Due to the sensitive nature of information on this database, a password and username are required. Details are available from tamara.newman@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or tel: 0113 2546351.

Guidance on funds for investing in primary care is available at

www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/investment/index.htm

10. Community budgets

By now frontline staff in PCTs should have direct access to community budgets that provide support for community based public health work. Examples of the sort of activities this budget could be used for include hiring community venues for health promotion groups, providing food for a cook and eat group, play materials for children, crèches, health promotion materials.

Primary care organisations were required to set up budgets, which could be accessed and managed directly by teams of community practitioners by 30th November 2001.

Letter to PCT Chief Executives - COMMUNITY BUDGETS FUNDING 2002/2003 AND ONWARDS
Allocation of funding for community budgets 2002 to 2003

11. Making a difference: reducing burdens in hospitals

On 31 July 2002, Lord Hunt launched a joint DoH and Cabinet Office report on reducing burdens in hospitals.

The report identifies 40 practical outcomes that will be implemented to free up time for front-line staff to concentrate on delivering care. The ideas have come from front-line staff, and are agreed outcomes rather than recommendations.

The outcomes are grouped under twelve categories, in three main areas:

The patient journey

Interface with primary care
Emergency care
Requesting tests and administering treatment
Patient discharge – planning and interface with social care
Patient discharge – medicines management

Information Flows

Patient records and hospital paperwork
Requests for information and communications with hospitals
Return to nursing practice
State benefits
Bidding and funding

Quality

Risk management
Inspection and accreditation

Please ensure that relevant managers and front-line staff are aware of this report, as the successful implementation of the outcomes depends on their co-operation and feedback.

Full copies and one-page summaries of the report are available at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/PublicSector/Hospitals.htm. For hard copies or queries please contact Vicky Lawrence at the public sector team on 020 7276 2194, or email psinfo@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk.

Social care interest

12. Developing services for ethnic minority older people

The Department of Health has published an audit tool to help social services providers to review their services for ethnic minority older people. When using the audit tool, councils should involve local NHS bodies and other stakeholders. The tool may also be adapted for NHS use.

See www.doh.gov.uk/scg/race/audittool.htm

For more information contact Mike McBride on 0116 222 1410.

13. CI(2002)7 Inspection of mental health services

Modernising mental health services is a report from the social services inspectorate about an inspection of mental health services conducted nationally in 19 councils between June 2000 and September 2001. It describes how far councils with social services responsibilities have begun to respond to government policies for the modernisation of social and mental health services. The report focuses on how well users (particularly those from black and minority communities) are serviced and how far councils have planned to ensure that mental health services are safe, sound and supportive.

www.doh.gov.uk/ssi/modernisingmhs.htm

14. CI(2002)8 Modernising services to transform care

Modernising services to transform care is a report from the social services inspectorate about how councils are managing the modernisation agenda in social care. Between November 2000 and July 2001, the social services inspectorate conducted a series of inspections in six local councils to assess their progress in modernising services. It contains practical examples of good ideas and innovation and a framework to help councillors and senior managers audit their approach to modernisation.

The report is available at www.doh.gov.uk/ssi/modservstrans.htm

CI (2002)8

AHP human resources interest

15. Professions allied to medicine and related grades of staff (PAMs) – pay for 2002/2003. Amendment to dieticians’ basic grade on PAMs Advance Letter 1/2002

There was an error in this year’s PAMS Advance Letter, which affects staff employed in the NHS on national terms and conditions on the dieticians’ payscales. This is because basic grade dieticians undertake a four-year degree course and mirror the four-year starting salaries for other PAM basic scale graduates. These will be payable from 1 April 2002. Employers must ensure that the new pay scales are implemented quickly to allow staff to receive any backdated pay due. A revised version of the advance letter can now found on our COIN database:

Advance Letter 1/2002

General issues

16. Keeping up to date

If you are interested in keeping up to date with developments across the NHS, you might find the following link of interest. It takes you directly to the home page of all the current and future National Service Frameworks: www.doh.gov.uk/NSF

• 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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copyright: © | published: July 31, 2002