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Chief Executive Bulletin
Contents:NHS and social care interest NHS interest Social care interest Further items of interest NHS and social care interest1. Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Bill receives royal assent The Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Bill received royal assent on 8 April. Part 1 of the act places new duties on the NHS and local authorities around patient discharge. This will be implemented in shadow form in October 2003. Charging for delays will not start until January 2004. The new £50m delayed discharge grant will be distributed to councils as soon as possible. Part 2 will make certain items of community equipment and intermediate care free to users. This intention is to implement this provision in May. The draft regulations are at: www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/delayeddischarge/consultfeb03draftqualservregs.pdf Contact: hannah.burdekin@doh.gsi.gov.uk or ruth.marshall@doh.gsi.gov.uk 2. Revised public service agreement target for the education of children in care On 31 March the Minister of State (Jacqui Smith) announced a revision of the education of children in care element of the 2003-2006 PSA target on improving the life chances of children. The other elements of the target remain unchanged. The revision is: To improve life chances for children, including substantially narrowing the gap between the educational attainment and participation of children in care and that of their peers by 2006. Details of how the achievement of this target will be measured are at www.doh.gov.uk/qualityprotects/info/speeches/index.htm 3. Call for human rights leads The NHS Litigation Authority now provides an information service for the NHS on human rights issues which affect health care delivery. To provide an effective service, the authority needs contact details
for at least one person in every PCT/trust who is responsible for human
rights matters. Please contact Katharine.Wright@nhsla.com Information about the Human Rights Act is available on the authority's website at www.nhsla.com and on the Department of Health human rights website at www.doh.gov.uk/humanrights/index.htm NHS interest 4. Cervical and breast screening performance indicators Breast and cervical cancer screening coverage are included in the final list of PCO-level performance indicators. The Department of Healh is aware that PCO codes on a number of operating systems have not been maintained and accurate information is unavailable. Failure to supply or failures of data quality will reflect on how organisations are scored in performance ratings. Chief executives are asked to ensure that the organisations that operate the NHAIS (Exeter) systems on their behalf accurately maintain the databases to ensure the accuracy of PCO-level information. A 'feature fax' containing more detailed information has been issued by the NHSIA to all NHAIS (Exeter) system key users. Visit http://nww.nhsia.nhs.uk/nhais/pages/hacomms/non_SDS.asp and click on 'download' after PC/HG screen maintenance to see the fax. Social care interest 5. Revised direct payment regulations The revised Direct Payments Regulations will come into effect from 8 April 2003, making it mandatory for councils to offer direct payments to all eligible clients. The main other change to the regulations includes an allowable exception to the restriction regarding close relatives. The regulations are at www.doh.gov.uk/directpayments/index.htm Revised policy and practice guidance to accompany the regulations will be available in April to support councils in implementation. 6. Personal Social Services Performance Fund 2003/04 Guidance for the 2003/04 PSS performance fund is at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/pssperform/0304finalguide.pdf
Contact: Hannah Rich on 020 7972 1334 or Hannah.Rich@doh.gsi.gov.uk 7. Information and guidance on social services grants in 2003-2004 This information is for authorities with an excellent or good comprehensive performance assessment and/or three stars for social services. The Special Grant Report for the social services (high performers) grant
for 2003-2004 is at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/pssperform/special_grant114.pdf
It also provides details regarding the payment of a capital grant to local authorities with a good CPA. Chief executives should advise their social services departments on the final terms of payment for the included grants. Contact: Hannah Rich on 020 7972 1334 or Hannah.Rich@doh.gsi.gov.uk 8. Choice protects update Health minister Jacqui Smith today announced a Choice Protects national partnership in placement forum and strategic agreement on the way services for looked after children should be commissioned A letter providing an update on progress of the Choice Protects Review and outlining the work that will be carried out over the coming year will be sent today to the individual responsible for fostering services in your organisation. This letter is at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/choiceprotectsreview.htm Further items of interest 9. Device bulletin - safe use of ambulance stretcher trolleys - MDA DB2003 (04) - This Device Bulletin was issued in March 2003. It can be downloaded at www.mhra.gov.uk 10. Guidance on the development of Sure Start Unit children's centres has been issued to local authorities who will be working with health trusts - www.surestart.gov.uk/new/default.htm 11. Association for Supported Employment conference - Nottingham, May 15/16. Information at www.afse.org.uk/flyer.pdf
The documents in this bulletin are Crown copyright but may be reproduced by NHS and local authority staff without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use - ©2003
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