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The documents in this bulletin are Crown copyright but may be reproduced by NHS and Council staff without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use - ©2002

Contents:

NHS and Social Care interest

1. Behaviour and education support teams
2. Criminal Records Bureau
3. Launch of the Integrated Care Network

NHS interest

4. Sir George Alberti - national clinical director for emergency access
5. Improving operating theatre performance conference
6. Childcare Strategy and funding
7. NHS Immunisation Information research
8. Prepayment, maternity and medical exemptions: FP92/96 statistical returns
9. Retained Organs Commission
10. Training for PCT staff and members on practitioner list management
11. Proposals to make mentoring available to all doctors
12. Destruction of controlled drugs in GP practices
13. National day surgery summit
14. PCT regional management conferences
15. Transfer of public health laboratories
16. The NHS Counter Fraud Service - repeat item
17. The recovery of NHS costs in cases involving personal injury compensation: A consultation
18. Safety notice - MDA SN2002(25)

NHS / social care interest

1. Behaviour and education support teams

New behaviour and education support teams (BESTs), having implications for health and social care, are being introduced in selected local education authorities. The teams are part of a package of measures announced by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to improve behaviour and attendance in school and to contribute to the national strategy to reduce street crime.
These measures will focus initially on schools experiencing particular behaviour, truancy and exclusion problems in the 34 LEAs which fall within the ten police force areas having the highest levels of street crime. Guidance is available on the DfES website at www.teachernet.gov.uk/bests

More detailed guidance on operational issues and good practice will be available later this year.

It is expected that child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and children's social services will contribute to the BEST programme in ways consistent with local joint strategies for the development of CAMHS and with local priorities.

Contact at DfES, BESTs programme is Helen Kay on 020 7925 5172. The contact at DH, CAMHS is John Whitby on 020 7972 4496. The contact at children's social services is Cathy James on 020 7972 4043.

Many trusts are experiencing difficulties because of the widely publicised delays in processing applications for disclosures by the Criminal Records Bureau. The Department is in negotiation with the Home Office/CRB over measures to improve or alleviate the situation. Meanwhile guidance has been prepared to assist trusts in dealing with these problems and may be accessed here: www.doh.gov.uk/crb/index.htm

If there are particular problems in dealing with the CRB, please contact Karen Lea on 0113 254 47351 or Gordon Fleck on 0113 254 6575. Email addresses are Karen.Lea@doh.gsi.gov.uk and Gordon.Fleck@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Gordon or Karen may be able to help with particularly urgent cases or other problems that cannot be resolved locally.

For the attention of: local authority councillors, PCT/NHS trust/StHA board members, chief (and other senior) officers of PCTs, NHS trusts, StHAs and local authorities, professional executive committee members.

To facilitate service improvement through integration of local authority and NHS services the Department of Health is joining with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (and non-government partners) to provide improved support to those seeking to integrate services.

The support will be provided through the Integrated Care Network, which will co-ordinate existing initiatives and develop new ones as appropriate. The network will create a central information resource, develop action learning sets, provide consultancy, spread good practice and knowledge and arrange national information meetings.

Jacqui Smith, minister of state for community, will launch the network at a day conference, in London, on 24 October 2002. Other speakers with experience of integration between health and local government will be confirmed shortly.

This event is aimed at Councillors, NHS Board members, Chief (and other senior) local authority and NHS Officers and Professional Executive Committee members.

If you wish to attend the conference (which is free) please send an email, by Monday 30 September to mbicn@doh.gsi.gov.uk giving your name, job title, organisation, email address and phone number.

Contact Shane, care trusts' project manager, on 07884 473443, www.doh.gov.uk/caretrusts/

NHS interest

4. Sir George Alberti - national clinical director for emergency access

The secretary of state has announced that Professor Sir George Alberti will be the Department's first national clinical director for emergency access. The appointment reaffirms ministers' determination to implement the Reforming Emergency Care strategy and improve patients' experience of emergency services.

Sir George was president of the Royal College of Physicians until July this year, professor of medicine at University of Newcastle upon Tyne and professor of metabolic medicine at Imperial College. He was co-chairman of the National Service Framework on coronary heart disease. He is on the Modernisation Board and the Workforce Board. He is a member of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and of the Council of the Academy of Medical Sciences. His main responsibilities will include:

• advising on the development of Reforming Emergency Care policy and other initiatives aimed at improving emergency services
• engaging with clinical colleagues across the NHS to help gain their support and commitment; and
• helping with interventions in individual trusts as appropriate.

Sir George's appointment was marked by the first issue of an emergency care bulletin e-mailed directly to emergency care leads in acute trusts and PCTs on 10 September. www.doh.gov.uk/eclbulletin/eclbulletin1.htm
The bulletin will be issued regularly from now on.

For further information contact Jim Fowles, emergency care strategy team on 020 7210 5921, email mailto:jim.fowles@doh.gsi.gov.uk

5. Improving operating theatre performance conference

The NHS Modernisation Agency's operating theatre & pre-operative assessment programme invites you to the Improving operating theatre performance conference. Choose from:

• Wednesday 27 November 2002 - Manchester or
• Monday 2 December 2002 - London

The conference is aimed at clinicians and senior managers who have a responsibility for improving operating theatre performance and reducing cancelled operations. The day will be workshop based and free of charge (limited to two people per trust). Coffee and registration will begin at 09.00 and the day will close at 16.30.

The topics covered will include cancelled operations, optimising short stay, in-patient & emergency surgery, improving pre-operative assessment, employee satisfaction and morale. The workshops will also look at diagnostic treatment centres, day surgery, scheduling and capacity & demand.

For further conference details and a registration form, email lou.woolley@npat.nhs.uk

6. Childcare Strategy and funding

The NHS Childcare Strategy for the NHS is increasingly playing a key role in the recruitment and retention of staff in the NHS . The Childcare Strategy centres on providing good quality, accessible and affordable childcare. Currently the main focus of the strategy is the development of on-site nurseries. We anticipate that a further 7,500 places will be created by 2004.

The second NHS childcare toolkit, Beyond Workplace Nurseries was launched in July this year by the secretary of state for health. This toolkit has been developed to help the service meet other childcare needs and responds to the second phase of the NHS Childcare Strategy.

For further information please contact Nicki Nutter on 0113 2545779, email nicola.nutter@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Since October 1991 research has been commissioned by NHS Immunisation Information (previously Health Promotion England / the Health Education Authority) to examine the attitudes and awareness of mothers to immunisation. As you may be aware, NHS Immunisation Information is a special unit within the Department of Health.

The specialist market research agency BMRB International will be conducting this research on behalf of NHS Immunisation Information, between 16 September and 6 October 2002, which may take place in your area. We are aware that the research has occasionally led to enquiries from parents so we are writing to ensure that you are aware of this research and ask that your press office is also informed in case of enquiries.

Full letter

Contact Joanne Yarwood, head of immunisation information on 020 7972 3808.

An explanatory letter and questionnaire have been emailed to health authority directors of finance for the collection of health authority data on NHS prescription charge exemptions. The email was sent on 10 September.

Data are required for the period 1 April 2002 to 30 September 2002 for medical or maternity exemption (FP92) and prescription pre-payment (PPC) (FP96) certificates. Please note information about PPCs issued locally by community pharmacists must also be included.

A copy of the questionnaire and covering letter can be accessed at http://www.doh.gov.uk/fpstatistical/index.htm

The questionnaire may be returned by email, post or FAX to DH, please see the form for details.

For further information contact Chris Clark, pharmacy and prescriptions branch on 020 7210 5514, email chris.clark@doh.gsi.gov.uk

• Guidance and information update for NHS trusts
  A further guidance and information update note has been issued by the Commission on 12 September 2002. It sets out good practice guidance, primarily on:
  • support for families affected by organ retention
  • performance management issues
  • issues relating to the retention and disposal of human organs and
    tissue
    
    
• Annual Report
  The first annual report of the Retained Organs Commission is published on 12 September 2002.



• Extension of the Commission
  The minister David Lammy will announce on 12 September 2002, the extension of the Commission for a further year to March 2004.

  Copies of the September guidance, the annual report and the press release can be obtained from the Commission's website www.nhs.uk/retainedorgans/index.htm

Contact Susan Tokley, director of policy, Retained Organs Commission, tel 020 7972 2483.

The Family Health Services Appeal Authority (special health authority) is offering a range of one-day training courses during November 2002. The training will be held in London and is NatPaCT approved. The programme is as follows:

• Pharmacy applications training - 5 November
• Discipline committee members training - 6 November
• Review of practitioner list management powers - 7 November
• Conciliation: workshop for complaints managers and convenors - 18 November
• Workshop for convenors - 19 November.

Contact Janette Brown for further details on 01423-535432, email brownj@fhsaa.nhs.uk

For the attention of NHS trust / PCT / strategic health authority chief executives and medical directors

As part of the Department's Improving Working Lives strategy, a subgroup of the Doctors' Forum is taking forward proposals to make mentoring available to all doctors. The first part of this project is to find out about mentoring initiatives that are already up and running and those that are being planned to start within the next 12 months.

Trust / PCT / strategic health authority CEOs and medical directors are asked to contact the project manager Dr Jolyon Oxley with brief details of their mentoring schemes as soon as possible and by 23 September at the latest. Dr Oxley will provide an overview to the subgroup in October.

Contact details: jolyon.oxley@btopenworld.com or c/o Richard Dyson richard.dyson@doh.gsi.gov.uk Room 1N 35C, Department of Health, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE. Electronic communication is preferred. Many thanks for your help.

With the establishment of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts it has become necessary to authorise new groups to witness the destruction of controlled drugs in GP practices to comply with Regulation 27(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. The following new groups of persons have been authorised:

• A primary care trust chief pharmacist or pharmaceutical/prescribing adviser who reports directly to the chief executive or to a director of the primary care trust
• A registered medical practitioner who has been appointed to the primary care trust professional executive committee or the primary care trust board with responsibility for clinical governance or risk management
• Medical director of a primary care trust.

Further details, together with a copy of the authority can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/cddestruction/index.htm

If you would like any further information contact Gul Root (Mrs) at gul.root@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The national day surgery summit, hosted by the Department of Health and the NHS Modernisation Agency, will take place on 24 September. The summit invites trusts to help them look at their day surgery rates and ways that they can be improved.

The national day surgery summit will complement the recent launch of the Department of Health's Day Surgery Operational Guide published under the Day Surgery Strategy. The summit will mark the start of the national day surgery programme through which the Modernisation Agency will provide support to improve performance in day surgery units, and increase day surgery rates.

The national day surgery summit is aimed at surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and service managers. Chief executives should ensure that they cascade details of this event to all relevant staff.

For a registration form and further details, please contact Kate Bowe on 0207 972 4010, email kate.bowe@doh.gsi.gov.uk

In recognition of the increased leadership responsibilities that primary care trusts (PCTs) will have from October, and the role that strategic health authorities (StHAs) will play in supporting them, Nigel Crisp is hosting a series of one-day regional PCT management conferences in October and November.

These events will bring together PCTs and StHAs from across their directorates of health and social Care (DHSC). Delegates will include PCT chairs, chief executives, executive committee chairs, StHA chief executives, policy officials and DHSC colleagues.

The conferences will provide the opportunity to review the progress made since April. Delegates will also discuss, with ministers and officials, the key issues and challenges facing PCTs, and work together to identify practical solutions to address them.

The dates and locations of the conferences are:

21 October Midlands & East DHSC The Centenial Centre, Birmingham
23 October South DHSC The Design Centre, Islington, London
24 October London DHSC The Design Centre, Islington, London
7 November North DHSC The Hilton, Bradford

Invitations have already been sent out. Responses should be returned to the event organisers, Keystone (fax 01453 832381, tel 01453 833668), by 13 September for the midlands & east, south and London events, and by 18 September for the north event.

Major decisions to put public health laboratories at the heart of the NHS have been taken by NHS Chief Executive Nigel Crisp and the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson.

The decisions include the transfer of most public health laboratories within the Public Health Laboratory Service to local NHS Trusts by 1 April next year.

The decisions follow publication on 24 June of a Department of Health laboratory discussion document on future arrangements for microbiology services. About 80 responses were received by the 5 August deadline.

A document setting out the decisions taken can be found at:
http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/laboratories/appendix-b.htm

Contact Jonathon Morrell, HPA implementation team on 020 7972 2104.

The NHS Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS) was established in September 1998, with the remit to counter all fraud and corruption wherever it exists throughout the NHS.

The NHS CFS' primary aim is to identify and then concentrate on minimising all fraud and corruption in the NHS. A key part of the business process agreed by ministers, has been the development of a real anti-fraud culture in the NHS.

To this end, NHS CFS is holding a series of fraud awareness presentations across England aimed at the primary care trusts (PCTs).

Please see http://www.doh.gov.uk/dcfs/venuesanddates.pdf

NHS CFS ask chief executives of the PCTs to extend the invitation to these events to their PCTs respective director of finance, deputy director of finance, local counter fraud specialists, executive and non-executive directors, finance staff, human resources staff and anyone else who he/she considers appropriate.

An agenda, list of dates and venues and reply pro-forma confirming attendance is attached.

Dean Francis, communication & liaison officer on 020 7972 2465, email dean.francis@cfos.nhs.uk

The Department of Health is publishing a consultation document on 13 September 2002 on the recovery of NHS costs in cases involving personal injury compensation.

NHS costs are already recovered in cases where a person injured in a road traffic accident makes a successful claim for personal injury compensation. The costs are recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit and paid direct to NHS trusts providing the treatment. In 2001/2002 just over £98 million was recovered and paid to trusts in England, Scotland and Wales. The Law Commission has already consulted on the principle that the NHS should have the right to recover its costs in all cases where personal injury compensation is paid, not just for road traffic accidents and this consultation does not re-open that debate. It is concerned with how the scheme might operate if it was introduced. It is estimated that extending the road traffic scheme could generate up to £120 million per year which would be paid direct to NHS trusts providing treatment.

The consultation document will be on the Department of Heath website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhscosts/index.htm and at www.doh.gov.uk/consultations/index.htm. It will also appear on the NHS web at nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhscosts and your comments and responses would be welcome. The closing date for comments is Friday 8 November 2002.

For further information please contact Tracy Morton, NHS income generation manager, Department of Health on 0113 254 5380.

18. Medical Devices Agency

Safety notice - MDA SN2002(25)
Ambulance stretcher trolleys: Ferno Falcon Mk2, Mk 3 and Hawk models:
Risk of leg post fracture
This Safety Notice was issued on 2 September 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts, chief executives and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. As usual it was also sent to liaison officers of trusts, ambulance service fleet managers, health and safety officers, risk managers, supplies staff and National Care Standards Commission for action and for onward distribution as specified in the notice.

For further information on the role and nomination of liaison officers email us at:
bs@medical-devices.gov.uk

http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk

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 - ©2002

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copyright: © | Last updated: 12 September, 2002