Circular
Ref. 22985 HSC, 22986 Guidance.
Hard copies will be available w/c 18/12/00.
2. Influenza Vaccine for
Front Line Staff
Letter from Neil McKay. Contains action for NHS trust and HA chief executives.
On 23 October 2000 Alan Doran, Acting Deputy Chief Executive, wrote to
you stressing the great importance the Secretary of State places on effective
preparations for this Winter. One key action is that every Health Authority
and Trust should notify all its front-line staff that they can be vaccinated
against influenza.
Link to letter
Full letter is being copied by e-mail to Directors of Public Health and
LWPG Flu Co-ordinators.
3. Bedside TV and Telephones
The NHS Plan calls for bedside televisions and telephones to be available
in every major hospital by 2004. NHS Estates, with NHS and Departmental
colleagues, has been working with the private sector to develop a licensing
system which qualifies suppliers to assist the NHS in delivering this
target. Trusts should use these preferred organisations, who offer products
that will deliver a high quality service to patients.
Trusts must now ready themselves
for the introduction of TV and telephone systems before 2004. In most
cases, this will be by negotiating a service concession, eg access to
the hospital for a licensed supplier to install and run the service. If
you have plans for a new build you will still be required to use a licensed
supplier. Not using a licensed supplier puts your Trust at risk of failure
in respect of your IM&T, Supplies and Estates Strategies.
A list of currently licensed
suppliers and their contact details is given below. Some suppliers have
been issued a provisional licence to work with named Trusts.
Further details will be mailed
to Trusts this week. This will include information about a series of Regional
Roadshows early in the New Year at which you will be able to talk to licensed
suppliers and to ask questions about the target and how to achieve it.
If you have any queries, you
should contact John Wood at NHS Estates on 0161 432 6828.
Link
to currently licensed suppliers
4. National Benchmarking Service
A new benchmarking database, The National Benchmarking Service, will be
available to NHS organisations on the NHSnet from Friday 15 December.
The website provides health authorities and NHS Trusts with tools to compare
performance and activity levels across a range of service areas. The website
also allows the NHS to use performance information to analyse performance
against the Performance Assessment Framework, and contains links to other
useful sites.
Access, feedback and support
To obtain access to the website, send an e-mail to: nbsqueries@doh.gsi.gov.uk,
headed: "request for NBS support". You will then receive the
website address and password and instructions on how to get started, and
we will register your organisation with the NBS support team.
A helpdesk has been set up
to deal with technical enquiries regarding the website and its applications
on: 0113 254 5609. The helpdesk will be staffed from 09.00 to 16.30, Monday
to Friday. There will also be a 24 hour answerphone service. Feedback
and ideas on how to improve the website are welcome and can be sent by
e-mail to: nbsfeedback@doh.gsi.gov.uk.
We intend to develop the website - making NHS Benchmarking information
more accessible and relevant to NHS needs. Please visit the website and
let us have your views.
5. Consultation on the Current Statutory Framework for the Treatment
of Impotence on the National Health Service by GPs
A review of the current statutory framework for the treatment of impotence
by GPs on the National Health Service began on 11 December.
Written comments and views
are being sought on the operation of the current policy. Replies should
be sent to the Department of Health by Monday 05 February 2001.
Details and copies of the consultation
letter are available on www.doh.gov.uk/impotencetreatment
6. New System of Public and Patient Involvement - Conference 30 January
2001
Chapter 10 of the NHS Plan set out the new system for public and patient
involvement and the abolition of CHCs (subject to legislation). Since
the announcement we have been working with stakeholders at national and
regional level to develop the detail of the Patient Forums, Patient Advocacy
and Liaison Service (PALS) and Independent Local Advisory Forums (ILAFs).
We have also been in consultation with the DETR and the Local Government
Association with regard to role of the Local Authority Overview Scrutiny
Committees (OSCs).
This bold move brings the patient
a voice to the core of the health service and presents a significant challenge
for us all. The early guidance and key principles for Patients Forums,
PALS and ILAFs is being launched by Alan Milburn at an event on 30 January
2001. We shall be in contact soon with details of the event that will
be held in London. Regional Offices will be following up with a number
of regional and local events and also be contacting you for your implementation
plans.
Please check www.nhs.uk/voice
for updates.
7. MET Office Workload Forecasts
WEST and the Met office are issuing twice weekly workload forecasts, which
will bring together the following information:
· Respiratory Disease
and Flu Surveillance information
· Existing workload
· Weather information
There are two levels of information:
· The workload forecasts
will be in detail for a limited number of specific areas. These are piloting
the detailed system for possible role out in the future.
· Regional level forecasts
We expect all those involved
in responding to winter demand both in trusts and primary care to use
the information as part of the management data-set when planning their
organisations continued response to winter pressures.
The forecasts can be obtained
on the NHS web on the following address: nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/winter
8. Barbara Stocking: Message From Nigel Crisp
I am writing to let you know that Barbara Stocking has been appointed
as the Director of Oxfam. As you know she has been part of the top management
team for the last 7 years and has made an enormous contribution both nationally
and regionally. Knowing that this appointment was a possibility, I had
asked her to take on a temporary position as Director of the modernisation
agency in order to make sure we established it on a sound basis. I am
pleased to say that she will be staying with us to do this until the end
of April.
She has already engaged with
colleagues in developing the thinking around the two arms of the agency
- the Leadership Centre and the spreading of good practice. She is setting
up meetings within the regions to engage stakeholders in planning the
modernisation agency with a view to seeing concrete progress very soon.
We will advertise for the posts
of Director of the Modernisation Agency and Head of the Leadership Centre
early in the New Year.
9. Reminder for returning Hospital Episode Statistics Activity Validation:
1999-2000 data year.
The Hospital Episode Statistics (SD2HES) team would like to remind Directors
of Information and all HES nominees that the Activity Validation for 1999-2000
data report should have been returned back to the Department of Health,
London, by the 15th December 2000.
These figures will be used
to inform coverage and completeness estimated of analysis based on Hospital
Episode Statistics (HES) data.
Full address and contact details
are shown below:
For the attention of Mark O'Connor/John
Headon, Department of Health, Statistics Division 2, Room 430B, Skipton
House, 80 London Road, London SE1 6LH.
Other contact details -
Mark O'Connor: Tel 020-7972-5303 direct or e-mail Mark.O'Connor@doh.gsi.gov.uk
, or
John Headon: Tel 020-7972-5768 direct or e-mail John.Headon@doh.gsi.gov.uk
10. Commission For Health Improvement
13 December 2000 - First hospital review reports published
The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) has published its first reviews
of hospitals, the beginning of a four year programme that will cover every
hospital, health authority, primary care trust, NHS trust and local health
group in England and Wales. The reports cover hospitals in Chesterfield,
Southampton and Sunderland.
Link to reports -
http://www.doh.gov.uk/chi/investreports.htm
NHS / Social Care interest
11. Mental Health National
Service Framework - Workforce Action Team (WAT)
As you know, the Interim Report of the WAT was published in September
and is available on www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/mentalhealth.htm.
The Report promised to disseminate the key messages telling you about
the work of the WAT as they happen and you may wish to know that the first
WAT Newsletter is about to be included on the web.
12. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(25) Alaris (IVAC) 597 and 598 Pumps:
Risk of Over Infusion
This Safety Notice was issued on 29 November to NHS Trust, Health Authority
and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual it was also issued to
Liaison Officers of Trusts and Health Authorities for action and for onward
distribution as specified in the Notice.
For further information on
the role and nomination of Liaison Officers e-mail us at:
bs@medical-devices.gov.uk http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of SN 2000(25)
can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/SN2000(25).htm
13. Device Alerts
MDA DA2000(07) Breast Implants:
PIP Hydrogel®
This Device Alert was issued on 11 Decenber 2000 to NHS Trust, Health
Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual, it was also
faxed to Trust and Health Authority Liaison Officers for immediate action
and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice.
For further information on
the role and nomination of Liaison Officers e-mail us at:
Bs@medical-devices.gov.uk http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of DA 2000(07)
can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/DA2000(07).htm
MDA DA2000(08) Breast Implants: NovaGoldTM
This Device Alert was issued on 11 December 2000 to NHS Trust, Health
Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual, it was also
faxed to Trust and Health Authority Liaison Officers for immediate action
and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice.
For further information on
the role and nomination of Liaison Officers e-mail us at:
Bs@medical-devices.gov.uk http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of DA 2000(08)
can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/DA2000(08).htm
Social Care Interest
14. LASSL(2000)15 Special Grant Report No.69 - Children Services (Quality
Protects) Special Grant: 2000/2001
This Report authorises the payment to local councils of the £120
million special grant for 2000-2001, the second year of the Quality Protects
programme, minus the £1.5m which has been topsliced for the National
Foster Care Recruitment Campaign .The majority of the money (£117.77m)
has been allocated to local councils and the rest is being used to fund
the Quality Protects Regional Development Workers and Regional Development
Assistants. Payment has also been made to Birmingham City Council for
a Regional Development Assistant for 1999/2000.
Circular
Ref. 22943. Hard copies with
the Special Grant report have been mailed to Chief Executives of LAs with
PSS responsibilities and Directors of Social Services
15. Adoption Website
I am currently preparing a web page on domestic and intercountry adoption
for inclusion on the Department of Health's web site. It is hoped the
site will be launched this month. The pages are designed for anyone who
is involved in or has an interest in adoption. There be a Useful Addresses
section which will include address details of Central and Local Government,
councils and VAAs, support and post adoption groups.
I should like to include the
address details of your adoption team and should be grateful if you could
provide: the correct contact address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail
and internet addresses for interested people to contact.
If you wish, supply a couple
of sentences describing your service. Remember that any information supplied
will be your responsibility to keep up to date.
If you have an internet address,
are you content for a link to be made between our two sites?
A response by 19 December would
be most appreciated. You may find it quicker to either e-mail me at ruth.wilson@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or telephone me (tel: 020 7972 4597) with your information, in view of
the extra burden on the Post Office at present due to Christmas.
Please do not hesitate to contact
me should you wish to discuss
Mrs Ruth Wilson, Department
of Health, Social Care Group - Adoption and Permanence Team
Tel: 020 7972 4597, Fax: 020 7972 4179, e-mail: ruth.wilson@doh.gsi.gov.uk
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