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Chief Executive Bulletin
8 - 14 February 2002
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Hard copy versions of these publications can be ordered from the NHS Responseline 08701 555 455. Contents: NHS and Social Care interest 1. Shifting the Balance of Power: Communications - new guidance February 2002 NHS interest 2. Supply Of NHS Gluten Free Foods- Update3. Modernisation of Hearing Aid Services 2002/03 4. Guidance on Developing Health Needs Assessments and Health Improvement Plans 5. An Insiders Guide to the NHS and Prison Service - Unlocking the Jargon 6. Prompt and Effective Distribution of MDA Hazard Notices and Device Alerts Social Care interest NHS / Social Care interest 1. Shifting the Balance of Power: Communications - new guidance February 2002 Communications is central to driving the process of change in the NHS. It is not just about dealing with the media but about how the NHS communicates with patients, the general public, staff and other organisations. The need to improve communications systems across the NHS and social care is at the core of Shifting the Balance of Power. This guidance, launched at the chief executives' conference on Wednesday 13 February, identifies the needs, functions and accountability arrangements of communications in different NHS organisations. It also looks at how social care can be better involved and supported. To view the full document visit www.doh.gov.uk/shiftingthebalance/communications NHS interest 2. Supply Of NHS Gluten Free Foods - Update The Cabinet Office report "Making a Difference: Reducing GP Paperwork", published in March 2001, said that from December 2001 GPs would no longer need to issue repeat prescriptions for gluten free foods. Since then, the Department of Health has been working on ways of putting that statement into effect. We consulted last autumn on a relatively simple scheme, but concluded that we could not go forward with it, primarily because there were insufficient controls on the cost of the food that would have been supplied. At present, these costs form part of GPs' prescribing budgets, and they have an incentive to keep them under control. There would have been no similar arrangement for pharmacies supplying gluten free foods, and this point was picked up by many in the NHS who could see a drain on their budgets over which they would have had no control. We therefore looked again at our initial proposals to see whether a more tightly controlled scheme might be devised. However, the costs of running such a scheme would be significantly more than the running costs of the scheme we first proposed. Such a scheme would also impose new bureaucratic requirements on people with coeliac disease. In view of the relatively low number of prescriptions for gluten-free foods we have concluded that a new scheme is not justified. We shall continue to look for simple and cost-effective solutions to this problem, but are giving priority to introducing pharmacist led repeat dispensing schemes, starting this year and nation wide by 2004, and supplementary prescribing by pharmacists in 2003. These initiatives will have a much more significant effect on GP workload, and we are confident one or other or a combination of them should provide an answer to the gluten free food issue. Chief Executives are requested to pass this information on to their GP and pharmacy advisors. Any queries please contact Christine Clark (Mrs), business manager, Prescriptions & NHS Forms, Room 147, Richmond House, London SW1 2NS. Tel: 0207 210 5514. Fax 020 7210 4953. E-mail: Chris.Clark@doh.gsi.gov.uk 3. Modernisation of Hearing Aid Services 2002/03 Trusts are invited to express an interest in taking part in the second wave of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services pilot scheme. Please let your audiology departments see the letter and consider urgently whether or not your trust wishes to be included. If you would like to talk to someone about whether to apply, please contact the Project Office on 020 7296 8022. 4. Guidance on Developing Health Needs Assessments and Health Improvement Plans Produced by the Prison Health Policy Unit and Task Force, this provides guidance on developing the existing health needs assessments (HNAs) and health improvement plans (Himps). Prisons and primary care trusts (PCTs) are requested to build on existing HNAs giving focus and priority to the development and implementation of the prison health improvement plans An electronic copy of the guidance is available on the Department of Health Prison Health Policy Unit and Task Force website at www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/needsassessment.pdf. 5. An Insiders Guide to the NHS and Prison Service - Unlocking the Jargon Following the Future Organisation of Prison Health Care review in 1999, improving healthcare services in prisons is now one of the top priorities for the Prison Service. Not only does this bring with it a whole new set of challenges, but also a whole new language. Whilst many of the terms may be familiar, this document is an attempt to demystify healthcare terminology for colleagues in the Prison Service and prison service terminology for colleagues in the Health Service, as well as set out the structures for those working in partnership. An electronic copy of the guide is available on the Department of Health Prison Health Policy Unit and Task Force website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/unlockingthejargon.pdf. 6. Prompt and Effective Distribution of MDA Hazard Notices and Device Alerts For the attention of Chief Executives of Acute Trusts only Hazard Notices and Device Alerts should be dealt with as a priority and Department of Health ministers have asked that we gather information from liaison officers about how these are handled within your trust. Each hazard notice or device alert faxed to liaison officers from now on will have attached a form for completion. This is to be faxed back to MDA to confirm that prompt action has been taken. Completion of the form will enable us to assess how well this important task is being carried out across the NHS. A hazard notice or a device alert is always faxed to liaison officers and we would expect them to receive it the same day and be able to arrange onward distribution immediately. Any queries regarding the return of the faxed information should be addressed to Mike Peel at Business Services, who can be contacted on 020 7972 8349. Social Care Interest 7. Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and Other Non-residential Social Services - Draft Practice Guidance for Consultation The Department has issued draft practice guidance to help with the implementation of the statutory guidance Fairer charging policies for home care and other non-residential social services, which was issued on 23 November. We promised to issue practice guidance in response to comments that councils needed stronger guidance on disability expenditure assessment. The practice guidance will also cover the provision of benefits advice along with charge assessments, as this is another new requirement for local councils. The draft practice guidance was issued on 14 February for a consultation period lasting four weeks. We would welcome any comments by 13 March at the latest. The draft practice guidance is available on the Department's website at: www.doh.gov.uk/scg/homecarecharges Comments should be sent to Pauline Rouse preferably by e-mail to: pauline.rouse.@doh.gsi.gov.uk or by post to: Pauline Rouse, Department of Health, Area 216 Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG 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 Back to Chief Executive's Bulletin Home Page
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