Contents:

NHS and social care interest

1. New measures to reduce and control the flow of communications issued to the NHS and social care organisations
2. Capital grant for improving information management 2004/2005

NHS interest

3. A responsive and high-quality NHS - primary care progress report 2004
4. NHS complaints procedure directions

Social care interest: No items this week

Further items of interest

5. Clinical Trials Directive legislation
6. GU Capital Investment
7. Doctors & dentists discipline & suspension: web-based toolkit
8. Second Tranche Training of Contracting with and by NHS Foundation Trusts
9. Report of the National Eye Care Steering Group - launch events

NHS and social care interest

1. New measures to reduce and control the flow of communications issued to the NHS and social care organisations (Gateway reference 3097)

From May 2004 all non-urgent communications will be batched and issued once a month. This will replace the existing ad-hoc system. Quotas limiting the volume of communications issued will also be introduced. A number of other government departments already successfully employ similar systems.

Chief executives are asked to ensure that all staff are made aware of the new distribution arrangements and batching dates.

Details
Contact: MB-Gateway@doh.gsi.gov.uk

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2. Capital grant for improving information management 2004/2005 (Gateway reference 3104)

This Local Authority Circular LAC(2004)13 was distributed on 14 April. It sets out how the capital grant for improving information management in social services is to be allocated and provides conditions for use of the grant by councils.

LAC(2004)13
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NHS interest

3. A responsive and high-quality NHS - primary care progress report 2004 (Gateway reference 2970)

This report was presented by David Colin-Thome, national clinical director for primary care. It outlines the service improvements and expansion in primary care since publication of The NHS Plan and sets out how PCTs are expected to improve and expand local services in the years ahead. It acknowledges that all achievements in this area have crucially depended on the hard work and commitment of the staff – doctors, nurses, managers and others – who deliver primary care.

Report
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4. NHS complaints procedure directions (Gateway reference 3119)

From 1 April 2004, Personal Medical Services Pilot Schemes ceased to exist by virtue of the National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2004, aside from those schemes covered by the General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services Transitional and Consequential Provisions Order 2004. An amended set of directions on the NHS complaints procedure has been issued to address this change.

Directions
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Further items of interest

5. Clinical Trials Directive legislation (Gateway reference 3095)

Regulations to transpose the EU Directive on Clinical Trials of Medicines into UK law from 1 May 2004 have been published on the MRHA website.

Regulations (in Portable Document Format)

Guidance

Guidance on sponsorship for trials involving medicines will shortly be available from:
DH Research Governance pages
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6. GU Capital Investment (Gateway reference 2988)

Strategic Health Authorities are invited to bid for capital funding by 28 May to improve GUM clinics by modernising premises and facilities within clinics.

Invitation letter in Portable Document Format
Contact: andrea.duncan@doh.gsi.gov.uk or tel. 020 7972 6170.

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7. Doctors & dentists discipline & suspension: web-based toolkit (Gateway reference 3117)

The National Clinical Assessment Authority (NCAA) toolkit aims to help NHS managers with the job of managing performance concerns locally. Anyone who would like to be involved in contributing material to the toolkit should contact Diana Scarrott, NCAA, 0870 267 0850.

It is available at www.ncaa.nhs.uk/toolkit .
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8. Second Tranche Training of Contracting with and by NHS Foundation Trusts (Gateway reference 3122)

This is an introductory course aimed at NHS managers and other staff from PCTs, NHS Trusts and SHAs who will be involved with implementing new legally binding contracts for NHS Foundation Trusts.

Further details at ‘Events’ on the Foundation Trust webpages

Queries: John Bennett, 07801 753950, john.bennett@qa.com
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9. Report of the National Eye Care Steering Group - launch events (Gateway reference 3115)

These regional events aim to promote care pathways developed to support integrated eye care services across primary and secondary care sectors. Aimed at PCT senior level staff, they help inform planning and development agendas relating to ophthalmic services.

More details

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 - ©2004

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copyright: © | Last updated: 15 April 2004