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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. Hepatitis C strategy for England - consultation
2. Flu immunisation advertising campaign
3. National minimum standard for care homes
4. Supported housing and care homes - guidance on regulation

NHS interest

5. Device alert - risk of pneumococcal meningitis in non-vaccinated cochlear implant patients - MDA DA2002(09)
6. Guidance on hepatitis C infected health care workers
7. Introduction of joint appraisal for clinical academics with NHS contracts
8. NHS Dentistry: Options for Change
9. Clinical supervision in prison nursing
10. Patient power - bedside telephones and TVs
11. Nomination of trust design champions

Social care interest

12. Permitted work rules
13. Special grant to social services - building care capacity: allocations for 2002/2003

NHS / social care interest

1. Hepatitis C strategy for England - consultation

A consultation paper outlining a hepatitis C strategy for England was published by the Department on 14 August 2002. Hepatitis C has emerged over recent years as a significant public health issue. The strategy proposes raising professional and public awareness of hepatitis C and strengthening services for its prevention, diagnosis and treatment. These proposals are intended to form the core of an action plan for hepatitis C arising from the chief medical officer's infectious diseases strategy, Getting Ahead of the Curve. The closing date for comments is 15 November 2002.

The consultation paper can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/hcvstrategy. For hard copies contact the NHS Responseline on 08701 555455. For further information, contact Gerry Robb on 020 7972 5732 or gerry.robb@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The flu immunisation advertising campaign will launch on 1 October 2002. It aims to encourage people over 65 and those in at-risk groups to make an appointment for their free flu jab. The campaign includes national TV and press advertising featuring Sir Henry Cooper, supported by public relations activity.

An information pack has been produced to help colleagues in the NHS who are running local campaigns. This has been made available particularly to flu immunisation co-ordinators and communications teams, but can be viewed online by everyone at www.nhs.uk/flu Hard copies of the pack are available by emailing doh@prolog.uk.com

For more information about the advertising campaign contact Katie Foreman on 0207 972 5275 or katie.foreman@doh.gsi.gov.uk

A consultation has been launched to review the list of physical environmental standards for care homes for adults. The consultation document sets out how the national minimum standards should be amended so that certain physical environmental standards will no longer apply to care homes which existed before 1 April 2002 for older people and younger adults. Comments are requested on the proposed amended standards and would also be welcome on the physical environment standards generally. The consultation exercise ends on 1 November 2002.

The consultation paper can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/ncsc/escexercise.htm For further information contact Marie-Elaine Frith on 020 7972 1384 or email EnvironmentalStandardsFeedback@doh.gsi.gov.uk

For the attention of all social services authorities, PCTs and councils with supported housing responsibilities.

This guidance explains in broad terms where registration as a care home is required and how to distinguish care homes from supported housing of various kinds. It applies both during the currency of transitional housing benefit up to March 2003 and after the introduction of the Supporting People grant from April 2003

This is statutory guidance under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. The guidance is also issued to the National Care Standards Commission under section 6(2)(b) of the Care Standards Act 2000.

The guidance can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/shchguidance.htm

For further information contact Catherine Alexander on 020 7972 4058 or catherine.alexander@doh.gsi.gov.uk

5. Device alert - risk of pneumococcal meningitis in non-vaccinated cochlear implant patients - MDA DA2002(09)

This device alert was issued on 7 August 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts chief executives and National Care Standards Commission head quarters. As usual it was also faxed to liaison officers of trusts, primary care trusts and National Care Standards Commission for action and onward distribution as specified in the notice.

The alert can be found at www.medical-devices.gov.uk

For further information on the role and nomination of liaison officers e-mail bs@medical-devices.gov.uk

The Department has issued Health Service Circular (HSC) 2002/010 and guidance on hepatitis C infected health care workers following consultation last year. As a measure to protect patients, the new guidance restricts health care workers who are known to be infected with hepatitis C from carrying out exposure-prone procedures. This follows 15 reported hepatitis C transmissions from health care workers to patients in the UK. The guidance also recommends testing certain groups of health care workers e.g. health care workers who are about to start careers or training which will involve exposure-prone procedures.

The guidance can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hepatitisc/healthcareworkers.htm For hard copies contact the NHS Responseline on 08701 555455.

For further information, contact Gerry Robb at gerry.robb@doh.gsi.gov.uk or on 020 7972 5732.

An NHS consultant appraisal scheme has been designed as part of the process of closer joint working between universities and the NHS. It reflects the recommendation of the report (1) by Sir Brian Follett for joint appraisal.

The Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, the University and College Employers' Association, Council of Heads of Medical Schools, and the BMA's Central Consultants and Specialists Committee, have worked together to develop the design.

It should be used for all appraisals involving consultants who are employed jointly by the NHS and a university, beginning with the appraisal round for 2002/3.

The documentation is designed to support the requirements of the General Medical Council's revalidation procedures.

A copy of the scheme can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/consultantappraisal/index.htm.

For further information contact John Cowles at apprcom@doh.gsi.gov.uk or at Room 2E56 Quarry House, Leeds LS2 7UE.

(1) Review of appraisal, disciplinary and reporting arrangements for senior National Health Service (NHS) and university staff with academic and clinical duties (Department for Education and Skills 2001)

NHS Dentistry: Options for Change report was published on the 6 August 2002. The NHS Modernisation Agency is now inviting applications from dentists, PCTs and SHAs to get involved in testing and developing the principles laid out in the new vision for primary care dentistry. Field site work will focus on primary care however, in order to ensure joined up working we will also be offering learning events relevant to primary care dentistry, dental hospitals and schools and acute trust related specialities such as oral and maxillofacial surgery and orthodontics. Relevant teams are asked to email the team if they wish to be invited to these events.

The closing date for applications is Monday 30 September 2002. Applications will be discussed with each SHA during October before final decisions are taken by the programme steering board at the end of October.

Please share this information with your directors of modernisation or service improvement and consultants in dental public health and other relevant colleagues.

An application pack is available at www.doh.gov.uk/cdo/optionsforchange/fieldsites.htm

For further information contact Darrin Robinson at Modernising.Dentistry@npat.nhs.uk

Clinical Supervision in Prison Nursing - Getting Started has been published this month. This guide has been designed to help nursing teams develop robust systems for clinical supervision in the prison environment, in collaboration with NHS partners. It has been produced following a detailed study commissioned by the prison health policy unit, between the United Kingdom Central Council and the Foundation of Nursing Studies.

The guidance can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/clinicalsupervision.pdf

Hard copies can be ordered from the NHS Responseline on 08701 555455.

For further information contact Beverly Anderson on 0207 972 1302.

10. Patient power - bedside telephones and TVs

The NHS Plan set out that bedside telephones and TVs would be available in every major hospital by 2004. Health secretary Alan Milburn brought forward this deadline for completion to December 2003.

There are now less than eighteen months to this deadline. Those NHS trusts that have not done so should ensure the local planning process reflects this deadline, ensure that a supplier is chosen as soon as possible and let NHS Estates know the details of your implementation programme.

Please note that there is no need for your trust to go through a procurement exercise. NHS Estates has developed a model concession agreement and licensed eight suppliers. Trusts therefore simply need to select one of the licence holders. The system is installed and managed by the supplier at no cost to the trust.

Trusts who already have systems tell us that the initiative is very popular with patients and ward staff as it gives patients a greater feeling of control, and frees up staff time.

NHS Estates can provide answers to any questions you may have and can also put you in touch with those trusts where a Patient Power system has been installed.

For further information contact Ray Stephenson at NHS Estates on 0113 254 7182 or ray.stephenson@doh.gsi.gov.uk

A letter was sent to you on 16 May 2002 from Lord Hunt requesting your trust board nominate a design champion. If you have already done so, thank you for your prompt reply - you will be receiving information shortly regarding training seminars. If you have yet to nominate a design champion please could you do so at the earliest opportunity - the Department is aware that many of you have tabled this for the next trust board meeting. The deadline has passed but the Department is eager to receive a reply from each trust to ensure that the new or refurbished estate provides a high quality, patient focused environment.

For further information on any aspect of achieving excellence in healthcare design contact Jane Crossley at NHS Estates on 0113 2547101 or jane.crossley@doh.gsi.gov.uk

12. Permitted work rules

The Disability Policy Branch have produced an information note on the role that councils with social services responsibilities can play in implementing the new permitted work rules that were introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in April this year. We have developed this note with colleagues from the DWP and also discussed it with the ADSS Disability Network who have agreed its content and think it will be a useful source of advice for disability service teams.

You will wish to pass this information on to teams dealing with services for physically and sensory disabled adults, learning disabled people and people with mental health problems. The new permitted work rules should offer disability teams a useful additional way of supporting disabled people who wish to try or move back into employment.

More information is available from Philip Rescorla at Philip.Rescorla@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or visit
www.doh.gov.uk/permittedwork/index.htm

The determination made by the secretary of state for health, under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2000, was issued on 8 August. Grants will be payable to councils in two instalments, on or before 16 August and on or before 13 December 2002.

The determination and further guidance can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/delayeddischarge/index.htm

For further information e-mail John.Crook@doh.gsi.gov.uk or Jenny.Mudge@doh.gsi.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: 15 August, 2002