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Contents:

NHS and social care interest
1. Workforce targets in the Priorities and Planning Framework 2002/03 - mental health
2. Invest to save budget (ISB): Round 6 launched - bidding guidance
3. Specialist palliative care central budget
4. Teenage pregnancy local implementation grant - provisional allocations

NHS interest
5. Resumption of fire dispute reporting arrangements
6. Annual Report of the NHS R&D Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Report 2002
7. Intimate examinations
8. Emergency care checklist for action
9. PCT competencies

NHS and social care interest

1. Workforce targets in the Priorities and Planning Framework 2002/03 - mental health

Guidance on best practice to help PCTs implement one of the workforce targets in the Priorities and Planning Framework 2002/03 is now available. The target to appoint 1000 new graduate primary care workers by 2004 is being led by PCTs for their local communities in collaboration with other stakeholders. The guidance builds on proposals in the NHS Plan to help GPs manage and treat common mental health problems.

Available at www.doh.gov.uk/mentalhealth/fastforwardguidancejan03.pdf or www.nimhe.org.uk
Hard copies from doh@prolog.uk.com

Contact: Anne Richardson on 020 797 24331 or anne.richardson@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The ISB is designed to help develop projects that bring together public service bodies to deliver in an innovative and more efficient way. Guidance is available at www.isb.gov.uk

Bids are invited from the NHS & social care.

Bids must obtain the support of the relevant DH policy lead and route expressions of interest through them to edward.armitage@doh.gsi.gov.uk by 30 March 2003.

Contact: Ed Armitage on 0113 2545373

Following the additional £10 million announcement for specialist palliative care (bulletin 141), a £50m pa budget has been set from 2003/04-05/06 to deliver the Cancer Plan commitment of an additional £50m pa by 2004.

SHAs will be held accountable for this process. SHAs and their constituent PCTs will be notified of indicative allocations and should notify cancer networks and partners.

Before actual allocations can be made, the national partnership group must approve network plans (bulletin 128). Allocations will be made to the SHA lead PCT.

Further details on indicative allocations and arrangements for submitting plans are available at www.doh.gov.uk/cancer/palliative_03_06.htm

Contact: Sue Hawkett on 020 7972 4836 or sue.hawkett@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Provisional allocations of the teenage pregnancy local implementation grant for each top tier local authority are available at www.doh.gov.uk/teenpreglig0304.htm

Chief executives should advise their local teenage pregnancy partnership boards of their allocations to inform action planning for 2003/04 and beyond.

The grant, which supports the implementation and co-ordination of local teenage pregnancy strategies, jointly agreed between local authorities and PCTs to reach local under 18 conception reduction targets, has been increased to £24m in 2003/04.

Contact: Angela Edwards on 020 7972 6532 or angela.edwards@doh.gsi.gov.uk

5. Resumption of fire dispute reporting arrangements

As you are probably aware the FBU has indicated its intention to arrange further industrial action in pursuit of its pay claim. We have been advised that strike action is to commence at 0900 on Tuesday 21 January for a 24 hour period and for two subsequent periods of 48 hours commencing at 0900 on Tuesday 28 January and Saturday 1 February respectively. As a consequence the previous arrangements for NHS reporting and co-ordination will need to be re-activated for these and any additional periods.

All NHS organisations must implement additional precautionary, safety and fire call out measures in line with the advice previously issued. Those measures proved extremely effective in safeguarding NHS staff, patients and property during previous strike periods and we would be grateful if you could take the necessary steps to immediately review and implement your internal arrangements. Please note that all fire related incidents are to be reported via ambulance controls as before.

These arrangements will remain in force for the duration of this further period of industrial action and you will be notified of the dates and duration of any additional strikes as soon as they are known.

The Annual Report of the NHS R&D Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is now available.

This report sets out the current state of the HTA programme for clinicians, managers, NHS users and others interested in NHS research.

The report can be found at www.ncchta.org/annualreport

Contact: Sheila Greener on 0113 2546186 or sheila.greener@doh.gsi.gov.uk

In view of recent press reports on intimate examinations, the chief medical officer has written to medical directors reminding them of GMC guidance and the need to ensure that this is fully applied.

The guidance can be found at www.gmc-uk.org/standards/intimate.htm The Department's of Health's general guidance on consent is at www.doh.gov.uk/consent/

Contact: Hugh Whittall on 0207 972 1435 or hugh.whittall@doh.gsi.gov.uk

A checklist, intended to act as an aide-memoir for trusts and their staff to ensure that all possible steps are being taken to facilitate and streamline care of patients presenting to the emergency department, can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/emergencycare/aetargetchecklist.htm

It is acknowledged that this is a whole system problem and important actions can be taken in the community which will impact beneficially on the work of the emergency department.

9. PCT competencies

Natpact has completed the first phase of its work on emergency care. This is available at www.natpact.nhs.uk/news/index.php?article_request=294

There will be a series of regional events for PCTs to share innovative practice in the development of emergency care. Further information will be available on the web site. CEs should note that emergency care features in the Priorities and Planning Framework and should be treated as a priority in service redesign and improving patient experience. Emergency care networks and PCTs should ensure they are moving quickly towards having the competencies in place to support staff and partner organisations to improve responsiveness.

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 - ©2003

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copyright: © | Last updated: 16 January, 2003