Chief Executive Bulletin
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13 - 18 December 2003, Issue 199 |
Contents:
NHS and social care interest
1. Public consultation: Guidance on the use of the delegation
of charging powers provided in The NHS Bodies and Local Authorities Partnership
Arrangements (Amendment) (England) Regulation 2003 [SI 2003/629]
2. Reforming the NHS complaints procedure - consultation
NHS interest
3. New 2003 consultant contract
4. Dental access performance indicator for PCTs
5. Health service ombudsman selected investigations completed
report - April to September 2003
6. Independent review of NHS Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac
Services (PCCS) - report and Government's response published today
Social care interest
7. Family carers of people with learning disabilities
8. Residential care charges consultation
Further items of interest
9. 2003/4 NHS Performance Ratings
10. Clinical excellence awards scheme
11. NHS Emergency Preparedness Conference - 'Beyond a Major
Incident'
12. National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group (NSCAG)
- publication of annual report 2002-2003
13. NHS Professionals - establishment of a new special health
authority
14. Health survey for England 2002
15. UK national stockpile - antibiotics and potassium iodate
16. Performance improvement framework for Patient and Public
Involvement in the NHS
17. New tool from the NHS Information Authority
18. NHSU launched
19. Implementation of pilot schemes: (personal dental services)
(amendment) directions 2003
NHS and social care interest
1. Public consultation: Guidance on the use
of the delegation of charging powers provided in The NHS Bodies and Local
Authorities Partnership Arrangements (Amendment) (England) Regulation
2003 [SI 2003/629] (Gateway reference 2270)
These regulations, already in force, enable the voluntary delegation of
charging functions by councils to the NHS, where they are involved in
partnership arrangements under Section 31 of the Health Act 1999, or are
partners in a Care Trust. The views of interested parties on the proposed
guidance are now being sought. Consultation ends on Friday 12 March 2004.
The proposed guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/delegationchargingfunctionsconsult/
Top
2. Reforming the NHS complaints procedure - consultation
(Gateway reference 2498)
The Department of Health has launched a consultation on the draft regulatory
framework that will underpin a reformed NHS complaints procedure - and
we would welcome your views. Please feel free to involve anyone you believe
would have an interest in improving the complaints procedure. The consultation
will run from 1 January until 31 March 2004. The draft regulations and
covering letter are at www.doh.gov.uk/makingthingsright
Responses to the consultation can be sent to makingthingsright@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Contact Margaret Stanton on 0113 254 6429.
Top
NHS interest
3. New 2003 consultant contract (Gateway reference
2503)
An advance letter is formally notifying employers of the pay arrangements
for those NHS medical and dental consultants employed on the new 2003
national terms and conditions, effective from 1 April 2003. Chief executives
are asked to ensure that the new arrangements are implemented as soon
as possible. Advance Letter (MD) 3/2003 is at www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/coin4.nsf/Circulars?ReadForm
Top
4. Dental access performance indicator for PCTs
(Gateway reference 1732)
The dental access performance indicator for 2003/04 is the percentage
of calls to NHS Direct for which the recommended dentist is within local
distance standards. For 2003/04 quarter 4 onwards, PCTs will be asked
to obtain information on dental calls from NHS Direct and to report on
the number of calls within and outside their local distance standards.
This data will help PCTs identify areas where there is a problem with
access to NHS dentistry and assist with the targeting of schemes to improve
levels of service. It will also facilitate effective performance management
of PCTs by Strategic Health Authorities. Contact dawn.jones@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Top
5. Health service ombudsman selected investigations
completed report - April to September 2003 (Gateway reference 2512)
On 17 December the Ombudsman published her Selected Investigations Completed
report covering April to September 2003. The report contains details of
31 investigations completed in the period and identifies a number of issues
drawn from the cases included - poor complaints handling, informed consent,
poor nursing care, liaison between services, continuing care and financial
redress. The report is an important source of information and should be
used as a training tool to improve services. Chief executives should ensure
all clinical directors, conveners and complaints managers are aware of
it.
Contact adrian.landon@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or tel 0113 254 5679. The report is at
www.ombudsman.org.uk/hsc/document/hicas03/index.htm
Top
6. Independent review of NHS Paediatric and Congenital
Cardiac Services (PCCS) - report and Government's response published today
(Gateway reference 1981)
The Government has accepted recommendations in this report with one exception
- that centres should perform a minimum of 300 operations per year, as
this would entail closing some high standard centres. The standards and
markers of best practice contained within this Report have been passed
to CHAI with the view to further discussions on the development of future
performance assessment measures in this area. The Report and press release
is at www.doh.gov.uk/childcardiac/reports.htm
Contact jane.scott@doh.gov.gsi.uk
Top
Social care interest
7. Family carers of people with learning disabilities
(Gateway reference 2169)
A resource pack is available to help deliver the Valuing People commitment
to a new deal for family carers of people with learning disabilities.
Produced by the Valuing People Support Team, it is filled with practical
examples of supporting families and ideas for local action. More at www.doh.gov.uk/vpst/families.htm
or contact cally.ward@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Top
8. Residential care charges consultation (Gateway
reference 2493)
Directors of social services and chief executives of care trusts are advised
that proposed changes to the system of residential care charges have been
issued for consultation at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/crag
The consultation ends on 2 February 2004.
Top
Further items of interest
9. 2003/4 NHS Performance Ratings (Gateway reference
2509)
Chief executives will wish to be aware that CHI has published the key
targets and indicators that will be used for each trust type in the 2003/4
performance ratings when they are published next summer. These can be
found at www.chi.nhs.uk/eng/ratings/2004
Top
10. Clinical excellence awards scheme (Gateway
reference 2500)
Please note that advice regarding levels of award (including award values),
and guidance issued to Royal Colleges regarding employer citations, is
now available on the ACCEAC website at www.doh.gov.uk/accea
Top
11. NHS Emergency Preparedness Conference - 'Beyond
a Major Incident' (Gateway reference 2508)
This major conference will be held in London on 4 February 2004 and aims
to raise the profile of emergency preparedness, improve planning for responding
to mass casualty incidents and provide a forum for the interchange of
ideas. Attendance is by invitation only. More at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/nhsemergprepare.htm
Top
12. National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group
(NSCAG) - publication of annual report 2002-2003 (Gateway reference
2507)
The purpose of the document is to inform PCTs, SHAs and NHS Trusts of
the specialised services funded, managed and developed under the auspices
of NSCAG. Copies can be ordered from the DH publications orderline. Contact:
helen.forgacs@doh.gsi.gov.uk
and more at www.doh.gov.uk/nscag/reports.htm
Top
13. NHS Professionals - establishment of a new special
health authority (Gateway reference 2506)
The attached letter provides an update on the process of disengagement
from host organisations of staff affected by the establishment of the
NHS Professionals Special Health Authority. More at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/nhsprofsspha.htm
Top
14. Health survey for England 2002 (Gateway reference
2480)
The 2002 Health Survey has been published in three volumes covering the
health of children and young people, maternal and infant health and survey
methodology. Available at www.doh.gov.uk/public/summary1.htm
and copies of a summary booklet are available from doh@prolog.uk.com
Top
15. UK national stockpile - antibiotics and potassium
iodate (Gateway reference 2110)
Copies of documents issued when antibiotics and potassium iodate are deployed
have now been published on the web-site. NHS trusts may find these documents
useful in emergency planning. More at www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/pgd.htm
- Antibiotics contact judith.field@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or tel 020 7972 3785
- Potassium iodate contact roy.hamlet@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or tel 020 7972 5123.
Top
16. Performance improvement framework for Patient
and Public Involvement in the NHS (Gateway reference 2469)
The framework has been developed through the national network of SHA Patient
and Public Involvement Leads and provides an opportunity for organisations
to measure their progress against the five key elements of Improving the
Patient Experience agenda. More at www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients/guidance.htm
Top
17. New tool from the NHS Information Authority (Gateway
reference 2496)
The Clinical Governance Assessment Toolkit (CGAT) is a computer-based
knowledge management tool designed to measure current clinical governance
performance using local data. More at www.nhsia.nhs.uk/phsmi/clinicalgovernance
Top
18. NHSU launched (Gateway reference 2487)
NHSU, the new corporate university for health and social care became a
Special Health Authority on 1 December 2003 and has launched its learning
information and advice service, u-i. More at www.nhsu.nhs.uk
or call 0800 555 550 or u-i on 08000 150 850.
Top
19. Implementation of pilot schemes: (personal dental
services) (amendment) directions 2003 (Gateway reference 2406)
Amendment directions came into force on 12 December in relation to the
Patients' Forums (Functions) Regulations 2003 to provide for the entry
and inspection of premises where personal dental services are provided.
More at www.doh.gov.uk/dental/directionsdental3dec03.pdf
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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