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Contents:

NHS and social care interest

1. Consultation on amendments to Health Act Partnership Regulations (SI 2000 617)
2. Tackling violence towards GPs and their staff
3. Consultation on draft regulations under the Adoption & Children Act 2002
4. Deferred payments consultation
5. Investment programmes and gateway
6. NHS funded nursing care
7. Local delivery plans and adults with learning disabilities
8. Medical device alerts - new format

NHS interest

9. PCTs need to link with drug action teams to plan for Performance Planning Framework drug target
10. Start of health scrutiny powers
11. Medical Devices Agency safety notices
12. NHS franchising - register of expertise
13. Start of NHS franchising process
14. Section 11 soon in force
15. Guidance on reforming NHS financial flows - introducing payment by results
16. Improving orthopaedic services
17. Specialised services national definition set (2nd Edition, December 2002)
18. Addressing the health needs of rough sleepers
19. Managing hospital outbreaks of gastro-enteritis
20. Beyond Workplace Nurseries: the Second Annual NHS Childcare Conference
21. Updated magnetic resonance imaging guidelines
22. PCT commissioning event feedback document

NHS and social care interest

1. Consultation on amendments to Health Act Partnership Regulations (SI 2000 617)

The Department of Health is consulting on amendments to the Health Act Partnership Regulations.

These aim:
1) to enable the Isles of Scilly to operate health act partnership arrangements
2) to clarify that Section 31 partnership consultations may be combined with consultations on establishing care trust status
3) to give councils the permissive power to delegate to the NHS certain administrative functions associated with charging for those local authority functions delegated to the NHS under Section 31 partnership arrangements (guidance will be issued).

For details see www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/partnershipregsconsult.htm

Responses to: ruth.marshall@doh.gsi.gov.uk by Thursday 30 January.

PCTs were asked to ensure that local action plans were in place for tackling violence towards GPs and their staff by 31 October 2002. This was outlined in Nigel Crisp's letter of 18 June to PCT chief executives.

Eighty-five per cent of PCTs completed this process to deadline - this was an excellent response.

Local action plans should ensure that all GPs have access to a secure facility for the treatment of violent patients. PCTs should notify all local GPs, including out of hours providers, of these arrangements by 31 January 2003.

Contact: Eileen Calline at eileen.calline@doh.gsi.gov.uk or 0113 254 6131

Copy of the letter from Nigel Crisp

3. Consultation on draft regulations under the Adoption & Children Act 2002

The first set of draft regulations under the Adoption & Children Act 2002 were published for consultation on 12 December. The draft regulations and guidance relate directly to Phase 1 of the new framework for the provision of adoption support services by local authorities in England. They will also be of considerable interest to other providers of adoption support services.

The consultation will last until 7 February 2003. The document and feedback form can be found at
www.doh.gov.uk/adoption/implementact.htm

Contact: Kelly Groves on 020 7972 4750 or kelly.groves@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Directors of social services and chief executives of care trusts need to be aware that a consultation paper on the conditions, allocations and formula for the deferred payments grant for 2003/04 will be available on Friday 20 December 2002.

Comments should be received by 7 February 2003. The consultation can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/crag and www.doh.gov.uk/consultations/live.htm

Contact: Ray Warburton on 020 7972 4286 or ray.warburton@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Following the decision to extend the use of the gateway process to improve successful delivery, Nigel Crisp is requesting volunteers to participate as expert peer reviewers in short structured gateway reviews of important investment programmes and projects across the DH, NHS and associated bodies.

The gateway reviews, using the methodology successfully developed and used by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), will be carried out by senior staff having significant programme and project management experience.

Further details are available at www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?docid=377 or from Rob Smith on 020 7271 1443 or rob.smith@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The DH is conducting a census of residents in care homes providing nursing care to inform the allocation of NHS funding in 2003/04. The survey forms, to be returned to SHAs, can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/public/nursingcarecensusdec02.htm and www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/nhsfundednursingcare

A database of lead nurses and care home co-ordinators in PCTs will shortly be placed on the NHS funded nursing care site above, as will draft supplementary guidance on NHS funded nursing care. Comments on the draft guidance will be requested towards the end of January.

Contact: Jenny Mudge at jenny.mudge@doh.gsi.gov.uk or John Crook at john.crook@doh.gsi.gov.uk.

The valuing people support team has produced 'handy hints' to help ensure that local delivery plans benefit people with learning disabilities. The document outlines how the Performance Planning Framework (www.doh.gov.uk/scg/pssperform/)relates to people with learning disabilities, offers suggestions on possible local actions and points to sources of help. Suggestions are made about how elements of Valuing People (the learning disability White Paper at www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm50/5086/5086.htm) can be incorporated into local policy planning. Also, there is a summary of the evidence base around the health inequalities facing people with learning disabilities.

The document is at www.doh.gov.uk/vpst/documents/LearningDisabilitiesPPF.doc

Contact: Rob Greig at Valuing.People.Info@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The Medical Devices Agency (MDA) is introducing a new format medical device alert from 1 January 2003. This will replace the previous hazard notices, device alerts, safety notices and pacemaker technical notes (PTNs) issued by the agency.

An example of the new format alert and further details regarding action required on its receipt can be found at www.medical-devices.gov.uk

NHS interest

9. PCTs need to link with drug action teams to plan for Performance Planning Framework drug target

PCT chief executives are asked to ensure their local drug action team (DAT) has been consulted in the formulation of their local delivery plan relating to tackling drug misuse.

Potential for duplication exists if PCTs develop their plans without reference to the local DATs which are required to develop their own treatment plans for submission to the National Treatment Agency (NTA) in draft by 10 January 2003.

Further information on DATs and advice for PCTs on good practice re drug misuse at www.nta.nhs.uk

Contact: Marian Hone on 020 7972 3775 or marian.hone@doh.gsi.gov.uk

10. Start of health scrutiny powers

The power for local authorities to scrutinise the NHS comes into force on 1 January 2003. This enables local authority overview and scrutiny committees to scrutinise the NHS, and place duties on the NHS to consult with them, to provide information to them, and to attend their meetings.

Regulations can be found at www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023048.htm

Contact: Meredith Vivian on 020 7210 5043 or meredith.vivian@doh.gsi.gov.uk

• MDA SN2002(30) ureteric stent degradation by light - issued on 12 December 2002
• MDA SN2002(31). Inappropriate use of breathing filters, HMEs and HMEFs. In breathing circuits: risk of inadequate ventilation - issued on 16 December 2002

These notices were issued to NHS trusts, primary care trusts, chief executives, and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. They were also issued to liaison officers of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and National Care Standards Commission for action and onward distribution.

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

www.medical-devices.gov.uk

The names of private sector and NHS organisations on the NHS franchising register of expertise have been published. Future opportunities for individuals and organisations to tender for the franchises to run poorly performing NHS trusts will be drawn from this list.

The register is available at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsfranchising

Contact: Alex Joiner on alex.joiner@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Eight trusts received a zero star rating for their performance in 2001/02. A franchise process will start in the New Year at United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust and Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust.

The Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham, will also be franchised following an investigation around the mismanagement of waiting list figures. As a result the trust has been reclassified to zero star.

Contact: Alex Joiner on alex.joiner@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (http://www.doh.gov.uk/himp/himplegislation.htm#hea) - the new duty to involve and consult patients and the public - comes into effect on 1 January 2003.

This requires NHS bodies to involve the public in ongoing planning and development of services, not just consultation on major changes.

Contact: Jenny de Ville on 020 7210 5841 or jenny.deville@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The consultation document Reforming NHS Financial Flows: Introducing Payment by Results, issued in October 2002, proposed two changes to be implemented in 2003/4 as part of the transition to using a national tariff. These were

• the introduction of a national price tariff for growth activity in 15 HRGs (health care resource groups)
• the use of national HRG weights (relative values) to adjust for casemix in 6 surgical specialties.

Guidance on making these changes - Implementing the New System of Financial Flows - Payment by Results: Technical Guidance - can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsfinancialreforms

For further information email Financial-flow@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Improving Orthopaedic Services, a guide for clinicians, managers and service commissioners, is available from the NHS Modernisation Agency. Produced by Action On Orthopaedics and the orthopaedic services collaborative, it will be distributed over the next few days to members of the British Orthopaedic Association, NHS managers and others with an interest in orthopaedic issues. The guide is available at www.modern.nhs.uk/action-on (latest news). Hard copies available from 6 January 2003 by emailing doh@prolog.uk.com, quoting MA/SIT/AO/001.

Contact: Eric Ludlow on 0116 222 1422 or eric.ludlow@npat.nhs.uk

Ten specialised services have been added to the existing 23 services already covered by the specialised services national definition set. The definitions set can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/specialisedservicesdefinitions

The definitions identify activity that is regarded as a specialised service and therefore subject to collaborative commissioning arrangements. They provide a helpful basis for service reviews and strategic planning. Over time, with refinements to the coding and the currencies, the definitions will enable specialised service comparisons to be made nation wide.

Comments to specialised.services.defins@doh.gsi.gov.uk

A paper has been published about rough sleepers' health problems, identifying barriers faced in accessing health care and recommendations for achieving better health for this vulnerable group. It will be useful to directors of public health, GPs, community nurses and commissioners/providers of health services.

The Government's health inequalities strategy highlights the importance of vulnerable groups, including homeless people.

Copies are available at www.homelessness.odpm.gov.uk/roughsleeping/pubs/healthneeds/index.htm
or from kate.noble@odpm.gsi.gov.uk or 020 7944 3364.

As the incidence of gastro-enteritis increases at this time of year you may wish to consult guidance on managing outbreaks at www.phls.org.uk/topics_az/norwalk/hospital_srsv.pdf.

Contact: Sally Wellsteed on 020 7972 5145 or sally.wellsteed@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The Second Annual NHS Childcare Conference will take place on Wednesday 12 February 2003 at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, London SW1. It will focus on providing practical childcare solutions for NHS staff.

Contact: Leonie Walsh on 020 7840 3350 or lwalsh@daycaretrust.org.uk

Updated guidelines on magnetic resonance imaging have been issued by the Medical Devices Agency.

There has recently been an increase in the number of reported adverse incidents, particularly burns and equipment incompatibilities. Users must be aware of the key areas where caution needs to be exercised and good working practices should be in place.

Guidelines for Magnetic Resonance Equipment in Clinical Use can be found under latest news at www.medical-devices.gov.uk

For hard copies of email doh@prolog.uk.com

This event, held in October, was attended by CEs and other representatives from PCTs. The feedback document identifies key issues, the discussions which took place and a list of programmes and resources which will provide support to commissioners. It can be found at www.natpact.nhs.uk/news/index.php?article_request=266

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: 19 December, 2002