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Chief
Executive Bulletin - 14 - 20 September 2001 |
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Hard copy versions of these publications can be ordered from the NHS Responseline 08701 555 455. Contents: NHS interest 1. Hospital
Episode Statistics Activity Validation: 2000-2001 Financial Year NHS and Social Care interest 8. Help with
Health Costs: Free NHS Prescriptions etc Social Care interest 10. LAC (2001)24
Guidance to the Foster Placement (Children) and Adoption Agencies Amendment
(England) Regulations 2001 - SI 2001/2992 NHS interest 1. Hospital
Episode Statistics Activity Validation: 2000-2001 Financial Year These figures are required in order to validate the content of the Hospital Episode Statistics database, which is a prime source of official information on Trust activity used throughout DH. If your Trust has not received this form and the accompanying guidance, please e-mail john.headon@doh.gsi.gov.uk, quoting your provider/PCT code.(tel. 0207 972 5768) 2. Improving
Working Lives - National Audit Instrument To support organisations in achieving the IWL Standard we have developed a national training and accreditation process, for which we have recently gone out to tender. Working with IWL Leads, and the NWRO who have run a pilot assessor training and accreditation programme, we have developed a national audit instrument that all nationally trained assessors will use when accrediting organisations, to ensure consistency, and confidence across the NHS that the assessment process will be robust and comparable. This national audit instrument will also be useful for organisations to self assess their readiness for achieving the Standard. The timing of the assessment and accreditation will be staged from late 2001 to March 2003 in consultation with regional IWL Leads. Copies of the National Audit Instrument can be obtained from the NHS Response Line and as a PDF file on the IWL website www.doh.gov.uk/iwl/nationalauditinstr.pdf For further information please contact your regional IWL Lead, contact details also available on the IWL website: www.doh.gov.uk/iwl/ 3. Survey
on Independent Sector Usage The Department would therefore be grateful if all Chief Executives would complete and return the survey to the department by Friday 12 October. The survey can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/independentsurvey from Monday 24th September and must be returned to Richard Llewellyn-Davis. Further details are available from the web site. 4. Down
Syndrome Screening The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) has recommended that all pregnant women, irrespective of age, should be offered second trimester serum screening. The test used should comprise at least a double test but it would be desirable for laboratories to move to triple or quadruple tests when possible. For these tests the cut-off level for an increased risk should usually be around 1 in 250 at term. Using ultrasound dating this would be expected to yield a detection rate of about 60% for a 5% false positive rate, or better. Screening in both the first and second trimesters will continue to be kept under review and amended guidance will be issued as appropriate. The rapidly changing circumstances are likely to require a systematic review in the near future. A network of regional co-ordinators is being to set up across the country to ensure proper management and co-ordination of local programmes. A survey of existing provision of Down Syndrome screening will be published later this year. Progress in implementing a programme will be monitored by the Regional Directors of Public Health. For further information about antenatal screening issues and its implications on a woman's care and management please refer to http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/screening/ Further advice from Mrs Pat Ward, Antenatal Programme Manager for Down and Anomaly Screening for the UK National Screening Committee Tel: 01536 481902, E-mail paward@freenet.co.uk 5. The
PCT Corporate Governance Framework It is of prime importance that we deliver first class services to patients whilst observing the highest standards of business probity and National Health Service values. We have to set in place arrangements to protect the primary care professional members of the PCT or its Executive Committee from accusations of actual or potential conflicts of interest between their role on the PCT and their professional employment. The PCT Corporate Governance Framework is intended to help you address these challenges and to guide you through the requirement to establish internal management and control systems for the PCT. The framework contains:
The framework itself on a CD will be sent out to all PCTs, PCGs and Health Authorities shortly. This disc also incorporates other guidance and regulations or directions relating to PCTs. For further information contact Sonny Dutta, email sonny.dutta@doh.gsi.gov.uk The Primary Care Trust (Functions)
Directions 2000 The Primary Care Trust Executive
Committees (Membership) (No.2) Directions 2000 SI's 2001089, 1001695, 2001745 & 2001747 are available on The Stationery Office's website at: www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk 6. Trust-based
NHS Patient Survey The NHS Plan and Public Service Agreement made new commitments about patient surveys. We plan to issue detailed guidance in November, requiring every acute hospital Trust to carry out a new patient survey starting in December 2001. Results should be available from March 2002. The survey will be a postal questionnaire containing a core set of questions, with the option of Trusts themselves including questions from an additional 'bank', to inform local actions. Both the core and 'bank' questions have been proven through extensive testing with patients, and have been informed by the consultation on performance indicators. Patients' experience will influence quality improvement throughout the NHS. Performance indicator data, which will feed into the traffic light system, will be derived from Trust-based patient surveys (the same 'core' questions will be asked annually) allowing comparable year-on-year data analysis. In preparation, acute hospital Trusts should identify the resources to undertake and manage the survey, and to build results into local improvement plans. To help carry out the survey, the guidance pack will contain a list of approved survey contractors who will be able to run surveys of acute hospital patients during 2001/02. Please contact Roger Wallis roger.wallis@doh.gsi.gov.uk with any queries. 7. Improving
Working Lives London Regional Conference The conference aims to share good practice across the region around all of the key areas of Improving Working Lives thereby accelerating change within organisations. Several key pan London initiatives will be presented including the Good Employment Practices Guide for GP's, a manager training programme for flexible working and the IWL website. With an extended lunch hour the opportunities for networking and exploring issues with our speakers will be maximised. Free complementary therapies will also be available in the atrium for those wanting to relax. Reservation forms will be distributed 1st week of October to Chief Executives of NHS organisations - with places limited it is recommended that you return your forms early. For further details please contact Briony Sloper the Project Manager for Improving Working Lives in the London Region on 020 7725 5560. NHS / Social Care interest 8. Help
with Health Costs: Free NHS Prescriptions etc
The amendment to the Regulations provides that any young person aged 16 or 17 who leaves the care of a Local Authority (LA) on or after 1 October 2001 as a "relevant child" as defined in section 23A(2) of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, and whose maintenance needs are met in whole or in part by an LA are to be entitled to full help with health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS). Previously these young people would have received income support. From the 1 October 2001 the form HC1(RC) Claim for help with health costs (residential care) has been replaced by form HC1(SC) Claim for help with health costs (special circumstances). The new form is a special short version for care leavers and permanent residents in residential care and nursing homes to make LIS claims. For action: local authorities - Details of the arrangements for help with health costs for care leavers are in separate guidance issued by the Department including how to order the new claim form for care leavers. Please let:
know of the change to the claim
form for use in residential care and nursing homes. Homes may continue
to use any copies of the HC1(RC) that they may hold. Claim forms HC1(SC)
should be ordered from: For information: health authorities - Please note the new arrangements and bring this information to the attention of all staff dealing with NHS charges and other health costs. A copy of the amending sets of Regulations will be sent to you in due course. Contact details for information (but not for claim forms): Pharmacy and Prescriptions Branch, Room 147 Richmond House, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2NS; telephone 020 7210 5924; fax 020 7210 4953. 9. 'Making
It Work' - SSI National Inspection of Welfare to Work for Disabled People
CI(2001)19 Web site: www.doh.gov.uk/scg/makingitwork.htm Circular Ref. CI Letter 25219, Report 25196, Leaflet 25197. Mailed to Directors of Social services, Chief Executives of Local Authorities with PSS Responsibilities, Health Authorities and NHS Trusts. Social Care Interest 10.
LAC (2001)24 Guidance to the Foster Placement (Children) and Adoption
Agencies Amendment (England) Regulations 2001 - SI 2001/2992 LAC(2001) 24 will be available at: www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html Ref. 25277. Will be mailed to Directors of Social Services and Chief Executives of Local Authorities w/c 24/9/0. 11.
Specialist Adoption Centres Existing cases at 1 October 2001 (or at 1 November if at a London Group Court) already listed for final hearing at non-adoption centres are unlikely to be transferred to adoption centres. All other existing cases at non-adoption centres will be transferred at the discretion of the local Judge or District Judge whenever the matter next comes before the court. The President of the Family Division has issued guidance http://www.courtservice.gov.uk/fandl/leaflets/A20B.pdf Adoption Proceedings - A new Approach aimed at all court users. The Court Service has issued a leaflet http://www.courtservice.gov.uk/fandl/leaflets/A20.pdf Adoption: A Guide for Court Users for people who wish to adopt a child and explains the court procedure. 12.
Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000: Short Break Voucher Schemes In preparation for this launch date, the Department of Health is planning to consult on Policy and Practice Guidance later this year. The guidance will take account of the experience of pilot schemes which are exploring the different issues that councils will need to address in developing voucher schemes. Councils which would like more detailed information on the pilot schemes, or advice on setting up schemes of their own in advance of the publication of the guidance should contact Moira Wilson (020 7972 4715, Moira.Wilson@doh.gsi.gov.uk). 13. The
Children (Leaving Care) Act 2001 The guidance and regulations accompanying the Act are now available on the Department of Health's Quality Protects website : www.doh.gov.uk/qualityprotects/work_pro/project_5.htm Ref. Letter 25274, Guidance 25275. Will be mailed to Chief Executives of Local Authorities and Directors of Social Services w/c 24/9/01. Chief Executives should ensure copies are sent to all those involved in delivering services to young people leaving care such as Housing, Education and Finance etc. 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 - ©2001 Back to Chief Executive's Bulletin Home PagePublished by the
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