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Chief Executive Bulletin
Contents:NHS and social care interest 1. NHS University consultation NHS interest 8. Fire service strike 22 - 30 November Social care interest 20. Revised PI Grant 1 form NHS and social care interest 1. NHS University consultation The Government announced today an official period of consultation over its plans to establish a new 'corporate university' for the NHS - NHSU. A key element of the NHS Plan, NHSU is designed to make learning a right and a reality for everyone working in health and social care, from cleaners to consultants. By unlocking the potential of all staff, including those who may not have experienced learning since leaving school, NHSU can make a key contribution to the development and modernisation of the NHS. Included within NHSU's proposals is the opportunity to study for a foundation degree within five years of joining the NHS; and junior scholarships for 14-16 year olds, to encourage more young people to consider a career in health care. NHSU will be launched in Autumn 2003 with an initial portfolio of programmes, some of which are already being piloted. These have been designed to address high priority initiatives including induction, communication skills, first contact (triage), cleaning and infection control, skills for life (numeracy and literacy), management skills and health informatics. Copies of the NHSU development plan, Learning for everyone, are being mailed to HR directors together with a staff briefing pack, and to staff representative groups. In addition a series of events and meetings are being hosted to listen to ideas from a wide range of audiences including staff and their representatives, patient and carer groups and learning organisations. If you would like to know more about the consultation or to give us your views, log onto www.nhsu.nhs.uk or ring 0800 555 550. Top2. Guidance on annual appraisal for consultants in public health medicine An appraisal scheme was launched for consultants in April 2001 (see advance letter (MD) 5/01). It was a development of a set of principles agreed with the Central Consultants' and Specialists' Committee (CCSC) of the British Medical Association which was published in December 2000 (AL (MD) 6/00). Agreement has now been reached with the BMA on a national appraisal scheme specifically for all consultants in public health medicine. Employers should now consider how they are going to implement appraisal within the scope of the national agreement. Training for those conducting and participating in appraisal is essential to support the extension of appraisal to these doctors. All consultants in public health medicine should be appraised in the year beginning March 2003. Chief executives are accountable for ensuring NHS trusts comply with action set out in the circular through the usual NHS performance management mechanisms. For more information contact John Cowles on 0113 254 5910 or john.cowles@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top3. Proposed changes to residential care charges from 7 April 2003 Directors of social services and chief executives of care trusts are advised that the Department of Health is consulting on proposed changes to the financial assessment for residential accommodation and related matters, to take effect from 7 April 2003. The consultation paper, including details of how to comment, can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/crag/. The deadline for comments is 7 February 2003. For further information contact Chandrika Kanani on 020 7972 4807 or chandrika.kanani@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top4. Daily SITREP exception reports required from 2 December As in previous years, daily SITREPs will be required from acute trusts and strategic health authorities during winter, starting on 2 December. Every acute trust needs to submit a SITREP every day, to report any serious operational problems in the last 24 hours. Seven serious operational problems are listed on the daily Sitrep form, and if any of these occurred, then the trust needs to submit details by completing the form. If no serious operational problems occurred, then simply indicate this in section 1 of the form and then submit the form - the rest of the form need not be completed. Some trusts may be asked to complete the whole form even on days when they have no serious operational problems to report. Chief executives are accountable for the content of each and every daily and weekly SITREP report. Weekly Sitreps will continue as usual during the winter. As in previous years, a weekly SITREP will not be required during Christmas week. However, a SITREP covering 16-29 December will be required during the week starting on 30 December. Details are available on the STEIS information board at http://nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/steis/ or by contacting Blessing Chukwunyere at blessing.chukwunyere@doh.gsi.gov.uk or on 020 7210 5939. Top5. Health Development Agency publishes resource to help tackle cancer The Health Development Agency (HDA) has published a new resource to help health professionals implement the prevention aspects of the NHS Cancer Plan. Cancer Prevention: A resource to support local action in delivering the NHS Cancer Plan is aimed at people working in strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, cancer networks and partner agencies, to assist them in their local strategic planning and delivery of initiatives to prevent cancer. The publication makes recommendations for action based on the evidence of what works best in tackling the key cancer risk factors highlighted in the NHS Cancer Plan: smoking, diet and nutrition, obesity; physical activity; alcohol; sunlight; radon. The resource also highlights inequalities in risk between different social groups. The resource is free and available at www.hda-online.org.uk or by calling 0870 121 4194. For further information contact Stacey Adams on 020 7061 3115 or stacey.adams@hda-online.org.uk Top6. Plans to create the Health Protection Agency The Government plans to establish the Health Protection Agency (HPA) from 1 April 2003. Health minister Hazel Blears has written to the chairs of the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Radiological Protection Board, and the Microbiological Research Authority outlining this intention. It is proposed that the HPA will be established as a special health authority which will take on functions under the NHS Act from 1 April 2003. The aim would then be to make changes to primary legislation to establish the agency as an executive non-departmental public body which will be able to perform a wider range of functions by 1 April 2004 if legislative time allows. Creating a unified Health Protection Agency was proposed in the chief medical officer's health protection strategy Getting Ahead of the Curve - A Strategy for combating infectious diseases (including other aspects of health protection), published in January 2002. Issue 10 of the HPA Newsletter gives further details of proposals to create the agency and can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/hpa/newsletternov02.htm For further information contact Jonathan Morrell, Health Protection Agency Implementation Team, on 020 7972 2102 or e-mail jonathan.morrell@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top7. Services to support carers of people with mental health problems - briefing paper This briefing paper summarises a review of research and support to carers of people with mental health problems. The full version of the report (Arksey et al., 2002) was commissioned by the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D (NCCSDO). It presents findings in a non-technical, easy-to-read manner for a wide audience including managers, health care professionals, policy makers and user and carer groups. It details findings on interventions and services to support carers, patterns of service provision, principles for how services should be delivered, confidentiality and what is meant by effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. It also details gaps in the research and recommendations for further research. Hard copies of the briefing paper are available on request by contacting tel: 020 7612 7980, fax 020 7612 7979, email sdo@lshtm.ac.uk The briefing paper and full report are available at: www.sdo.lshtm.ac.uk/publications.htm For more information please contact Sam Brown on 0113 254 6187 or sam.brown@doh.gsi.gov.uk TopNHS interest 8. Fire service strike 22 - 30 November The recent two-day strike by fire services passed without any major incident or significant impact on the NHS. The DH is in no doubt that this was due in large measure to the additional checks, precautions and vigilance exercised by NHS staff and thanks are extended to all involved. The further and longer periods of strike action that may occur in the future will be a much stiffer test of the effectiveness and resilience of your plans. So there can be no room for complacency. Whilst there was some reduction in non-fire alarms from hospitals and staff residences, the number reported during the period of strike action remained unacceptably high. Over the 48 hour period, 86 were recorded. Some were caused by patient action, but faulty alarms, weaknesses in procedures and staff cooking also featured. This suggests that you might want to take another look at the cause of any non-fire alarms in your premises as well as reviewing your internal arrangements for first response handling to incidents. While the incident reporting arrangements via your liaison officer also worked well, some difficulties and delays were experienced. You are asked to pay particular attention to that aspect and are generally reminded that fire awareness, precautions and contingency plans must remain a high priority for each NHS organisation. For further information contact Alan Doran on 020 7210 5304 Top9. Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 FOI legislation extends the right of access to all types of information held by the NHS and its partners. It gives the public:
It sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. The act will be enforced by the information commissioner, and will be brought into force in two parts, with full implementation by January 2005. Failure to comply carries a maximum punishment of two years imprisonment for accountable officers. Key issues for the NHS:
South East London Strategic Health Authority is leading the implementation project for the act in the NHS. This will result in all NHS organisations being required to adopt a 'publication scheme' agreed with the information commissioner by October 2003. For further information about this project please visit http://nww.foi.nhs.uk Top10. Establishment of a verified register of Caldicott Guardians to support the authorised access to the Cancer Waiting Times System FAO: CEs in acute trusts, PCTs, care trusts and strategic health authorities The Cancer Plan sets out the long-term goal that no patient should wait longer than one month from an urgent referral by their GP for suspected cancer, to the start of treatment, except for a good clinical reason, or through their personal choice. It is hoped to achieve this goal by 2008. Interim targets include:
Current systems are unable to monitor all these targets. From December 2002, the intention is to capture patient level data across the patient pathway, to enable progress towards the 2005 and 2008 targets to be monitored locally and nationally. Arrangements are in hand for data to be submitted by trusts to a national database, capable of producing progress reports at national, DHSC, SHA and PCT level. It will be used to inform performance monitoring of trusts. The two-week wait target is currently incorporated into the assessment of star ratings. Caldicott Guardians will have the responsibility of verifying locally those that can access the system for uploading, entering or reporting information. In order to ensure the entire process of access to the system is completely robus, the NHS Information Authority, which manages the system, is establishing a register of Caldicott Guardians authenticated and certified by their relevant CEO. The NHS Information Authority will be writing to all NHS CEs in the near future asking each to complete details of their Caldicott Guardian. Further information on the Cancer Waiting Times System can be found at: www.nhsia.nhs.uk/cancer If you require further information contact Phil Milverton 01392 206700. Top11. Requirement for strategic health authorities (SHAs) to ensure auditor certification of health authority drugs education and prevention funding 2001/2 Following the abolition of the 95 old health authorities at the end of September 2002, SHA finance officers are responsible for completing forms for the auditing of the drugs prevention funding allocated in 2001/02. SHAs should secure the auditor certification of the allocations for the former health authorities in their areas. Details of this requirement can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/drugs/auditcertdep.htm For further information contact Yvonne Johnson on 020 7972 5088 or yvonne.johnson@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top12. Tissue blocks and slides: a consultation paper The Retained Organs Commission has published a consultation paper on tissue blocks and slides and a shorter note. It seeks comments and responses from a wide range of organisations and individuals on some important questions relating to the legal status of tissue blocks and slides removed at post mortem examinations and during surgery. The consultation forms part of the wider consideration of new legislation on human organs and tissue and complements the Department of Health's work with stakeholders on developing interim post mortem examination, consent forms and leaflets. The consultation covers tissue blocks and slides taken following surgical procedures as well as at post mortem examinations. The consultation period is for 3 months and ends on 14 February 2003. Copies of the consultation paper and the shorter note can both be found on the commission's website at www.nhs.uk/retainedorgans/. Alternatively, hard copies can be ordered by sending a fax to the commission on: 020 7972 2017 or by email: retained-organs-commission@doh.gsi.gov.uk For further information contact Janet Lewis at janet.lewis@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top13. Patient and public involvement - change assessment groups PCT and NHS trust chief executives are asked to provide information on available accommodation in their estate for patient forums. This information should be fed to the change assessment group set up by the SHA in which they are based. The DH's chief nursing officer Sarah Mullally has posted a letter on the COIN database and at www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients/changegroupass.htm outlining the details of this request. A general update on the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, patients forums, overview and scrutiny committees, the new duty on the NHS to involve and consult the public and independent complaints advocacy, will be available next week via this bulletin. For further information contact Anna McDevitt 020 210 5553 or Kathryn Stelfox 020 7210 5603 Top 14. GP Appraisal - honorary contract for appraisers For further information contact Deborah Goodman on deborah.goodman@haringey.nhs.uk Top15. Advertising of medicines to the public: Proposed amendments to the Medicines (advertising) Regulations 1994. MCA consultation letter - MLX 288. A consultation proposal to remove outdated legal restrictions on advertising non-prescription medicines to the public was launched by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) on 4 November 2002. The vast majority of 'over the counter' products may already be advertised to the public. However, the current UK legislation lists a number of diseases for which this is not the case, although they can be purchased through pharmacies or more widely through retail outlets. The consultation seeks views on the removal of these restrictions. Medicine advertising is already tightly controlled through voluntary codes of practice operated by the industry and advertising regulators. This is backed by statutory controls enforced by the MCA. All these safeguards will remain, including the ban on direct to consumer advertising of prescription only medicines. The full consultation document is available on the MCA website at www.mca.gov.uk. Any comments should be sent to Aisha Dewangree at the MCA, to arrive by 27 January 2003. Top16. The GP Recruitment Retention & Vacancy Survey for England & Wales 2002 This survey was published on 19 November 2002 at www.doh.gov.uk/stats/gprrvsurvey2002.htm It provides information on how successful practices have been with GP recruitment over the 12 months to 28 February 2002. For more information contact Bernard Horan on 0113 254 5918 or bernard.horan@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top17. Global recruitment campaign The Department of Health launched its global recruitment campaign in August 2001 advertising in the medical press in North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, for consultants and GPs. A recruitment company, TMP Worldwide, has been employed by the Department to handle the responses to this campaign. More than 6,000 expressions of interest have been received in response to these advertisements. Over 2,400 firm applications have been received as a result of these expressions of interest and 900 have been sifted and are felt suitable for employment in the NHS. A series of pen pictures of doctors who are suitable for interview are available on the international recruitment website at www.doh.gov.uk/international-recruitment/pen-pictures.htm. These will be updated fortnightly. It is hoped that they will be useful in recruiting doctors to your hard to fill posts and to posts that you are creating as you continue to develop clinical services. For more information contact Katie Kennington on 0113 254 5694 or katie.kennington@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top18. Developing one-stop shop sexual health services - call for expressions of interest One of the actions in the Sexual Health and HIV Strategy's Implementation Action Plan is to develop and evaluate three models for one-stop shop sexual health services. These are services which provide advice, contraceptive and GU services on a single site. The three models are:
Expressions of interest are sought from existing services to be one of the three models to be evaluated. Specifications detailing the criteria against which services will be selected can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/sexualhealthandhiv/index.htm Applicants should have all or most of the elements set out in the specifications already in place. The evaluation is expected to run until January 2006, when a final report will be produced. Some funding may be available to each of the three participating services. Expressions of interest should be sent to Andrea Duncan, Sexual Health Team, room 580D Skipton House, 80 London Road, London, SE1 6LH or andrea.duncan@doh.gsi.gov.uk by 31 December 2002. Top19. Waiting times information on nhs.uk - next steps The waiting times section of the NHS website went live on 10 September and contains information from acute NHS trusts. The Department and the nhs.uk team would like to express their thanks for the hard work of all those involved in ensuring the database is complete. Acute NHS trusts are reminded that they should submit data at least once a month, on the last Tuesday of the month if possible. The next phase of the project will address data quality, enhance the level of detail provided and improve user-friendliness. The database will also be extended to include information from mental health and community trusts and PCT providers. The nhs.uk team will contact these organisations shortly with guidance on the submission of data. The non-acute trust part of the database will go live on 1 April 2003. However these organisations are encouraged to begin submitting as early as possible, using test data if necessary, to enable any problems to be ironed out before the data goes live. For further information contact Corinne McDonald on 0113 254 7359 or corinne.mcdonald@doh.gsi.gov.uk TopSocial care interest A revised PI Grant 1 form is now available at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/independencegrant/index.htm. The certified form is due for completion and should be sent to Mrs Helen Woodhead at The Department of Health, Area 216 ,Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road London SE1 8UG. For further information contact Helen Woodhead on 020 7972 4039 or helen.woodhead@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top21. Publication of statistics on children looked after by local authorities and children adopted from care in England at 31 March 2002 Printed copies of these publications will be distributed to directors of social services and to children's statistical contacts in social services departments today. The statistical tables and commentary will also be published at www.doh.gov.uk/public/stats1.htm under the heading 'Children (social services)'.
22. Referrals, assessments and children and young people on the child protection registers, England, 2001/02 National figures on referrals, assessments and children and young people on child protection registers at 31 March 2002 are released today. Copies of the statistical press notice will be emailed to directors of social services. A publication containing further detail of the national figures and tables showing a breakdown by local authority will be released in early 2003. Press notice: www.doh.gov.uk/public/spncpr1102.htm For further information contact Martin Hill, DH Statistics Division 3A, 451C Skipton House, 80 London Rd London SE1 6LH. Tel 020 7972 5603, fax 020 7972 5660. Top23. Key indicators graphical system (KIGS) The 2002 Update of the Key Indicators Graphical System (KIGS) was issued on 21 November. It contains data for 600 indicators relating to social services covering the period 1990/91 to 2002/03, 400 of which are current. KIGS enables data, for any indicator (or a combination of indicators) to be charted or tabled for any of the years 1990-91 to 2002-03 for which data are available, for any selection of councils with social services responsibilities. Further details are given in a letter to directors of social services which can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/kigs2002letter.htm. For further information contact Jeff Palmer on 020 7972 5602 or jeff.palmer@doh.gsi.gov.uk.
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