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The documents in this bulletin are Crown copyright but may be reproduced by NHS and Council staff without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use - ©2002

Contents:

NHS and Social Care interest

1. Single assessment process for older people
2. Delayed discharges
3. Prison health transferred to the Department of Health

NHS interest

4. Conscious sedation in pregnancy termination - report from the Department of Health expert group
5. Section 60 support for cancer registries
6. Patient and public involvement
7. Responsibility for dental charges
8. Cancer Services Collaborative annual progress report
9. Occupational health smart card and electronic staff record
10. Electronic booking road show
11. Invitation to pilot the next wave of electronic booking
12. Medical Devices Agency safety notice - use of mains extension leads - MDA sn2002(26)
13. Medical Devices Agency safety notice - Stollenwerk ambulance stretcher trolleys: Risk of front leg fracture - MDA SN2002(27)
14. Medical Devices Agency safety notice - electrically operated lift and recliner chairs - MDA S
15. Drug alerts issued by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) w/e 20/09/2002
16. NHS careers : Jobs Shops
17. National Joint Registry
18. Important Changes in the NHS from 1 October 2002
19. Consultant contract clarification
20. Golden hello scheme extended to returning GPs
21. E-mail and directory project
22. Statistical publication: general ophthalmic services workforce and premises statistics, 31 December 2001: England and Wales - revised

Social care interest

23. Voluntary adoption agencies in England and Wales and local authority adoption services in England
24. Improving information management capital grant 2002/03

NHS / social care interest

1. Single assessment process for older people

Chief executives of strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, care trusts and directors of social services are advised that progress reports on local implementation of the single assessment process for older people should be forwarded to strategic health authorities by 30 September 2002.

A worked example of the single assessment summary is available on the single assessment process website. The single assessment process will only work effectively when information generated as a result of assessment is consistently collected, stored and shared as a matter of course within and between localities.

The assessment tools and scales guidance has also been updated.

The website address is www.doh.gov.uk/scg/sap/index.htm

For further information contact Titilayo Sylvester on 020 7972 4117 or titilayo.sylvester@doh.gsi.gov.uk

2. Delayed discharges

An invitation to attend the Health and Social Care Autumn 2002 road-show on effective solutions can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/roadshows2002.htm

For further details contact contact Liz Haw on 01423 506611 or liz@hmc.co.uk

3. Prison health transferred to the Department of Health

It has been agreed that funding responsibility for prison health services in England will be transferred from the Home Office to the Department of Health. This will take effect from April 2003.

This is the first step of a five-year process which will see prison health become part of the NHS. Primary care trusts will become responsible for commissioning and providing health services to prisoners. The Prison Service funding currently used for this purpose will be transferred to the Department of Health. Over the next three years the Department of Health will allocate further resources to improve these services, rising to around an extra £46 million a year by 2005/06.

Briefing information, including Q&As, has been sent to Prison Service area managers and governors and to directors of health and social care. This can be downloaded at http://www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/events.htm

For further information contact Savas Hadjipavlou on 020 7972 4580 or Simon Reeve 020 7972 4369.

4. Conscious sedation in pregnancy termination - report from the Department of Health expert group

This report contains findings from a DH expert group that was asked to consider the use of conscious sedation in termination of pregnancy.

The technique is not widely but as it is being introduced by service-providers, the group has drawn up a set of standards. Recommendations are set out for those who wish to or who are already offering conscious sedation as an alternative to local or general anaesthetic for early surgical abortion.

Please bring this report to the attention of abortion service-providers and commissioners.

The report can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/sexualhealthandhiv/pdfs/concioussedation.pdf

Hard copies can be ordered on 08701 555455.

For further information contact Kay Ellis on 020 7972 6172 or kay.ellis@doh.gsi.gov.uk

For the attention of chief executives in acute trusts and primary care trusts.

In June this year cancer registries in England were granted Section 60 support under the Health & Social Care Act. Section 60 allows cancer registries to receive, record, process and store identifiable information without seeking patient consent.

Section 60 is intended to be a transitional measure while the cancer registries (in common with other parts of the NHS) explore avenues for obtaining patient consent and using data anonymously (pseodonymisation).

All organisations are asked to continue submitting information to cancer registries and can be assured that it is legitimate to do so.

The situation will be closely monitored by the Patient Information Advisory Group (PIAG) who advise the Secretary of State on issues relating to the use of patient data. PIAG will receive a report from cancer registries in June 2003 detailing progress against specific requirements requested by PIAG and also progress made towards a longer term strategy.

A copy of the statutory instrument granting Section 60 support can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/ipu/confiden/index1.htm

Copies of the PIAG membership and meeting minutes can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/ipu/confiden/act/index1.htm

For further information contact Jill Anderson on 0207 972 4816.

A consultation exercise on the regulations for establishing the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has begun today. The consultation period will end on 7 November and the commission is due to be established in January.

For further information visit http://www.doh.gov.uk/cppihconsultation/index.htm or contact Anna McDevitt on 020 7210 5553 or anna.mcdevitt@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Last week's chief executive bulletin mentioned that a revised scheme for dealing with claims for refunds of patients' dental charges is being introduced from 1 October. It explained that although HAs previously paid refunds of dental charges, this procedure will not be taken over by PCTs. Refunds of dental charges will be paid by the Dental Practice Board (DPB).

Please note the following additional information - any outstanding claims held by the HA on 30 September, which must have been stamped with the date of receipt, should be sent to the Dental Practice Board for clearance.

Further information can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/dental/chargesrefund.htm or by contacting Geraldine Scruton on 0207 9723984 or geraldine.m.scruton@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The annual progress report from the Cancer Services Collaborative (CSC) is now available, published to coincide with the second anniversary of the NHS Cancer Plan (2000).

Part of the NHS Modernisation Agency, the Cancer Collaborative programme is working in all 34 cancer networks in England, helping clinical teams redesign cancer care delivery systems. The aim of the programme is to improve the experience and outcomes for patients with suspected or diagnosed cancer.

This report reviews progress so far and gives practical examples of how clinical teams have helped redesign services to improve cancer care and meet national plan targets. Chief executives are encouraged to share it with modernisation leads within their own organisations.

The report can be found at www.modern.nhs.uk/cancer/documents

Additional printed copies can be ordered from NHS Responseline on 08701 555455

Further information about the work of the CSC is available at www.modern.nhs.uk/cancer or from Cath Lovatt on cath.lovatt@npat.nhs.uk

9. Occupational health smart card and electronic staff record

The Occupational Health Smart Card (OHSC) initiative and the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) solution are working towards modernising NHS working practices in line with the Government's e-business strategy.

The teams working on each project see the two systems as complementing each other and meet on a regular basis. They are working closely to share information on database requirements and installation timetables during the respective launch periods. This will help trusts avoid having to cope with OHSC and ESR set-up and staff training simultaneously.

The implementation timeframes are as follows:

• OHSC initiative - implemented over a three year period (2001 - 2004) across the NHS in England
• ESR solution -implemented over a two-year period, until the first half of 2005.

For more information about how the two projects are working together, visit http://www.doh.gov.uk/sharedservices/news/esr_smartcard.htm

Future updates will be provided electronically through the web or internal Department of Health bulletins.

For further information on OHSC contact Barbara Levy on barbara.levy@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or 0113 254 5524.
For further information on ESR contact Tracy Webber on tracy.webber@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or 07734 163178

Electronic booking is one of the core elements of the Government's 21st Century IT strategy. To inform strategic health authorities trusts about electronic booking, there will be a series of road shows over the next few months.

The NHS Modernisation Agency's national electronic booking team will visit strategic health authorities and present information about how electronic booking works, what is involved, and the support that is available. There will be presentations about procurement issues and discussion about what is involved in electronic booking.

For further information contact Charlotte Richardson at charlotte.richardson@npat.nhs.uk or 0116 222 1421.

The NHS Modernisation Agency is inviting expressions of interest for NHS organisations to form the next wave of communities introducing electronic booking. These health communities will pilot new electronic booking systems and share their learning which will help inform implementation across the NHS. Funding will be given to successful communities to support their local project plans. The closing date for expressions of interest is 9am, 14 October 2002.

For further information contact Charlotte Richardson at charlotte.richardson@npat.nhs.uk or 0116 222 1421.

This safety notice was issued on 17 September 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts, health authorities chief executives and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. It was also issued to liaison officers of trusts, primary care, health authorities and National Care Standards Commission headquarters for action and for onward distribution as specified in the notice.

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

www.medical-devices.gov.uk

This safety notice was issued on 18 September 2002 to NHS trusts, chief executives and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. It was also issued to liaison officers of trusts and National Care Standards Commission headquarters for action and onward distribution as specified in the notice.

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

www.medical-devices.gov.uk

This safety notice was issued on 20 September 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts, chief executives, social services directors and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. It was also issued to liaison officers of trusts, primary care and health authorities, social services and National Care Standards Commission headquarters 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

• Elan Dilzem XL 240mg capsules BN 587016 - a small number of capsules have been packed in blisters intended for Dilzem XL 180mg. Recipients should quarantine and return to their supplier. (EL(02)A/15 class 2 recall - pharmacy level, 18/09/02)
• Pharmacia Ltd Cytarabine 100mg/ml solution for injection BN U138G (10ml) & BN U191E (20ml). Due to a high level of reports of crystalline matter in these batches, an additional precautionary warming step is advised prior to use (EL(02)A/16 class 4 alert - caution in use, 19/09/02)

Drug alerts are issued by the MCA, an executive agency of the Department of Health, to support action taken by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Alerts are distributed to pharmacists in NHS acute trusts. Since 29 October 2001, all alerts have been published on the MCA's website within two working days of the issue of the alert.

Full details of these alerts are available at http://www.mca.gov.uk/ourwork/ourwork.htm

For further information contact see the link above for contact The Defective Medicines Report Centre, Medicines Control Agency, Market Towers, 1 Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5NQ, tel 020-7273 0574, fax 020-7273 0676 e-mail info@mca.gov.uk

16. NHS careers : Jobs Shops

For the second year running, the Department of Health and the Workforce Development Confederations (WDCs) of the NHS are running the Jobs Shops Campaign.

Open days will be held by trusts to recruit locally into a wide range of occupations in the NHS, reflecting particular local needs.

DH is providing a comprehensive PR package managed by the agency Brewer Blackler. This will include a resource pack for WDCs containing guidance on how to run their Job Shop days and local campaigns.

Information on when and where Job Shops are being held is being gathered by Brewer Blackler and passed to the NHS careers service to be accessed so the public can find out about them by ringing the helpline on 0845 60 60 655 or visiting the website www.nhs.uk/careers

So far Brewer Blackler has been notified of more than 170 Job Shops.

DH is also organising, through the Central Office of Information, an advertising package which 14 WDCs are buying into. This local radio and press advertising urges the audience to ring the helpline. The adverts are Job Shop versions of the national 'Join the Team' adverts which ran in February-March 2002. A new primary care advert will be available. The adverts have been running on press and radio since 16 September

For further information contact David Townsend on 0207 9725269 or david.townsend@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The contract to establish the National Joint Registry (NJR) for hip and knee joint implants has been awarded to AEA Technology. Over the next 6 months AEA Technology will develop a database which will be made available to the NHS and private health care providers. The NJR will then begin to collect data from 1 April 2003 and all orthopaedic hospitals will be expected to participate.

The work of the NJR will be overseen by a steering committee. This will be chaired by former chair of the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts Bill Darling and vice-chaired by British Orthopaedic Association president Professor Paul Gregg. From April 2003, the NJR will be funded by a small levy placed on the sale of hip and knee implants. One of the functions of the committee will be to set this levy.

The NJR will be an electronic system and AEA Technology will be undertaking a health check of computer hardware specifications/capabilities in all NHS trusts. From 30 September for 4 weeks they will be in contact with IT departments to carry out this assessment. To speed the process it would be helpful if you could e-mail contact details (name, phone and email) for your IT department to enquiries@njrcentre.org.uk

Further information about the NJR announcement can be found at http://www.njrcentre.org.uk

You can also contact Paul Woods on 020 7972 4811 or paul.woods@doh.gsi.gov.uk

This item is aimed at chief executives and chairpersons of StHAs and PCTs, but may be of interest to NHS trusts and local authorities.

There are a number of important changes occurring in the NHS from 1 October 2002 arising from the introduction of the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002.

These include: commencement orders setting out which parts of the act are to be introduced and when; a new set of StHA and PCT function regulations; a set of consequential amendment regulations resulting from the change of name of English HAs; the reallocation of many former HA functions to PCTs.

Details can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsreformact/index.htm

For further information on specific areas mentioned in the article please refer to the named contacts on the website. For general enquiries contact Bob Travers on 0113 254 5852 or bob.travers@doh.gsi.gov.uk .

Following publication of the framework agreement for the new NHS consultant contract in June 2002, a number of misconceptions have arisen about the framework and how it will work in practice.

A clarification document and covering letter agreed between the Department of Health, the NHS Confederation and the BMA is being circulated to all consultants and specialist registrars in England. This should help inform discussions at local level between employers and consultants about preparations for the new contract. It can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/consultantscontract/index.htm

For further information contact Pat Saunders on 0113 2545706 or patricia.saunders@doh.gsi.gov.uk

The NHS GP Golden Hello scheme was launched on 2 November 2001. The scheme gives up to £5000 to new NHS GPs and those returning to general practice from the GP retainer scheme, with an extra payment of up to £5,000 if they work in an under-doctored area.

The scheme has now been extended to include qualified doctors not currently working in NHS general practice who return to take up an NHS GP post.

Details of how the scheme will be extended to returning GPs will be published following discussion with GP representatives. Payments to returning GPs where appropriate will be backdated to 24 September 2002.

Details of the current scheme can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/goldenhello/index.htm

This project will provide a nationally managed web-based e-mail service to the NHS and a complete directory containing details of all NHS staff. The contract for the service has been awarded to EDS and the first phase of implementation has now begun. The project is being managed by the NHS Connect Programme within the NHS Information Authority.

The service is being tested in two sites: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Trust, Woolwich and a consortium of PCTs in the West Midlands; Wednesbury & West Bromwich, Oldbury & Smethwick and Rowley, Regis & Tipton primary care trusts. When testing is completed the service will be made available to another ten sites. This will allow further testing and development of the service to take place between October 2002 and February 2003. The service will then be extended throughout the NHS.

NHS trusts will now be working towards connecting all staff to NHSnet for basic email and web browsing and the new national service will help organisations meet this target. Submission of comprehensive and up to date local directories will be required from all NHS organisations from early 2003. Further guidance on how to prepare directory submissions will be published later this year

For further information contact catherine.keenan@nhsia.nhs.uk or visit http://nww.nhsia.nhs.uk/nhsnet/pages/emailmessaging/nhsmail/

The tables in this publication show the number of optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners who held contracts with health authorities to carry out NHS sight tests at 31 December 2001.These figures have been revised since their publication in May 2002. The annual figures for December 2001 include locums and practitioners employed in mobile practices for the first time. However, these summary figures for England and Wales should count each practitioner only once irrespective of how many HAs they practise in. In the original figures some of these practitioners were counted in each HA they practised.

The publication can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/public/gosworkdec2001.htm

For further information contact Barbara Kyei on 020 797 25507 or barbara.kyei@doh.gsi.gov.uk

22. Voluntary adoption agencies in England and Wales and local authority adoption services in England

Two consultation documents on national minimum standards and regulations under the Care Standards Act 2000 for voluntary adoption agencies in England and Wales and local authority adoption services in England, were published on 25 September. The consultation period ends on 19 November 2002. The consultation documents can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/adoption/law.htm#consult

For further information contact Sally Odde on 0207 9724558 or sally.odde@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Councils with social services responsibilities (CSSRs) will be aware that a circular relating to the improving management Information grant in 2002/03 has still not been issued. Guidance and the grant determination are being circulated in draft form so that councils can be made aware of their indicative allocations and the proposed conditions attached to the grants.

However, the grant determination cannot be finalised until section 93 of the Local Government Act 2000 has been amended. The bill which will amend section 93 has not yet completed its passage through parliament. The determination will be made and final version of the guidance issued subject to the bill receiving royal assent and the amendment to section 93 coming into force.

To read the guidance and determination http://www.doh.gov.uk/scg/infsoc/draftlac2002.pdf

For further information contact Helen Dixon on 020 7972 5594

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: 26 September, 2002