Chief Executive Bulletin: 25 - 31 August 2000 Issue 30

Go back to referring page

Main Page

Hard copy versions of these publications can be ordered from the NHS Responseline 08701 555 455. Contents: NHS interest 1. Dispensing Doctors: New Arrangements for Collection of Prescription Charges 2. Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC) 3. Supporting People - invitation to implementation workshops for health and social services NHS and Social Care interest 4. CI(2000)11 Social Care Publications List - Summer 2000 5. A Quality Strategy for Social Care 6. DEVICE ALERT - MDA DA2000(05) Use of Transport Media during Chrionic Villus Sampling 7. Directions Conference 14th and 15th September 2000 Your chance to listen to the conference NHS interest 1. Dispensing Doctors: New Arrangements for Collection of Prescription Charges As originally described in HSC 1999/157, changes are being introduced for prescription charges collected by dispensing doctors in England as follows: NHS prescription charges collected by dispensing practices are now to be retained and deducted from remuneration instead of being sent to the health authority. the new arrangements apply to all charges collected in respect of NHS prescriptions dispensed on and after 1 October 2000. charges collected in respect of prescriptions dispensed prior to October should continue to be sent to the HA and recorded as now. the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) will provide information for dispensing doctors' payment schedules about the number of charges to be deducted from remuneration. More information about the new arrangements, including the accounting arrangements, is provided at: www.doh.gov.uk/pointh.htm. A letter setting out the detail of the new arrangements is being sent to dispensing practices by the PPA at the beginning of September. A copy is provided for information at: www.doh.gov.uk/pointh.htm. Letter and new arrangements: Copies being sent to Health Authority Finance Directors - for action and Health Authority Chief Executives, Health Authority Directors of Primary Care, PCT Chief Executives, PCG Chief Executives for information. 2. Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC) This letter from Professor Sir John Pattison, Director of R&D, advises that COREC is now in place and that a full-time Director has been appointed. It also sets out COREC's responsibilities. Please bring this letter to the attention of staff with an interest in R&D/Ethics Committees. To download the letter in Word format see: http://www.doh.gov.uk/research/whatsnew.htm NHS / Social Care interest 3. Supporting People - invitation to implementation workshops for health and social services Supporting People means changes to the funding framework for support services for vulnerable people. It is a partnership between central government and local agencies. From 2003 the costs of housing support will be met directly from local authorities working in partnership with health authorities and the probation services. It will mean the development of new local strategies and commissioning processes. It covers a wide variety of groups and services such as older people in sheltered housing, people with mental health problems and learning disabilities in supported housing schemes, homeless people with support needs, ex- offenders and home improvement agency services. More information is available on http://www.supporting-people.detr.gov.uk/ The decision making and working arrangements for this new programme will need to be thought through at an early stage and local authorities and health authorities are at different stages of development. The workshops, which will be 'hands on', are for social services and health authorities and well as housing authorities and providers who run existing services. They provide an opportunity to understand the changes and gear up to partnership working and implementation. Workshops are to be held in London, Weston Super Mare, Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham during Sep, Oct, Nov and are organised by SITRA on behalf of the DETR. Fees are £50 including VAT per delegate. A booking form is available from DETR Workshop administrator 020 7357 8955. 4. CI(2000)11 Social Care Publications List - Summer 2000 I have pleasure in sending you the new Social Care Publications List - Summer 2000. This time we have not only listed our range of publications but have added web addresses for individual publications where possible. We have looked carefully at past information to ensure, as far as possible, that the information is still relevant and in print. The listing includes publications that help to provide guidance, keep in touch with developing practice; assist in evaluating your own services, and support training. CI letter Ref. 22136 CI letter, 22137 Catalogue. Hard copies sent to Chief Executives of Local Authorities, Health Authorities, NHS Trusts and Directors of Social Services 5. A Quality Strategy for Social Care The Quality Strategy aims to improve outcomes for people by improving the quality of services experienced by users and carers. It will address existing problems and draw on existing policies to prepare new ways of delivering quality services. The Quality Strategy has three main components: tackling inconsistency and prompting knowledge-based practice; consult on creation of a Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to assess the evidence of what works, produce and disseminate authoritative guidelines and advice. a new quality framework to assure quality local services through clear accountability and commitment to lifelong learning; consult on a quality framework to ensure continuous quality improvements through partnerships and lifelong learning. a skilled and competent workforce to build a service to be proud of; consult on a radical reform of social work education, post-qualification training, and direction of government funding for training and broader workforce issues for the whole of the social care workforce. The Quality Strategy was published on 29 August 2000 and the consultation will end on 21 November 2000. Further announcements will be made from the responses later in the year. Background The Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, announced at the annual social services conference in October 1999 that there will be a quality strategy green paper for social services in the new year. The Minister for Health, John Hutton, announced at the Quality Agenda Conference hosted by The Guardian/NISW the publication of the Quality Strategy consultation document in August 2000. This is the next step to the modernising social services agenda to bring social care into the 21st century. Consultation paper http://www.doh.gov.uk/scg/qualitystrategy/index.htm Ref. 22005 Report, 22206 Summary. Copies sent to Chief Executives of Local Authorities, Health Authorities, NHS Trusts, Directors of Social Services, Chairs and Information Managers of Local Authority Social Services, Health Authority Information Managers and NHS Trust Training and Development Managers 6. DEVICE ALERT - MDA DA2000(05) Use of Transport Media during Chrionic Villus Sampling This Device Alert was issued on 18 August 2000 to NHS Trust, Health Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual, it was also faxed to Trust and Health Authority Liaison Officers for immediate action and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice. Electronic version of Device Alert 2000(05) can be found at: www.medicaldevices.gov.uk/DA2000(05).htm For further information on the role and nomination of liaison officers e-mail us at: bs@medical-devices.gov.uk http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk 7. Directions Conference 14th and 15th September 2000 Your chance to listen to the conference In his letter to you in June this year, Alan Milburn said that he hoped to give you an opportunity to listen in to the conference without you having to travel from your desk. You will be able to hear Alan Milburn's opening address and a discussion session with representatives of the Modernisation Action Teams on the afternoon and evening of 14 September. There are 3 options for you to choose from: Option 1 - Live webcast Option 2 - Live teleconference Option 3 - Webcast archive Thursday 14 September 2000 Opening address: 4.00pm - 5.00pm Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP, Secretary of State Discussion session: 6.00pm - 7.00pm Neil McKay, Acting Chief Executive, NHS and Modernisation Action Team members This is the first time we have used this technology. While we will work to ensure that everything is in place to allow you to take part, to make sure that it runs smoothly on the day you will need to do some preparatory work beforehand to enable you to connect to the above options. Guidelines are available at www.doh.gov.uk/pointh.htm Directions Conference helpline: 0121 777 1001 e-mail: directions@rs-live.demon.co.uk 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 - ©2000 Back to Chief Executive's Bulletin Home Page

Information

Help

Feedback

Search

Published by the NHS Executive
© Crown Copyright 2000
This page last updated 31 August 2000