A-Z site
index | Search | Links
| Contact
DH | Help
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Chief Executive Bulletin
Contents:NHS and social care interest NHS interest 2. Urgent action regarding the distribution of MDA safety
warnings Social care interest 17. Children looked after by local authorities - data
requirements for year ending 31 March 2003 NHS and social care interest 1. Medical Devices Agency hazard notice - MDA HN2002(09) - possibility of over infusions with IVAC 591, 597, 598 and 599 infusion pumps This hazard notice was issued on 29 November 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts, social services and National Care Standards Commission headquarters. As usual it was faxed to liaison officers of NHS trusts, primary care trusts, social services and National Care Standards Commission 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 TopNHS interest 2. Urgent action regarding the distribution of MDA safety warnings This action was first requested in CE Bulletin 142 (1-7 November) and is of high importance to ministers. Many thanks to those who have already submitted declarations to MDA as requested. Lord Hunt has asked MDA to obtain confirmation from each NHS trust chief executive that they have in place effective arrangements for MDA safety warnings to be brought to the attention of relevant staff and actioned promptly. This action is in line with the existing requirements of the Medical Devices Management Controls Assurance Standard, criterion 21. Recognising the current pressures on all trusts, the deadline for these returns has been extended to 7 January 2003. A report will then be made to Lord Hunt which will include those trusts from whom a declaration has not been received. A suitable declaration can be found at www.medical-devices.gov.uk under "risk management assurance statement" on the MDA home page. Please complete and return the statement, preferably by e-mail, to For further information contact Lisa Robery on 020 7972 8297, Liz Moore on 020 7972 8183 or fax them on 020 7972 8124. Top3. Standardising the crash call number for cardiac arrests in acute hospitals The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has sent a questionnaire to all acute trust chief executives in England to research the issues that would be involved in standardising the crash call number to 2222. Questionnaires should be completed by the switchboard manager of each acute hospital and returned to Tony Rufford of the NHSIA at tony.rufford@nhsia.nhs.uk by 13 December 2002. This survey is part of a feasibility study to see whether the crash call number should be standardised. Standardising the crash call number was a measure identified in the report Making a Difference: Reducing Burdens in Hospitals published by the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office in July 2002. It is one of a number of methods that should make patient care safer and remove or reduce burdens on staff. For further information contact Chris Ranger on 020 7868 8971 or chris.ranger@npsa.org.uk Top4. Estates information collection return (ERIC) - 2003 Chief executives of NHS trusts and PCTs are alerted to the need to complete the estates information collection (ERIC) return for the year 2002/03. Copies of the completion notes containing data requirements, definitions
and guidance, can be downloaded from http://www.nhsestates.gov.uk/property_management/index.asp?submenu_ID=eric The ERIC web-based system will be available for data entry during March 2003, accessed through www.nhsestates.gov.uk. Please note the following key points: For further information contact Dennis Bastow on 0113 254 7000 or dennis.bastow@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top5. Electronic staff record project - new timescales The electronic staff record (ESR) senior management team has conducted a thorough re-evaluation of the project and has agreed to revise its timetable. Pilot sites were scheduled to go live in April 2003 but this will now happen later in 2003. This will be confirmed in early December when the revised timetable will be discussed and approved. The impact of the changing timetable is being investigated to minimise potential problems faced by pilot sites, including the implications of legacy systems, resources and benefits realisation. A revised plan for the technical work stream has been agreed, and robust timetables for change, training and design will be based on this, to provide an integrated approach. A requirements freeze has been agreed, allowing efforts to be consolidated, and a design freeze is expected soon. All those involved in the project are being encouraged to carry on with the work they have started. The project team remains committed to making sure the solution implemented will deliver all the expected benefits, so long as sites adopt the new national processes and changed working practices. For more information contact Jo Smith on esr@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top6. EU directive on good clinical practice in clincial trials - the clinical trials directive (2001/20/ec) The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) will shortly consult on the UK's proposed implementing regulations which are required to transpose the Clinical Trials Directive into UK law. The full title of the Directive (2001/20/EC) is Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use. This consultation is likely to be of interest to R&D directors, clinicians, pharmacists and other NHS staff involved in commercial and non-commercial clinical trials of medicines. It would be appreciated if this could also be brought to the attention of medical school or other relevant university interests with whom staff have contact, and also any local funders of such research. Agreement on the Clinical Trials Directive was reached in February 2001. The final version was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 1 May 2001 and is available on the European Commission's website at www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/search/search_lif.html. Member states have until 1 May 2003 to prepare national provisions for
complying with the directive and must adopt these provisions by 1 May
2004. For further information, contact Caroline Brennan on 020 7273 0525 or caroline.brennan@mca.gsi.gov.uk Top7. New sexual health public information campaign The Department of Health has launched a new public information communications campaign aimed at tackling the rise of STIs amongst heterosexual men and women aged 18 -30. A commitment to developing the campaign was included in the Government's Sexual Health and HIV Strategy, first published in July 2001. The campaign will communicate hard-hitting information about STIs in a relevant style for the target audience. The campaign strapline is 'Don't play the sex lottery. Use a condom' and plays on the theme of a popular game show by illustrating that, if young people do not use condoms to protect themselves, they are exposing themselves to a high risk of catching an STI. Advertising will appear in men's and women's glossy magazines and on radio stations around England from December. Washroom posters in bars and clubs, scratch cards and beer mats will also be used to promote the 'sex lottery' message. This will be supported by a new website - www.playingsafely.co.uk - an 0800 567 123 helpline and public relations work with lifestyle magazines. For more information please contact Karen Gregory on 020 7972 5264 or karen.gregory@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top8. Protocol-based care information pack Good clinical care based on the best available evidence is vital if the NHS is to change the process of health care and improve outcomes for patients. National service frameworks (NSFs) and the clinical standards of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) can help do this. Protocols can be used to implement NICE clinical standards and a number of NHS organisations are already required to produce protocols as part of implementing NSFs. An information pack has been prepared by the Modernisation Agency and NICE to support the development of protocol-based care within the NHS. It aims to spread good practice and help professionals working in community, primary and secondary care by providing practical guidance on how to develop protocols, linking this into the wider agenda for service modernisation, and providing useful information about other sources of advice, knowledge and support. The pack is available at www.modern.nhs.uk/protocolbasedcare For further information e-mail anne.hackett@doh.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 020 7210 5469. TopIt has come to the Department's attention that implementation of the new Band 1 pay scale in advance letter AL DOS 1/2002, published on 21 March 2002 has been open to differing interpretations. A revised Appendix 1 of Advance Letter DOS 1/2002 is now available. As the operative date of this pay scale is 1 April 2002, any adjustments to salaries as a result of the revised letter should be backdated as appropriate. Employees should direct their personal enquiries to their employing authority. Enquiries by primary care trusts and NHS trusts should be taken up through the Dental and Optical Policy Branch - contact Tim Brown on tim.brown@doh.gsi.gov.uk or Danny Walley on daniel.walley@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top10. Guide on anticipatory management in health care Information for Action: a good practice guide on anticipatory management in health care is now available. The Healthcare Operational Intelligence Project locates and shares good practice in the use of information to inform operational planning and decision making in the NHS. The main motivation behind this project was the need to move away from management by reaction to management by anticipation.
The guide can be found at http://nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhs/hoip/index.htm Printed copies will be available on request in a few weeks. 11. NHS Estates discussion forum A new topic of security has been added to the NHS Estates discussion forum. This is your opportunity to share ideas and experiences with your peers, seek solutions to problems and improve the patient environment by learning from others. By putting your problems or suggestions on the forum, we can ensure that all sections of the NHS can benefit from your knowledge and understanding. The discussion forum can be found at www.nhsestates.gov.uk For more information contact Stuart Robinson on 0113 254 7142 or stuart.robinson@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top12. Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis infections in the UK 2001 - annual report published The latest annual report of the Unlinked Anonymous Prevalence Monitoring Programme was published last week in the run-up to World AIDS day on 1 December. The report and accompanying letter are available in portable document format (PDF) for downloading at www.doh.gov.uk/hivhepatitis/report2001.htm Printed copies of the report can be obtained, quoting reference 29815, by writing to: Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH; Fax: 01623 724 524; email: doh@prologistics.co.uk or by calling the NHS Response Line on: 08701 555455. For further information contact Linda Lazarus at linda.lazarus@doh.gsi.gov.uk or 020 7972 5751. TopAn electronic news bulletin will be available from 1 January 2003 covering the work of the NHS Modernisation Agency's Action On programmes. This follows a poll showing that 94 per cent of web site respondents would be interested in subscribing. The new monthly bulletin @ction online will include information on all the Action On specialties:
Anyone can subscribe to @ction online by registering at www.modern.nhs.uk/scripts/actiononline/default.asp?site_id=30 For more information contact Eric Ludlow on 0116 222 1422 or eric.ludlow@npat.nhs.uk Top14. NICE schizophrenia guideline A guideline on the management of symptoms and experiences of schizophrenia in primary and secondary care was published by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) on 4 December 2002. The schizophrenia guideline is in line with the Mental Health NSF, the mental health section of the NHS Plan and the Policy and Planning Framework (PPF). The guideline builds on the technology appraisal of the use of newer (atypical) antipsychotics in schizophrenia published by NICE in June 2002. Copies of the guideline are available at www.nice.org.uk/Docref.asp?d=42460 If you have any queries contact Dr Nick Clarke on 0113 254 5205 or nick.clarke@doh.gsi.gov.uk Top15. Interim guidelines for smallpox response and management in the post-eradication era This interim plan outlines the strategies and approaches that would guide national and local responses to a smallpox emergency. It can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/cbr/biol/smallpoxplan.htm TopSummaries of speeches from the following events are now available:
Social care interest 17. Children looked after by local authorities - data requirements for year ending 31 March 2003 The new requirements for children's services for the year ending 31 March 2003 are due for return on or before 31 May 2003. They can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/stats/2003datarequirements.pdf For further information contact Steve Maslen, DH Statistics Division 3A, 451C Skipton House, 80 London Rd London SE1 6LH. Tel 020 7972 5799, fax 020 7972 5660. Top18. Personal Social Services Annual Capital Guidelines 2003-04 - LASSL 2002 (10) This LASSL informs councils of decisions made by the health secretary about the Annual Capital Guidelines (ACGs) for personal social services for 2003/04. The ACG for each council is included. If you have any queries please contact Tony Nugus on 020 7972 2718 or tony.nugus@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Top19. Personal Social Services (PSS) Funding 2003-04 - LASSL (2002)11 This local authority social services letter sets out the main aspects of the local government finance settlement. The figures for Personal Social Services Formula Spending Share (FSS), grant allocations where available and other details for each authority also appear in the circular. For any enquiries regarding this circular contact Huda Baig on 020 7972 2766 or huda.baig@doh.gsi.gov.uk
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You
are here: 
