Chief Executive Bulletin Issue 250, 6 January 2005

Department of Health




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Chief Executive Bulletin

18 December 2004 - 6 January 2005, Issue 250

Contents:

NHS and social care interest
1. Children Act 2004 - Inter-Agency Co-operation and Children's Trusts
2. Supporting People with Long Term Conditions

NHS interest
No items this week

Social care interest
3. Interviews with social care staff - System reform: behaviours and relationships

Further items of interest
4. Registration, Licensing & Revalidation - important update
5. National Service Framework for Mental Health - Five Years On
6. Tools to support local target setting: the 'Better Metrics' project
7. Guidance for collecting information from NHS foundation trusts (FTs)
8. Health Survey for England 2003
9. Treatment Centres: Delivering Faster, Quality Care and Choice for NHS Patients
10. Partnerships for older people projects
11. NHS funding for long-term care: follow-up report
12. NHS Omnibus Survey launch
13. £110 million available through new NHS agreements
14. National Clinical Assessment Authority (NCAA) directory of resources
15. Review of ambulance service
16. Year of the Volunteer 2005 (YV05)
17. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT - MDA/2004/55
18. Medical Device Alerts (MDAs) distribution to directors of social services
19. Protection of the Red Cross emblem

NHS and social care interest

1. Children Act 2004 - Interagency Cooperation and Children's Trusts (Gateway reference 3887)
Draft statutory guidance for the 'duty to co-operate' in the 2004 Children Act has been issued for consultation with NHS organisations and professionals by the Department for Education and Skills and can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations
The guidance describes the nature and role of children's trusts, and the associated integrated service provision that will impact on the NHS as part of the implementation of the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services and the wider cross-Government programme Change for Children of which the NSF is part.

2. Supporting People with Long Term Conditions (Gateway reference 4230)
Published by the Department of Health, this guidance sets out a bespoke NHS and social care model to help local NHS and social care organisations improve care for people with long-term conditions. The guidance focuses on helping health communities use the tools they already have to develop a targeted systematic approach to care for their chronically ill populations. Read the guidance >

NHS interest

No items this week

Social care interest

3. Interviews with social care staff - System reform: behaviours and relationships (Gateway reference 4354)
The Department of Health has commissioned an independent research company to interview health and social care staff. Interviews engaging social care will begin the week commencing 10 January 2005. Read the letter that explains the research >

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Further items of interest

4. Registration, Licensing & Revalidation - important update (Gateway reference 4275)
Issue 248 of the Chief Executive's Bulletin (9 December 2004) included information on the GMC's proposed new licensing framework ('The GMC is making fundamental changes to the system for registering doctors'). This has since been postponed owing to a Department of Health review of the recommendations in the Shipman Inquiry's fifth report.
A GMC update is at www.gmc-uk.org/revalidation/employers/employers_letter_20041208.pdf
Contact Frances Conway, FConway@gmc-uk.org

5. National Service Framework for Mental Health - Five Years On (Gateway reference 3746)
Professor Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health, has published his update report on mental health services in England. Main findings of the report include lower suicide rates, positive feedback from service users and increased staff numbers. Read the report >
Contact Elizabeth Gass, NIHME/MA, A 309 Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG.

6. Tools to support local target setting: the 'Better Metrics' project (Gateway reference 4347)
The National Clinical Directors have proposed indicators ('metrics') in their areas of responsibility, intended to be a useful resource to support the development of measurable clinically-relevant local targets and other quality indicators. The metrics can be downloaded from www.osha.nhs.uk

7. Guidance for collecting information from NHS foundation trusts (FTs) (Gateway reference 4351)
Monitor has issued guidance for FTs describing the approval process for requests for information from FTs. The guidance also sets out the duty of FTs and rights of requesters regarding information requests. It can be found at www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/publications.php?id=572

8. Health Survey for England 2003 (Gateway reference 4203)
This report covers cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the risk factors associated with CVD. Data from this report will be used to update tables of health survey data at SHA level in June 2005. Read the report >
A summary booklet is available from doh@prolog.uk.com

9. Treatment Centres: Delivering Faster, Quality Care and Choice for NHS Patients (Gateway reference 4344)
The Secretary of State is publishing a report on the achievements of the treatment centre programme to date. There are currently over 30 treatment centres across England run by both the NHS and the independent sector. Available from 7 January 2005. Read the report >

10. Partnerships for older people projects (Gateway reference 4336)
During the first quarter of 2005, the Department of Health will invite councils to apply for funding to set up pilot projects in partnership with the NHS and other organisations. The pilots will test out and evaluate 'new' arrangements for partnerships working to deliver better co-ordinated care for vulnerable, older people. Read more >

11. NHS funding for long-term care: follow-up report (Gateway reference 4349)
A second report on continuing care has been published by the Health Service Ombudsman. Copies are available from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (OPHSO) website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/hsc/document/care04/care_04cover.htm

12. NHS Omnibus Survey launch (Gateway reference 4263)
A new internet survey tool, the NHS Omnibus Survey, was launched in December. The first collection, on childcare provision in NHS trusts, has been sent to trust HR directors for completion. Read more >

13. £110 million available through new NHS agreements (Gateway reference 4372)
The NHS could make major savings using the new national framework agreements negotiated by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) as part of the National Contracts Procurement Project. A letter providing further information has been sent to procurement board leads. Available on the NHS web at http://nww.scep.nhs.uk/procurement/

14. National Clinical Assessment Authority (NCAA) directory of resources (Gateway reference 4374)
The NCAA is creating an online directory of resources to assist with further training and development of doctors and dentists about whom there is concern. To help identify useful resources for inclusion contact Sara Buckley, project manager, by 14 January 2005 at
resource-directory@staffs.ac.uk

15. Review of ambulance service (Gateway reference 4338)
A review of the ambulance service is underway to consider how to support the NHS in making long-term improvements in the way patient care is delivered by ambulance trusts. To test emerging thinking and hear stakeholder views, two events are planned for February. Read more >

16. Year of the Volunteer 2005 (YV05) (Gateway reference 4370)
YV05 aims to acknowledge and profile volunteering, and open more opportunities for volunteers to add value in public and voluntary services. For details of activities led by National Association of Hospital and Community Friends, Volunteering England and Community Service Volunteers in January, visit www.healthmonth.org

17. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT - MDA/2004/55 (Gateway reference 4355)
Neurosurgical sponges and urinary drainage devices manufactured by Tyco Healthcare.
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 17 December 2004 to NHS trusts for immediate action. Further information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk

18. Medical Device Alerts (MDAs) distribution to directors of social services (Gateway reference 4366)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will no longer send hardcopy MDAs to directors of social services. All MDAs issued will be sent electronically to Medical Device Liaison Officers (MDLOs) for distribution and information, with alerts continuing to be placed in the Chief Executive Bulletin. New MDAs will also appear at http://devices.mhra.gov.uk/
Contact mhra.targeting@doh.gsi.gov.uk

19. Protection of the Red Cross emblem (Gateway reference 4373)
NHS organisations are reminded that the British Red Cross Society is the only civilian organisation authorised to use the Red Cross under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 (as amended). See www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950027_en_2.htm
Queries regarding the Red Cross emblem and its correct usage to Michael Meyer, British Red Cross, mmeyer@redcross.org.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 - © 2004

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copyright: © | Last updated: 7 January 2005