Chief
Executive Bulletin 1 – 7 March 2002
Issue 107
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Chief
Executive Bulletin 1 – 7 March 2002 |
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Contents: NHS and Social Care interest 1. Information
Strategy for Older People NHS interest 5. Extending Choice
for Patients: Information and Advice on Establishing the Heart Surgery
Scheme Social Care interest 15. Action On
Dermatology Regional Events NHS / Social Care interest 1. Information Strategy for Older People On 6 March the Department of Health published the Information Strategy for Older People in England (ISOP) to support the Older People NSF and the NHS plan. Building on the wider Information for Health, and Information for Social Care initiative it identifies the requirements for the information infrastructure, systems and services required to deliver the older people programme. The main aims of the strategy are to:
"If the NSF and the wider
programme to improve older people’s health and social care services is
to be implemented properly, it is essential that older people and their
carers are able to access the information they need quickly and in a way
that is familiar to them. Clinicians, health and social care managers
and the government will also need to be able to access the information
they want to ensure that the programme of delivering high quality services
to older people is achieved." Further details of the strategy can be found at: http://www.doh.gov.uk/ipu/strategy/nsf/4.htm The Department of Health has produced information about the new national infrastructure for quality social services. A leaflet, Quality in Social Care - The National Institutional Framework, sets out the main responsibilities of the five national bodies which contribute to quality in social care services and provides further contact details. The five national bodies are:
The leaflet is available in print via each of the national bodies and electronically on the DH website at www.doh.gov.uk/scqp Other formats can be made available on request. For more information about Department of Health initiatives to improve quality and performance in social care please contact carolyn.denne@doh.gsi.gov.uk 3. New Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance on Manual Lifting and Handling New Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on manual lifting and handling entitled Handling Home Care – Achieving safe, efficient and positive outcomes for care workers and clients was published on Tuesday 5 March 2002. The purpose of the guidance is to give practical advice on mobility to the providers of home care services. The publication is an important step in ensuring safe lifting and handling, whilst also ensuring proper respect for the views of disabled people. It is available on the HSE
website at www.hse.gov.uk. Alternatively,
hard copies of the guidance are available at a cost of £9.50 each by mail
order (reference: ISBN No 071762228) from The Health Forecast Unit (HFU) at the Met Office is in partnership with the Department of Health and currently provides a forecasting service for participants in this winter's pilot. Dr William Bird is predicting workload associated with demands in the health service through regional infectious disease reports, workload reports and workload forecasts. The information is supplied on a secure website and is regularly updated (as detailed below). Although still in pilot stage this winter, the project has grown in success. And we are able to provide regional level forecasts to all trusts. Next winter the forecast will be supplied nation wide and to postcode level. The weather is updated daily, the workload report and workload forecast updated twice weekly, (by midday Monday and Thursday), and the infectious disease report is updated every Thursday. Details: nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/capacityplanning/forecast.htm NHS interest 5. Extending Choice for Patients: Information and Advice on Establishing the Heart Surgery Scheme. This can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/extendingchoice/index.htm The document describes how the pilot scheme for extending choice to heart surgery patients will operate at local and national level and sets out information and advice on how the NHS can ensure that the scheme operates effectively for patients from 1 July 2002. While the document provides a basis for commissioners along with cardiac networks to start planning services using the £100m announced on 6 March, we would very much welcome comments on the arrangements so that more refined and definitive information and advice can be published shortly. The information and advice will be directly relevant to:
DH contact point: Gavin.Larner@doh.gsi.gov.uk 6. Selection of Topics for NICE: Consultation Paper The Department is issuing this week a consultation paper about the selection and timing of topics for appraisal by NICE. The paper:
Copies of the consultation paper are available on the DH website: www.doh.gov.uk/nice/consultation2002 Replies should be sent to Peter Burgin at peter.burgin@doh.gsi.gov.uk to arrive by Friday 7 June. 7. Prescription Charges: April 2002 Changes This notice announces:
Full details of the new charge rates and new arrangements are set out on the Department’s website at www.doh.gov.uk/prescriptioncharges A letter with the details has been sent direct to dispensing doctors, GP practices, pharmacy and appliance contractors. This is also on the Department’s website and can be accessed via the reference above. ACTION Health Authorities: Please note the new arrangements described on the Department’s website and bring them to the attention of Directors of Finance and all staff dealing with:
Please also make sure that your Walk in Centres are aware of the new prescription charges. NHS Trusts: Please note the new arrangements and bring this notice to the attention of Directors of Finance and all staff dealing with:
Please make sure that all district and community nurses and midwives are aware of the new charges. Pharmacy and Prescriptions
Branch Further details available at: http://www.doh.gov.uk/prescriptioncharges 8. Prescription Charges: Prepayment, Maternity and Medical Exemption Certificates This is to let you know that, following careful consideration, it has been decided that responsibility for issuing prescription pre-payment certificates, medical and maternity exemption certificates for England will transfer to the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) from 1 October 2002. Once applications received up to 30 September have been dealt with, HAs will no longer need to be involved in these arrangements. Funding for the additional work at the PPA will be met centrally and HA (PCT from 1 October 2002) unified allocations will not be adjusted to take account of the loss of this work. More detailed information about the new arrangements and the transition will be sent to you during March. We will then provide a contact point and invite queries. Meanwhile, the PPA will be contacting all HAs for details of your current arrangements. It would be most helpful if
those of you who send PPC renewal reminders to patients could include
a note telling them that applications for PPCs to start on or after 1
October 2002 should be sent to the Prescription Pricing Authority at:
The full address will appear on new PPC application forms available for 1 October. We are looking at separate addresses for maternity and medical exemption certificate applications and will provide details as soon as possible. 9. General Ophthalmic Services: Increases in Optical Voucher Values and Tax Credits The letter referred to below informs Health Authorities, NHS Trusts, opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners about:
Health authorities and trusts are asked to:
The letter is on the DH website at www.doh.gov.uk/ophthalmicservices/gosvouchermar02.htm Please direct any enquiries to John Canavan, Room 325 Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS. Tel: 020 7210 5743. Fax: 020 7210 5774. Email John.Canavan@doh.gsi.gov.uk10. Increases in Remuneration for NHS Chairs and Non-Executive Board Members The Secretary of State has agreed an increase of 3% for all chairs and non-executive directors of NHS boards, backdated to 1 April 2001. The new rates of remuneration payable therefore will be as follows: Chairs of NHS trusts and health
authorities Chairs of primary care trusts
(up until 31 March 2002) All non-executives Chairs and non-executives have already been told of these increases by the NHS Appointments Commission. The banding levels appropriate for chairs of health authorities and NHS trusts are set out at the weblink below. Could Chief Executives please ensure that chairs and non-executives receive remuneration at the appropriate new levels, backdated to 1 April 2001. Health authorities in particular should ensure that back payments are made before the end of March. The Secretary of State has decided that remuneration for all chairs of strategic health authorities will be set at the new Band 1 level of £20,420. He has also decided that, given their new responsibilities and anticipated time commitment as of 1 April, remuneration for the chairs of primary care trusts should be increased from that date to the same level and banded in the same way as NHS trusts. Details of the appropriate banding for each PCT chair will be published shortly. 11. Revised Income Generation Guidance for Commercial R&D Activity Guidance about pricing commercial R&D is available in Chapter 4 under Section 30 of NHS Trusts – Detailed Guidance in the NHS Finance Manual nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhs/finman.htm This guidance was revised following the Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Task Force (PICTF) Report. The guidance re-states that income from commercial R&D is collected under income generation powers. In response to some reported inconsistencies in pricing, it clarifies how to apply the principles of guidance on costing and sets out which costs may be legitimately passed on to industry. Enquiries about the policy for commercial R&D should be addressed to Keith Preece at keith.preece@doh.gsi.gov.uk) More general enquiries about Income Generation should be addressed to Tracy Morton at tracy.morton@doh.gsi.gov.uk 12. On-Line Intelligence on Demand A website has been launched to help hospital managers anticipate demand and plan capacity. The Hospital Operational Intelligence System is available on NHS Net and provides Sitrep (situation reports) information on demand, capacity and service response for any trust, health authority or NHS region as well as nationally. It is easy to access and up-to-date. It allows users to analyse activity, and to compare their performance against neighbouring or comparable organisations. The information is presented mainly as trend charts, but there are also radar charts and tables, all of which can be printed off or pasted into reports. The system is available via NHSnet at the following address: http://194.189.27.190/hoip/hoip.nsf/main?readform&login=1 Your information department may have details of the username and password. If not, Sitrep contacts at health authorities should be able to help. Alternatively, phone Judith Clarke on 0113 254 6585. 13. First National Allied Health Professions and Healthcare Scientists Conference This message is intended for senior allied health professionals - senior rehabilitation managers, directors of therapy, heads of departments in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, dietetics, prosthetics, orthotics, chiropody/ podiatry, orthoptists, radiography and arts therapy. Would chief executives please forward it to the relevant people. One of the key elements of Meeting the Challenge: A Strategy for the Allied Health Professions, was around the development of leadership skills for AHPs. To support this major strand of the strategy there will be a one day conference on the 13 March at the London Arena, in support of the AHP leadership programme. The conference - HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP IN THE 21st CENTURY - is aimed at Allied Health Professions (AHP) and Healthcare Scientists (HCS) in senior and middle clinical and managerial roles. AHP and HCS are fundamental to achieving the ambition of a modernised responsive, patient centred health service. The progression of leadership skills within these professions is essential for influencing and implementing changes for modernising the NHS. Key speakers attending the event include the Secretary of State for Health, David Fillingham and Penny Humphris from the NHS Modernisation Agency, Avril Imison and Sarah Mullally from the Department of Health. If you would like further information about this event or registration form, please contact RS Live conference helpline on 0121 777 1001 or email: leadership@rslive.co.uk or email Maxine Nelson at Maxine.Nelson@doh.gsi.gov.uk 14. Improving Working Lives for Doctors Conference 18 April 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster 10.00 -16.00 The conference is part of a work programme that is focussing on Improving Working Lives for Doctors. It provides the opportunity to follow up the debate and demonstrate progress following the Improving Working Lives for Doctors summit on the 30 January 2002. It will also provide an opportunity to hear from the new doctors forum and hear how the £1 million for Improving Working Lives for Doctors is being spent. Delegates will have the chance to share in open discussion and participate in workshops. This conference is an opportunity to meet with colleagues, share good practice and develop new ideas. The day will cover the following themes:
To book your place, call the conference hotline on 020 8334 4525. Further information on Improving Working Lives can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/iwl 15. Action On Dermatology Regional Events The Action On team are hosting a series of eight regional dermatology events during April and May. The events will provide an opportunity to hear about and discuss the work and achievements of the Action On Dermatology pilot sites and for networking within the local dermatology community. A programme and registration form can be downloaded from the following addresses: 16. Medical Devices Agency - Safety Notices SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2002(05) Best Practice in Use of Ceramic Femoral Heads in Hip Replacement Implants This safety notice was issued on 26 February 2002 to NHS trusts and health authority chief executives. As usual it was also issued to liaison officers of trusts and health authorities for action and for onward distribution as specified in the notice. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2002(06) Leakage of Mercury from Amalgam Capsules This safety notice was issued on 28 February 2002 to NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authority chief executives. As usual it was also issued to liaison officers of trusts, primary care and health authorities for action and for onward distribution as specified in the notice. 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 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 |
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