Chief Executive Bulletin
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4 - 9 December 2004, Issue 248 |
Licensing and Revalidation: important update from the GMC
On 9 December 2004, the GMC published an article in Chief Executive Bulletin
248 about the introduction of a new licensing, registration and revalidation
framework from 1 April 2005. As you may know, on 17 December 2004, the
Department of Health announced its intention to review all the recommendations
by Dame Janet Smith in the fifth report of the Shipman Inquiry.
The review will be undertaken by a group chaired by the Chief Medical
Officer Sir Liam Donaldson. The review will include the role of NHS appraisal
and will cover the GMC's arrangements for examining a doctor's fitness
to practise within the revalidation process. This will mean the postponement
of the intended launch of licensing and revalidation from April 2005.
The GMC warmly welcomes the review into the findings of the Shipman Inquiry,
and in particular on revalidation. The whole purpose of revalidation is
to create public confidence that all licensed doctors are up to date and
fit to practise, and, if there are ways of improving the revalidation
model we have proposed, we would of course want to include them in our
plans. Dame Janet Smith's report raises a number of important questions
and we welcome this opportunity to consider them in detail with the Department
of Health.
We will write again in the New Year with further information.
If you have any queries, please contact Frances Conway on FConway@gmc-uk.org
Contents:
NHS and social care interest
1. Mental Health Act 1983 - R (MH) v SofS for Health
2. Shipman Inquiry reports
3. Partnership with the Voluntary Sector - NCVO Public Affiliate
Scheme
NHS interest
4. The GMC is making fundamental changes to the system for
registering doctors
Social care interest
5. Children's services: discussions on priorities
Further items of interest
6. Cabinet Office public consultation on Civil Contingencies
Act regulations and guidance
7. National Audit Office (NAO) report - Reforming NHS Dentistry
8. Local and national media coverage on mental health issues
to be reviewed
9. Hepatitis C public awareness campaign
10. NHS Factsheets have been published on the Department
of Health website
11. National service framework for renal services - implementation
toolkit for commissioners
12. Scoping the market for children's services
13. The NHS Leadership Centre has launched two new frameworks
as part of the Senior Medical Leadership Profiles
14. Concordat between NHS Estates and Chief Fire Officers
Association
15. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT - MDA/2004/52
NHS and social care interest
1. Mental Health Act 1983 - R (MH) v SofS for Health
(Gateway reference 4277)
The Court of Appeal has made a Human Rights Act declaration of incompatibility
in relation to sections 2 and 29(4) of the Mental Health Act for failing
to provide certain patients with sufficient access to the Mental Health
Review Tribunal. The declaration does not affect the continued operation
of those sections. NHS bodies and local authorities should continue to
act in accordance with the act as it stands. For further information see
Mental Health Law (Briefings on Legal Cases) at www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth
Top
2. Shipman Inquiry reports (Gateway reference
4255)
The fourth report of the Shipman Inquiry was published 14 July. The fifth
report has now been published along with the Government's response. The
Government proposes placing a new statutory responsibility on PCTs, NHS
and foundation trusts to ensure the safe and effective management of controlled
drugs by nominating a 'proper officer', together with a complementary
duty of collaboration with other local agencies. PCTs will also be responsible
for ensuring the safe collection of unwanted controlled drugs.
Read
the fifth report and the Government response >
Top
3. Partnership with the Voluntary Sector - NCVO Public
Affiliate Scheme (Gateway reference 4271)
Stuart Etherington, the chief executive of the National Council of Voluntary
Organisations and Nigel Crisp will be writing shortly to chief executives
with details of the NCVO's Public Affiliate Scheme. This Scheme is open
to all NHS organisations and provides information and access to national
and local voluntary sector networks. Linked to this is a secondment scheme
which offers NHS staff the chance to work in a voluntary organisation.
This is an opportunity that they think could be of interest to many chief
executives.
Top
NHS interest
4. The GMC is making fundamental changes to the system
for registering doctors (Gateway reference 4275)
From 1 April 2005, anyone who wants to practise medicine in the UK must
not only be registered, but also hold a licence to practise. Doctors wishing
to retain their licence must revalidate periodically. The GMC will write
directly to all doctors to explain the new system. All employers need
to be aware of the changes and what they mean for both managers and doctors.
Information for employers on the new arrangements can be found at www.gmc-uk.org/revalidation/employers/employers_letter_20041208.pdf
For further information please contact Frances Conway at FConway@gmc-uk.org
Top
Social care interest
5. Children's services: discussions on priorities
(Gateway reference 4276)
This joint letter from Sheila Scales, director of local transformation
group in Department for Education and Skills, and David Behan, chief inspector
of the Commision for Social Care Inspection, sets out arrangements for
the priorities conversations due to take place later this month or early
next year. It builds on the initial discussions about the children's agenda
that most authorities have now had and also covers arrangements for discussing
the Children and Young People's Block for Local Area Agreement pilot authorities.
It is available at
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/key-documents
Top
Further items of interest
6. Cabinet Office public consultation on Civil Contingencies
Act regulations and guidance (Gateway reference 4278)
A consultation on the draft regulations and guidance that will accompany
Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act was launched today. The consultation
documents can be found at www.ukresilience.info/ccact
All NHS bodies are invited to submit comments and views by 3 March 2005
to Ccact@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Top
7. National Audit Office (NAO) report - Reforming
NHS Dentistry (Gateway reference 4260)
A national value for money study, this report contains recommendations
for primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, the Department
of Health and the future NHS Business Services Authority. The report is
available at www.nao.org.uk/pn/04-05/040525.htm
Top
8. Local and national media coverage on mental health
issues to be reviewed (Gateway reference 4272)
Shift, the new programme to tackle stigma and discrimination on mental
health grounds in England, is to commission a review of media portrayal
about mental health and people with mental health problems. Read
more >
Top
9. Hepatitis C public awareness campaign (Gateway
reference 4239)
The Department of Health has launched a hepatitis C public awareness campaign
in support of the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England. This follows the
ongoing health care professional awareness campaign. More at www.hepc.nhs.uk
Top
10. NHS Factsheets have been published on the Department
of Health website (Gateway reference 4258)
These factsheets are internal Department of Health briefing sheets on
individual strategic health authorities and NHS trusts. They contain organisational
information, contact details and selected published statistical information.
All NHS Factsheets are updated regularly.
Read the factsheets >
Top
11. National service framework for renal services
- implementation toolkit for commissioners (Gateway reference 4184)
This toolkit has been produced by commissioners based on current best
practice. It aims to support renal service commissioners in the implementation
of the National service framework for renal Services, Part One: Dialysis
and Transplantation. Read
the toolkit >
Top
12. Scoping the market for children's services (Gateway
reference 4261)
In Every Child Matters: Next Steps, ministers announced their plan to
commission a study to scope the market for providing children's services.
PricewaterhouseCoopers undertook this work and their report is published
at www.dfes.gov.uk/research/programmeofresearch/index.cfm?type=5
A note accompanying the report outlining the issues the department plans
to explore further is available. Read
the note >
Top
13. The NHS Leadership Centre has launched two new
frameworks as part of the Senior Medical Leadership Profiles (Gateway
references 4087 and 4182)
The Development Framework for Medical Directors and Development Framework
for PEC Chairs are available from the Department of Health publications
orderline on 08701 555 455, ref: 265748/Leadership Centre - Medical Director.
Contact is Stephen Munday, 020 7592 1043.
Top
14. Concordat between NHS Estates and Chief Fire
Officers Association (Gateway reference 2853)
The Concordat aims to harmonise the working relationship between NHS Estates
and the Chief Fire Officers Association in respect of fire safety in the
NHS in England and bring about closer liaison between fire authorities
and NHS trusts. Available at www.nhsestates.gov.uk/property_management/content/fire_code.html
Top
15. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT - MDA/2004/52 (Gateway
reference 4264)
Precision medical mouth pressure meter (MPM).
This Medical Device Alert was issued on 1 December 2004 to NHS trusts
for action.
Further information can be found at www.mhra.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 - © 2004
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