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Introduction

Welcome to the first edition of the new monthly CNO bulletin.

These bulletins aim to provide you with updated information about relevant issues in the NHS which will be of specific interest to nurses, midwives and health visitors. It will also enable you to obtain further detail about particular issues through hypertext links./p>

Please also see:

Chief Executive bulletin at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin

HR bulletin www.doh.gov.uk/hrbulletin and

Primary Care bulletin www.doh.gov.uk/gpbulletin

And the CNO website on www.doh.gov.uk/cno

Your feedback is welcome, please contact jenny.kay@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Matrons

HSC 2001/10 Implementing the NHS Plan — Modern matrons. Strengthening the role of ward sisters and introducing senior sisters.

Published 4^th April 2001.>

The circular provides guidance on establishing matron posts (senior sisters and charge nurses) and taking action to ensure that all ward sisters and charge nurses have the authority and support they need to get the basics of care right.

By April 2002 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts with wards are required to have identified matrons, each accountable for a group of wards.

Available on the CNO website at www.doh.gov.uk/cno/hsc.htm.

Contact julia.stott@doh.gsi.gov.uk or 0113 254 6073

Nursing leadership website

This website was launched 4^th April 2001. Check out www.nursingleadership.co.uk/home.htm

Making a Difference in Primary Care

‘Making a Difference’ updates - on clinical supervision in primary care and on integrated working in primary care - have been distributed during February. A publication describing case studies from Regional Conferences on ‘Making a Difference in Primary Care’ is also available. For further information see www.doh.gov.uk/nurstrat/primarycare.htm

Contact Rosemary Cook (Nursing Officer) for details on Rosemary.Cook@doh.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone on 0113 254 6063.

The Mary Seacole Leadership Award

• The Mary Seacole Award for Black and minority ethnic nurses, midwives and health visitors is now in its eighth year — please look out for adverts for the next award, which have appeared recently in the professional nursing and ethnic press.
  
  
• Black and Ethnic Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Leading Change - A Report of the Mary Seacole Leadership Award - The First Five Years. This publication sets out the work of the first five winners and is available on www.doh.gov.uk/maryseacoleaward

For more information contact Nola Ishmael, Nursing Officer on nola.ishmael@doh.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone on 0207 972 4586.

The Essence of Care

The Essence of Care, released on February 23^rd 2001 under the cover of CNO/Professional Letter 2001/2, offers a practical toolkit for organisations to use as part of their quality improvement programmes. Developed by patients, consumers and professionals it provides best practice guidance in 8 fundamental aspects of care. Areas covered include: principles of self care; personal and oral hygiene; nutrition; continence and bladder and bowel care; pressure ulcers; safety of clients with mental health needs; record keeping; privacy and dignity. It can be an integral part of clinical governance at local level, helping practitioners to ensure that the basics of care are right.

www.doh.gov.uk/essenceofcare

Phone/email your Regional Nurse Director for hard copy packs or for contact details of regional facilitators

or contact Judith Ellis (Nursing Officer) on 01132 545265 (Judith.Ellis@doh.gsi.gov.uk) for more details

Cancer - Supportive and Palliative Care

Ongoing work

• Developing performance indicators and standards for specialist palliative care in partnership with the National Council for Hospices and Specialist Palliative Care Services.
  
  
• Planned investment in training and support for district nurses in the principles of palliative care.

• BeaconsThe Cancer Information Advisory Group has been set up and will be identifying existing information and developing guidance on production of cancer information.
  
  
• Palliative care beacons and the Cancer Services Collaborative held a joint conference in February, bringing together joint expertise and experience and setting the way for joint working.
  
  
• 90 projects have been funded by the New Opportunities Fund to address inequalities in palliative care provision for ethnic and deprived communities.
  
  
• The newly formed cancer networks held their first developmental conference in March this included all of the network lead cancer nurses who have been appointed.

For more information on these issues see www.doh.gov.uk/cancer from the end of March, or telephone Sue Hawkett or Maggie Nendick on 0207 972 4836/4906

NHS Direct & Mental Health

Over the past year the DoH Mental Health Branch has funded a one year project to train NHS Direct Nurse Advisors to help callers with mental health problems. This will be completed in March this year.

The mental health site lead role on each of the 22 NHS Direct sites is to be made permanent, reflecting a joint commitment to the role NHS Direct will play in the implementation of the Mental Health National Service Framework.

For further information contact Carolyn Steele on 020 7972 4154, or email on carolyn.steele@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Mental Health Nursing Leadership

A framework has been developed for the National Mental Health Nursing Leadership Programme which will be led by the Northern & Yorkshire NHS Executive. The strategic aim of the programme will be to develop a highly regarded leadership programme to prepare aspiring mental health nurses from England to take up influential leadership positions. It is intended that the programme should actively seek to influence policy and practice across the public, private and voluntary sectors involved in providing mental health services. Tenders for provision of the programme have been invited with an expectation that course provision may commence in September 2001.

Contact Wendy Morrison on wendy.morrison@doh.gsi.gov.uk or tel: 0191 301 1374

Valuing People — A new strategy for Learning Disability for the 21^st Century

This cross-government White Paper - the first for 30 years - has four key principles at its heart: civil rights, independence, choice and inclusion.

Full details of the White Paper, accessible versions and supporting documents are available at www.doh.gov.uk/learningdisabilities. It is available from the Stationery Office priced £15.90. ISBN 010150862X. Fax 0870 6005522. For further information contact Sue Carmichael, Nursing Officer for People with a Learning Disability on sue.carmichael@doh.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 0207 972 4591

National Service Framework for Older People

The NSF for Older People was announced on 27/3/01 by the Secretary of State for Health. The framework sets out the blueprint for services for Older People over the next 10 years. The main themes of the NSF are:

• Respecting the individual
• Developing new intermediate care services
• Providing evidence based specialist services
• Promoting an active healthy life

Eight standards will address key issues in services including fair access and age discrimination, and will improve standards of care across health and social care services. The standards are:

Rooting out age discrimination
Person centered care
Intermediate care
General hospital care
Mental Health in older people
Falls
Strokes
Promoting an active healthy life in older age

The NSF sets out clear challenges for the profession and provides exciting opportunities to develop nursing leadership which will be key in delivering services which promote privacy and dignity for patients. See www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/olderpeople.htm for further details.

Contact: deborah.sturdy@doh.gsi.gov.uk, tel 0207 972 4262

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copyright: © | published: July, 2002