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Medical directors' bulletin: June 2002, Issue 12 Welcome to the latest edition of the bulletin for Medical Directors. It provides a practical summary of the latest developments in the implementation of the NHS Plan and in your area of work in the NHS - keeping you up to date as well as providing access points for further information. Please help us make this bulletin as useful as possible by telling us of any improvements you'd like to see. Please send feedback to jgrahao@doh.gsi.gov.uk Contents N.B. Items marked * have not previously appeared in other Department of Health bulletins.
Staff issues: For information:
Staff Many staff groups remain under pressure from the volume of work in CHD. There are still some 30 single-handed cardiologists, and most trusts face great pressure on diagnostic services due to shortages of clinical physiologists. Some tertiary centres are having difficulty recruiting and retaining critical care staff. A consensus for change There is an unprecedented degree of consensus in the clinical community that the NSF has got the broad thrust of policy right, and that it is a sensible framework for making CHD services the way that staff and patients want them to be. The NSF is already making a real difference, but there is much to be done - particularly in the development of heart failure and rehabilitation services. Coronary heart disease remains a top government priority, but it needs the support of all staff in the front line to build on this impressive start so that we can develop the quality services needed by our patients. Consultation on reform of the General Medical Council The government is consulting on reform of the General Medical Council. Proposals include the introduction of revalidation for all doctors in the UK who wish to practise. Every five years, each practising doctor will have to submit evidence to the GMC that their practice is up to date and in line with GMC standards. Also proposed are changes to fitness to practise procedures, to help speed up and simplify the process; and changes to GMC governance arrangements relating to the size, structure and composition of the Council. The consultation document is at www.doh.gov.uk/gmcreform.htm Further details from Sean.King@doh.gsi.gov.uk, tel 0113 254 6209. Inclusion of cigarette papers in tobacco advertising ban The government is consulting on whether the advertising of cigarette papers should be included in the scope of the proposed European Union directive on tobacco advertising and sponsorship. Responses are required by 5 July 2002. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/cigarettepapersconsult.htm Further details from Paul Webbewood, tel 020 7972 4571 or email paul.webbewood@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Survey on 360 degree feedback in the NHS The 360.co.uk is seeking the views of NHS staff on implementing 360 degree feedback within their organisations. You can contribute at www.the360.co.uk Recruitment checks Recent cases have highlighted the need to strengthen recruitment and retention procedures in the NHS. A new circular on this subject is intended to supplement the checks and enquiries that NHS bodies are required to carry out by law, both before and after appointment. See HSC 2002/008 Criminal Records Bureau: applications for disclosures Some organisations are experiencing delays with applications for disclosures from the Criminal Records Bureau. The CRB is working to resolve the problems as soon as possible. In the meantime NHS bodies should be aware that telephone applications can be made by the registered body on behalf of the applicant of the disclosure, and that this method allows faster processing than using the blank application forms. For further information contact Lucy Ashall, tel 0113 254 7351 or e-mail lucy.ashall@doh.gsi.gov.uk Work as a college assessor The Department of Health set out its position on consultants spending time as college assessors. Where appropriate, medical directors should be supportive of any necessary and relevant college assessor work. This should be considered when drawing up job plans, and timetabled in where it is practical to do so. These decisions, of course, remain for local agreement. For further information please contact Kate Hooson on 0113 2545713 or e-mail Kate.Hooson@doh.gsi.gov.uk Delayed discharges A reminder that the closing date for expressions of interest in phase 2 of the work on delayed discharges is 30 June 2002. This relates to the work programme of the health and social care 'change agent' team from September 2002 to March 2003. Guidance for expressing interest is available at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/changeagents.htm Use of overseas clinical teams The Department of Health's directors of health and social care have been asked to identify a substantial number of sites that could use overseas clinical teams to supplement capacity and to make inroads into long waiting times. These sites will form part of a national programme for using such teams. In parallel, directors will be asked to consider how they could develop early schemes to use overseas providers who want to establish themselves in England, probably in a diagnostic and treatment centre (DTC) setting. The Department of Health policy contact is Jonathan Mogford, tel 0207 210 5682, email jonathan.mogford@doh.gsi.gov.uk Further information: Amy Nicholas, tel 020 7210 5077. Copying letters to patients initiative The government's working group on copying letters to patients identified a number of areas which could be informed by pilot work. An invitation for proposals for pilot projects will be posted shortly at www.doh.gov.uk/patientletters/proposals.htm Further information on the initiative is available from Sue Sharples at the Department of Health, Room 1N13, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE. Laboratory controls New controls on holdings of 47 pathogens and toxins, enacted in last autumn's Anti-terrorism Act, came into force on 31 May, following consultations about the exemptions which should be created. Anyone holding any of the specified types of pathogens or toxins will need to notify the Home Office within 30 days, and anyone acquiring them for the first time after that date will need to notify the Home Office before they do so. The Home Office will be providing details of the notification procedure. Once notified, the premises will be visited by the police, and holders will be obliged to comply with any reasonable security instructions given. This should be an opportunity to work with the police to ensure measures are appropriate and proportional for NHS laboratories. More information is available at www.homeoffice.gov.uk or contact Jonathan Duke-Evans, tel 0207 273 3141 or Bernard Lane, tel 0207 273 3162. NICE guidance Reports in the media have implied that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on Glivec, or that it is the subject of an appeal. This is not the case. NICE has, however, published a consultation document prepared by an independent committee that will advise NICE on the topic. Guidance will be available in August at the earliest. See www.nice.org.uk. NICE has advised that human growth hormone (somatropin) is both a clinically and cost effective treatment for children with proven clinical diagnosis of growth hormone (GH) deficiency, supported by appropriate auxological, biochemical and radiological investigations. Full details at www.nice.org.uk/Docref.asp?d=32243 Star ratings The first set of social services 'star' ratings, giving a rounded picture of each council's performance, have been published by the Department of Health. See www.doh.gov.uk/pssratings NHS Week: 1-8 July An NHS Week resource pack has been published to help teams make the most of the communications opportunities offered by this annual event. See www.doh.gov.uk/nhsweek2002 Developing services for ethnic minority older people The Department of Health has published an audit tool to help social services providers to review their services for ethnic minority older people. When using the audit tool, councils should involve local NHS bodies and other stakeholders. The tool may also be adapted for NHS use. See www.doh.gov.uk/scg/race/audittool.htm Hospice funding issues The level of NHS investment in palliative care, including hospice services, has been a long-standing concern. Recognising this, the NHS Cancer Plan included a commitment for an extra £50m investment in specialist palliative care by 2004. Full details, including clarification on charging of hospices by NHS trusts for support services, are available at www.doh.gov.uk/cancer/hospicefundingissues Guides for improvement leaders The NHS Modernisation Agency has just released the first three in a series of seven guides for improvement leaders in the NHS. The aim of the guides is to summarise current learning and thinking. They have been written in response to a huge demand for tools and techniques to support improvements in patient care. The guides have been written by experienced healthcare staff for improvement leaders right across the NHS - everyone in the service who wants to improve the care and experience of patients is an improvement leader. Guides can be found at www.modern.nhs.uk/improvementguides. The contact is Mike McBride on 0116 222 1410. Developing a race equality scheme Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, all public authorities have a general duty to promote race equality. One specific duty is the publication of a race equality scheme. A collation of ideas and experiences from NHS organisations that have already begun to develop their race equality schemes is now available at www.doh.gov.uk/race_equality NHS Beacons website There are two additions to the NHS Beacons website: the Information Exchange and Real NHS Improvements. These are new features designed to improve sharing and learning among colleagues in the NHS and associated agencies. Information can be accessed at www.modernnhs.nhs.uk selecting 'NHS Beacons' from the Quick Links. GPs with special interests Recruiting a GP with a special interest is one of a range of options available to primary care trusts to help improve access. A framework on implementing a scheme for GPs with special interests is now on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/gp-specialinterests Guidelines covering service delivery and procedures undertaken by GPs with special interests are being developed and will be added to the site as they become available. Working Lives in Public Services Conference 2002 The Working Lives in Public Services Conference is being held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 26 September 2002 by the Public Service Partnership. The conference will focus on Improving Working Lives and work-life balance programmes within the public sector. It is aimed at HR, finance, nursing, medical and clinical directors, as well as Improving Working Lives leads, trade union and professional body officials. Further information from Michelle Towlson on 0161 975 6292 or mtowlson@pso.org.uk. Courses for doctors on the NHS Net www.DoctorOnline.nhs.uk is a website for doctors on the NHS Net. It has 1,000 hours of PGEA/PPDP accredited online educational courses. Top Safety notices The Medical Devices Agency has recently issued the following safety notices and device bulletins - full details at www.medical-devices.gov.uk. SN2002 (10) - Baxter Colleague 1 and 3 volumetric infusion pumps: unwanted "power on" or "power off" due to fluid ingress SN2002 (11) - Benchtop vacuum steam sterilizers - the "prion cycle" SN2002 (12) - DR-70 general cancer test SN2002(13) - Patient monitors: Spacelab Medical ECG products SN2002(14) - Damage to battery terminal connectors in external pacemakers SN2002(15) - External pacemakers and temporary cardiac pacing leads with shrouded connector pins: connection problems SN2002(16) - Smith & Nephew Homecraft Ltd, Liftmaster 160 and 190 hoists DB2002 (02) - Management of In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices DB2002 (03) - Management and use of IVD point of care test devices DB2002 (04) - Update of MDA Warning Notices Issued in 1996 DB2002 (05) - Guidance on the purchase, operation and maintenance of Vacuum Benchtop Steam Sterilizers DA2002(04) - JRI Furlong Modular cemented total hip replacement system - atypical pain associated with corrosion of the polished titanium alloy femoral stem DA2002(05) - TALENT stent graft system: connector bar and stent spring fracture after implantation DA2002(06) - Renatron II Dialyser Reprocessing System - instructions for use
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