A-Z
site index | Search
| Links
|
Contact
DH | Help
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Medical
directors' bulletin
Welcome to the latest e-bulletin for medical directors. It aims to provide a practical summary of NHS developments, with access points for further information. Please tell us of any improvements you’d like to see. Please send feedback to jeffrey.graham@doh.gsi.gov.uk Problems accessing information Contents Staff issues:
Consultations:
Good practice resources: Service guidance:
General information:
Conference reports:
Consultants’ distinction award scheme 2003 The 2003 distinction awards round is about to start. Medical directors are asked to draw this to the attention of eligible consultants, and to remind colleagues of their right to nominate themselves. Guidance for this round was published in November and is at www.doh.gov.uk/acda/index.htm. Last year the Department of Health launched a global recruitment campaign for consultants and GPs, advertising in the medical press in North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. From 6,000 expressions of interest and over 2,400 firm applications, 900 have now been sifted and are felt suitable for employment in the NHS. Pen pictures of these doctors are at www.doh.gov.uk/international-recruitment/pen-pictures.htm. These will be updated fortnightly. For more information contact Katie Kennington, tel 0113 254 5694, email katie.kennington@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Appraisal for consultants in public health medicine & non-consultant career grades Agreement has now been reached with the BMA on national appraisal schemes specifically for:
Employers should now consider how they are going to implement appraisal within the scope of the national agreement. Training for those conducting and participating in appraisal is essential to support the extension of appraisal to these doctors. All consultants in public health medicine should be appraised in the year beginning March 2003. Non-consultant career grade doctors should receive appraisal by 31 March 2003. See www.appraisaluk.info. For more information contact John Cowles, tel 0113 254 5910, email john.cowles@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Terms and conditions for hospital medical and dental staff and doctors in public health medicine were merged from 23 September. A revised version is at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin.al0204.htm. Mental health and employment in the NHS New guidance is aimed at reducing the number of NHS applicants and staff who are refused training or employment because of current or past mental health problems. The guidance abolishes the ‘two-year rule’, which has become a barrier to employment, and clarifies the process to be used where there are doubts about an applicant’s mental suitability. The guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/healthyworkplaces/index.htm or is available from the NHS Responseline on 08701 555455. For more information contact Emma Jones, tel 0113 254 5896, email emma.jones@doh.gsi.gov.uk.
General practice and secondary care clinical assessors 350 per day plus expenses The National Clinical Assessment Authority helps the NHS manage medical and dental performance problems swiftly, effectively and sensitively. We need your senior NHS experience to achieve this. Giving up to 15 days a year of your time to assess a doctor’s performance, your remit will be to clarify areas of concern, identify causes of under-performance, and make recommendations to bring about a resolution. General practice assessors should have a minimum of five years’ standing as a principal in general practice, or equivalent experience as a non-principal, and must have been in active clinical practice within the last two years. Secondary care assessors should bring at least five years’ experience as a consultant and will currently be employed by an NHS organisation. Again, you must have been in active clinical practice within the last two years. You will require a thorough appreciation of current health care issues, backed by highly developed team working, analytical and influencing skills. You will be familiar with the principles of assessment, audit and review, and will share our commitment to improving patients’ experiences. The NCAA is seeking clinical assessors from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you would like more information please contact our recruitment consultants, kmc international at www.kmcinternational.co.uk or by email to ncaa-response@kmcinternational.co.uk or by telephone on 0870 990 9333 or by post to PO Box 2095, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 6ZG. Please quote Ref. 522/7. The closing date for receiving completed application forms is 23 December 2002.
The Government has launched an official period of consultation over its plans to establish a new ‘corporate university’ for the NHS – NHSU. NHSU will be launched in autumn 2003. A key element of the NHS Plan, it is designed to make learning a right and a reality for everyone working in health and social care, from cleaners to consultants. Copies of the NHSU development plan, Learning for everyone, have been sent to HR directors. In addition a series of events and meetings are being hosted to listen to ideas from staff and their representatives, patient and carer groups and learning organisations. To learn more or to respond to the consultation, see www.nhsu.nhs.uk or tel 0800 555 550. The Retained Organs Commission has published a consultation paper on tissue blocks and slides. It seeks comments and responses on important questions relating to the legal status of tissue blocks and slides removed at post mortem examinations and during surgery. The consultation forms part of the wider consideration of new legislation on human organs and tissue. It complements the Department of Health’s work with stakeholders on developing interim post mortem examination, consent forms and leaflets. The consultation period ends on 14 February 2003. See www.nhs.uk/retainedorgans/. Hard copies can be ordered by sending a fax to the commission on 020 7972 2017, or by email at retained-organs-commission@doh.gsi.gov.uk. For further information contact Janet Lewis, email janet.lewis@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board Draft legislation on the establishment of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board is now out for consultation. The board will be a statutory body, acting independently of Government as the professional UK competent authority to supervise postgraduate medical education and training. The draft legislation covers in detail the constitution of the board and its committees; its roles and functions; the establishment of the GP register and re-establishment of the specialist register; entry to the registers; appeals against decisions of the board and transitional provisions. It also provides a framework within which improvements in the supervision of postgraduate medical education and training, and raised standards, can be introduced without the need for cumbersome legislative change. The closing date for comments is Sunday 26 January 2003. The consultation document is at www.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk/pmetborder.htm. Comments should be emailed to mailto:PMETB-Orders@doh.gsi.gov.uk or posted to Angela Hawley, PMETB Consultation, 2N35A, Department of Health, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE. Advertising of medicines to the public The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has launched a consultation proposal to remove outdated legal restrictions on advertising non-prescription medicines to the public. The vast majority of ‘over the counter’ products may already be advertised to the public. However, current UK legislation lists a number of diseases for which this is not the case, although they can be purchased through pharmacies or more widely through retail outlets. The consultation seeks views on the removal of these restrictions. Current safeguards will remain, including the ban on direct to consumer advertising of prescription-only medicines. The full consultation document is available at www.mca.gov.uk. Comments should be sent to Aisha Dewangree at the MCA, to arrive by 27 January 2003. Trading fund for the Medicines and Health care Products Regulatory Agency The Medicines Control Agency and the Medical Devices Agency will merge from April 2003 to form a new agency, known as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Its key objective will be to protect the health of the public by ensuring that medicines, healthcare products and medical equipment are safe. The Department of Health is carrying out a consultation exercise until 15 January 2003 on whether the MHRA should operate under a trading fund. A trading fund is a financing framework for Government operations, covering operating costs and receipts, capital expenditure, borrowing and net cash flow, which gives an agency greater freedom to manage its financial affairs than if its costs are met by its parent department. The Medicines Control Agency already operates a trading fund, but the Medical Devices Agency does not. The consultation letter and a draft trading fund order (which will have to be approved by parliament before it can be brought into operation) are at www.doh.gov.uk/mhraconsult/index.htm. The consultation letter includes contact details for submitting comments. For further information contact Georgina Fletcher-Cooke, tel 020 7210 5008, email georgina.fletcher-cooke@doh.gsi.gov.uk. A tool to support NHS staff in developing protocol-based care has been prepared by the Modernisation Agency and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Developed around NICE guidance and other recognised standards, the new information pack is designed to help staff turn evidence into practice by addressing the key questions of what should be done, when, where, and by whom. The pack does not represent formal NICE guidance to the NHS, but aims to spread good practice. Aimed at professionals working in community, primary and secondary care, it offers practical guidance on how to develop protocols. It links this with the wider agenda for service modernisation, and suggests other sources of advice, knowledge and support. The pack is due to be published on 3 December and is available at www.modern.nhs.uk/protocolbasedcare. For further information email anne.hackett@doh.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 020 7210 5469. The Health Development Agency has published a new resource to help health professionals implement the prevention aspects of the NHS Cancer Plan. Cancer Prevention: A resource to support local action in delivering the NHS Cancer Plan is aimed at people working in strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, cancer networks and partner agencies, to assist in their local strategic planning and delivery of initiatives to prevent cancer. The resource is free and available at www.hda-online.org.uk, or by calling 0870 121 4194. For more information contact Stacey Adams, tel 020 7061 3115, email stacey.adams@hda-online.org.uk. Improving patient information in the NHS A new toolkit aims to help NHS professionals to improve patient information. The toolkit includes guidance for written patient information, and a series of templates. has been put together by the Department of Health with the Patient Information Forum, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Plain English Campaign. The toolkit is at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsidentity/toolkit-patientinfo.htm. Hard copies are available from NHS Responseline, tel 0870 1555 455, quoting reference 29682. For more information contact Lorna Demming, tel 020 7972 5250, email lorna.demming@doh.gsi.gov.uk. As in previous years, acute trusts and strategic health authorities will be required to supply daily situation reports (‘SITREPs’) during winter, starting on 2 December. Every acute trust needs to submit a SITREP every day, to report any serious operational problems. Details are at http://nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/steis/ or by contacting Blessing Chukwunyere, email blessing.chukwunyere@doh.gsi.gov.uk, tel 020 7210 5939. Waiting times information on nhs.uk – next steps The waiting times section of the NHS website went live in September, and contains information from acute NHS trusts. The next phase of the project will address data quality, enhance the level of detail provided and improve user-friendliness. It will also be extended to include information from mental health and community trusts and primary care trusts. For more information contact Corinne McDonald, tel 0113 254 7359, email corinne.mcdonald@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Guidance has been developed to identify new clinical governance reporting frameworks and processes for strategic health authorities and NHS trusts. The guidance will give clarity to clinical governance roles and functions, which will be further developed as new organisations and responsibilities evolve. This high level reporting framework and processes will need to be supported by appropriate local mechanisms. The guidance is available at www.doh.gov.uk/clinicalgovernance/reportingprocess.htm. For more information contact Susan Went, tel 020 7972 5346, email susan.went@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Further information on clinical governance can also be found at www.cgsupport.org. Guidance on the use of overseas clinical teams Guidance on the use of overseas clinical teams is now available at www.doh.gov.uk/international/index.htm. This guidance has been developed in the light of early experience with the use of overseas clinical teams, and with the help of a clinical reference group. Updated guidance on referring patients overseas for treatment, revised in the light of consultation, is also available. For more information contact Sarah Walter, tel 020 7210 5664, email sarah.walter@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Legislation on purchase of health care from abroad New regulations have come into force, clarifying that the NHS may purchase health care elsewhere in Europe. This follows rulings of the European Court of Justice last year. These regulations also permit the NHS to purchase health care from anywhere in the world, creating a unified commissioning system. This means that NHS bodies no longer need to seek Department of Health approval to refer patients outside the European Economic Area. However, the department’s advice on such extra-European referrals remains that such referrals should only be considered when:
For more information contact Sarah Walter, tel 020 7210 5664, email sarah.walter@doh.gsi.gov.uk. One-stop shop sexual health services - call for expressions of interest One of the actions in the Sexual Health and HIV Strategy’s implementation action plan is to develop and evaluate three models for one-stop shop sexual health services. These are services which provide advice, contraceptive and genito-urinary services on a single site. The three models are:
Expressions of interest are sought from existing services to be one of the three models to be evaluated. Specifications detailing the criteria against which services will be selected can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/sexualhealthandhiv/index.htm. The evaluation is expected to run until January 2006, when a final report will be produced. Some funding may be available to each of the three participating services. Expressions of interest should be sent to Andrea Duncan, Sexual Health Team, room 580D Skipton House, 80 London Road, London, SE1 6LH or andrea.duncan@doh.gsi.gov.uk by 31 December 2002. Health and neighbourhood renewal New guidance provides an introduction to health issues for all partnerships and individuals working in neighbourhood renewal and wider regeneration programmes. The guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/healthinequalities/healthandneighbourhood.htm. For more information contact Michelle Wiseman, tel 020 7972 4088, email michelle.wiseman@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Hospital trusts are now required to collect data on the smoking behaviour of pregnant women in their care. This reflects one of the key targets within the Priorities and Planning Framework (www.doh.gov.uk/planning2003-2006/index.htm): to deliver a one percentage point reduction per year in the proportion of women continuing to smoke throughout pregnancy. For more information contact Patsy Bailey, email patsy.bailey@doh.gsi.gov.uk. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently issued the following guidance to the NHS. Technology appraisals
Inherited clinical guidelines
All the above guidance is on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk. For more information contact Lucy Betterton, email lucy.betterton@nice.nhs.uk. Department of Health directions on NICE appraisals NICE has carried out recent appraisals on:
In both cases NICE advised the Department of Health that the NHS would be unable to implement its guidance within three months of its publication in October. After considering this advice, the department has issued new directions on these issues – see www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/nice-ha-amending-directions-Oct02.pdf. For further information contact Dr Nick Clarke, tel 0113 254 5205. National Treatment Agency guidance The National Treatment Agency has issued a range of new guidance and publications. All items are available at www.nta.nhs.uk.
For further information contact Iris Steen on 020 7972 2274 or iris.steen@nta.gsi.gov.uk Medical Devices Agency guidance The Medical Devices Agency has recently issued the following notices and alerts:
Full details at www.medical-devices.gov.uk. Poster on safe use of electrosurgery equipment In response to continued reports of injury caused by user error during the use of electrosurgery equipment in operating theatres the Medical Devices Agency has produced a poster that is designed to promote safe team working and reduce these incidents. Copies of the poster have recently been distributed to all operating theatres via the MDA liaison officers. A pdf version can be found on the MDA website at www.medical-devices.gov.uk and further copies obtained from MDA Business services on Tel 020 7972 8360. If you wish to discuss the content of the poster please email Dr Jon Hopper on jon.hopper@doh.gsi.gov.uk Plans to create the Health Protection Agency The Government plans to establish the Health Protection Agency (HPA) from 1 April 2003. Health minister Hazel Blears has written to the chairs of the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Radiological Protection Board, and the Microbiological Research Authority outlining this intention. Creating a unified Health Protection Agency was proposed in the chief medical officer’s health protection strategy, Getting Ahead of the Curve - A Strategy for combating infectious diseases, published in January 2002. Issue 10 of the HPA Newsletter gives further details of proposals to create the agency and can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/hpa/newsletternov02.htm. For further information contact Jonathan Morrell, Health Protection Agency implementation team, tel 020 7972 2102, e-mail jonathan.morrell@doh.gsi.gov.uk. The Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Bill was announced in the Queen’s speech. Its main provisions are:
More information is at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/delayeddischarge/communitycarebill.htm, or contact Emma Preece, tel 020 7972 4375. Freedom of Information legislation extends the right of access to all types of information held by the NHS and its partners. It gives the public the right to be told whether the information exists, and the right to receive it. It also sets out exemptions from that right and places obligations on public authorities. The act will be enforced by the information commissioner, and will be brought into force in two parts, with full implementation by January 2005. Failure to comply carries a maximum punishment of two years’ imprisonment for accountable officers. South East London Strategic Health Authority is leading the implementation project for the act in the NHS. This will result in all NHS organisations being required to adopt a 'publication scheme' agreed with the information commissioner by October 2003. For further information see http://nww.foi.nhs.uk. Register of Caldicott Guardians A verified register of Caldicott Guardians is being set up to support authorised access to the cancer waiting times system. Further information on the cancer waiting times system can be found at www.nhsia.nhs.uk/cancer. All the specialties involved in the second phase of the Action On programmes (dermatology, ENT and orthopaedics) are now moving from piloting new ideas to sharing their experiences. Over the next few months guidance covering all three specialties will be produced. Guidance on ENT is already published at www.modern.nhs/action-on. Guidance on orthopaedics will be issued in early December, in conjunction with the Orthopaedic Services Collaborative. The Action On dermatology guide will be ready in January 2003. The ENT guide is also available in hard copy format by calling 08701 555 455. Directors of the third phase of Action On specialties (general surgery, plastic surgery and urology) have been appointed and details are available on the Action On web site at www.modern.nhs.uk/action-on. For further information contact Eric Ludlow, tel 0116 222 1422. email eric.ludlow@npat.nhs.uk. The integrated care network was launched on 24 October. It will provide support to those wishing to integrate working between local authorities and the NHS. The users of the network may be frontline organisations or those with a responsibility to support frontline organisations such as strategic health authorities. The experience of the network will inform the development of Government policy. The network will provide:
To receive updates on the network please send your details (name, post title, organisation, email address and telephone number) to mbicn@doh.gsi.gov.uk or contact the network's project managers: Shane Giles, tel 0113 254 3804, or Jeremy Hallett, tel 07884 473443. Yellow card scheme for adverse drug reaction reporting The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has extended its suspected adverse drug reaction reporting scheme (the yellow card scheme) to all nurses, adding around 330,000 NHS health professionals to the scheme. The extension is also being supported by the introduction of an electronic yellow card which can be used by all health professionals to enable quicker and easier submission of reports. The e-yellow card can be found on the MCA website at www.mca.gov.uk. To strengthen the scheme further, the MCA is working with NHS Direct to enable patients to report through NHS Direct telephone lines and to use NHS Direct Online. The intention is to involve a health care professional to introduce a more accurate route of reporting that would not be possible with direct patient reporting. The scheme is designed to increase patient power by ensuring that reports can be made in a user-friendly way with advice on hand should it be needed. The intention is that the scheme will be rolled out across England from February 2003. For further information contact Jeremy Mean, tel 020 7273 0494, e-mail jeremy.mean@mca.gsi.gov.uk. Services to support carers of people with mental health problems A new briefing paper summarises findings of a review of research evidence and current service provision of support for carers of people with mental health problems. The report was commissioned by the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D. The findings are at www.sdo.lshtm.ac.uk/publications.htm. Hard copies are available by contacting tel 020 7612 7980, fax 020 7612 7979, email sdo@lshtm.ac.uk. Developing services for cares and families of people with mental illness This document aims to help local mental health services further develop support services for carers of people with mental health problems. The NHS Plan set a commitment that by 2004, 700 more staff will be recruited to increase the breaks available for carers and to strengthen support networks. It is hoped that this guidance will be used by services to ensure that this is achieved. The document is at www.doh.gov.uk/mentalhealth/devservcarers.pdf. For further details contact Kathy Billingham, tel 020 7972 4514. National Joint Registry – collection of levy The National Joint Registry will collect information on hip and knee implants. In its establishment phase the registry is being funded directly by the Department of Health. From April 2003, it will be funded by a levy placed on the sale of hip and knee implants. Following discussions with the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), it has been agreed that the ABHI will collect the levy. It will apply to the acetabular component for hips (where the acetabular component is modular, it will be on the metal outer shell or other major cup component), and the femoral component for knees. The National Joint Registry steering committee will set the levy on an annual basis. For 2003/04 it has provided an estimate of the levy, at £25 per implant. Trusts will be informed as soon as a firm figure is known, which will be around January 2003. For general queries about the registry, contact Paul Woods, email paul.woods@doh.gsi.gov.uk, tel 020 7972 4811. Further information is at www.njrcentre.org.uk. A joint working group of NHS and voluntary sector representatives has been established to develop proposals for a new approach to specialist palliative care funding. The new approach will ensure delivery of the NHS Cancer Plan commitment to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care, including hospices, by £50m by 2004. To support this initiative, an additional £10m is being allocated to PCTs for specialist palliative care for 2002/03. For more information contact Robert Freeman, email robert.freeman@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Retained Organs Commission information for relatives The Retained Organs Commission has published a booklet for relatives and families entitled How can the Retained Organs Commission help me? It provides information on why the commission was set up and what it can do to help relatives and families, should they need information about organ retention. The commission has also published four information leaflets:
Copies of the commission's leaflets, annual report and guidance can be found on the commission’s website www.nhs.uk/retainedorgans/. Hard copies can be ordered by sending a fax to the commission on 020 7972 2017 or by emailing retained-organs-commission@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Retained Organs Commission conference for NHS delegates The Retained Organs Commission will be hosting a conference on organ retention for NHS delegates on Thursday 16 January 2003 in London. For further information contact Janet Lewis, email janet.lewis@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis infections in the UK 2001 The latest annual report of the Unlinked Anonymous Prevalence Monitoring Programme was published in the run-up to World AIDS day on 1 December. The report and accompanying letter are at www.doh.gov.uk/hivhepatitis/report2001.htm Printed copies of the report can be obtained, quoting reference 29815, by writing to: Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH; fax 01623 724 524; email doh@prologistics.co.uk or by calling the NHS Response Line on 08701 555455. GP recruitment, retention and vacancy survey 2002 This survey provides information on how successful practices have been with GP recruitment in the 12 months to 20 February 2002. It can be seen at www.doh.gov.uk/stats/gprrvsurvey2002.htm. For more information contact Bernard Horan, tel 0113 254 5918, email bernard.horan@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Data on social services performance 2001/02 Data on social services performance for 2001/02, with refreshed star ratings, is available at www.doh.gov.uk/paf/index.htm. For more information contact Kevin Wrake, email kevin.wrake@doh.gsi.gov.uk, tel 020 7972 5599. The latest quarterly newsletter from the Prison Health Policy Unit and Task Force is at www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/newsletter9.pdf. A hard copy can be obtained from NHS Responseline on 08701 555455. Further information from Beverley Anderson, tel 020 7972 1302, email beverley.Anderson@doh.gsi.gov.uk. Faculty of Public Health Medicine speech Health secretary Alan Milburn announced the publication of the Government’s cross-cutting review of health inequalities during his speech to the Faculty of Public Health Medicine. The review commits the whole of Government to put tackling health inequalities at the heart of public service delivery. Mr Milburn also set out five steps for tackling health inequalities and improving public health. See www.doh.gov.uk/conferences/tack-health-ineq.htm. NHS Alliance fifth national conference This conference examined the success of Shifting the Balance of Power for professionals and the public, and in improving patient care and outcomes. Health secretary Alan Milburn addressed delegates on the power of primary care trusts in the new NHS structure. The Department of Health’s director of patient experience and public involvement Harry Cayton spoke about supporting patients and building services around them. The department’s chief nursing officer Sarah Mullally spoke about the role of the family health nurse during a session focused on improving nursing. To read summaries of the speeches, see www.doh.gov.uk/conferences/nhsalliance5.htm. Institute of Health care Management conference NHS chief executive Nigel Crisp launched Managing for excellence in the NHS and the Code of Conduct for NHS managers at this conference. NHS University chief executive Professor Bob Fryer set out the aims of the new university and detailed the work already achieved. To read summaries of the speeches, see www.doh.gov.uk/conferences/ihmconf.htm. National Association of Theatre Nurses congress The national theatre project was discussed at this conference by Kerry Basnett, redesign facilitator at the NHS Modernisation Agency, and Johanna Reilly, programme manager at the agency. To read summaries of the speeches, see www.doh.gov.uk/conferences/nattheatrenurses.htm. National Social Services conference The need to tear down the traditional service boundaries was emphasised at this conference by health secretary Alan Milburn. To read a summary of his speech, see www.doh.gov.uk/conferences/nss-con-card-int-over.htm.
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You
are here: 