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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 Take action
Recent news
National standards and guidance
Safety notices Future communications and events
Take action 1. National Joint Registry From 1 April 2003 trusts are expected to enter data on the National Joint
Registry on all total hip and knee replacement operations. Guidance at
www.njrcentre.org.uk/news/news7.htm 2. NHS International Fellowship Scheme - spring campaign A campaign to recruit high-calibre international consultants for two-year fellowships has been launched by the Department of Health. Workforce development confederations (WDCs) have been asked to notify the department of vacancies for the scheme by 30 April 2003. Interviews will be held September 2003 and most fellows should be in post by March 2004. More information is at www.doh.gov.uk/international-recruitment Contact your WDC international recruitment co-ordinator if you wish to register a post for the scheme. Contact details are on the website. Contact: john.arundel@doh.gsi.gov.uk
if you would like further information. 3. EU directive on good clinical practice in clinical trials (2001/20/EC) On 21 February 2003, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) launched a consultation exercise on the UK's proposed implementing regulations which are required to transpose the directive into UK law. Copies of the consultation paper have been circulated widely and are available on the MCA and Department of Health websites (www.mca.gov.uk and www.doh.gov.uk respectively). Comments are invited by no later than 16 May 2003. This consultation is likely to be of interest to research and development directors, clinicians, pharmacists and other NHS staff involved in commercial and non-commercial clinical trials of medicines. MCA contact: Caroline Brennan on 020 7273 0525 or at caroline.brennan@mca.gsi.gov.uk 4. Reminder on general practice clinical information systems The General Practitioners’ Committee of the British Medical Association has recently expressed concern to the Department of Health about pressures being placed on GP practices to change clinical computer systems. The concerns result from a number of complaints raised with them by GP practices. The Department of Health has published a brief reminder on the issues that primary care organisations need to consider in such circumstances. This can be found on the Primary Care Computing website at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/computing/mar03reminder.htm Contact: Chandar Prashar on 0113 254 6730 or chandar.prashar@doh.gsi.gov.uk Recent news 5. British National Formulary March 2003 – further delays Following further problems at the Pharmaceutical Press, there will now be a longer delay in the central distribution of BNFs than was highlighted in the last edition of Medical Directors’ Bulletin. Copies will not start going out until early/mid May. Your patience in this matter would be appreciated. Changes to the BNF since the last edition can be seen on the BNF website
www.bnf.org.uk under ‘What’s new?’
6. Operating theatre & pre-operative assessments The NHS Modernisation Agency's operating theatre & pre-operative
assessment programme has sent details to all finance directors outlining
project management and incentive funding available for 2003-2004. Contact:
jacqueline.lloyd@npat.nhs.uk 7. Voluntary accreditation scheme for therapeutic tissue banks The deadline for the voluntary accreditation of therapeutic tissue banks has been extended to 31 March 2004. Trusts will need to ensure that tissue banks meet the standards of the code of practice and that they have registered with the Medicines Control Agency for accreditation. Accreditation remains voluntary now but will become a legal requirement following the adoption of the EU Tissue Directive. Further advice and the code of practice is at www.doh.gov.uk/humantissuebanking A list of tissue banks that have registered with the MCA will appear there shortly. Contact: Dr Peter Doyle on 020 7972 4838/4520 or peter.doyle@doh.gsi.gov.uk 8. Audit Commission spot checks A report of the findings of the Audit Commission ‘spot checks’ was published on Wednesday 5 March 2003. The report is titled Waiting list accuracy - Assessing the accuracy of waiting list information in NHS hospitals in England We will be writing to all trusts in April once we have received detailed feedback from the 'spot checked' trusts and asking you to take the necessary action following the findings. Contact: Gill Donachie on 0113 2546760 or gillian.donachie@doh.gsi.gov.uk 9. National patient survey programme During spring 2003, the following national patient surveys will be taking place:
Results will be collated by the NHS survey advice centre and will be used for the 2003 performance indicators and star ratings. The NHS survey advice centre website www.nhssurveys.org gives further information about the survey timetable and action required by trusts. Contact: NHS surveys advice centre 01865 208127 10. Review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services In March 2002 health minister John Hutton announced a review into commissioning arrangements for specialised services, particularly for regional services covering the population of many primary care trusts and several strategic health authorities. A summary of the responses submitted to the department during the consultation period is at www.doh.gov.uk/commissioning/reviewintocommarr.htm Guidance on commissioning arrangements for specialised services will be issued shortly. Contact: Julia Stallibrass on 020 797 24862 or julia.stallibrass@doh.gsi.gov.uk 11. Response of the four UK health ministers to the consultation on Unfinished Business published Unfinished Business was published separately for consultation on 22 August 2002 in each of the four home countries. The report generated a great deal of interest with over 370 replies received in total. A UK policy statement has been prepared jointly by the four UK health departments and indicates how, in response to the consultation process, modernisation of postgraduate medical education will be taken forward in the context of wider workforce reforms. For further information e-mail the Modernising Medical Careers mailbox modmedc@doh.gsi.gov.uk The UK policy statement is available at 12. Health and Social Care Awards 2003 These annual awards by the Department of Health recognise excellence
in the provision of health and social care services. The closing date
for entries is 2 May. More information and application forms at www.modern.nhs.uk/healthandsocialcareawards National standards and guidance 13. Evidence-based commissioning for PCTs: a directory PCTs and strategic health authorities have been provided with a directory of evidence to support service redesign at a local level. It lists programmes from across the NHS. Each of these contains analysis and examples of good practice. The directory is a useful tool in planning the shape of the NHS in the
medium term. It supports three-year allocations and local development
plans. PCTs will be considering how to ensure that the confirmed ‘enhanced
services floor’ for primary care of £315m, £518m and £586m for 2003-2006
is delivered. The directory will help ensure that the funds support redesign
and encourage innovative primary care service development. The directory
is available at: www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/pctdirectory.pdf
Contact: Rob Webster on 0113 254 5288 or at rob.webster@doh.gsi.gov.uk 14. National Service Framework for Older People - Progress And Future Challenges Progress and Future Challenges, a two-year progress report on
the older people’s services national service framework is at 15. Supplementary guidance on NHS-funded nursing care This guidance has been issued and should be read in conjunction with that contained in HSC2001/17:LAC (2001) 26, issued on 25 September 2001. Both documents are available at www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/nhsfundednursingcare/index.htm The new guidance contains more detailed information for the NHS and local councils about the contractual arrangements required by April this year. In particular, health and social care agencies without pooled funding arrangements should consider setting up lead commissioner partnership agreements, so existing payment systems to providers can remain in place. Contact: John.Crook@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or Jenny.Mudge@doh.gsi.gov.uk 16. Fair access to care services Further practice guidance to assist with implementation on fair access to care services has been published at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/facs/practiceguidance.htm Contact: Ray Warburton on 020 7972 4286 or ray.warburton@doh.gsi.gov.uk 17. Safety testing of mammographic X-ray equipment The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that it is the duty of every employer to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Equipment should be checked for all aspects of safe operation including electrical and mechanical. The Recommended Standards for the Routine Testing of Diagnostic X-ray Imaging Equipment published by the Institute of Physics and Engineering Medicine suggests that electrical and mechanical safety tests are required in addition to radiation safety tests. A copy of the report is at www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/breastscreen/publications/me-egn-or0301.html Or contact the National Office of the NHS Breast Screening Programme
on 0114 2711060 for a free hard copy. Safety notices 18. Medical Devices Alerts Medical gas hoses for oxygen - MDA/2003/007 - issued on 11 March For information on the role and nomination of MDA liaison officers e-mail
bs@medical-devices.gov.uk Future communications and events 19. Symposia to introduce licences to practise and revalidation You are invited to attend one of a number of symposia being held around the country in June to introduce the new system of a licence to practise backed by periodic revalidation being introduced by the GMC. All doctors will receive information about the new system in April. These symposia provide an opportunity for the GMC to tell you about the changes in person and for you to ask any questions you may have. The symposia are open to all doctors. Those doctors involved in the management of local postgraduate education, such as GP tutors and clinical tutors, as well as doctors driving local clinical governance and appraisal initiatives may find it particularly useful to attend. A training pack will be provided to delegates at the end of each meeting to facilitate the implementation of local training on this subject. Dates and venues:
Details of how to book a place at the meeting of your choice are available
on the Revalidation Web site: www.revalidationuk.info
or telephone Tessa Nicholson on 020 8747 4467. 20. Patient Focus: improving the patient experience A new monthly newsletter Patient Focus, from health minister David Lammy, highlights the positive impact of patient and public involvement as part of the wider improving the patient experience programme. The first issue sets out current developments in patient and public involvement. Future editions will draw on examples from the field to demonstrate how this important duty is taking shape to deliver on PPF targets and clarify particular aspects of policy. The bulletin is at www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients/cnonewsletter_march2003.htm Subscribe by e-mailing doh_ppi_subscription@talkingnumbers.com
with your e-mail address, name, job title, name of organisation, postal
address, plus phone and fax numbers. 21. International medical recruitment job fair The third international recruitment job fair is to be held at the Euston Novotel (formally known as the Shaw Park Plaza) in London on 30 April. An event is also planned on the afternoon of 29 April for trusts to learn more about the support packages available. This will be held at the Radisson Grafton Hotel in London at 4pm. We will again be hosting a reception on the evening of 29 April to welcome candidates. This will be held at the Radisson Grafton Hotel in London at 7.30pm. Further details on all of these events can be obtained by e-mailing queries to International.Recruitment@doh.gsi.gov.uk
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