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
Take action Recent news National standards and guidance Safety notices Symposia TAKE ACTION NHS design champions In November 2001 health secretary Alan Milburn requested that all trusts nominate a design champion to ensure that health care buildings provide high quality, patient-friendly environments. Nominations are welcome from any trust that has not yet nominated a design champion. NHS Estates, the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment (CABE) and the Prince's Foundation provide design champions with support including training events. The next event for all design champions is in Manchester on 20 June 2003. To register, nominate a design champion or for more information e-mail
designchampions@doh.gsi.gov.uk Improving Working Lives champion for doctors The Human Resources Directorate’s recruitment, retention and returners team is planning to appoint an Improving Working Lives champion for doctors. This is a new role established by the Medical Royal Colleges in collaboration with, and funded by, the Department of Health. The champion will work with the Medical Royal Colleges to raise the profile of the Improving Working Lives (IWL) initiative among doctors. A full job description is below: Title: Improving Working Lives champion for doctors Organisation: The Royal Academy of England and Department of Health, hosted by The Royal College of Surgeons of England Location: Flexible, office space provided at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London. The postholder must be prepared to travel throughout the UK on a regular basis. Terms: One year fixed term appointment. Two to three days per week. Secondments welcomed. We take a flexible approach to employment and variations to the standard working pattern will be considered (e.g. home working, compressed hours). Salary: Dependant upon experience. For background, more information or to apply e-mail jclarke@rcseng.ac.uk or elizabeth.eddy@doh.gsi.gov.uk Closing Date is 13 June 2003. RECENT NEWS Hepatitis B immunisation of short-term foster carers and their families The Department of Health is distributing £750,000 to PCTs in 2003-2004 by resource and cash limit adjustments to facilitate, in collaboration with local authority social services departments, the hepatitis B immunisation of short-term foster carers. Further details e-mail helen.christmas@doh.gsi.gov.uk Consent guidelines Further reforms around the use of human organs and tissue are expected after a report on Cyril Isaacs, whose brain was given to a university without his family’s consent. Chief medical officer Professor Sir Liam Donaldson said a new Human Tissue Bill would be put before Parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows. Current post mortem and consent guidelines are at: www.doh.gov.uk/tissue/ The Isaacs Report is at www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/isaacsreport/
Improving rewards for NHS consultants The Department of Health’s director of human resources Andrew Foster sent a letter to all NHS chief executives, medical directors and human resource directors via a special bulletin on 17 April. It confirmed the way forward on a new framework for improving incentives and rewards for NHS consultants and highlights the action now needed by NHS employing organisations. The letter and final guidance on the new framework are at www.doh.gov.uk/consultantframework/ The Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS) replaced the NHS Counter Fraud Service on 1 April 2003. The CFSMS is now responsible for all policy and operational matters relating to the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud and corruption, and the management of security in the NHS. Details are at www.cfsms.nhs.uk
Monitoring cancer waiting times Chief executives are requested to ensure that the figures on cancer waiting times is inputted as required by dataset change notice (DSCN) 22/2002. Until data on the cancer waiting times database (CWTdb) is robust and complete, the use of the quarterly monitoring of cancer waits (QMCW) returns will be continued and extended as detailed in DSCN 15/2003. Further information is at www.nhsia.nhs.uk/dscn/pages/
or e-mail sian.gordon-brown@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Approval of nurse, midwife and health visitor consultant posts Health minister John Hutton announced at the Royal College of Nursing Congress on 30 April that he had asked the chief nursing officer Sarah Mullally to make arrangements to relax the approval process for new nurse, midwife and health visitor consultant posts. He also asked for responsibility to be devolved to local organisations so that more nurse consultant posts can be approved. Consequently, the April 2003 tranche of posts will be the last approved under the current system. In future, trusts that want to establish posts will be able to do so with the agreement of their local strategic health authority. John Hutton’s speech is at www.doh.gov.uk/speeches/hutton-rcn-03.htm
Leadership training database A database where staff can search for courses to help them in their personal development is now available on the Internet. Initially aimed at senior managers and clinicians in North East London, the database covers positions including: specialist registrar, consultant, senior nurses, allied health professional, senior manager, assistant director, director, chief executive, chair and board member. The database has more than 100 courses and each has been matched against the NHS Leadership Centre's Leadership Qualities Framework. Visit www.nelwdc.nhs.uk and click on educational support and then select leadership courses. E-mail cheralee.morgan@nelwdc.nhs.uk NHS complaints reform - making things right The Department of Health has published NHS Complaints Reform - Making Things Right. The document builds on existing procedure and sets out proposals to improve complaints management. It is at www.doh.gov.uk/complaints/reform.htm Because of the need for primary legislation to implement elements of the programme, comprehensive reform of the NHS complaints' procedure will not take place before April 2004. In the meantime, the current procedure will continue to operate, supported
by new initiatives designed to bring about improvements. For more information
e-mail carolyn.heaney@doh.gsi.gov.uk
CHD progress report A Multidisciplinary Challenge: Improving services for people with
coronary heart disease is now at www.modern.nhs.uk/chd/
by clicking on what's new. 3M Capital Hip Care Programme From 1 October 2003 the 3M Capital Hip Care Programme will close. All future treatment of patients with a capital hip implant will be through the NHS in the normal way. Guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/capitalhipcare/index.htm
or e-mail Paul.Woods@doh.gsi.gov.uk
NHS decontamination road shows Following the road shows held in Spring 2001, a second series of one-day conferences are planned for July 2003 to discuss the Department of Health’s plans for improving decontamination. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/decontamination.htm
Care Group Workforce Team (CGWT) newsletter The Department of Health CGWT has issued the first edition of its quarterly newsletter. It aims to make the reader aware of key issues, knowledge and information in relation to CGWTs and strengthen communication links within the group and associated networks. The newsletter is at www.doh.gov.uk/cgwt/newsletter.htm
or e-mail sophie.hughes@doh.gsi.gov.uk Unqualified doctors on PCT supplementary lists It is illegal for a doctor to deputise for a GP without being vocationally trained, unless they are exempted from training or have an acquired right. Reports suggest that a number of doctors have been admitted to supplementary lists without providing such evidence and engaged by deputising agencies. PCTs are asked to take urgent action to review the content of supplementary lists. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/pclists/unqualified-doctors.htm
or e-mail chris.walker@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Modern matrons – improving the patient experience A letter Modern matrons: improving the patient experience, written by chief nursing officer Sarah Mullally is at www.doh.gov.uk/modernmatrons/improving-letter-may03.htm The document Modern matrons: improving the patient experience is at www.doh.gov.uk/modernmatrons/improvingthepatientsexperience.htm The modern matron web site is at www.doh.gov.uk/modernmatrons/
or e-mail Pam Marshall at cno-bulletin@doh.gsi.gov.uk Monitoring of consultant growth Achieving the Priorities and Planning Framework (PPF) workforce targets is a top priority. To help monitor and facilitate growth, the Department of Health has developed a new system to record all consultant vacancies and progress in filling them. From 19 May 2003, NHS trusts will be asked to enter and update details of all consultant posts onto a web site. This will replace the previous quarterly collection undertaken for the workforce monitoring database. The guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/workforcemonitoring/index.htm
or e-mail guy.cross@doh.gsi.gov.uk The safety alert broadcast system A new electronic system is being developed to improve distribution and provide feedback on NHS compliance with safety notices. This information will be available to the NHS and to the public via the Internet. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/safetyalert/index.htm
or e-mail joanne.willows@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Hib vaccine GPs in England will receive item-of-service fees for additional doses of Hib vaccine. PCTs should support practices unable to take part in the catch up campaign. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/fees-amend-hibcampaign.htm Patients' forums Consultation on the draft regulations will begin on the 21 May 2003.
A consultation document and accompanying draft regulations will be available
at: www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients/ Postgraduate medical training education and training board The NHS Appointments Commission, on behalf of the Secretary of State
for Health, is looking for candidates (both medical and lay) for the new
board. Details are at www.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk Tonsil audit The National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit begins 7 July. Details and
guidance is at www.tonsil-audit.org Press releases All Department of Health press releases are published on the Internet at www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/intpress.nsf/Last7?OpenView Issues that may be of interest include:
NATIONAL STANDARDS AND GUIDANCE Flexible careers and international recruitment The letter at the end of this bulletin was sent from the Department of Health’s director of human resources Andrew Foster to all strategic heath authority chief executives on 15 April 2003. Sir Nigel Crisp’s letter of 24 February 2003 following up the Top Team
meeting of 13 February, promised guidance on the retention of consultants
beyond retirement and on the support and mentoring of overseas doctors.
With apologies for the considerable delay, this guidance is outlined at
the end of this bulletin. Raising performance standards The Department of Health published Raising Standards – improving performance in the NHS on 6 May 2003. The document sets out the support available to individual trusts and PCTs to help them reach high standards of performance. Each trust and PCT will be expected to agree a programme of targeted support with its strategic health authority by autumn 2003. As part of this process acute and specialist trusts will be expected to set a local timetable for achieving NHS Foundation Trust status. A total of £200 million will be available to support improvement programmes in trusts and PCTs between 2004-2005 and 2007-2008. The document is at www.doh.gov.uk/raisingstandardsnhs/
or e-mail tim.baxter@doh.gsi.gov.uk Consultants Advisory Appointment Committees A list of frequently asked questions on Consultants Advisory Appointment
Committees is now at www.doh.gov.uk/appointmentprocedures/consultant-committees-faq.htm
or e-mail enquiry-box@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Expanding the range of services in primary care New guidance was published on 24 April to provide PCTs with advice on how to develop a wider range of services in primary care. The guidance includes a framework for nurses with special interests (NwSIs) and guidelines for GPs with special interests (GPwSIs) in a range of clinical specialities including sexual health, epilepsy, dermatology and respiratory disease. These follow on from the framework for GPwSIs and speciality guidelines published last year. All the guidance is at www.doh.gov.uk/pricare/gp-specialinterests/ The National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme (NatPaCT), part of the NHS Modernisation Agency, has been instrumental in the special interests programme. NatPaCT’s Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up a General Practitioner
with a Special Interest Service, and further information on establishing
a special interest service is at www.gpwsi.org/stepbystep/index.htm
SAFETY NOTICES Hazard notice NHS Estates hazard notice (2003)04 – Drugs refrigerator (Electrolux MR60) – ammonia leak risk. Details are at www.nhsestates.gov.uk/healthcare_eng_science/index.asp
and then click on safety and hazard notices Medical device alerts MDA/2003/010 - infra-red ear thermometer - home use Further information is at www.mhra.gov.uk SYMPOSIA Symposia to introduce licences to practise and revalidation There are still places available in a series 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 General Medical Council (GMC). All doctors received information about the new system in April. These symposia provide an opportunity for the GMC to talk about the changes and for you to ask questions. The symposia are open to all doctors. A training pack will be provided to delegates at the end of each meeting. The symposia are at the following: 5 June, Westlain House, University of Brighton, 9 June, Carnatic House, University of Liverpool, 16 June, 2 West Building, University of Bath, 18 June, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 19 June, Middleton Hall, University of Hull, 26 June, Roots Social Building, Warwick. Meetings start at 7.30pm with a buffet supper from 6pm. Doctors can register online at: www.revalidationuk.info or contact Zoe Wurzal: zoe.wurzal@avenuehkm.com, or call 020 8747 4439 or Tessa Nicholson: tessa.nicholson@avenuehkm.com, or call 020 8747 4467. Top
1. Flexible Retirement Extending the contribution of staff pre-and post retirement is an essential part of a trust strategy to tackle vacancies and expand the workforce. Trust chief executives should review the retirement plans of medical staff nearing or over 55 and options for continued employment after their intended retirement, including part-time or job-share arrangements. It is particularly important to offer flexible retirement options to doctors over 60 to maximise their continued contribution. Where re-employment is offered on a part-time basis, salaries should be agreed locally with pro-rata payment of distinction awards where appropriate. Re-employment following retirement is subject to the usual rules governing medical appointments. Within the rules of the NHS pension scheme there are a range of alternatives available for people approaching retirement. Simply stopping work and starting to draw a pension is not the only option. Available options are:-
The NHS Pensions Agency has established a special helpline to handle pension queries about flexible retirement for hospital doctors on 01253 774440. The line is open to doctors and managers to check retirement plans and their impact on individual cases. 2. Flexible Careers Scheme for doctors The Flexible Careers Scheme (FCS) was developed in conjunction with the British Medical Association as part of the Improving Working Lives (IWL) initiative. It provides centrally funded opportunities for doctors who want to work up to 49 per cent of full-time. FCS opportunities are available to doctors at all levels and stages in their careers. Because it offers central funding, the scheme supports employers who want to strengthen staffing levels through greater use of staff working flexibly. The scheme is useful for a wide range of doctors, including:
Trusts and other employers of career grade doctors on the FCS, receive central funding to cover 50 per cent of their employment costs in the first year, 25 per cent in the second year and 10 per cent in the third. During refresher training, 100 per cent of returners’ employment costs are funded centrally. In each case the scheme can be adapted to different circumstances and will provide sufficient medical/clinical practice for revalidation purposes. The FCS is centrally administered by NHS Professionals. It is time limited at the outset, with the possibility of a later extension. Doctors on the scheme can work up to 50 per cent of full time, or up to eight sessions for flexibly trained specialist registrars taking up their first consultant post, and these hours can be calculated on an annual basis to enable more work to be carried out at one time (e.g. term time) and less at others (e.g. school holidays). Other features of the scheme include:
3. Information regarding induction and mentoring In 2002, the Department of Health issued International Recruitment of Consultants and General Practitioners for the NHS in England. This publication provides guidance to NHS employers on an infrastructure to support international recruitment. A successful infrastructure to support medical international recruitment is an important aspect of clinical governance within all NHS organisations. The infrastructure should include:
In addition, we have developed the following package to boost the recruitment of consultants, giving more support to trusts. Contracting external consultants to support trusts manage the international
recruitment process. 4. Extra support for trusts who wish to recruit consultants through the international recruitment campaign Recruiting consultants from abroad is a complicated and lengthy process. The Department of Health has been working with TMP Worldwide to assist doctors through the first part of the process – obtaining specialist registration and identifying suitable vacancies that they may wish to apply for. To assist trusts and doctors through the remainder of the recruitment process, the Department of Health is working with TMP Worldwide and Phoenix ARC, the relocation company that currently supports the International Fellowship Scheme, to provide an enhanced service. This service will be funded by the department and aims to reduce the administrative burden on trusts recruiting consultants. The package that is being developed will offer the following support to trusts:
And the following support to doctors:
This package is in the final stages of development and will be available soon. If you are interested in utilising this service to help you to recruit any of the doctors you meet at the Job Fair, please contact Jahna Sullivan at TMP Worldwide on 020 7406 5866 or jahna.sullivan@tmp.com or Andrew Hopgood at Phoenix Arc on 01256 817 888 or e-mail andrew.hopgood@phoenixarc.com What else are we doing to help you? We are developing new software which will allow trusts and AACs to download doctors’ CVs via the website to reduce both time and the amount of paperwork/copying. Yours sincerely,
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You
are here: 
