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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 1. Requirement for GPs to report deaths
in surgery National standards and guidance 9. Working time directive (WTD) planning
and derogation Recent news 26. Consultant contract Safety notices 48. Medical device alerts Diary 50. International recruitment TAKE ACTION Requirement for GPs to report deaths in surgery An amendment to Medical Regulations was introduced
on 3 November. It will require all GP principals to notify their PCT of
the death on their premises of any patient. New Clinical Excellence Awards scheme Completed applications for the new Clinical Excellence
Awards scheme must be completed and e-mailed to the Advisory Committee
on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA) Secretariat by 31 January. Bids invited for chlamydia test funding The chief medical officer has announced £8 million
to help support NHS laboratories in England to convert to nucleic acid
amplification tests (NAATs) technology for diagnosing genital chlamydia
trachomatis infection. Patient abuse inquiry recommendations The recent CHI investigation into alleged abuse of
patients on Rowan ward, an older people's mental health unit in Manchester,
drew attention to concerns about standards of care nationally. Medical
directors are advised to read the report and ensure recommendations are
embedded in their own services. Funded by £6 million from the New Opportunities Fund
(NOF), the British Heart Foundation charity is making 2,300 machines available
to local communities. The Department of Health is investing £3 million to
explore ways of attracting a wider range of people into the health care
professions. Delivering race equality - consultation Sets out guidance for those planning, delivering and
monitoring local primary care and mental health services in order to improve
services for users experiencing mental illness and distress, their relatives
and carers from black and minority ethnic communities. The consultation
asks for views on what should be done at a national level to provide support
and leadership to those carrying out this work. The applicability of the
framework extends beyond mental health services. Consultation ends on
23 January. Efficiency review: releasing resources to the frontline The Prime Minister and Chancellor have commissioned a wide-ranging efficiency review of all public services. The review will report next summer in time to influence the outcome of the Spending Review 2004. All NHS organisations are urged to consider the consultation document and respond to the review team by 21 November. A letter and a consultation document inviting responses are at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/efficiencyreviewconsult.htm NATIONAL STANDARDS AND GUIDANCEWorking time directive (WTD) planning and derogation A planning framework, developed by the Department
of Health and senior NHS managers, aims to help trusts prepare for the
August 2004 WTD requirement by providing access to a wide range of help
through a single website. New appraisal guidance to help improve personal development
for trainee doctors, including GP registrars, has been issued. The NHS Contractors' Companion The Department of Health has recently published The
NHS Contractors' Companion toolkit which aims to support PCTs in their
role as commissioners and contractors of services from NHS trusts. Staff involvement - better decisions, better care - a new resource pack This details the business case for staff involvement
and provides practical advice and case studies to help introduce a culture
of staff involvement throughout the NHS in line with Shifting the Balance
of Power. A set of forms and advice to help PCTs assess their
performance has been produced by CHI. Guidelines for GPs with special interests New guidelines developed by the Royal College of General
Practitioners and the Department of Health have now been released for
GPs with a special interest in the care of older people and in diabetes. General practice electronic patient records Updated guidance is now available. It has been commissioned
by the Royal College of General Practitioners' health informatics standing
group and has been written by a number of national experts who are users
of clinical systems and who include members of the standing group and
the BMA's general practitioners' committee. Integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) The Department of Health has issued a guidance note
for PCTs on their role as statutory consultees on IPPC applications. This
complements guidance issued earlier this year to local authorities by
the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The Community Care (Delayed Discharges Etc) Act 2003 – implementation guidance The complete guidance for implementing this Act sets
out the new duties and requirements placed upon NHS and social services
bodies by the legislation. The regulations relating to the notification
process come into effect 1 October with full implementation and reimbursement
charging effective from 5 January.
The integration of mental health services The National Institute for Mental Health In England
(NIMHE) and Association of Directors for Social Services' (ADSS) has published
best practice guidance on the integration of health and social care mental
health management. New guidance on developing prison health arrangements for the next two years is at www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth/deliveryplans.pdf National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services - Emerging Findings This report was published for consultation in April this year, ending in August. Overall the responses supported the proposals but stressed that significant challenges lie ahead. The report and a full summary of responses are at www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/children Earned autonomy - two and three-star NHS trusts and PCTs Supplementary information on the earned autonomies for 2003 has been published. Guidance on how to access the individual freedoms and rewards is at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin/earnedautonomy.htm Certifying patients as blind or partially-sighted Hospital eye departments need to be aware of a simplification
of the form used for certifying patients as blind or partially sighted.
To reduce delays in referrals to social services for advice ahead of registration,
a self-referral letter, to be available via high street optometrists,
and a referral letter for the use of hospital eye departments have also
been introduced. Guidelines on the number of NHS appointments needed
by pregnant women have been issued by the National Institute for Clinical
Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and
Children’s Health. Liquid Based Cytology recommendation Following NICE's appraisal and subsequent recommendation to introduce Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) across the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England and Wales, advice to the NHS on modernising the programme can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/cancer/nice-liquidcytology-oct03.pdf The National Audit Office published a report, Hip
Replacements: an update. One issue raised by the report relates to
commercial sponsorship, in particular the acceptance of funding/incentives
from outside bodies by NHS staff. RECENT NEWS Six out of ten consultants voted to back the contract
negotiated by the Department of Health and the British Medical Association
(BMA). The number of medical students has risen by 50 per
cent since 1997 from 5,050 to 7,662. There are 2,250 more medical school
places and four new medical schools have opened their doors within the
last year. To support existing campaigns, the NHS Counter Fraud
and Security Management Service is launching a security management strategy
later this year to build a safer and more secure NHS. NHS staff are being invited to participate in a large-scale
survey by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI). Health professionals wanting to carry out research
to boost patient care and develop their skills can now apply for support. Best medical practice in South Africa and the UK will
be shared with the signing of an international agreement. Strong NHS leadership, management and accountability
improves services and generates public trust, the Audit Commission has
found. The future of Personal Medical Services Health minister John Hutton, has written to all PMS GPs on the future of Personal Medical Services (PMS). Further guidance will follow later in the year. Queries should be directed to the PMS helpline 0845 9000 008 or to the relevant strategic health authority contact. More at www.doh.gov.uk/pmsdevelopment/whatsnew.htm Introduction of services lists for PMS doctors From 3 November the services list regulations were
introduced which require all list-holding performers and all pilot scheme
providers who wish to also perform PMS to be on a PCT services list. An extra £28 million is being allocated to PCTs serving
deprived and remote communities to commission high quality out-of-hours
(OOH) care. Cancer death rates among people under 75 have fallen
by more than ten per cent – putting the NHS on track to achieve its target
of a 20 per cent reduction by 2010. A report Critical Care Outreach 2003: Progress
in Developing Services found outreach services have helped reduce
pressure on critical care units while increasing staff skills and knowledge. CHI report on Victoria Climbié Inquiry The report Protecting children and young people
- results of an audit of NHS organisations in England provides a picture
of child protection arrangements within the NHS across England and reminds
organisations of their responsibility to work with other agencies to safeguard
children. Supplier for the National Electronic Booking Service The Department of Health has purchased a National
Electronic Booking Service for the NHS. Patient safety managers' network launched The National Patient Safety Agency has established a specialist team of 31 patient safety managers – one for each strategic health authority in England and NHS region in Wales. Contact your area patient safety manager via www.npsa.nhs.uk/admin/publications/docs/patientsafetymanagers.pdf The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) has launched a new system enabling medical device manufacturers
to communicate accidents or recalls to the agency instantly. Change in names of certain medicinal substances The names of certain medicinal substances will be
changing from December. In Tonsil archive boosts CJD research A national tonsil archive designed to research the
prevalence of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) in the UK will
be launched in December. Statistics on alcohol: England 2003 was published
on 30 October. Details at www.doh.gov.uk/public/work_public_health.htm#SDD Renaming of diagnosis and treatment centres A recent announcement by the health secretary of preferred
bidders for the independent sector diagnosis and treatment centres refers
to treatment centres, rather than DTCs. Industry and health care leaders join forces A taskforce has been set up to bring together government
and industry leaders to promote the growth and performance of health care
organisations. Support for local NHS scrutiny A one-off payment of £2.25 million will be distributed
to local authorities to help them carry out reviews of their health services. SAFETY NOTICES MDA/2003/032 – Arcomed Syramed SP6000 syringe pump,
issued on 1 October to NHS trusts for immediate action. MDA DB2003 (06) – community equipment loan stores
- guidance on decontamination. DIARY A free conference on international recruitment is
being held at Earls Court Conference centre on 12 November. National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) conference The NPSA will be hosting its first major event Patient Safety 2004 on 24-25 February 2004 in Birmingham. For details call 0870 458 4124, e-mail patientsafety2004@mci-group.com or visit https://registrations-online.com/PatientSafety2004/
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