Chief Executive Bulletin 10 - 16 November 2000
Issue 41
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Contents:
NHS interest
1. Bed census on 1st December: Urgent action needed by 20th November
2. Lasers: Registration Of Premises In Which Class 3b Or Class Lasers Are Used For Minor Cosmetic Treatment
3. Review of Körner Community Health Services and Cross Sector Returns
4. SIFT Accountability Roport
5. Secretary of State Directions including Counter Fraud Measures for PCTs
6. Increase In The NHS Sight Test Fee
NHS and Social Care interest
7. LAC (2000)22 : HSC 2000/033 The Quality Protects Programme: Transforming Children's Services 2001-02
8. HSC 2000/034 Health Authority Revenue Resource Limits 2001/02
9. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(23) Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Circuits: Risk of misassembly
10. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(24) Hewlett-Packard Standard Airway Adapter (model M1465A) for end-tidal CO2 Monitoring; Product recall
Social Care Interest
11. Welfare to Work Joint Investment Plans
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NHS interest
1. Bed census on 1st December: Urgent action needed by 20th November
The Secretary of State for Health has asked for a bed census to be taken on Friday 1st December. NHS Trusts (including PCTs with beds) will be asked to supply overall numbers of critical care and general & acute beds available in their organisation on the census day.
The bed census needs to be taken on the morning of December 1st, at a time convenient to you, with the results reported back to the Department that afternoon using email where possible. Staff will be working to collate the figures over the weekend.
Action needed:
Nominate a member of staff who will be responsible for providing the results of the bed census and who will be available on Friday 1st December. Please email contact details (name, job title, telephone number, fax number and email address) to [log in to unmask] by Monday 20th November. Guidance and a form to record the figures and will be emailed week beginning 27th November.
If your 30th September workforce census returns have not been submitted please ensure they are sent immediately.
Thank you for your help in organising this bed census at short notice. If you have any queries on the arrangements for the bed census please contact:
Julie Lawlor, Tel: (0113) 25 45234, Fax: (0113) 25 46423, Email: [log in to unmask]
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2. Lasers: Registration Of Premises In Which Class 3b Or Class Lasers Are Used For Minor Cosmetic Treatment
Class 3B and class 4 lasers are powerful devices with the potential to cause serious harm.
Health Authority Inspectors are reminded that premises in which class 3B or class 4 lasers are used fall within the ambit of the Registered Homes Act 1984 and are required to be registered under that Act. These premises may include beauty salons, cosmetic clinics and other premises using these lasers for any cosmetic purpose.
Under the Care Standards Act 2000,which will come into force in April 2002, there will be clear regulations and standards to ensure that all premises where class 3B and class 4 lasers are used on the human body are regulated by the National Care Standards Commission. This body will take over the regulation of independent healthcare from health authorities. It is therefore necessary until the new Act comes into force, for public health and safety that health authorities are vigilant about the regulation of such premises for the remaining 18 months that the Registered Homes Act 1984 is in force.
Directions on this subject and copies of the relevant Health Circulars may be found on the Internet at www.doh.gov.uk/lasers.htm
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3. Review of Körner Community Health Services and Cross Sector Returns
"Information for Health" sets out the strategy for Electronic Health Records and recommended setting up a review of the costs and benefits of the time spent by community staff on collecting data for Körner returns.
Recommendation
The Review group, drawn from the NHS and professions, recommended that the count of total face to face contacts, which was seen as particularly burdensome, should be abandoned. This recommendation has been accepted by Ministers and is being implemented with immediate effect. The Review Group did however recommend the retention of information about the patients seen (first contacts) and about their episodes of care (initial contacts). A copy of the Review Group report is available on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexipu/whatnew/korner.htm, or in PDF format at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexipu/whatnew/korner.pdf
Impact of review
>From immediate effect the count of total face to face contacts has therefore been discontinued for Korner nursing activity returns KC55, KC56, KC57 and KC58, and cross sector returns KT23, KT24, KT26, KT27 and KT29. The KC54 will be discontinued.
Data Set Change Notices (DSCN)
Detailed information about the changes will be available to the NHS in DSCN 22/2000. Data Set Change Notices are located on the Internet in the Electronic Library at www.standards.nhsia.nhs.uk/library/index.htm and on the NHS net at nww.standards.nhsia.nhs.uk/library/index.htm.
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4. SIFT Accountability Report
The Accountability Reports for the SIFT Levy (financial year 1999/00) can now be found on the internet. These reports will be of interest to Health Authority and Trust Chief Executives and their staff.
The reports are now available at the following addresses:
nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhs/hr/pubs.htm or www.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk .
Further copies of the national report can be obtained from the Medical Education Unit, Room 2N35A, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE (Telephone 0113 254 5942).
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5. Secretary of State Directions including Counter Fraud Measures for PCTs
Secretary of State Directions are being issued to Primary Care Trusts this week to take into account measures to counter fraud in the NHS. These Directions have already been issued to Health Authorities and NHS Trusts and include the need to have a dedicated Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) available within the organisation. The LCFS will undergo specialist training which will enable them to work in partnership with other colleagues in the NHS, the Counter Fraud Operational Service (CFOS) and the Directorate of Counter Fraud Services (DCFS) to provide the NHS with an integrated, comprehensive and professional counter fraud service and the development of an anti-fraud culture.
The Directions are accompanied by amendments to the Corporate Governance Framework to take into account the new arrangements to counter fraud in the NHS.
While different sets of Directions have addressed the needs of different health bodies, they have all included certain key elements:
The responsibility of the Chief Executive and Director of Finance to monitor and ensure compliance with the Directions on countering fraud and corruption.
The requirement to agree a service level agreement with the relevant regional CFOS team.
Co-operation with investigations and access to all premises, records or data owned by the Authority which is relevant to the detection and investigation of fraud.
The requirement of the LCFS to send reports of all cases where the Authority's Director of Finance believes fraud and corruption to be present in accordance with HSC 1999/062.
HSC 1999/062
Directions to NHS Trusts - www.doh.gov.uk/dcfs/directionstrusts.htm
If you have any queries in relation to countering fraud in the NHS or the Secretary of State's Directions please contact Chantal Ewart at DCFS on 020 7972 2528.
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6. Increase In The NHS Sight Test Fee
The letter informs opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners of increases of:
3% in the NHS sight test fee and domiciliary fees with effect from 1 April 2000.
A Determination of the sight test fee on behalf of the Secretary of State is annexed to this letter.
Health Authorities and Trusts are asked to:
order from the Department of Health stores at the address below * the number of copies of the letter they require and send a copy to all contractors who undertake GOS work;
bring the letter to the attention of clinicians, optometrists, finance officers and all other staff concerned with the Hospital Eye Service;
apply the increased fees to all relevant claims for NHS sight tests and domiciliary visits presented by listed optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners from 1 April 2000;
note that copies of the NHS(Optical Charges and Payments) Amendment Regulations 1998 will be sent to Authorities and Trusts in due course.
Letter
*Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH
Fax: 01623 724 524 Email [log in to unmask]
Please direct any enquiries to Jerry Read, Room 325 Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS. Tel: 020 7210 5743. Fax: 020 7210 5774. Email [log in to unmask]
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NHS / Social Care interest
7. LAC (2000)22 : HSC 2000/033 The Quality Protects Programme: Transforming Children's Services 2001-02
Quality Protects is the main means of achieving the Government's Objectives for Children's Social Services. Targets linked to those Objectives and set at the start of the programme remain valid. The NHS Plan, published in July 2000, included the Department of Health's public service agreement (PSA) which set new and more ambitious targets to be achieved by 2004.
The Children's Special Grant to support Quality Protects will be £404 million in 2001-02, £452 million in 2002-03 and £525 million in 2003-04. This is made up of increases from the current £120 million grant to £180 million in 2001-02, £220 million in 2002-03 and £290 million in 2003-04 supplemented by £225 million/£233 million/£236 million transferred from other Departments. (The figures may not sum because of rounding). Two parts of the total grant are to be earmarked for specific purposes. £256 million/£298 million/£347 million is to be ring-fenced for the implementation of the Children (Leaving Care) Bill, subject to Parliamentary approval to the legislation. £15 million/£15 million/£30 million is to be ring-fenced for services for disabled children.
This Circular builds on LAC(98)28 and LAC(99)33. It gives details of the requirements for the submission of Quality Protects Management Action Plans (MAPs) for 2001/2002. MAPs serve both as part of the Department's monitoring and grant approval processes and as key governance and management tools for local councils. Clear, rigorous plans which focus on results for children and their families will be necessary if the ambitions of Quality Protects are to be achieved.
These introductory pages of the Circular only are being sent to those listed above. The whole Circular can be downloaded from the DH Quality Protects website www.doh.gov.uk/qualityprotects/index.htm. (NB. Note change of address from last year). Customised MAP forms are being sent separately and electronically to each local authority. Those forms will contain each authority's actual and projected figures for all Quality Protects targets and indicators.
Ref. 22832. Copies will be mailed to Directors of Social Services 17/11/00. Hard copies available.
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8. HSC 2000/034 Health Authority Revenue Resource Limits 2001/02
This HSC notifies Health Authorities of their 2001/02 initial revenue resource limits. A covering letter from the NHS Chief Executive and a statement from the Secretary of State will accompany the HSC on COIN and POINT at http://www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html and http://www.doh.gov.uk/publications/pointh.html. They are available on the Resource Allocations website www.doh.gov.uk/allocations/2001-02 and on the 'What's New' page at the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk/new.htm.
Ref. 22840 - HSC, 22841 - Letter from Chief Executive Resources and Priorities for the NHS 22842. Copies will be mailed to Directors of Finance in HAs, NHS Trusts, ROs and PCTs., Directors of Social Services and PCT Executive Committee Chairs w/c 2/11/00
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9. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(23) Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Circuits: Risk of misassembly
This Safety Notice was issued on 7 November to NHS Trust, Health Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual it was also issued to Liaison Officers of Trusts and Health Authorities for action and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice.
For further information on the role and nomination of Liaison Officers e-mail us at:
[log in to unmask] www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of Safety Notice 2000(23) can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/sn2000(23).htm
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10. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(24) Hewlett-Packard Standard Airway Adapter (model M1465A) for end-tidal CO2 Monitoring; Product recall
This Safety Notice was issued on 8 November to NHS Trust and Health Authority Chief Executives. As usual it was also issued to Liaison Officers of Trusts and Health Authorities for action and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice.
For further information on the role and nomination of Liaison Officers e-mail us at:
[log in to unmask] www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of Safety Notice 2000(24) can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/sn2000(24).htm
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Social Care Interest
11. Welfare to Work Joint Investment Plans
Local authorities and health authorities have been asked to have Welfare to Work Joint Investment Plans (JIPs) in place by April 2001. These are expected to be three year rolling plans for reshaping services and investment to support disabled people who work, who wish to move into employment, or who wish to move closer to the world of work. In order to support the development of these JIPs the Department of Health commissioned consultants from the Nuffield Institute for Health to work with four pathfinder local authorities; and four national conferences were convened in June and July. It became clear as a result of feedback from these conferences and elsewhere that there was a requirement for an additional guidance document to assist those in the field responsible for the WtW JIPs. Accordingly, the Nuffield Institute has produced a workbook. to assist Local Authority teams in the production of their WtW JIPs. Copies of the workbook can be downloaded from the Department's website at: www.doh.gov.uk/jointunit/jipww.htm
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The documents in this bulletin are Crown copyright but may be reproduced by NHS and Local Authority staff without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use - ©2000
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