Much as I'd like ot support it, NHS Plus just isn't happening in Wales. At
least, not unless the Assembly gets its act together and decides to join in.
However, we are now four months into the financial year and they haven't
even given people their budgets yet, so I don't hold out much hope.

Geoff Denman

> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list will be of interest to all practitioners of occupational
> and envi [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Geoff Helliwell
> Sent: 01 August 2001 08:26
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: NHS Plus
>
>
> List members may be interested to know that the start up details
> of NHS Plus
> are now posted at http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsplus/
>
> Most interestingly there is a service delivery specification for NHS
> customers, which is expected to be achieved by NHS clients of an
> OH service
> before it can participate in external work.  The standards include audit
> protocols and an expectation of year on year quality
> improvements.  There is
> also a regional audit system alluded to, but no detail as to how it will
> operate as yet (I understand several Faculty Officers are part of those
> looking at this).
>
> NHS Occupational Health Departments will need to convince their Chief
> Executives that they achieve these internal standards before they
> can apply
> to become part of NHS Plus.  It seems very sensible that the internal
> customers should be entirely satisfied before external work is contracted.
> On a commercial footing; written agreements are required with
> each customer,
> the work must carry professional indemnity insurance and services are
> expected to be fully costed according to local NHS Financial Accounting
> rules.
>
> The site should be interesting to other OH providers as an example of how
> Corporate Governance will impact on our activities.  I suspect that as the
> Faculty had a large hand in developing these documents that they will form
> the basis of a re-write of their guidance on Quality and Audit (which is
> currently out of print).
>
> My personal view is that the developments in NHS Plus will provide a
> platform to take over the services currently provided by unqualified
> practitioners when they become subject to revalidation.  This
> will roll out
> between 2004 and 2008 for Medical Practitioners - if like me you
> have a GMC
> number ending in zero or five, revalidation comes 2004, one and
> six is 2005
> etc.  The burden of revalidation in each sub-speciality practised may make
> part-time OH very unattractive for many GPs.
>
> The main choke point I believe will be (as ever) qualified OH staff; the
> quality standards have for example a second level of expecting
> 50% of nurses
> to hold specialist practitioner.  There is a basic requirement for
> Consultant OH Physician involvement in Clinical Governance (not
> just service
> delivery), and for access to a full OH team including qualified
> Hygienists.
> Unless we can deal with a massive increase in all professional training we
> cannot expect to substantially increase the market penetration of OH into
> those businesses which clearly need our services.
>
> This is a very welcome quality improvement initiative of OH in the UK, and
> should be fully supported by all of us.
>
> Dr. Geoff Helliwell MB ChB CIH FFOM MIOSH
> Medical Director
> WellWork Ltd. UK
>