 |
 |
My practice was finally offered the remaining 4 DESs on 30th March 2009. We were quite keen to take the Learning Disability DES, but it looks as though it has been made impossible, and I wondered whether the conditions were part of central direction or specific to my PCT: I can't find anything on NHS Employers or DH websites. "A pre-requisite for taking part in this two year DES is that:- " the practice can demonstrate that they have liaised with the Local Authority to share and collate information, in order to identify the people on their practice LD register with moderate to serve learning disabilities. " The Practice and PCT have agreed a Health Check Learning Disabliities Register prior to 17th April 2009. " A practice providing this service will be expected to have attended a multi-professional education session. The minimum expectation of staff attending will include the lead GP, lead PN and PM/ Senior Receptionist. Practices may also wish to involve specialist LD staff from the community LD team to provide support and advice. " When the DES was announced we tried to liaise with the local authority: they do not keep a list of patients' GPs or practices, and obviously couldn't just give out a list. (I knew the bit about Las was in the DES) Is the requirement to agree a register with the PCT there? And if so, what are the confidentiality issues? This set says "A practice providing this service will be expected to have attended a multi-professional education session". Note the tense - past. We have not been provided with any training nor been told of any training approved by the PCT, and if the wording is accurate, even if we managed to agree a Register, presumably we would not be able to claim until training was completed - or even prevented from signing up in the first place! We have until 10th April (special concession to all practices in PCT due to late offer) to sign up to this and the other three DESs, but I think the terms and conditions make it impossible. I know the PCT is having problems due to the ever-increasing demands of secondary care (PbR seems to be designed to encourage this) but is the late release and terms of the DES designed to remove services from patients with learning disabilities, and if so, is this limited to Bedfordshire? MaryH -- Mary Hawking