Chief Executive Bulletin - 27 July - 3 August 2000
Issue 26
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Hard copy versions of these publications can be ordered from the NHS Responseline 0541 555 455.
Contents:
NHS interest
1. ADVANCE LETTER AL(GC) 2/2000 Section 24 Of The General Whitley Council Handbook: Crown Cars, Mileage Allowances And Associated Provisions
2. Wider Powers For The General Medical Council: The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2000
3. Primary Care's Role in Managing Capacity and Demand
4. PL/CMO/2000/3, PL/CNO/2000/6, PL/CPHO/2000/1 Influenza Immunisation
5. ZYBAN
6. Funding to support implementation of Information for Health
NHS and Social Care interest
7. HAZARD NOTICE - MDA HN2000(10) - Bed Side Rails (Cotsides) - Risk of Entrapment and Asphyxiation
8. Discharge Arrangements and Ongoing Care for Prisoners with Mental Illness:
Liaison between the NHS and The Prison Service
Social Care interest
9. Statistical Return SSDS001 - Staff of Local Authority Social Services Departments - Analysis By Ethnic Origin
10. Appeal Court Decisions
11. CI(2000)17
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NHS Interest
1. ADVANCE LETTER AL(GC) 2/2000 Section 24 Of The General Whitley Council Handbook: Crown Cars, Mileage Allowances And Associated Provisions
The General Whitley Council has agreed an increase to mileage allowances. The Advance Letter sets out the new rates of mileage payable for staff on national contracts from 1st July 2000.
Advance letter
Ref. 21570 will be mailed to Directors of Finance & Personnel w/c 7/8/00. Hard copies available w/c 7/8/00.
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2. Wider Powers for The General Medical Council: The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2000
The Government and the public has become increasingly concerned over the past few months about the ability of the GMC to act swiftly and effectively when a doctor's fitness to practise is called into question. The Government has introduced legislation enacted under SI 2000 No 1803, the Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2000, effective from 3rd August 2000 to widen the powers of the GMC.
The five key new provisions are:-
- a new power to impose interim suspension or conditions quickly in any circumstance, including cases of performance and health. The principal criterion will be the public interest in stopping a doctor who represents a danger to patients from practising until his fitness to practice has been determined.
- Introducing a minimum 5-year period before a doctor who has been struck off the Medical register may apply for restoration. The intention is to give practical meaning to the premise that doctors who are erased from the register should not expect to return, save in the most exceptional circumstances.
- Placing a statutory duty on the GMC to notify employers and any other person or body who may need to be informed, of doctors whose fitness to practise is under consideration. The GMC will also be able to require health service and other bodies to share information or to produce documents relevant to the GMC's consideration of a case.
- Enabling the GMC to co-opt non-members of the Council to any of its committees chiefly to help tackle the backlog of cases, but also to open up the Council to wider involvement in its committee work, and bring in wider views and experience.
- Giving the GMC the power (similar to that of the GDC) to suspend or place conditions on the registration of a doctor convicted of a criminal offence abroad which constitutes a criminal offence in this country.
This is the first step towards the need for wider and broader change which will be the subject of further discussion with the GMC. However, strengthening the GMC's powers in these important and significant ways conveys the Government's determination to apply the lessons of recent events so that patients get the protection they deserve.
Link to Statutory Instrument (SI) 2000/1803
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2000/20001803.htm
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3. Primary Care's Role in Managing Capacity and Demand
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read from the National Patients' Access Team is undertaking a project on the role of Primary Care in managing capacity and demand. This letter seeks the assistance of Chief Executives of Primary Care Groups and Primary Care Trusts and asks them to feedback on how they have used the Primary Care Toolkit which was recently launched. The toolkit is designed to assist PCGs in understanding where there are local issues with regards to waiting lists and referrals.
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read would also like to hear from any PCGs or PCTs that would like some assistance with local demand management or any other issues.
For queries, or more details of the project please e-mail Dr Paul Zollinger-Read on [log in to unmask]
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4. PL/CMO/2000/3, PL/CNO/2000/6, PL/CPHO/2000/1 Influenza Immunisation
This letter provides further information and advice on this year's influenza immunisation campaign.
Influenza immunisation has grown to become a major public health programme delivering around 8 million doses of vaccine in a few weeks every autumn. Influenza is an important contributor to the excess mortality that occurs every winter in the UK and influenza vaccine has been shown to prevent or ameliorate influenza and reduce complications, hospital admissions and deaths. This year, we aim to offer influenza vaccine to everyone aged 65 years and over, as well as younger people in the established 'high-risk' groups (see Annex 1). Doctors, nurses, health visitors and pharmacists have key roles to play in ensuring high levels of uptake of influenza immunisation in these groups.
Ref. 22106 Mailed to NHS 1/8/00. Hard copies available
Link to PL CMO 2000/3
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5. ZYBAN
We have had a number of queries about the availability of the new smoking cessation aid, Zyban (buproprion) on the National Health Service. The Secretary of State announced on 26 June that Zyban was available on the National Health Service.
There is a general agreement that, on the available evidence, Zyban helps those smokers who are committed to stopping smoking, in combination with motivational support. Zyban will therefore help meet the Government's targets to cut the prevalence of cancer and coronary heart disease. The Department's letter of 28 June to smoking cessation leads provides further information. We are aware that they are currently working on arrangements to support the prescribing of Zyban and that it may take a few weeks to put those arrangements in place.
We wish to point out however that, as with any medicine, the responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for the patient rests with the doctors concerned, in consultation with the patient, informed by the patient's clinical history. These decisions are frequently complex and may need to take account of a range of factors; chief among these must be the ability of any patient to benefit from the proposed treatment. A GP can therefore prescribe Zyban if they feel it is clinically appropriate. Health Authorities do not have any powers to prevent GPs from prescribing Zyban on the NHS. As announced in the NHS Plan, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will be asked to advise GPs on the most appropriate and cost effective prescribing regimes for Zyban and nicotine replacement therapy, including duration and targeting.
Please make this advice widely available.
NHSWeb Smoking Cessation Website
http://nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhssmokingcessation
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6. Funding to support implementation of Information for Health
On 30th June 2000 an additional £60m was announced as being available to support implementation of Information for Health within this financial year.
Details of the distribution arrangements and related targets are now available at
www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexipu/whatnew/addfund
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NHS / Social Care interest
7. HAZARD NOTICE - MDA HN2000(10) - Bed Side Rails (Cotsides) - Risk of Entrapment and Asphyxiation
This Hazard Notice was issued on 25 July 2000 to NHS Trust and Health Authority Chief Executives and Social Services Directors. It was also faxed to Trust and Health Authority and Social Services for immediate action and for onward distribution as specified in the Notice.
No Safety Notices were issued.
For further information on the role and nomination of liaison officers e-mail us on:
[log in to unmask]
http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
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8. Discharge Arrangements and Ongoing Care for Prisoners with Mental Illness:
Liaison between the NHS and The Prison Service
Prison service health care centres and NHS mental health services share responsibility for ensuring appropriate liaison on the care of mentally ill prisoners. It is particularly important that effective links are made to ensure sound discharge planning when inmates are released from prison.
Dr Sheila Adam, Health Service Director (NHS Executive) issued a letter for action by Governing Governers and Heads of Health in the Prision Service and Chief Executives in the NHS/Social Services on 27/07/00
Link to letter
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Social Care Interest
9. Statistical Return SSDS001 - Staff of Local Authority Social Services Departments - Analysis by Ethnic Origin
Antonia Roberts wrote to Directors of Social Services on 21 February 2000 listing the statistical returns that DH would be asking Councils with Social Services Responsibilities to complete for the year 2000. Keith Childs wrote to Staffing Return (SSDS001) contacts on 1 August 2000:
- to give further information about the PSS staffing return (SSDS001) for staff in post on 30 September 2000 (due back by 31 October 2000), and
- to remind them of the need to collect information on the ethnic origin of all their staff in post on this date using the ethnic classification that will be used for the 2001 Population Census.
He had previously described this need at the Social Services Workforce Roadshows run by the Social and Health Care Workforce Group in November and December 1999. He also asked them to provide the E-Mail address to which the spreadsheet to be used for supplying the data should be sent and a contact name and telephone number.
The letter from Keith Childs can be viewed at http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/ssds001.htm
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10. Appeal Court Decisions
R v London Borough of Richmond ex parte Watson
R v Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council ex parte Armstrong
R v Manchester City Council ex parte Stennett
R v London Borough of Harrow ex parte Cobham
On 27 July 2000 the Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the appeal of the four social services authorities in the above cases and confirmed the judgement of the High Court given by Mr Justice Sullivan on 28 July 1999. The High Court held that the four local authorities involved in the case were not entitled to charge the above patients for the residential accommodation to which they were entitled and which the local authorities provided as part of that after-care. Department of Health guidance on the implications of Mr Justice Sullivan's judgement in the High Court is set out in HSC2000/003: LAC(2000)3.
Link to HSC2000/003: LAC(2000)3
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11. CI(2000)17
I am writing to introduce the Department of Health's one-off publication, Social Care News. I would be grateful if you would distribute copies of it to relevant members of your staff.
Social Care News is aimed at informing people working in social care about the new NHS Plan and the Government's Response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care - both of which were published on 27 July. It outlines some of the implications that both have for our work.
Link to CI(2000)17
Ref. 22104 Will be mailed to Directors of Social Services, Chief Executives of Local Authorities with SSD's. Hard copies will be available w/e 7/8/00.
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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