Chief Executive Bulletin 8-14 December 2000
Issue 45
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Hard copy versions of these publications can be ordered from the NHS Responseline 0541 555 455.
Contents:
NHS interest
1. Health Service Circular HSC 2000/036 Living And Working Conditions For Hospital Doctors In Training
2. Influenza Vaccine For Front Line Staff
3. Bedside TV and Telephones
4. National Benchmarking Service
5. Consultation on the Current Statutory Framework for the Treatment of Impotence on the National Health Service by GPs
6. New System of Public and Patient Involvement - Conference 30 January 2001
7. MET Office Workload Forecasts
8. Barbara Stocking: Message From Nigel Crisp
9. Reminder for returning Hospital Episode Statistics Activity Validation: 1999-2000 data year.
10. Commission For Health Improvement
NHS and Social Care interest
11. Mental Health National Service Framework - Workforce Action Team (WAT)
12. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(25) Alaris (IVAC) 597 and 598 Pumps: Risk of Over Infusion
13. Device Alerts - MDA DA2000(07) Breast Implants: PIP Hydrogel®; and MDA DA2000(08) Breast Implants: NovaGoldTM
Social Care interest
14. LASSL(2000)15 Special Grant Report No.69 - Children Services (Quality Protects) Special Grant: 2000/2001
15. Adoption Website
NHS interest
1. Health Service Circular HSC 2000/036 Living And Working Conditions For Hospital Doctors In Training
This circular announces action on improving living and working conditions for hospital doctors in training (junior doctors). The new standards and enforcement procedures it announces have been agreed with the BMA. The circular sets out the action required of the various parties concerned (Regions, Trusts, postgraduate deans and junior doctors themselves) and announces additional funding in 2001/2002 to help Trusts improve facilities. It refers readers to the full guidance on the websites:- http://www.doh.gov.uk/juniordoctors
http://nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/nhs/hr/juniordoctors.htm.
Circular
Ref. 22985 HSC, 22986 Guidance. Hard copies will be available w/c 18/12/00.
2. Influenza Vaccine for Front Line Staff
Letter from Neil McKay. Contains action for NHS trust and HA chief executives.
On 23 October 2000 Alan Doran, Acting Deputy Chief Executive, wrote to you stressing the great importance the Secretary of State places on effective preparations for this Winter. One key action is that every Health Authority and Trust should notify all its front-line staff that they can be vaccinated against influenza.
Link to letter
Full letter is being copied by e-mail to Directors of Public Health and LWPG Flu Co-ordinators.
3. Bedside TV and Telephones
The NHS Plan calls for bedside televisions and telephones to be available in every major hospital by 2004. NHS Estates, with NHS and Departmental colleagues, has been working with the private sector to develop a licensing system which qualifies suppliers to assist the NHS in delivering this target. Trusts should use these preferred organisations, who offer products that will deliver a high quality service to patients.
Trusts must now ready themselves for the introduction of TV and telephone systems before 2004. In most cases, this will be by negotiating a service concession, eg access to the hospital for a licensed supplier to install and run the service. If you have plans for a new build you will still be required to use a licensed supplier. Not using a licensed supplier puts your Trust at risk of failure in respect of your IM&T, Supplies and Estates Strategies.
A list of currently licensed suppliers and their contact details is given below. Some suppliers have been issued a provisional licence to work with named Trusts.
Further details will be mailed to Trusts this week. This will include information about a series of Regional Roadshows early in the New Year at which you will be able to talk to licensed suppliers and to ask questions about the target and how to achieve it.
If you have any queries, you should contact John Wood at NHS Estates on 0161 432 6828.
Link to currently licensed suppliers
4. National Benchmarking Service
A new benchmarking database, The National Benchmarking Service, will be available to NHS organisations on the NHSnet from Friday 15 December. The website provides health authorities and NHS Trusts with tools to compare performance and activity levels across a range of service areas. The website also allows the NHS to use performance information to analyse performance against the Performance Assessment Framework, and contains links to other useful sites.
Access, feedback and support
To obtain access to the website, send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask], headed: "request for NBS support". You will then receive the website address and password and instructions on how to get started, and we will register your organisation with the NBS support team.
A helpdesk has been set up to deal with technical enquiries regarding the website and its applications on: 0113 254 5609. The helpdesk will be staffed from 09.00 to 16.30, Monday to Friday. There will also be a 24 hour answerphone service. Feedback and ideas on how to improve the website are welcome and can be sent by e-mail to: [log in to unmask] We intend to develop the website - making NHS Benchmarking information more accessible and relevant to NHS needs. Please visit the website and let us have your views.
5. Consultation on the Current Statutory Framework for the Treatment of Impotence on the National Health Service by GPs
A review of the current statutory framework for the treatment of impotence by GPs on the National Health Service began on 11 December.
Written comments and views are being sought on the operation of the current policy. Replies should be sent to the Department of Health by Monday 05 February 2001.
Details and copies of the consultation letter are available on www.doh.gov.uk/impotencetreatment
6. New System of Public and Patient Involvement - Conference 30 January 2001
Chapter 10 of the NHS Plan set out the new system for public and patient involvement and the abolition of CHCs (subject to legislation). Since the announcement we have been working with stakeholders at national and regional level to develop the detail of the Patient Forums, Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service (PALS) and Independent Local Advisory Forums (ILAFs). We have also been in consultation with the DETR and the Local Government Association with regard to role of the Local Authority Overview Scrutiny Committees (OSCs).
This bold move brings the patient a voice to the core of the health service and presents a significant challenge for us all. The early guidance and key principles for Patients Forums, PALS and ILAFs is being launched by Alan Milburn at an event on 30 January 2001. We shall be in contact soon with details of the event that will be held in London. Regional Offices will be following up with a number of regional and local events and also be contacting you for your implementation plans.
Please check www.nhs.uk/voice for updates.
7. MET Office Workload Forecasts
WEST and the Met office are issuing twice weekly workload forecasts, which will bring together the following information:
· Respiratory Disease and Flu Surveillance information
· Existing workload
· Weather information
There are two levels of information:
· The workload forecasts will be in detail for a limited number of specific areas. These are piloting the detailed system for possible role out in the future.
· Regional level forecasts
We expect all those involved in responding to winter demand both in trusts and primary care to use the information as part of the management data-set when planning their organisations continued response to winter pressures.
The forecasts can be obtained on the NHS web on the following address: nww.doh.nhsweb.nhs.uk/winter
8. Barbara Stocking: Message From Nigel Crisp
I am writing to let you know that Barbara Stocking has been appointed as the Director of Oxfam. As you know she has been part of the top management team for the last 7 years and has made an enormous contribution both nationally and regionally. Knowing that this appointment was a possibility, I had asked her to take on a temporary position as Director of the modernisation agency in order to make sure we established it on a sound basis. I am pleased to say that she will be staying with us to do this until the end of April.
She has already engaged with colleagues in developing the thinking around the two arms of the agency - the Leadership Centre and the spreading of good practice. She is setting up meetings within the regions to engage stakeholders in planning the modernisation agency with a view to seeing concrete progress very soon.
We will advertise for the posts of Director of the Modernisation Agency and Head of the Leadership Centre early in the New Year.
9. Reminder for returning Hospital Episode Statistics Activity Validation: 1999-2000 data year.
The Hospital Episode Statistics (SD2HES) team would like to remind Directors of Information and all HES nominees that the Activity Validation for 1999-2000 data report should have been returned back to the Department of Health, London, by the 15th December 2000.
These figures will be used to inform coverage and completeness estimated of analysis based on Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data.
Full address and contact details are shown below:
For the attention of Mark O'Connor/John Headon, Department of Health, Statistics Division 2, Room 430B, Skipton House, 80 London Road, London SE1 6LH.
Other contact details -
Mark O'Connor: Tel 020-7972-5303 direct or e-mail [log in to unmask] , or
John Headon: Tel 020-7972-5768 direct or e-mail [log in to unmask]
10. Commission For Health Improvement
13 December 2000 - First hospital review reports published
The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) has published its first reviews of hospitals, the beginning of a four year programme that will cover every hospital, health authority, primary care trust, NHS trust and local health group in England and Wales. The reports cover hospitals in Chesterfield, Southampton and Sunderland.
Link to reports - http://www.doh.gov.uk/chi/investreports.htm
NHS / Social Care interest
11. Mental Health National Service Framework - Workforce Action Team (WAT)
As you know, the Interim Report of the WAT was published in September and is available on www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/mentalhealth.htm. The Report promised to disseminate the key messages telling you about the work of the WAT as they happen and you may wish to know that the first WAT Newsletter is about to be included on the web.
12. SAFETY NOTICE - MDA SN2000(25) Alaris (IVAC) 597 and 598 Pumps: Risk of Over Infusion
This Safety Notice was issued on 29 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] http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of SN 2000(25) can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/SN2000(25).htm
13. Device Alerts
MDA DA2000(07) Breast Implants: PIP Hydrogel®
This Device Alert was issued on 11 Decenber 2000 to NHS Trust, Health Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual, it was also faxed to Trust and Health Authority Liaison Officers for immediate 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] http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of DA 2000(07) can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/DA2000(07).htm
MDA DA2000(08) Breast Implants: NovaGoldTM
This Device Alert was issued on 11 December 2000 to NHS Trust, Health Authority and Primary Care Trust Chief Executives. As usual, it was also faxed to Trust and Health Authority Liaison Officers for immediate 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] http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Electronic version of DA 2000(08) can be found at: www.medical-devices.gov.uk/DA2000(08).htm
Social Care Interest
14. LASSL(2000)15 Special Grant Report No.69 - Children Services (Quality Protects) Special Grant: 2000/2001
This Report authorises the payment to local councils of the £120 million special grant for 2000-2001, the second year of the Quality Protects programme, minus the £1.5m which has been topsliced for the National Foster Care Recruitment Campaign .The majority of the money (£117.77m) has been allocated to local councils and the rest is being used to fund the Quality Protects Regional Development Workers and Regional Development Assistants. Payment has also been made to Birmingham City Council for a Regional Development Assistant for 1999/2000.
Circular
Ref. 22943. Hard copies with the Special Grant report have been mailed to Chief Executives of LAs with PSS responsibilities and Directors of Social Services
15. Adoption Website
I am currently preparing a web page on domestic and intercountry adoption for inclusion on the Department of Health's web site. It is hoped the site will be launched this month. The pages are designed for anyone who is involved in or has an interest in adoption. There be a Useful Addresses section which will include address details of Central and Local Government, councils and VAAs, support and post adoption groups.
I should like to include the address details of your adoption team and should be grateful if you could provide: the correct contact address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and internet addresses for interested people to contact.
If you wish, supply a couple of sentences describing your service. Remember that any information supplied will be your responsibility to keep up to date.
If you have an internet address, are you content for a link to be made between our two sites?
A response by 19 December would be most appreciated. You may find it quicker to either e-mail me at [log in to unmask] or telephone me (tel: 020 7972 4597) with your information, in view of the extra burden on the Post Office at present due to Christmas.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss
Mrs Ruth Wilson, Department of Health, Social Care Group - Adoption and Permanence Team
Tel: 020 7972 4597, Fax: 020 7972 4179, e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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