NHS National Leadership Council members named

NHS chief executive David Nicholson last week named more than 40 prominent people who will form the National Leadership Council, a body devoted to the cause of high-quality leadership in the NHS. David Nicholson will chair the NLC, which also includes Dr Mark Goldman, who will champion the cause of clinical leadership, Dr Barbara Hakin, who will be responsible for attracting better candidates to the top NHS jobs and Julian Hartley, who will look at how emerging leaders can be developed.

The full story is on the Department of Health website.

A new vision for mental health and well-being

The millions of people who suffer from or might face mental illness at some point in their lives will be the focus of a new strategy, announced by care services minister Phil Hope.

Further details are available on the DH website.

Regional world class commissioning events not to be missed

PCTs in London and the north-east are advised to make room in their diaries in May for the world-class commissioning events aimed at board members, senior managers and commissioners of primary care. Speakers include PCC representatives and senior figures responsible for commissioning policy from the Department of Health including director of commissioning Gary Belfield, director of primary care and community services strategy Jill Matthews and head of dental and eye care services David Lye. PCC advisors will also be available to address local issues and answer delegates' specific questions. Further regional events are running throughout the year.

For further information and bookings:

London, 12 May

County Durham, 13 May

Understanding health care markets: a PCT guide to market analysis and market management

The new NHS Constitution has at its centre the right of patients to choose. This choice is underpinned by competition between health care providers, competition that is intended to be a driving force for improved quality and efficiency. This guide is intended as a short introduction for PCTs to market analysis and market management.

Express LIFT: memorandum of information for PCTs

The Local Improvement Finance Trust initiative, part of the wider Public Private Partnership strategy, is designed to stimulate investment in local primary and social care facilities. This memorandum of information has been written to support PCTs interested in the Express LIFT framework.

A guide for the management of dual diagnosis for prisons

Dual diagnosis, the co-existence of mental health and substance misuse problems, has a higher prevalence in prisons than in the general community. This document provides good practice guidance to commissioners and practitioners on the management of dual diagnosis within a prison setting.

Investment in General Practice 2003/4 to 2007/8, England, Wales and Northern Ireland

This report was published by the NHS Information Centre on 16 April. It contains information on trends at country level.

GP extended opening hours to end March 2009

This data shows the number of GP practices within each commissioner area (PCTs and Commissioning Care Trusts) and how many of those practices were offering extended opening hours on the census date (31 March 2009). Key findings this month:

• Of 8,253 practices, 6,069 (73.5%) offered extended opening hours on the census date. This compares with 72.4% in February.
• 151 (99.3%) commissioners have achieved the operating framework aim of 50% of their GP practices offering extended opening hours. In February there were 149 (98.0%) commissioners that had achieved this aim.
• 69 (45.4%) commissioners have 75% or more of their practices offering extended hours. In February this was 65 (42.8%).
• Two PCTs (1.3%) had 100% of their practices offering extended hours this compares with one (0.7%) in February.

INPS warns of error in QOF year-end returns

INPS has announced that the accuracy of QOF year-end returns may be compromised by a software fault. INPS has identified the source of the problem and its website carries advice to those who may be affected.

Primary Care Access Survey abandoned

The Department of Health has confirmed that PCAS is ceasing with immediate effect and there is no need to continue with the April (Q1) survey.

Amendment to the 2009/10 QOF guidance - clarification

Last week we reported that the guidance published by NHS Employers had been amended but left it to readers to work out what had changed. The answer is that the wording of smoking indicator 3 (p115, paragraph 3) has been clarified and, in the online version, a link to the British Hypertension Society website has been removed.

The amended document is available to download from the PCC website.

King's Fund launches inquiry into quality of general practice

The King's Fund is running an 18-month inquiry into the quality of general practice in England. Launched in April 2009, the inquiry will collect and examine evidence on the quality of care and services provided by GPs and other health professionals working in general practice. It will examine a number of key areas, including patients' access to care, the quality of diagnosis and referral, and how patients with long-term conditions are cared for.

NCAS launches pharmacy service

The National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) has from 1 April 2009 extended its performance advice and support services to include pharmacists. NCAS provides a free, confidential service to help health organisations and practitioners where there is a concern about an individual dentist, doctor or pharmacist.

See the NCAS website for details.

Government proposal to fund supply of ability aids through community pharmacy

Under the new Transforming Community Equipment Services (TCES) programme, accredited pharmacies may be reimbursed by the government for dispensing ability aids and equipment against prescriptions.

See the PSNC website for details.

Dental equitable access workshops get underway

The DH is holding workshops for PCTs and SHAs introducing the policy aspects of the Dental Access Programme and providing information on the early steps of the procurement process. A PCT procurement framework has been developed for PCTs to support local procurements of dental services and attendees will be given information and guidance on using the framework and adapting documentation to meet local needs. Information will also be provided on the process going forward, timescales for delivery and the support to be made available from the DH.

Some dates and venues are to be confirmed, but check the events pages of the PCC website for provisional details.

South Central, 6 May

East of England, 7 May

South West, 12 May

West Midlands, 18 May

New decontamination guidance

This guidance (Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices) has been produced to reflect a reasonable and rational response to emerging evidence around the effectiveness of decontamination in primary care dental practices, and the possibility of prion transmission through protein decontamination of dental instruments.

The chief dental officer has written a letter introducing the guidance.

Case studies and examples sought

PCC is looking for case studies and examples of using non-recurrent funding for dentistry, which may include:

• NHS branding for practices
• IT infrastructure investment
• Fluoride varnish purchase
• Dental team education programmes
• Short term capacity
• Extended hours
• Reducing waiting lists
• Patient information campaigns
• Social marketing
• Needs assessments
• Pump-priming change in existing contracts
• Staff manual / guide to the contract

Other ideas are also welcome. Please email ben.mcclelland@pcc.nhs.uk with examples or to get in touch with a member of the PCC dental team.

Publication of GOS contract compliance framework

PCC has now published its GOS Contract Compliance Framework, previously known as the GOS Contract Monitoring Toolkit. The change of name was agreed with the national optical professional bodies.

PCTs which have not previously undertaken a routine programme of three-yearly contract compliance visits to their optical contractors should use the framework as a basis for such a programme. Those PCTs which already undertake optical practice visits may want to use PCC's model practice visit form as a basis of comparison with their own visiting protocol.

The framework also contains revised documentation for post-payment verification (PPV) visits which has been agreed with the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS) of the NHS BSA. Again PCTs may want to compare their existing protocols with those published.

All PCTs will need the services of an independent optometric advisor to obtain the maximum benefit from the framework.

Commissioning manager and controller, Isle of Wight PCT

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all

April 2009

• 21st: Commissioning Offender Health Care - Radisson Edwardian Manchester, Manchester M2 5GP
• 21st: By invitation only:South Central Performers List Event - Holiday Inn Southampton, Southampton
• 22nd: NHS London GOS Network - Regus City Point, London EC2Y 9HT
• 22nd: North West Primary Care Leads Meeting - Stanley House, Lancashire BB2 7NP
• 22nd: North West Primary Care Steering Group - Stanley House, Lancashire BB2 7NP
• 23rd: By Invitation only: Performer and Pharmaceutical List Management Day (Beds, Herts and Luton PCTs) - Mercure Letchworth Hall Hotel, Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 3NP
• 23rd: W Midlands Region: QOF Leads Meeting - Osprey House, Redditch, Redditch B97 4DE
• 27th: NHS London; Equitable Access Programme Network Meeting - De-Vere West One, W1B 1PR
• 27th: Social Enterprise Network Learning Event - Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH
• 27th: Dental Access Programme: Potential Provider Information Event - Manchester - Midland Hotel, Manchester M60 2DS
• 28th: Dental Access Programme: Potential Provider Information Event - Guoman Tower, London E1W 1LD
• 28th: South West Eyecare Network Meeting - The Cleve Hotel and Country Club, Wellington, nr Taunton TA21 8SN
• 28th: NW Primary Care Finance Leads Network - Macdonald Tickled Trout Hotel, Preston PR5 0UJ
• 29th: E Midlands Region: Dental Network - Holiday Inn, Sandiacre,
• 29th: EoE Steering Group - Great Hallingbury Manor, Bishop's Stortford CM227TJ
• 29th: EoE Primary Care Commissioning Leads meetings - Great Hallingbury Manor, Bishop's Stortford CM227TJ
• 30th: NHS London Primary Care Finance Network - The Wellcome Conference Centre, NW1 2BE

For further event dates please see www.pcc.nhs.uk/events