Timetable for reporting of 'vital signs' performance sent to PCTs

David Flory, director general of NHS finance, performance and operations has written to PCT and SHA chief executives and SHA performance directors, setting out the process for reporting their performance against the 'vital signs' benchmarks. The letter includes a timetable beginning this week with delivery via SHAs of performance data to individual PCTs.

NICE starts work on setting quality standards

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has welcomed the referral of four clinical areas, stroke, dementia, neonatal care, venous thrombolembolism by the Department of Health following advice from the National Quality Board and will now begin work on setting NICE quality standards for the NHS using a pilot process. This work is a key part of making quality the organising principle of the NHS and supporting the drive to improve standards of care. More detail is available from NICE.

Changes to reporting procedures of overseas visitors from the EEA

DH has published a letter advising NHS chief executives of changes to the arrangements which NHS overseas visitor managers should follow in recording and reporting treatments of visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. The changes take effect in October.

Operational standards for cancer waiting times commitments

The attached letter from Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS medical director, provides details of the operational standards for existing and new commitments for cancer waiting times, which have just been released. These take into account the fact that for any given period there will be patients unavailable, because they elect to delay, are unfit, or it is clinically inappropriate to treat them within the commitment.

Shaping the future of care together

The social care green paper looks at the future of care and support in England. It proposes a National Care Service to ensure common standards and puts forward options for care funding. This briefing summarises the key features of the green paper.

Reducing alcohol harm: health services in England for alcohol misuse

This report states that alcohol misuse is a significant and growing problem in England, with more than 10 million people now regularly drinking above the guidelines set by Government. The report adds that alcohol misuse places a considerable burden on the NHS, costing an estimated £2.7 billion per year.

West Midlands primary care leads meeting

The West Midlands primary care leads meeting will be held tomorrow in Birmingham.

The network meeting provides an opportunity for PCT primary care leads to discuss the current issues in primary care. On the agenda will be an update from a recent SHA primary care leads meeting and an update from NHS PCC. If there are any questions arising from the agenda please contact marion.todd@pcc.nhs.uk or carol.marston@pcc.nhs.uk.

Good governance guidance published for PCT provider committees

The Appointments Commission and the Department of Health have published guidance to help PCTs with their governance arrangements for provider committees.

Provider committees are a committee of a PCT board, overseeing the operations of a PCT's provider arm. Governance Arrangements to Support PCT Provider Committees sets out core principles that should underpin the committee's membership and make-up.

New NHS contracts e-bulletin edition 8

This edition provides an update on the progress and current work relating to the development of NHS standard contracts, including news of the review of implementation and planned timescales for gathering comments that will help inform the contracts for 2010/11.

The Compact and procurement law: a guide to frequently asked questions

This guide clarifies how the Compact - the voluntary agreement between the government and the third sector - relates to procurement law. It is mainly written from the perspective of commissioners, though it will be useful to third sector organisations in financial relationships with the public sector.

Government pledges level playing field for ISTCs

The future use of Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) in the NHS, will be fairer and on the same terms as other providers of NHS services, Health Minister Mike O'Brien announced last week.

Under the changes, each contract will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and new services will be commissioned by the local Primary Care Trust where they are designed to meet local needs, provide value for money and benefit patients in that community.

Benchmarking project evaluation - please let us have your views

Following circulation last month of the final reports and briefings from the benchmarking primary care project, the biggest exercise of its kind ever undertaken, we would like to get the views of participating PCTs on the quality of information produced by the survey. If you have read the material, whether or not your PCT was among the 91 that submitted data, please complete the brief questionnaire on the PCC web site.

Practice management network continues to gain momentum

More than 1200 practice managers have registered to join the Practice Management Network due to go live this autumn with support from representative bodies including the BMA, NHS Alliance, NAPC and the Institute of Healthcare Management, among others. The network, hosted by NHS Networks, is not intended to replace the great many regional networks but to bring them together to give practice managers a national platform for support and a voice to influence policy. It will include an interactive online map of regional networks, including PCT contact points. PCTs that have not already submitted details are urged to contact alex.wright@dh.gsi.gov.uk and to direct practice managers on their patch to the Practice Management Network holding page, where they can download an electronic version of the newly published access guide and register for the network.

Amendment directions to EPS

Release 2 of the Electronic Prescription Service, where prescriptions can be transmitted electronically, introduces significant benefits for patients, prescribers and dispensers. These directions, which came into force on 1 December 2008, enable the 17 PCTs (Release 2 initial implementers) listed in the Schedule to authorise their primary medical services contractors or any practice established by the PCT to use the Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions (ETP) service. The directions are accompanied by guidance for all PCTs to support their implementation.

The Amendment Directions, which came into force on 1 July 2009, correct the names of two of the 17 PCTs listed in the Schedule.

Prescriptions dispensed in the community, statistics for 1998 to 2008: England

This bulletin presents a summary of prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors in England. The bulletin highlights recent changes and the main trends between 1998 and 2008.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society calls for older people to review their medicine with a pharmacist

New research by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) reveals how older people are taking a cocktail of medicine without fully understanding what they are or the side effects they are causing.

The RPSGB survey shows that nearly half (43%) of over 65's are currently taking over five medicines at any one time. However, one in five admits to not always taking the medicine as prescribed. Sixty per cent also believe that they either definitely or possibly have had a side effect from medicine - yet one in five said they did not get it checked.

Salaried dental benchmarking project

The salaried dental benchmarking project has had an excellent response from both PCTs and service providers. Over 100 PCTs took part. A first draft report has been prepared and is currently being validated. PCTs and providers have until 14 August to notify the NHS Benchmarking Network team of any changes to their benchmarking profiles. After this date the benchmarking positions will be re-analysed and reports prepared which will be available to subscribers during the first week of September. The many examples of good practice received during the project are now being reviewed.

Swine flu and dental services

The Department of Health issued the following guidance to PCTs and dentists on pandemic flu and dental services in September 2008. These documents are still relevant. They should be read with other guidance on pandemic flu available on the DH website.

Pandemic influenza: guidance on the delivery of and contract arrangements for primary care dentistry provides specific advice to the NHS on the delivery and contract arrangements for primary care dentistry in the event of a pandemic. It advises PCTs to identify locations and staff to treat patients with symptoms of swine flu who have acute dental problems that require immediate attention. Staff at these locations should be properly equipped and trained to use personal protective equipment.

Pandemic influenza: guidance for dental practices provides a brief overview of pandemic flu, how it is transmitted and the recommendations for containing its transmission with regard to dental settings.

Dental earnings and expenses 2007/8

The NHS Information Centre has published its latest dental earnings and expenses report for 2007/8.

Dental Access Programme - Workshop 3 events announced

As part of the Dental Access Programme's PCT procurement framework support package for local PCT procurements, the Department of Health's commercial team will now deliver workshop 3, the third in a series of four. Workshop 3 will cover invitation to tender (ITT), ITT evaluation and the template PDS agreement developed for the Dental Access Programme. Dates of the events are as follows.

• 1 September, Wellington
• 3 September, Nottingham
• 15 September, Birmingham
• 16 September, Manchester
• 18 September, Gatwick
• 29 September, Durham

First anniversary of compulsory registration for dental nurses and technicians

It is the first anniversary of compulsory registration with the General Dental Council for dental nurses and dental technicians in the UK. Since August 2008, dental patients have been secure in the knowledge that both professional groups had joined clinical dental technicians, dental therapists and dental hygienists on the register of dental care professionals.

Boots fined £30,000 by GOC for lack of supervision

The GOC has fined Boots Opticians for allowing an unqualified dispensing optician to dispense to a 14 year-old boy without the presence of an optometrist or dispensing optician. The optician, now qualified, was given a warning but told that his fitness to practise was not impaired.

Boots was cleared of failing to provide adequate training supervision at the Isle of Man practice between September 2005 and January 2007.

The GOC FTP panel said the size of the fine reflected the potentially grave consequences of the case.

Project Manager - NHS Networks

This is a temporary post providing project management support to NHS Networks, an NHS PCC partner organisation. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate excellent operational and administrative skills, the ability to work at all levels, a sound grasp of editorial principles and sound understanding but not in-depth technical knowledge of web development. NHS experience desirable but not essential. Initially for six months, the opportunity to extend the contract may be available.

CVs should be sent to sarah.rothwell@pcc.nhs.uk, copied to julian.patterson@pcc.nhs.uk. All CVs will also be considered for inclusion on our associates' database through which we advertise other contracts. If you do not want your CV putting on our database, please make this clear in your email.

Senior Finance Manager - PCT & Joint Commissioning - NHS Manchester

http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/cgi-bin/vacdetails.cgi?selection=912303426

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all NHS

August 2009

• 6th: WM: Primary Care Leads Meeting - Crowne Plaza Birmingham, B1 1HH
• 10th: Y&H: Dental Access Programme Workshop 1 - Hilton Leeds, LS1 4BX
• 11th: WM: Working Group for Annual Medical Services Contract Review - Holiday Inn Express Redditch, B97 6AE
• 19th: NW: Dental Access Programme Managers Meeting - Reebok Stadium: Bolton Wanderers FC / Devere Whites Hotel, Bolton BL6 6JW
• 20th: DH policy workshop for commissioners hosted by the system management and new enterprise team - City Inn Leeds, LS1 4BR
• 21st: DH policy workshop for commissioners hosted by the system management and new enterprise team - The Studio, Birmingham B2 5EP

September 2009

• 1st: SW: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - Cleve Hotel & Country Club, Wellington TA21 8SN
• 1st: DH policy workshop for commissioners hosted by the system management and new enterprise team - The Resource Centre, London N7 6PA
• 3rd: WM: Primary Care Leads Meeting - Maple House, Birmingham B4 6TB
• 3rd: WM: Steering Group Meeting - Maple House, Birmingham B4 6TB
• 3rd: EM: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - Eastwood Hall, Nottingham NG16 3SS
• 9th: EM: Dental Network - Holiday Inn Derby / Nottingham, NG10 5NJ
• 10th: WM: QOF Leads Network - Maple House, Birmingham B4 6TB
• 10th: YH: Primary Care Dental & Optometry Network Meetings (Inc Lunch) - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 10th: EM: Community Pharmacy Network - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 15th: EoE Regional Dental Network - Hilton Stansted Airport, CM24 1SF
• 15th: NW: Primary Care Leads (AM) & Steering Group Meetings (PM) - Holiday Inn Bolton, BL1 2EW
• 15th: WM: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - St John's Hotel, Solihull B91 1AT
• 16th: World Class Commissioning Assurance Launch of Year Two - The Brewery, London EC1Y 4SD
• 16th: NW: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - Park Inn Manchester, M4 4EW
• 18th: SEC: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - Sofitel London Gatwick, RH6 0PH
• 21st: YH: QOF Assessor Training - Hilton York, Y01 9WD
• 22nd: WM: Finance Leads Network - Aston Business School, Birmingham B4 7ET
• 23rd: EM: Primary Care Quality Network - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 24th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care - Medical Level 2 - Hilton Kensington, W11 4UL
• 24th: YH: Primary Care Policy Leads Network (Inc Lunch) - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 24th: YH: Primary Care Pharmacy Network (Inc Lunch) - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 24th: London: Finance Network - Friends House, London NW1 2BJ
• 25th: South Central : GOS/POS network meeting - Shaw House, Newbury RG14 2DR
• 25th: SC : QOF assessor training - NHS Milton Keynes, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6RT
• 29th: NE: Dental Access - Workshop 3 - Radisson SAS Durham, DH1 5TL

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

Other events

The NHS Information Centre world class commissioning analytical fair

Building on the success of our first analytical fair, this free NHS event offers another opportunity for commissioners to discuss the latest challenges related to using data and information to inform decision making and achieve world-class commissioning. The emphasis will be on PCTs sharing their successes and experiences to drive innovation in the use of data and information. The event, on 9 September in Leeds, will consist of keynote speakers, case study based seminars and a marketplace of exhibitors.