70,000 lives saved by NHS Stop Smoking Services

At least 70,000 lives have been saved by NHS Stop Smoking Services in the ten years since they were established, according to new figures released this week.

PCTs need to 'improve their performance' on youth mental health

Primary care trusts need to "improve their performance" on providing child and adolescent mental health services for children and young people with learning disabilities, claims a report in HSJ.

RNIB vision to feature at South West eye care event

Anita Lightstone of RNIB will present the institute's Vision 20:20 strategy at the eye care network meeting for PCTs in the South West region on 6 October. Places are still available at the event, which will also be attended by PCC associate and eye care expert John Hearnshaw. Further details are available on the events pages of the PCC website.

WCC assurance handbook available for download

The fully updated version of the world class commissioning handbook was published to coincide with last week's national event for PCT and SHA chief executives and boards. It is available to download from the DH website.

Virtual conference now live for the launch of world class commissioning assurance year 2

The virtual conference for the launch of world class commissioning (WCC) assurance year 2 is now live. This is a chance to view what happened at the biggest event in the WCC calendar. Watch NHS leaders talk about how WCC is helping them drive forward commissioning in their local areas and get a better understanding of current issues in the commissioning arena.

Visit www.policyreview.tv/healthandsocialcare/wcc to:

• Watch the keynotes, panel discussion and interactive workshop sessions
• Download presentations, podcasts and associated documentation vital for your role
• Gather practical support to develop your strategic commissioning skills and capabilities

A longer write-up of the event is available on the DH website.

PBC clinical leader appeals for more involvement

National PBC clinical network lead, Dr James Kingsland, argues for a stronger relationship between PCTs and clinicians in a piece for the latest Commissioning Excellence. "Let the clinician do the needs assessment and determine the best care pathway. Let the PCT manage the contracts and the procurements, administer the budgets and write the strategic plan - a true partnership and co-production of experts," he writes.

Health Building Note (HBN) 11-01

Health Building Note (HBN) 11-01 - 'Facilities for primary and community care services' - provides design guidance for health and care commissioners, primary and community care contractors, and designers of service facilities. You can obtain this publication from the publication page of the DH Knowledge and Information Portal. This site is the place to access the latest Department of Health estates & facilities guidance including health building notes, health technical memoranda, and research and development titles. You will need to register with the portal before being able to obtain publications.

NHS Employers and GPC agree changes to dispensing fee scale

NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) have agreed changes to the dispensing fee scale, effective from 1 October 2009. The agreement includes a new mechanism to uplift the fee scale every year and splits it into two components of cost and pay. The changes will reimburse dispensing practices for the increased volume of items whilst limiting the 'profit' element and ensuring that any changes to 'profit' are comparable to the award for GPs through the Doctors and Dentists Review Body process. See NHS Employers website for more information including the full details of the fee scales for 2009/10.

Practice boundaries to go

Andy Burnham, the health secretary, has announced plans to abolish practice boundaries within 12 months. Read his speech in full.

GP earnings and expenses 2007/08: provisional report

The NHS Information Centre has published the latest report on GP earnings and expenses. This covers the financial year 2007/08 and presents average GP earnings in the UK and for each country.

Investment in general practice 2003/04 to 2008/09

The report draws on information obtained from country level financial monitoring reports discussed by the Technical Steering Committee (TSC), which is chaired by the NHS Information Centre and has representation from the four UK health departments, NHS Employers and the British Medical Association.

Amending regulations

The Medicines (Pharmacies) (Applications for Registration and Fees - Amendment) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2502) have been laid in Parliament and come into force on 5 October 2009. They allow the RPSGB's registrars to accept applications from existing pharmacy businesses for registration of additional pharmacy premises during an influenza pandemic, without the need to provide all the information that is usually required with applications for registration in their registers. In addition, it allows the registrars to waive all or part of the prescribed registration fee. Download the regulations and the explanatory memorandum.

Control of entry guidance updated

The control of entry guidance produced to assist PCTs to assess applications to provide NHS pharmaceutical services has been rewritten and includes the latest set of amendment regulations which came into effect today on 17 September 2009 - SI 2009/2205.

Deputy CDO speaks at British Orthodontic Society conference

The first 'Orthodontic Commissioning Education Day' took place to coincide with this year's British Orthodontic Conference in Edinburgh on 14 September. Over 100 PCT representatives attended to share learning about local commissioning and contracting around different areas of the country. Speakers included deputy CDO, Sue Gregory. A full report will be published on the BOS website.

NADA conference 2009

This year's National Association of Dental Advisers' (NADA) conference will take place on 12 and 13 November in London. The theme will be 'Managing change in a changing world'. Booking is available on line.

GOC goes electronic with annual report 2008/09

The General Optical Council (GOC) this week launched its first ever online annual report. The report covers the council's work and achievements over the last 12 months.

Head of Practice Based Commissioning - South West Essex Primary Care Trust

More information

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all NHS

September 2009

• 24th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Medical Level 2 - Hilton Kensington, W11 4UL
• 24th: YH: Primary Care Policy Leads and Pharmacy Network meetings - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 24th: LDN: 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
• 28th: LDN: Dental Access Programme Workshop 1 & 2 (re-run) - Holiday Inn Regents Park, London W1W 5EE
• 29th: EM: Invitation Only - PBC Clinical Network - Thistle East Midlands Airport Hotel, Derby DE74 2SH
• 29th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Eyecare - Park Inn Russell Square, London WC1B 4BH
• 29th: EoE: Primary Care finance leads network - Hilton Stansted Airport, CM24 1SF
• 30th: Y&H: World Class Commissioning for Safety and Quality in Primary and Community Care Services - Royal Armouries Leeds, Leeds LS10 1LT

October 2009

• 1st: London: GOS Network - King's Fund, London W1A 0AX
• 1st: EM Community Pharmacy Building Foundations Level 1 - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 6th: SW : Eyecare Network Meeting - Cleve Hotel & Country Club, Wellington TA21 8SN
• 6th: Market Communication Events for the Dental Access Programme (Information day for Potential Dental Providers) - Crowne Plaza Birmingham, B1 1HH
• 6th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Fitness to Practise - Thistle Kingsley, London WC1A 2SD
• 7th: SW :Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Eye Care - Cleve Hotel & Country Club, Wellington TA21 8SN
• 7th: WM: QOF Assessor Training - Birmingham City Football Club,
• 8th: EM; QOF Network - Holiday Inn Derby / Nottingham, NG10 5NJ
• 8th: Market Communication Events for the Dental Access Programme (Information Evening for Potential Dental Providers) - Abbey Hotel, Redditch B98 9BE
• 9th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: QOF - Radisson Edwardian Manchester, M2 5GP
• 12th: LDN: POL Training - Wellcome Conference Centre, London NW1 2BE

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