The H1N1 swine flu vaccination programme 2009-2010

Letter providing information to assist immunisation leads, pandemic influenza leads and flu co-ordinators in further planning for the swine flu (influenza A (H1N1v) 2009) vaccination programme.

Swine flu clinical package

The swine flu clinical package is a set of tools for use by frontline healthcare professionals, in severe and exceptional circumstances, during a pandemic situation.

Relationships matter! Web seminar

Maggie Morgan-Cooke, head of international relationships, NHS Institute, will present a web seminar between 4-5pm on 15 October on how NHS staff and key stakeholders can meet the current challenge to balance efficiency whilst simultaneously driving up quality. Register for the event on the NHS Institute website.

London Payments On Line training

NHS London Payments On Line (POL) training will be held on 12 October at the Wellcome Conference Centre. This event, aimed at new and experienced users, is only open to subscribers in the London region. Trish Burtenshaw and Paul Whiteside, customer liaison managers for the Business Support Agency Dental Services Division, will take delegates back to basics and demonstrate best practice procedures for creating contracts, maintaining baselines, recording adjustments, closing performers' contracts, 24 hour retirement, changes to the NHS pension scheme and retrieving data from POL. Please note that this is a half-day workshop. Delegates can attend either the morning or afternoon sessions.

Auditors' local evaluation and use of resources 2008/09: summary results for NHS trusts and primary care trusts

Each year, the Audit Commission assesses how well NHS trusts and primary care trusts manage their resources and deliver value for money. For 2008/09, these assessments have been based on the auditors' local evaluation for NHS trusts and use of resources for primary care trusts. This national report outlines the scores and how they should be viewed in the context of the overall financial performance of the NHS in 2008/09.

Practice based commissioning (PBC) GP practice survey wave 8

This is the eighth quarterly practice survey for 2009, covering a sample of practices from each primary care trust (PCT), conducted between June and August 2009. The aims of the survey are to get feedback from practices on their perception of the support offered by their PCT and on the clinical and financial engagement of practices with PBC. The survey is part of a group of indicators that will be assessed together to give a picture of PBC implementation.

Integrated care pilots: an introductory guide

This introductory guide to the national programme of integrated care pilots and evaluation provides a summary of the work each pilot will be doing as they implement and test their models of integrated care.

Commissioning local breastfeeding support services

This commissioning guidance aims to assist commissioners and PCTs in providing coherent services that will promote breastfeeding and reduce inequalities.

New DH guidance on substance misuse published

Until now there has been no formal guidance to help clinicians to manage substance dependence among young people. This has left practitioners concerned that their practice may not accord with the developing evidence base. A new guidance document, published by the Department of Health, describes good practice on the best ways to manage a clinically complex condition.

GMC guidance on confidentiality

The General Medical Council has published new confidentiality guidance with up-to-the-minute advice on electronic health records, sharing information with patients' families and disclosures for research and other secondary uses; plus supplementary guides on reporting gunshot and knife wounds, responding to criticism in the press and reporting concerns to the DVLA.

New resources for learning disabilities DES now available

NHS Bristol's DES information pack for people with learning disabilities is now available.

Out of hours primary care services: PCTs' contract and performance management arrangements

This is a letter to primary care trusts in relation to the Care Quality Commission independent enquiry into provision of out-of-hours GP services. It reiterates that PCTs have a legal obligation to make sure out of hours services are delivered safely and to a high standard.

General practice in England: an overview

This briefing sets out how general practice is organised, contracted and financed, analyses the impact of recent government policy, and looks at future trends.

Contractor GP earnings fall to £106,072, according to figures from the NHS Information Centre

The average earnings before tax of contractor GPs in the UK fell to £106,072 in 2007/08 - a reduction of 1.5 per cent since the previous year, according to a report from The NHS Information Centre.

Quality and Outcomes Framework 2008/09 statistics now published

The Information Centre has published the latest results of achievement against the QOF by general practice.

Responsible pharmacist regulations to be reviewed

Following the implementation on 1 October of the responsible pharmacist regulations, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and DH are to review the community pharmacy contractual framework and NHS Pharmaceutical Services Regulations to clarify the extent to which pharmacies with a single pharmacist can operate within NHS Terms of Service. Further information is available on the PSNC website.

Last chance to comment on PNA guidance

The deadline for PCT pharmacy leads to respond to NHS Employers' call for comments on its recently published pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) guidance is this Friday 9 October. The guidance was developed with the help of PCTs. Please give your feedback via the brief online questionnaire.

Conditional grant agreements - template and guidance now available

A template agreement and accompanying guidance have been developed for use by PCTs and contractors to resolve funding issues exacerbated by the timing of the 2009/10 procurement.

CDO Update now available

The latest edition of the chief dental officer's newsletter, CDO Update, is now available.

One in four dental patients 'want to complain but don't'

A quarter (26 per cent) of dental patients have wanted to complain about their dental care but didn't, according to a survey by the Dental Complaints Service (DCS).

Of the dental patients surveyed, a third (37 per cent) had complained about some aspect of their dental care, says the DCS, a free to use service which has helped resolve more than 5,000 complaints about private dental care since its launch three years ago.

Extension of claim period for Continuing Education and Training (CET) payment

PCTs should note that the claim period for the CET payment this year has been extended to 31 October 2009.

The central ophthalmic payments system has been updated to allow claims to be entered until that date without any warning message being displayed and a notice is on the system website. Claim forms show the old deadline but PCTs should continue to accept claims until 31 October 2009.

Associate director, NHS Primary Care Commissioning

NHS PCC has an opportunity for a self-motivated leader with effective influencing and negotiation skills and an extensive knowledge of commissioning healthcare to work as an associate director. You will be joining an established team that supports PCTs in contracting and commissioning and works closely with the Department of Health in delivering the national primary care agenda. You will be responsible for a team of PCC advisors and will report to the director of NHS PCC. This is a permanent position, though secondments will also be considered. The successful candidate may be based anywhere but will be required to work nationally. This post will appear on the NHS Jobs website where further details will be posted this week.

Primary care development & commissioning manager - NHS Gloucestershire

More information

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all NHS

October 2009

• 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 Level 1 - Radisson Edwardian Manchester, M2 5GP
• 12th: LDN: POL Training - Wellcome Conference Centre, London NW1 2BE
• 13th: NW: BY INVITATION ONLY Dental Clinical Engagement Event - Reebok Stadium: Bolton Wanderers FC / Devere Whites Hotel, Bolton BL6 6JW
• 13th: South West Peninsula Back to Basics Workshop - Future Inn Plymouth, Plymouth PL6 5ZD
• 14th: NW: POL Training Event (AM & PM) - Park Inn Manchester, M4 4EW
• 14th: Market Communication Events for the Dental Access Programme (Information day for Potential Dental Providers) - Best Western Stoke on Trent Moat House, ST1 5BQ
• 14th: EM: Dental Network - Holiday Inn Derby / Nottingham, NG10 5NJ
• 15th: EM: QOF Assessor Training - Village Nottingham, NG9 6DL
• 15th: EoE: Eye Care Leads Network - Radisson Stansted Airport, CM24 1PP
• 15th: Northern: Pharmacy Panel Training - Park Inn York, YO1 6JF
• 15th: SC: PMS/GMS contract review event - Chequers Hotel, Newbury RG14 1JB
• 15th: SEC: Dental Bidder Programme Event - Mercure London Gatwick Hotel, Gatwick RH6 0BE
• 19th: EM: Eye Care - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 20th: NW: Primary Care Finance Leads - Macdonald Tickled Trout Hotel, Preston PR5 0UJ
• 20th: EoE: Community Pharmacy Commissioning leads network - Radisson Stansted Airport, CM24 1PP
• 21st: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Medical Level 2 - Crowne Plaza Manchester, M4 4AF
• 21st: NW: Dental - Service Experience Event - Renaissance Manchester Hotel, Manchester M3 2EQ
• 22nd: Northern: POL Training - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 26th: WM: Dental Leads Workshop 2 (E-reporting & Contract Management) - Clarendon Suites, Birmingham B16 9SB
• 28th: Primary Care Commissioning for Offenders - Hilton London Metropole, W2 1JU
• 29th: NW: GOS Network Meeting - Ramada Manchester Piccadilly, M1 4PH

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