The quality and productivity challenge

David Nicholson recently wrote to NHS boards asking them to respond to the quality and productivity challenge, and asked all NHS leaders to encourage staff to feedback their thoughts. David Nicholson and Jim Easton, NHS national director for improvement and efficiency, are also having conversations with national stakeholders from across the system.

David and Jim are specifically interested to hear about the scale of the challenge and issues such as leadership, engagement and any potential changes to policy which may be needed.

Please respond to the challenge by 31 October by emailing: QIPPChallenge@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Ian Dalton's swine flu update - preparing for winter pressures

In his weekly update for HSJ and Nursing Times, national director for NHS flu resilience Ian Dalton discusses the latest developments in UK swine flu preparations.

New study to examine benefits of personal health budgets

Twenty sites across England have been selected to participate in a study to identify the benefits of personal budgets for health and the patient groups who will benefit most from them, health minister Phil Hope announced last week.

Northern pharmacy panel training

The northern pharmacy panel training day will take place tomorrow in York. Arranged for the PCTs in Yorkshire and Humber, North East and North West regions, it is aimed at PCT leads responsible for managing the processes for community pharmacy panel applications under the control of entry regulations.

Primary care and community care services: improving quality in primary care

This is a practical guide to support PCTs as commissioners of primary care, in working with local clinicians and other stakeholders - including patients - to promote continuous quality and productivity improvement in primary care services. The quality guide and others in the series are available on the DH website.

Review body on doctors' and dentists' remuneration: review for 2010/11

The general aims in setting pay uplifts are to set salaries and incomes at the right levels to recruit, retain, and motivate sufficient numbers of high quality doctors and dentists to deliver government policy for the benefit of patients, in a manner which is affordable in both the short and longer terms. This document contains details of the uplifts for 2010/11 proposed by the government.

Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April to June 2009

This quarterly report presents provisional results from the monitoring of the NHS Stop Smoking Services in England during the period 1 April to 30 June 2009.

PCTs advised to wait for swine flu DES before taking alternative measures

PCTs are reminded that the development of a directed enhanced service (DES) for swine flu vaccination and amendments to the statement of financial entitlements (SFE) are at an advanced stage. There is therefore no need to develop local enhanced services (LES) or amendments to the existing seasonal flu DES. Ian Dalton, national director for NHS flu resilience is expected to write to PCT chief executives confirming the arrangements in the near future. Details will be posted on the NHS PCC website as soon as they become available.

Audio presentation on financial impact of GMS contract changes

NHS PCC has produced an audio version of special advisor Mark Wilson's presentation on the impact of changes to the GMS contract 2009/10. The presentation includes a detailed description of the financial impact of the contract uplift on MPIG and Global Sum and is aimed at directors of finance, primary care accountants and contract managers.

GP patient survey FAQs

This document provides answers to frequently asked questions from PCTs on the GP patient survey.

Alternative Provider Medical Services Directions 2009

These directions have been given to primary care trusts in England and came into force on 17 September 2009. See also the directions for PMS, which came into force on the same date.

Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: pharmacy level 2

This event builds on the level 1 events for contractors and commissioners of pharmaceutical services. It includes an update on the pharmacy white paper and the Health Bill 2009, pharmacy consumer research carried out by the Department of Health, the latest set of amending regulations, the new arrangements for the provision of appliances and procuring LPS. Delegates will be able to attend two of four workshops looking at issues such as control of entry, local pharmaceutical services, pharmaceutical needs assessments and monitoring of 100-hour pharmacies. To reserve your place, book via the events pages of the PCC website.

Information governance requirements for community pharmacy

The 2009/10 NHS Operating Framework requires NHS providers to provide assurance to their commissioners regarding the management of personal information. To support this work, a consultative version of the information governance requirements for community pharmacy will be published on the NHS Connecting for Health (CFH) website by the end of October 2009, together with guidance for each requirement. CFH and DH are working with NHS Employers to ensure that the toolkit meets the needs of PCTs. For more information, see the PSNC website.

Implementing the Health Act 2006: review of fees for applications to provide pharmaceutical services in England: consultation document

The National Health Services Pharmaceutical Services (Fees for Applications) Directions 2008 (as amended in April 2008) came into force on 21 April 2008 and specify the types of application for which a fee will be payable and the levels of such fees. The Government undertook during the passage of the Health Bill 2006 to consider a general review of this measure 18 months after it was introduced.

Update on pharmacy white paper

At each PSNC meeting an internal rolling report on the pharmacy white paper is reviewed by the committee. The report provides a summary of PSNC activity on the various white paper action points and, where known, it notes activity being undertaken by other organisations.

BDA report on commissioning of local dental services

The local commissioning working group (LCWG) this week published its report on the local commissioning of dental services. The report, commissioned by the British Dental Association (BDA), follows a nine-month study undertaken in response to the Health Select Committee's 2008 report on dental services. A summary and copy of the full report are available for download from the BDA website (scroll to the foot of the page to find the links).

Latest dental access newsletter now available

The October issue of the dental access programme (DAP) e-bulletin is now available on the DAP section of the website.

GOC issues CET warning ahead of 31 December deadline

The General Optical Council (GOC) is urging fully-registered practitioners to make sure they are on track to earn their minimum Continuing Education and Training (CET) requirement by the 31 December deadline. Registrants failing to do so face removal from the opticians' registers. For more information visit the GOC website.

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. Further details will be on the NHS Jobs website this week.

Primary Care Contract Manager, APMS Contracts - NHS Hampshire

More information

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all NHS

October 2009

• 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
• 27th: LDN: South West Primary Care Leads Network - Venue, tbc
• 28th: Primary Care Commissioning for Offenders - Hilton London Metropole, W2 1JU
• 29th: NW: GOS Network Meeting - Ramada Manchester Piccadilly, M1 4PH

November 2009

• 3rd: EM: Community Pharmacy Network - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 3rd: LDN: South East Primary Care Leads Network - Venue, tbc
• 5th: WM: Analytical Skills Workshop - Clarendon Suites, Birmingham B16 9SB
• 11th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: QOF Level 1 - Park Inn Russell Square, London WC1B 4BH
• 11th: SW: Contract management event - Cleve Hotel & Country Club, Wellington TA21 8SN
• 12th: BY INVITATION ONLY: Optometric Adviser's Group Meeting - Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre, B5 4EW
• 12th: EM: Contract Management Event (+ Lunch) - Park Inn Nottingham, NG5 2BT
• 12th: LDN: North Central Primary Care Leads Network - Friends House, London NW1 2BJ
• 13th: WM: Working Group for Annual Medical Services Contract Review - Holiday Inn Express Redditch, B97 6AE
• 18th: EoE Regional Dental Network - Hilton Stansted Airport, CM24 1SF
• 18th: South West Dental Network workshop - Lyngford House, Taunton TA2 8HD
• 19th: WM: Pharmacy Leads Network - Clarendon Suites, Birmingham B16 9SB
• 19th: LDN: North West Primary Care Leads Network - Venue, tbc
• 24th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Pharmacy Level 2 - Thistle Kingsley, London WC1A 2SD
• 26th: YH: Primary Care Policy Leads and Pharmacy Network meetings - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 27th: SW : World Class Commissioning of Pharmaceutical Services in the South West - South West House, Taunton TA1 2PX

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