NHS tops international healthcare list

The NHS ranks as one of the world's best primary health care systems in a survey published this week by leading US think tank the Commonwealth Fund.

The survey - conducted in 11 developed countries - showed the NHS was the only service where the majority of doctors feel that quality of healthcare is improving.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said 'This is an important moment for the NHS.

'I would like today to pay tribute to the hard working NHS staff across the country and congratulate them for this magnificent achievement. This is a proud day for NHS staff and for the millions of patients they look after so well.'

Read the full report at www.commonwealthfund.org

The human factor: how transforming healthcare to involve the public can save money and save lives

This report examines the challenges faced by the National Health Service. It shows how radical new ways of innovating can reduce spending at the same time as increasing health and wellbeing.

Getting ready for registration

Legislation introducing a new registration system for all regulated health and adult social care services in England has now been laid before Parliament. To help care providers get ready for registration, CQC have published three short guides:

• A guide to the new system of registration
• The scope of registration
• NHS trusts: How to apply for registration overview

West Midlands Eye Care Network

The West Midlands Eye Care network will take place on 2 December 2009 and will be attended by Anita Lighthouse of RNIB who will present the Institute's Vision 20:20 strategy; Georgina Gordon and Katrina Venerus from the Local Optical Committee Support Unit will present patients pathways developed by LOCSU for enhanced eye care services; and John Hearnshaw, PCC associate and eye care expert will present world class commissioning of primary eye care services. Further details are available on the events pages of the PCC website.

Weekly swine flu reports

NHS Direct issues weekly reports of call volumes to its hotline and also reports statistics from the National Pandemic Flu Service. The reports also show the proportion of callers referred to GPs versus those given self-care advice by NHS Direct. The reports will be published on the PCC website on a Thursday morning.

Primary care service framework: peripheral arterial disease

The aim of this primary care service framework is to support more effective commissioning for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

North-west WCC of primary care and community services

This event in Bolton on 24 November will focus on world class commissioning to improve patient care in primary and community settings. Workshops include a review of the 'transforming community services' agenda - how this supports integrated models of care, and the use of knowledge management in making better informed commissioning decisions.

The event is aimed at directors and assistant directors of commissioning; primary care and PBC leads and medical directors.

QOF management guide volume 1 updated

The PCC QOF team is currently updating the three-volume QOF Management Guide. Each document stands alone but the three guides are cross referenced and designed to achieve a complete guide.

Volume 1, the first to be updated, is a simple iterative guide to QOF function and purposes.

Volumes 2 and 3 will be published soon.

Choice at the point of referral

For the past three years patients referred by their GP for a specialist outpatient consultation have had a choice over where to be treated. As part of a larger research project, a survey was sent to patients in four case study areas of England to ask them about their experience of referral and choosing a hospital for treatment. This report summarises survey findings and shows that implementation of the policy is not yet complete, and that most patients do not experience referral as the policy envisaged.

Boxing Day bank holiday 2009

Some PCTs have received letters from pharmacy contractors stating that Saturday 26 December 2009 is a bank holiday and as such they are not required to open. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is aware that the declaration for the Boxing Day bank holiday 2009 has not yet taken place. This is due to be declared on November 17, proclaiming Monday 28 December as the bank holiday in place of Saturday 26 December.

Pharmacies are therefore required to be open for their usual hours on Saturday 26 December unless for:

• supplementary hours, where they have notified the PCT of their intention to close that day at least 90 days in advance
• core hours, where they applied to the PCT to close at least 90 days in advance and the PCT has approved, or part approved, the application.

Monday 28 December will be a bank holiday and pharmacies may therefore close if they so wish.

Ask Your Pharmacist Launch receives all party support

The Ask Your Pharmacist Launch at the Houses of Parliament (4 November) sought to raise awareness of services being provided in community pharmacy to MPs and key stakeholders. The event was hosted by shadow health minister Mark Simmonds MP, with speeches from health minister Mike O'Brien MP and National Pharmacy Association chief executive John Turk.

Amendment to the Control of Entry Guidance

An error has been discovered in the revised Control of Entry Guidance document published on 17 September 2009. In the rural template on page 128 the "no" and "yes" against the blue diamond are the wrong way round.

Dental commissioning for quarter ending September 2009 now published

The latest data on the number of new NHS dental contracts signed and rejected and the approximate service value of these contracts expressed in units of dental activity (UDA) was published by the DH on 5 November. The report notes that 86.9 million UDA were commissioned in the quarter to 30 September, an increase of 2.5 million or 2.9% compared to the previous quarter.

Online guide to General Ophthalmic Services

This online document encompasses links to a wide range of useful resources for managing the GOS. These include the three existing guidance modules which were produced to complement the 2008 GOS contract changes, all relevant regulations including the Optical Charges and Payments Regulations and the existing helpdesk knowledgebase. Its purpose is to ensure that nobody should be in any doubt about the service and that the management of the service should be as standardised as possible, meaning that all stakeholders should have a clear understanding of the system as well as of patients' eligibility for treatment.

National Eye Week: 9 - 15 November

This week is National Eye Week. It is organised by the Eyecare Trust, a registered charity that exists to promote awareness of ocular health and the importance of good eye care.

NHS PCC secondment opportunity - South East Coast

NHS PCC is looking to secure a fixed term/secondment appointment for up to six months to the South East Coast regional area. This would be an opportunity to enhance your primary care commissioning experience, working as a Primary Care Commissioning Advisor (PCCA) - supporting PCTs with primary care commissioning and contracting advice and development. Further information, job description and details on how to apply can be obtained from rebecca.thornley@pcc.nhs.uk or sarah.rothwell@pcc.nhs.uk. Closing date for applications/expressions of interest is Friday 20 November with interviews scheduled for early December in London.

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all NHS

November 2009

• 12th: EM: Contract Management Workshop - Park Inn Nottingham, NG5 2BT
• 12th: LDN: North East Primary Care Leads Network - Bonhill House, London EC2A 4BX
• 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: SW: Dental Network workshop - Lyngford House Conference Centre, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8HD
• 19th: WM: Pharmacy Leads Network - Clarendon Suites, Birmingham B16 9SB
• 19th: SEC:Community Pharmacy Services - Strategic Network Meeting - Mercure London Gatwick Hotel, Gatwick RH6 0BE
• 19th: LDN: North West Primary Care Leads Network - Friends House, London NW1 2BJ
• 20th: WM: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning: Dental Level 1 - Holiday Inn Bromsgrove, Bromsgrove B61 9AB
• 23rd: NE: QOF Network - Marriott Durham Royal County, Co. Durham DH1 3JN
• 24th: NW World Class Commissioning of Primary & Community Care Services - Mercure Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa Bolton, Bolton BL7 9PZ
• 24th: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning of Primary Care: Pharmacy Level 2 - Thistle Kingsley, London WC1A 2SD
• 25th: LDN: QOF Assessor Training - Thistle Grosvenor, London SW1W 0SJ
• 26th: YH: Primary Care Policy Leads and Pharmacy Network meetings - Holiday Inn Wakefield, WF5 9BE
• 26th: LDN: Finance Network - Friends House, London NW1 2BJ
• 26th: WM: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning: Dental Level 1 - Holiday Inn Stoke-on-Trent, ST5 4DL
• 26th: EM: Primary Care Quality Network - Springfield House Business and Conference Centre, Grantham NG31 7BG
• 26th: NHS PCC Steering Group (London) - Friends House, London NW1 2BJ
• 27th: SW : World Class Commissioning of Pharmaceutical Services in the South West - South West House, Taunton TA1 2PX
• 27th: Delivering world class accessible and responsive general medical care services for patients - Park Inn York, YO1 6JF
• 30th: Help us help you to breathe more easily - Thorpe Park Hotel, Leeds LS15 8ZB

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