Website of the Department of Health

Beating verbal abuse

AHPs should receive more protection against verbal abuse after new procedures are introduced.

The NHS Security Management Service (SMS) has devised a system of sanctions appropriate for each level of abuse which range from verbal warnings through to legal action.

New guidance says that low-level abuse can be tackled by discussing the problem with the offender, including getting them to sign a contract acknowledging their responsibilities to NHS staff who are trying to help them.

The SMS legal protection unit can provide practical help and advice to support the NHS in taking action and assist the police to take cases to conclusion.

This is the latest initiative to tackle the problems of attacks on staff.

Local security management specialists are being trained to help each trust and a new hi-tech warning device which can summon assistance is currently under trial.

• www.cfsms.nhs.uk (opens new window)

Infection control pledges

More than one million NHS staff will receive infection control training to help in the fight against MRSA.

New chief nursing officer (CNO) Chris Beasley said that all staff covered by the new NHS pay scheme Agenda for Change must show that they are able to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, including MRSA.

The proposed new Knowledge and Skills Framework - a key part of the new pay package - will help staff to recognise how they can play a part in maintaining high standards of cleanliness in the NHS.

Personal development plans will give staff and managers an opportunity to identify ways of raising standards.

The Government has also pledged to halve MRSA infections in hospitals over the next three years.

NHS acute trusts have been charged with achieving year on year reductions up to and beyond March 2008.

All trusts will have to list high-risk sources of infection and draw up comprehensive strategies to isolate or prevent MRSA. This is in addition to existing strategies and a national cleanyourhands campaign.

• Healthcare associated infection
• Towards cleaner hospitals and lower rates of infection: A summary of action

Walk-in centres for commuters

Allied health professionals may be involved in seven NHS Walk-in Centres being set up close to major commuter routes in London, Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds.

The centres will offer blood pressure checks to help monitor long-term conditions, in addition to many of the services currently available in GP practices for people who would otherwise find it difficult to visit their GP.

It is estimated that the new nurse-led centres, due to open in the spring, will deal with around 30,000 patients a year.

• NHS UK Gateway for local services (opens new window)

Working in partnership

A new initiative encouraging AHPs in primary care to contribute to service modernisation was launched at two workshops.

The Working in Partnership initiative, established under the new GMS contract, aims to develop and implement a strategy for general practice that addresses the effective use of clinicians' time whilst improving the availability of services for patients.

This programme also provides new opportunities for AHPs to develop their roles and skills.

Department of Health advisor Karen Middleton said: 'These workshops offered frontline clinicians, leaders and managers an opportunity to influence this important programme. It provides an ideal mechanism for them to demonstrate the significant contribution they can and do make to the modernisation of primary care services.'

• www.natpact.nhs.uk (opens new window)

CAMHS review - input requested

AHPs in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are being invited to contribute to a national review of workforce development.

This will form an important part of the evidence base used to create a modern CAMHS service that fully responds to the requirements in the National Service Framework for Children and the Choosing Health white paper.

Following on from the Developing The Workforce in CAMHS Conference in November, Barry Nixon, CAMHS north west project manager, is compiling information on issues that affect the entire workforce.

Taravandana, project manager with specific responsibility for AHPs, said the project was an ideal opportunity for AHPs to influence the implementation of both strategy and workforce development.

'The current profile of AHPs is very low,' she said. 'We haven't had a lot of say in the past on workforce issues because we haven't had a way of influencing them - but we have now. This is the ideal opportunity to improve and standardise conditions, making sure we have a voice and a presence in the process.

'So far there has been some contributions from occupational, art therapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists but the review is appealing for input from anyone else who may want to contribute.'

To see existing work in progress, proceedings from the conference and to take part in the review contact Barry Nixon:

• Barry.Nixon@gmsha.nhs.uk (opens new window)