Website of the Department of Health

Consultations and evaluations

1. Expression of interest for Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) release 2 initial implementer sites (Gateway reference number: 7554)

The Department of Health (DH) and NHS Connecting for Health are now inviting primary care trusts to express an interest in becoming initial implementer sites for EPS Release 2. The deadline for responses is 17 May 2007. See:

• Expressions of interest for Electronic Prescription Service release 2 initial implementation PCTs, prescribing and dispensing sites

2.  Details of patient questionnaire to comply with community pharmacy contractual framework clinical governance requirements (Gateway reference number: 7555)

DH and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) have now agreed the requirements to fulfil paragraph 26 (2) (a) (iii) of Schedule 1 to the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005. See

• Details of Patient Questionnaire to comply with Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework Clinical Governance requirements

3. Invitation to comment on the National Framework for Pandemic Influenza (Gateway reference number 7569)

A new draft framework setting out the Government's strategic aims for responding to an influenza pandemic has been published for comment over the next two months. It will ultimately replace the existing UK Contingency Plan. The document is supported by an ethical framework and specific guidance for community and acute care settings, ambulance services and social care staff. See

• Invitation to comment

Publications

4.  Managing NHS student attrition rates (Gateway reference number: 7609)

In 2006, DH commissioned a piece of research into NHS student attrition rates, which has resulted in a report setting out best practice in managing attrition.

See:

• Managing attrition rates for student nurses and midwives: a good practice guide for strategic health authorities and higher education institutions

5.  Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: new healthcare worker (Gateway reference number 5514)

DH has published good practice guidance on health checks for new healthcare workers. The guidance, which is based on expert advice, is designed to strengthen existing measures for protecting patients against the risk of TB, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in health care settings.

See:

• Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: New healthcare workers

6. Hepatitis B infected healthcare workers and antiviral therapy (Gateway reference number 7235)

DH has published good practice guidance setting out the criteria by which hepatitis B infected healthcare workers with low hepatitis B viral loads can perform exposure prone procedures whilst taking antiviral drug therapy to suppress replication of the virus. This is a limited relaxation of current restrictions based on expert advice. See:

• Hepatitis B infected healthcare workers and antiviral therapy

Conferences and events - i) what's new

No news this week

Conference and events - ii) places still available

7.  CSIP Transformational changes for health and social care communities project launch event Gateway reference number: 7901)

David Behan, Director General of Social Care, will be launching the Care Services Improvement Partnership's (CSIP) project, to develop a set of high impact changes that will transform health and social care communities, on 17 April 2007. See:

• Knowledge Community - Event details (opens new window)
• Download the flyer and registration form (opens new window)

Patient safety alerts

No news this week