Website of the Department of Health

1. Commissioning a Patient-led NHS

The latest updates on Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS are available at

Queries may be addressed to

• mb-cplnhs@dh.gsi.gov.uk (opens new window)

2. Smoke-free NHS - a reminder - (Gateway reference number: 6618)

The 2004 Choosing Health White Paper made the commitment that by the end of 2006, all enclosed NHS workplaces would become smoke-free. Please see note from Sir Ian Carruthers which provides further details and guidance on delivering this commitment at

• Smoke-free NHS - a reminder

3. Payments to GPs for referrals to ISTCs - (Gateway reference number: 6642)

The Department of Health would like to make it clear that it does not support payments to GPs as 'inducements' to refer patients to any particular provider, for example an ISTC. A letter from Lord Warner to the Guardian on this subject is at

• Payment to GPs for referrals to ISTCs - Lord Warner's letter to the Guardian (opens new window)

Consultations and evaluations

4. Information tools to support practice based commissioning (PBC) - (Gateway reference number: 6524)

The Department of Health will be undertaking an exercise to assess locally-developed NHS tools that provide information to practices to support PBC. Local NHS tools meeting appropriate criteria will be placed on a list of approved providers. PCTs will be strongly encouraged to consider these tools to support the rollout of PBC this year.

Applications are invited from interested PCTs by Friday 9 June.  Further information and a copy of the assessment criteria can be obtained from Martin McCutcheon on 020 7633 4077.

PCTs should submit their tool to

• Email - PBC mailbox (opens new window)

Publications

5. Collaborative Procurement Hubs (CPH) - (Gateway reference number: 6623)

These are proving effective in making significant savings for their health economies by aggregating spend and performing strategic savings. Chief Executives are encouraged to commit the CPH Programme in their localities to ensure the NHS gets the best value from all its commercial transactions. See letter from Ken Anderson DH Commercial Director at

• Supply chain excellence programme: Collaborative procurement hubs

6. Funding available for Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) - (Gateway reference number: 5446)

SARCs provide a holistic service to victims of sexual assault, by offering medical treatment, counselling, and the opportunity to undergo a forensic examination. Start-up grants will be made to successful partnerships of police forces, PCTs, and voluntary organisations. See guidance and applications forms at

• SARCs guidance and application forms (opens new window)

Conferences and events - i) what's new

No news this week

Conference and events - ii) places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

7. Morphine and Diamorphine Injections - Safer Practice Notice - (Gateway reference number: 6142)

The National Patient Safety Agency has advised all NHS organisations to review and improve measures for prescribing, storing, administering and identifying high dose morphine and diamorphine injections. This follows incidents of patients mistakenly given overdoses. More at

• National Patient Safety Agency website (opens new window)

8. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT - MDA/2006/029. Intravenous cannula: Beldico Y-Can with syringe valve, 21G and 23G - (Gateway reference number: 6641)

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 18 May 2006 to NHS trusts for immediate action. Further information can be found at

• MDA/2006/029. Intravenous cannula: Beldico Y-Can with syringe valve, 21G and 23G (opens new window)