Website of the Department of Health

2. Winter planning 2007 (Gateway reference number: 8890)

See letter from Alan Hall, Director of Performance, outlining the Department of Health’s expectations about preparations for winter, information reporting and communications.

Action: NHS chief executives and directors of social services should read and act on the letter and the detailed self-assessment checklist. 

• Preparing for Winter: Letter from Alan Hall to Strategic Health Authorities

Consultations and evaluations

3. Draft rehabilitation measures (Gateway reference number: 8845)

A draft version of rehabilitation measures has been issued for a three month consultation prior to inclusion in the Manual for Cancer Services.

 Action: NHS chief executives wishing to comment on the measures should send, by 11 January 2008, to:

• Tamika.chung@gstt.nhs.uk (opens new window)
• Draft Rehabilitation Measure for the Manual for Cancer Service
• CQuINS: Latest news and updates (opens new window)

Publications

4. Publication of Local Area Agreement (LAA) module (Gateway reference number: 8901)

The joint improvement partnership website now features a self-assessment tool that aims to help local councils and partner organisations with the overall development of their LAA and its coverage of adult social care.

Action: Chief executives of local authorities, directors of adult social services and other senior officers can use this resource to review the development of their LAA.

• Joint Improvement Partnership: Local area agreements (opens new window)

5. Aiming high for disabled children (Gateway reference number: 8879)

Ministers from the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families are inviting local authorities to express interest in being a Short Breaks pathfinder. Applicants will need to demonstrate partnership working with PCTs in planning, commissioning and delivery arrangements.

Action:  Read the letter to find out how to apply to become a pathfinder to improve provision for disabled children and their families.

• Aiming High for Disabled Children: Short Breaks for Disabled Children and their Families

6. 2008 Clinical Excellence Awards Round is now open (Gateway reference number: 8904)

Updated guidance and the online application system for the 2008 awards are now available.

Action: NHS chief executives should ensure that this is brought to the attention of their eligible consultants and will wish to remind themselves of their role in this process.

• Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (opens new window)

7. Applying for NHS foundation trust status (Gateway reference number: 8807)

Monitor has released a publication outlining updates to the process for applying for NHS foundation trust status.

Action: NHS chief executives interested in applying will be interested in the updated process.

• Monitor: Updating the Guide for Applicants - Summary of Changes (opens new window)

8. National Joint Registry (NJR) (Gateway reference number: 8905)

The fourth annual report provides detailed analysis on the performance of hip and knee prostheses and different surgical techniques, enhanced through development of the linkage of NJR data to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

Action: NHS chief executives will want to be aware of the report, as it will link in future to the patient choice agenda, which is of importance to them and board chairs.

• National Joint Registry Annual Reports (opens new window)

9. Migration to CDSv5 XML (Gateway reference number: 8884)

The SUS EDIFACT service will end on 31 October 2007 - organisations must migrate their registered EDI connection points to XML - when only conformant XML interchanges will be accepted by SUS.

Action: NHS chief executives need to ensure that CDS-XML testing is complete, and make immediate plans to move to live submission.

• Download from the Connecting for Health website in Portable Document Format (PDF): Secondary Uses Service - External Data Transfer (EDT) Deployment Process for CDS-XML V5 (opens new window)

10. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) Gateway reference number: 8894)

The national commissioning group (NCG) will review commissioning of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults following the Conventional Ventilation or ECMO for Severe Adult Respiratory Failure (CESAR) Trial.

Action: Chief executives of NHS trusts and foundation trusts interested in providing a service should notify the NCG.

• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults with potentially reversible respiratory failure

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

11. The New NHS Contract briefing workshops (Gateway reference number: 8897)

Events will be held in each SHA Region to provide an introduction to the principles behind the national contract for acute services.  It will explain the NHS Contract, and how it sits within the current policy context of health reform and world class commissioning.  The events will be SHA-led and involve senior Department of Health representatives.

Action: NHS chief executives, commissioning directors and PCT contracting staff are invited to attend these events, and can register via the web link.

• PCC events online (opens new window)

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

No news this week.

Patient safety alerts

12. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2007/076 (Gateway reference number: 8902)

Device: Bioresorbable screw: CALAXO interference screw implants manufactured by Smith & Nephew Inc. All lot numbers and all item codes distributed since 2006.

Action: This medical device alert was issued on 4 October 2007 to NHS trusts for immediate action and information request.

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2007/076 (opens new window)