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the week: Issue 42, 18 - 24 April 2008

  • Last modified date:
    25 April 2008

Published every Thursday, the week provides need-to-know news, consultations and events for chief executives and their teams. It provides links to more information and resources, highlighting areas for action.

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On the agenda

Interim Informatics directors appointed - Sir Bruce Keogh takes on role

Improvements in clinical quality and safety can only be achieved with reliable local and national information systems, says Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director, who is stepping into the role of Director General for Informatics whilst a new Chief Information Officer for Health is recruited, following the departure of Matthew Swindells. He has taken an active part in the Informatics Review, the national workstream supporting the Lord Darzi Next Steps Review.

Gordon Hextall will support Professor Sir Bruce as interim Director of Informatics in addition to his current role as interim Director of Programme and System Delivery.

Immunisation key to prevention - No deaths from Meningitis C disease

Evidence of how Government immunisation programmes prevent serious illness are outlined in the Director of Immunisation’s report. 

For the first time there were no deaths from the Meningitis C disease among under 19-year-olds in 2007 although previously it had killed up to 78 people a year, before a vaccine was introduced in 1999. 

More than 85 percent of children now receive one dose of the MMR vaccine by their second birthday and 74 percent of people aged 65 and over in England received a flu vaccine in 2006/07.

Care services link with regions - SHAs have hosting role

The Department of Health and SHAs have jointly introduced changes to the way the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) works.

CSIP has now become a partnership of four national programmes covering social care, the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIHME), children and families, and health and social care in criminal justice. Delivered regionally through eight national Regional Development Centres (RDCs), coordination is supported by a small central team – the national support office. From 1 April 2008, the SHAs took on hosting arrangements for the RDCs.

Further information is available at:

Policy news

No news this week

Consultations and evaluations

1. Urgent care in general practice (Gateway reference number: 9807)

The Primary Care Foundation has been selected by the Department of Health to review how general practice manages urgent care, and identify good practice. The foundation is seeking five PCTs as demonstration sites, auditing practices through a web based questionnaire, feeding back results and identifying pilot sites to test out new ways of working.

Action: PCTs should contact Rick Stern on 07709 746771 if they are interested in taking part as a demonstration site.

2. Cervical screening programme (Gateway reference number: 9782)

Expressions of interest are invited from the service to receive advice and support from NHS Improvement in order to help achieve the 14-day turnaround time for results of cervical screening by 2010.

Action: There is a deadline of 23 May 2008 to express an interest in receiving this support and advice. Expressions of interest can be made by visiting and registering at:

Publications

3. NICE commissioning guides (Gateway reference number: 9804)

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published two further commissioning guides to help the NHS in England effectively commission evidence-based care for patients. These guides cover services for faecal incontinence, and cognitive behavioural therapy for common mental health problems.  Each guide is underpinned by NICE clinical guidelines and offers an indicative benchmark of activity to help commissioners determine the level of service needed locally.

Action: These guides can directly help trusts commission evidence-based care in line with NICE clinical guidance.

4. Early implementation Mental Health Act 2007 (Gateway reference number: 9726 )

The Government is commencing section 44 of the Mental Health Act 2007, Transfers Between Places of Safety, on 30 April 2008.  This will allow people detained in a place of safety under section 135 or 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to be moved to other places of safety.

Action: Trust chief executives and directors of social services need to ensure their staff are aware of this change so it can be reflected in local policies.

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

5. Patient and public empowerment (Gateway reference number: 9803)

David Nicholson, Mark Britnell, and the new National Director of Patient and Public Affairs, Joan Saddler, will be leading this free one-day conference on patient and public empowerment (PPE) in London on Tuesday 8 July 2008 at the historic Royal Horticultural Halls. The day will support you and your organisations to become world class in hearing, understanding and responding to patients and the public - of real value both to PCT chief executives and PPE practitioners.

Action: You can register an interest in attending via:

6. World class commissioning (Gateway reference number: 9795)

The Department of Health world class commissioning team will be running two assurance masterclasses on 4 and 6 June.

These events will offer a practical opportunity to understand the different components of the system, ask questions and attend breakout sessions focussed on specific elements of assurance. The events are run on a regional basis and there are a maximum of four delegate places for each PCT and three delegate places for each SHA.

Action: Places are limited so trust chief executives and their teams should sign up as soon as possible.

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

7. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/026 (Gateway reference number: 9809)

Device: Birthright birthing bed mattresses manufactured by Huntleigh Healthcare.

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 17 April 2008 to NHS trusts for immediate action.

Further information can be found at:

8. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/027 (Gateway reference number: 9810)

Device: Well-Shin WS-023 power lead adapters originally supplied by Pegasus Ltd with Eleganza and Praktika hospital beds and Homecare and Vitalia community beds.

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 17 April 2008 to NHS trusts for immediate action.

Further information can be found at:

9. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/028 (Gateway reference number: 9811)

Device: Disposable pen torch manufactured by Merlin Medical Limited and distributed by Williams Medical Supplies. Model Number: W2137. NHS Supply Chain Reference (England only): FFE066.

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 21 April 2008 to NHS trusts for action.

Further information can be found at:

10. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/029 (Gateway reference number: 9812)

Device: Beatle and Puma battery powered wheelchairs manufactured by Movingpeople.net or Handicare.

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 21 April 2008 to NHS trusts for action.

Further information can be found at:

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