Website of the Department of Health

Trusts deliver 18 week target months early - NHS on track to achieve commitment

Many trusts have delivered the 18 week target nine months early, according to Department of Health statistics. By 31 March 2008, 85 percent of patients who require admission to hospital and 90 percent of patients not needing admission started treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP.

The NHS is firmly on track to meet the December 2008 target that every patient, for whom it is clinically appropriate and who wants it, will start their treatment within 18 weeks. 

• Press release: Faster care for NHS patients (opens new window)

Health bodies urged to cut carbon footprint - Strategy calls for more recycling

The NHS, which currently contributes around three percent of England's total carbon dioxide emissions, has committed itself to reduce its carbon footprint. It has published a Carbon Reduction Strategy for consultation calling for a 60 percent cut in these emissions by 2050 in all areas, including procurement, travel and building energy use. It wants all NHS bodies to have a carbon management strategy by 2009, to report annually on their sustainable development progress, and for the NHS to recycle 75 percent of its waste by 2020.

• NHS Sustainable Development Unit for England: Feedback on the Draft Carbon Reduction Strategy for the NHS (opens new window)

Policy news

1. NHS contracts e-bulletin (Gateway reference number: 9943) 

This is the first of a monthly series of updates on the development of new NHS standard contracts for mental health, community and ambulance services. The update for May includes a first draft ‘heads of terms’ documents for comment. 

Action: There is a deadline of Friday 27 June 2008 to provide comments on the draft heads of terms documents. 

• Development of new NHS contracts

2. Smoking and mental health (Gateway reference number: 9823)

The National Director for Mental Health and the Head of the Substance Misuse and Tobacco team are writing to mental health providers highlighting the recent judicial review and the impending July 1 legislation for mental health units to become smoke free.

Action: Chief executives of mental health trusts can see via this letter how to comply with the forthcoming legislation. 

• Smokefree mental health units from 1 July 2008

Consultations and evaluations

3. Information accreditation scheme (Gateway reference number: 9950)

This scheme will ‘kite-mark’ information producers making it easier for people to judge the quality of health and social care information. We would like NHS organisations to apply to test the scheme prior to its launch in early 2009. 

Action: For an application form and to find out more see:

• An Accreditation Scheme for Health and Social Care Information: next steps and testing phase

Publications

4. New indicators on NHS Choices (Gateway reference number: 9996) 

NHS Choices plans to publish, by July, indicators relating to acute admissions for diabetes and asthma.  PCTs can review their data through the NHS Choices preview application. Details on how to access the application will be circulated to your communications manager the week commencing 2 June.

Action: Individual PCTs can view their data on the NHS choices preview application. If you would like details of how to access the application sent to an additional contact, please email:

• scorecard@nhschoices.nhs.uk (opens new window)

5. Digital mapping data agreement (Gateway reference number: 9999 ) 

New arrangements for access to digital mapping data for NHS organisations under the NHS Information Centre procured framework agreement have been announced. The agreement will offer trusts their chosen products from a basket of digital mapping data included in a fixed price schedule available over the four-year period.

Action: For further information Trusts can see the letter at: 

• The Information Centre: NHS Digital Mapping Agreement (opens new window)

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

6. Development of improvement standards seminars (Gateway reference number: 9979)

The purpose of these seminars is to explore and identify key characteristics to produce effective and useful new standards for the NHS. Dates are:

North East 13 June 2008,
Yorkshire and Humber 26 June,
London 17 July,
London 31 July,
South East 12 September,
East Midlands 26 September,
North West 17 October,
West Midlands 31 October.

Action: If you wish to register for any of these events, please contact: 

• Adiba.Enwonwu@dh.gsi.gov.uk (opens new window)

7. Vascular checks (Gateway reference number: 9993)

There are two stakeholder workshop events in July this year, to discuss proposals for delivering a national programme of vascular checks for everyone aged 40 - 74. This follows on from Putting Prevention First, published in April.

Action: PCT chief executives or their nominees can view the invitation letter for more details on how to attend.

• Vascular checks - stakeholder events

8. Empowering people and communities (Gateway reference number: 9997)

David Nicholson, Mark Britnell, and the new National Director of Patient and Public Affairs, Joan Saddler, will be leading a free one-day conference in London on Tuesday 8 July 2008. The conference will set out the benefits to developing a strategic approach to patient and public empowerment (PPE) as well as the systems and tools available to help commission and provide safer, more efficient and effective services.

Action: Chairs, chief executives and directors responsible for commissioning and service improvement can register for this free event at:

• Taking the Lead - Engaging People and Communities Conference (opens new window)

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

No news this week

Patient safety alerts

No news this week