Read about the Government’s plans to accelerate the dismantling of the NHS National Programme for IT, find out how to join the National Learning Network and learn about a new self-assessment tool NHS staff can now take advantage of to review their leadership skills.
Download ‘the week’: issue 215, 16 – 22 September 2011 (PDF, 37K)
Download ‘the week’: issue 215, 16 – 22 September 2011 (RTF, 499K)
On the agenda
Dismantling the NHS National Programme for IT
Today the Government has announced plans to accelerate the dismantling of the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) as it can no longer provide the IT support that the NHS requires. The important applications already delivered such as the Spine, N3 Network, NHSmail, Choose and Book and Picture Archiving and Communications Service will continue and new arrangements for managing them will be communicated in the autumn.
For further information, read the full letter from Sir David Nicholson and press release.
Policy news
1. CQC Learning Disability Review update
2. National Learning Network for Health and Wellbeing Boards
Consultations and evaluations
3. Proposals for independent prescribing by physiotherapists and podiatrists
Publications
4. Communications to General Practitioners using Medical Performers Lists
5. Leadership Challenge: New Self Assessment Tool for all staff
Conferences and events
i. what’s new
No news this week
ii. places still available
No news this week
Patient safety alerts
Refer to website below
Extra notes
Chief executives are reminded that all communications requiring the attention of NHS and local authority management must include a Gateway reference number. In order to streamline the number of communications issued by the Department, these will continue to be summarised in ‘the week’ every Thursday.
Policy news
1. CQC Learning Disability Review update
(Gateway reference number: 16651)
This letter from Bruce Calderwood and Lyn Simpson alerts NHS bodies and local authorities to the action needed in response to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) forthcoming inspection of 150 services that provide care for people with learning disabilities. It also provides an update on the Department of Health review following the events at Winterbourne View private hospital.
Action: Where the CQC advises that regulatory action may be taken against a facility, we are asking PCT and LA chief executives to appoint a lead commissioner to coordinate the work of all commissioners of patients/residents for that facility to ensure the welfare of the individual residents.
Read the letter about the update
2. National Learning Network for health and wellbeing boards
(Gateway reference number: 16663)
The Department, together with the Local Government Group and early implementer health and wellbeing boards, has set up a National Learning Network, which brings together emerging health and wellbeing boards. The network is looking for membership from across health and care including leaders in the NHS, public health and clinical commissioning groups. Expressions of interest to lead or join learning sets, which will explore priority themes for developing health and wellbeing boards, are now invited.
Action: Cluster chief executives are invited to encourage clinical commissioning groups and directors of public health to discuss this invitation with their local health and wellbeing board.
Read more about national learning sets and the development of health and wellbeing boards
Consultations and evaluations
3. Proposals for independent prescribing by physiotherapists and podiatrists
(Gateway reference number: 16576, 16305)
The Department of Health and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have jointly launched two public consultations concerning proposals for independent prescribing for physiotherapists and podiatrists.
Action: NHS chief executives who wish to respond should note the closing date is 8 December 2011.
Read more about these consultations
Publications
4. Communications to general practitioners using Medical Performers Lists
(Gateway reference number: 16502)
It has been brought to our attention that not all GPs receive important communications, particularly sessional or locum GPs. This letter offers a solution to this problem by suggesting that it is appropriate to use contact details provided by GPs when registering on Medical Performers Lists.
Action: PCT Cluster chief executives will wish to be aware that contact details from Medical Performers Lists can be used when sending important communications to GPs.
5. Leadership challenge: new self-assessment tool for all staff
(Gateway reference number: 16664)
All NHS staff can now take advantage of a self-assessment tool, linked to the new NHS Leadership Framework to review their leadership skills. Launched in June by the Secretary of State for Health, the Leadership Framework is designed to ensure that the whole workforce can have the leadership knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to improve health and care.
Action: NHS chief executives and senior managers will want to encourage all staff to download and complete this tool at:
National Leadership Council Leadership Framework self assessment tool
Conferences and events
i. what’s new
No news this week
ii. places still available
No news this week
Patient safety alerts
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has sent the NHS the latest medical device alerts in the link below. NHS trusts are expected to take the specified action by the date given.
Unless otherwise stated, guidance referred to in the bulletin has not been commissioned or endorsed by the Department of Health – it is evidence that organisations and professionals may find helpful in improving practice. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is the Department’s provider of accredited evidence and guidance, which can be found on the Institute’s website