The week:  11 to 17 January 2013 
for NHS and social care leaders

Issue: 281

On the agenda

Benefits of digital technology highlighted
Two new reports and a speech by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt have emphasized the potential benefits to patients of digital technology and online records.

A Price Waterhouse Coopers study reviewing better use of information and technology found that measures such as increased use of text messages for negative test results, electronic prescribing and electronic health records could improve care, allow health professionals to spend more time with patients and save billions. A National Mobile Health Worker report just published was a pilot study on introducing laptops at 11 NHS sites.

The NHS should become paperless by 2018 to improve services and help meet the challenges of an ageing population, Jeremy Hunt said.  Patients should have compatible digital records so their health information could follow them around the health and social care system. This would mean that in the vast majority of cases, whether a patient needed a GP, hospital or a care home, the professionals involved in their care could see their history at the touch of a button and share crucial information, he said.

For further information go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/paperless/
 
New figures show wide disparity in dementia diagnosis
The Alzheimer’s Society has released new data on the rates of dementia diagnosis in the UK, revealing wide variation between areas. For example, 31.6 percent of people with dementia are being diagnosed in the East Riding of Yorkshire compared with 75.4 percent in the London borough of Islington.

An interactive map produced by the society highlights the number of people who have a diagnosis of dementia in different PCTs. It says the proportion of people with dementia who have a formal diagnosis is now 46 percent, up from the 43 percent recorded in 2011. But it believes there are 428,000 people in the UK who are living with dementia but have not been diagnosed.

For further information go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/dementia-diagnosis-rates/
 
Baroness Neuberger to lead review of Liverpool Care Pathway
The review examining how the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) is being used in practice is to be chaired by crossbench peer Baroness Julia Neuberger. Late last year, Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb committed to appoint an independent chair for the review, following a roundtable on the LCP with a wide range of experts in end of life care, and representatives of patients and their families.

Julia Neuberger, who is Senior Rabbi at the West London Synagogue and former Chief Executive of the King’s Fund, will examine various elements of the LCP, including the experience and opinions of patients, families, and health professionals, hospital complaints, local payments made to hospitals in respect of the LCP, and the literature about its benefits and limitations. 
The Minister said everyone wanted their loved ones’ final hours to be as pain free and dignified as possible, and experts agreed the LCP, if applied properly, could play a vital role to achieve this. But there had been too many cases where patients or their families were ignored or not properly involved in decisions, and this was unacceptable.
For further information go to: http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2013/01/15/independent-review-of-liverpool-care-pathway-to-be-chaired-by-baroness-neuberger/

Policy news

1. PCT statement of property costs for properties transferring to NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnerships 
2. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs): update on data collection

Consultations and evaluations
3. New specifications and policy added to specialised services 

Publications
4. Changes to legal framework for supply/administration of medicines in new organisational structures  
5. Delivery of Expert Patients Programme by NHS organisations 
6. National Mobile Health Worker Project final report  
7. Self care week 2012   

Conferences and events

i. what’s new
8. NHS productivity conference               

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. PCT statement of property costs for properties transferring to NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnerships 
(Gateway reference number: 18636 ROCR/12/2180MAND)
This letter from Peter Coates asks PCTs to update NHS Property Services’ property related costs in their baseline return, to reflect the final agreed position on property transfers, current building use and current recharges. This is in relation to properties that will transfer to either NHS Property Services or Community Health Partnerships. PCTs are asked to give a high priority to this work. This letter along with the collection templates has been sent to PCT cluster directors of finance.

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/pct-statement/
Action: PCT cluster chief executives will wish to ensure returns are completed by 1 February 2013 and sent to BaselineReturnJuly12@dh.gsi.gov.uk 

2. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs): update on data collection
(Gateway Reference Number: 18626  ROCR/OR/0237/003MAND)
The Department of Health thanks the 300 separate provider organisations that have successfully implemented new arrangements for PROMs data collection. Data is now stored at the Health and Social Care Information Centre. The department reminds providers that their clinical teams are entitled to register to obtain access to this data. Arrangements are set out in this letter from Bob Ricketts, Director of Provider Policy at the department. 
Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/proms-data-collection/
Action: NHS chief executives and their clinical teams will wish to make widespread use of this PROMs data.

Consultations and evaluations

3. New specifications and policy added to specialised services 
(Gateway reference number: 18640)
The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) has added seven new draft service specifications and a further clinical policy for specialised commissioning to its current consultation. Views are invited from clinical staff, public, patients and groups with an interest in these specialist areas, as well as providers and commissioners.

Link: http://www.commissioningboard.nhs.uk/2013/01/11/ssc-new/ 
Action: NHS chief executives who wish to take part should note the closing date for responses is 22 February 2013.

Publications

4. Changes to legal framework for supply/administration of medicines in new organisational structures  
(Gateway reference number: 18625)
Medicines legislation is being amended to: 
(i) 	enable clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to authorise Patient Group Directions (PGDs) from April 2013;
(ii)  make sure that existing PGDs with an expiry date after 31 March 2013 will continue to be legal until the PGD either expires or is replaced.
PGDs are legal mechanisms that enable certain registered health professionals to supply/administer medicines to groups of patients with an identified clinical condition. 

Link: http://www.nelm.nhs.uk/en/Communities/NeLM/PGDs/News/PGD-authorisation-in-new-organisational-structures--DH-update-/
Action: NHS and local authority chief executives will wish to ensure that arrangements for development and authorisation of PGDs comply with the legal framework.

5. Delivery of Expert Patients Programme by NHS organisations
(Gateway reference number: 18642)
A new manual for delivering the Chronic Disease Self-Management Course is now available. Under the Department of Health agreement with Stanford University, all Expert Patients Programme (EPP) lead trainers and tutors need to receive update training. 

Link: http://www.selfmanagement.co.uk/news/new-uk-chronic-disease-self-management-tutor-manual-its-way
Action: NHS chief executives may wish to raise awareness and ensure their EPP tutors have had the appropriate training

6. National Mobile Health Worker Project final report 
(Gateway reference number: 18096) 
The National Mobile Health Worker Project final report has shown the potential to significantly improve productivity and efficiency, and assist services in continuing to provide quality care and achieve good outcomes. The analysis comes from 764 clinicians and was captured over more than 22,000 days representing over 107,000 patient contacts. 

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/mobile-health-worker/
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to discuss the implications with relevant colleagues.
. 
7. Self Care Week 2012
(Gateway reference number: 18649)
Following another very successful national event, the review of 2012 activity is now available. Please note the dates for Self Care Week 2013 are 18-24 November. 

Link: http://www.selfcareforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ReviewSCW2012.pdf 
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to note the dates for Self Care Week 2013 and review the activity that took place nationally in Self Care Week 2012.

Conferences and events

i. what’s new
8. NHS productivity conference 
(Gateway reference number: 18610) 
Mike Farrar will lead a selection of expert speakers, in Harrogate on 28 February, to investigate how health leaders can practically set about making healthcare more efficient, more effective and more productive while delivering tangible cost savings. Delegates will learn about the latest strategies to help close the productivity gap, and discover how best to integrate care so that it provides better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for the patient.
 
Link: http://www.publicserviceevents.co.uk/programme/207/nhs-productivity 
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to note a £45 registration discount is available through contacting Mark Almond directly: malmond@publicservice.co.uk 0161 831 711

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.

Link: www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetywarnings/MedicalDeviceAlerts/index.htm

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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 at www.nice.org.uk  

Sir David Nicholson's role as NHS Chief Executive transfers completely to the NHS Commissioning Board in April 2013. Sir David would still like to communicate with you in his new role and we are therefore asking if you are happy for your email address to be shared with the NHS Commissioning Board. If you do not want your email address shared, please email the theweek@dh.gsi.gov.uk