The week: 14 – 20 December 2012 
for NHS and social care leaders

Issue: 278 

On the agenda

1. NHS Commissioning Board sets out planning guidance for first year 
The NHS Commissioning Board has published its planning guidance for NHS commissioners, called ‘Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2013/14’. The guidance covers a set of outcomes against which to measure improvements. It outlines five offers – moves toward seven-day a week working for routine NHS services, greater transparency and choice for patients, more patient participation, better data to support the drive to improve services, and higher standards and safer care. 

Also published are financial allocations to CCGs, and advice for every CCG and local authority on measuring outcomes, which will support and inform their planning and strategy development.   

For further information go to: http://www.commissioningboard.nhs.uk/2012/12/17/everyonecounts/

2. Pathology quality assurance review launched 
A review of quality assurance arrangements for NHS pathology services has been announced, to be led by Dr Ian Barnes, the National Clinical Director for Pathology. It will scrutinise NHS arrangements for the oversight and safeguards of laboratory testing. Serious incidents are rare but concerns were raised at Sherwood Forest NHS Foundation Trust in October about pathology testing of breast cancers, used to choose the best treatment for each patient, where the care of a small number of women was disadvantaged.
The review, expected to report at the end of 2013, will bring together experts in the field to explore how quality assurance systems can be strengthened and how organisations can be more confident about the monitoring of the quality of care they offer the public. 
For further information go to: http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2012/12/18/pathology-quality-assurance-review-launched/

3. Pilot projects to improve severe mental illness services 
Six local projects have begun work on a £1.2 million programme to help improve access to psychological therapies for those with severe mental illnesses. The NHS demonstration sites, ranging from Somerset to London and Birmingham, are already leaders in the mental health field, and have been chosen to implement the National Institute of Clinical Excellence’s (NICE’s) recommended psychological therapies.
The funding will be used to help these trusts share information with other health organisations, about how they deliver the best treatments that lead to improved patient choice and recovery. The work will include demonstrating how people with severe mental illness and personality disorders can get better access to psychological therapies. 
For further information go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/pilot-mental-illness/
 
Policy news
1. NHS funding transfer to local authorities 2013-14 
2. Adults' personal social services: revenue and capital grants provisional allocations 

Consultations and evaluations
3. Payment by results (PbR) update on work to prepare for 2013-14 
4. Draft reference costs guidance for 2012-13 published for comment 
5. Local authority health overview and scrutiny: consultation response 

Publications
6. New version of end of life care quality assessment (ELCQuA) tool launched 
7. Determining arrangements for supporting research in primary and community care 

Conferences and events

i. what’s new
8. A realist review in the context of the NHS change model 
9. Understanding the fundamentals of the NHS standard contract 
10. Lean commissioning 
11. Masterclass on the NHS standard contract - preparation for 2013-14  
12. Achieving excellence in commissioning for CCGs and CSUs masterclass  

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. NHS funding transfer to local authorities 2013-14
(Gateway reference number: 18568)
The Department of Health has published details of the transfer of £859m in 2013-14 from the NHS to local authorities. The funding must support adult social care services in each authority, which also has a health benefit. This letter from Shaun Gallagher, Director General, Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships, describes conditions of the transfer and the allocation due to each local authority. 

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/transfer-funding-nhs/ 
Action: Local authority chief executives will wish to note their allocations and consider how the funding will be used. 

2. Adults' personal social services: revenue and capital grants provisional allocations 
(Gateway reference number: 18530)
The Department of Health has published provisional revenue and capital grants for the periods 2013-14 and 2014-15. The grants will be allocated to local authorities in England. The letter outlines provisional allocations for each local authority, and describes the purpose of each funding stream and the formulae used to calculate allocations. 

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/lassl-dh-2012-2 
Action: Local authority chief executives will wish to note their provisional allocations and consider any implications.

Consultations and evaluations

3. Payment by results (PbR) update on work to prepare for 2013-14 
(Gateway reference number: 18490 /18540)
This letter from David Flory has been published on the Department of Health website, to update the NHS on results of the sense check, and to launch the road test exercise of the PbR package for 2013-14.

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/pbr-acute-mental/
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to discuss content with their boards, to plan for road test of the PbR package and subsequent implementation from 1 April 2013, and to invite feedback to the DH PbR team by 5pm, 25 January 2013. 

4. Draft reference costs guidance for 2012-13 published for comment
(Gateway reference number: 18491)
This draft guidance sets out requirements for the collection of 2012-13 reference costs from NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in June/July 2013. The trust board, or appropriate sub-committee, will be required to approve the costing process. 

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/draft-reference-costs/
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to discuss with their boards and finance teams, and encourage feedback to the DH PbR team by 5pm,17 January 2013.

5. Local authority health overview and scrutiny: consultation response 
(Gateway reference number: 18419)
The response to the consultation on local authority health scrutiny is now available. It provides an overview and analysis of the responses received, the comments of the Department of Health, and the action it intends to take to address the points raised. This response will inform the development of new regulations that will come into force in 2013.

Link: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/health-scrutiny-response/
http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/07/health-scrutiny/
Action:  NHS and local authority chief executives will wish to review the response and consider the implications.

Publications

6. New version of end of life care quality assessment (ELCQuA) tool launched
(Gateway reference number: 18584)
The National End of Life Care Intelligence Network has released the new version of ELCQuA, now structured around the NICE quality standard for end of life care for adults. ELCQuA is a free, online tool, designed to support commissioning and service improvement across health, social care, voluntary and private sectors.
 
Link: http://www.elcqua.nhs.uk/
Action: NHS chief executives may wish to discuss this quality assessment tool with their commissioning, and end of life care teams.

7. Determining arrangements for supporting research in primary and community care 
(Gateway reference number: 18528)
The Department of Health has issued a discussion paper to support local organisations, working in collaboration with local networks, to consider how to achieve a smooth transfer of capability within the changing NHS. It also looks at how to support commissioners with their new research roles, and primary care research. 

Link: www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/research-primary-care/
Action: NHS chief executives will wish to consider the implications for research services.

Conferences and events

i. what’s new

8. A realist review in the context of the NHS change model 
(Gateway reference number: 18575)
On 8 January 2013 between 4.00-5.00pm, Helen Bevan, Steve Fairman and Sarah Fraser will reflect on the report Large-System Transformation in Health Care: A Realist Review in the context of the NHS Change Model, leadership for improvement, and the NHS strategy to ‘improve improvement’. The full report can be found at the link below. 

Links: https://nhs.webex.com/nhs/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=845470470 
http://www.milbank.org/uploads/documents/featured-articles/pdf/large-system-transformation-in-health-care-a-realist-review.pdf
Action: NHS chief executives and colleagues can register for the free web seminar at the link above. 

9. Understanding the fundamentals of the NHS standard contract
(Gateway reference number: 18590)
Leading legal experts from Morgan Cole and PCC facilitators will explain the requirements and complexities of the NHS standard contract. This workshop is suitable for newly-appointed commissioners, and those requiring a refresher.

Links:
11 January 2013, London - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/553
17 January 2013, Birmingham - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/555
21 January 2013, Leeds - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/556
Action: NHS chief executives and colleagues who wish to attend the event can register at the link above or contact events@help.pcconline.info.This event is free for PCT and SHA delegates.

10. Lean commissioning
(Gateway reference number: 18591)
This one-day workshop is designed to give an overview of the lean commissioning approach. It will have a broad relevance within the commissioning community, and is aimed in particular at clinicians moving into commissioning roles, senior managers seeking a fresh perspective, junior commissioners seeking a big picture, and frontline commissioners looking for an improved process for their own work.

Links: 
15 January 2013, Leeds - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/534
12 March 2013, Bristol - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/536
Action: NHS chief executives and colleagues who wish to attend the event can register at the link above or contact events@help.pcconline.info This event is free for PCT and SHA delegates.

11. Masterclass on the NHS standard contract - preparation for 2013-14 
(Gateway reference number: 18592)
Led by leading legal experts from Morgan Cole and PCC facilitators, this masterclass will help delegates prepare for the 2013-14 commissioning priorities and beyond. This event is timed to deliver support prior to final contract negotiation deadlines in March 2013. It is suitable for delegates with experience of the NHS standard contract, and who have responsibility for commissioning for the coming year.

Links: 15 January 2013, London - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/551
25 January 2013, Leeds - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/552
Action: NHS chief executives and colleagues who wish to attend the event can register at the link above or contact events@help.pcconline.info This event is free for PCT and SHA delegates.

12. Achieving excellence in commissioning for CCGs and CSUs masterclass
(Gateway reference number: 18593)
This masterclass will cover priority areas for commissioners from the legal perspective. It will be an interactive workshop focussing on market management, procurement law, competition, and state aid. The sessions will use scenarios and case studies to explore each of these key commissioning challenges.

Links:
25 January 2013, London - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/557
22 February 2013, Birmingham - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/559
29 March 2013, Manchester - www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/560
Action: NHS chief executives and colleagues who wish to attend the event can register at the link above or contact events@help.pcconline.info. This event is free for PCT and SHA delegates.

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