Website of the Department of Health

Support given to areas worst hit by alcohol misuse - Funded by new Alcohol Improvement Programme

Twenty of the areas worst hit by alcohol misuse are to receive support as part of a new programme which will help the local health service better identify and intervene with those at risk.

The selected PCTs are in inequality hotspots, and as ‘early implementers’, will share their experiences with health services around the country.

Funding will come from the new Local Alcohol Interventions Improvement Programme, launched yesterday by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo at the National Alcohol Conference.

A range of data, guidance, learning resources, and the HubCAPP database of practice examples have been brought together via the Alcohol Learning Centre website:

• Alcohol Learning Centre (opens new window)
• Fast track help for areas with most severe alcohol problems

Duty to involve guidance - Puts patients at the heart of NHS decision-making

Strengthened ‘Duty to Involve’ guidance will help patients and the public have more say over the running of their local health service.

The guidance offers statutory guidance for NHS organisations on the updated duty of involvement. It also offers advice about the new duty of reporting on consultation and best practice on embedding involvement in organisations.

Increased patient involvement will enable local NHS organisations to put patients’ wishes first and give staff the freedom to respond and deliver safer, more personalised care.

• Real involvement: working with people to improve services

Policy news

1. Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment)(No 5) Directions 2008 (Gateway reference number 10766)

This amendment to the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) implements changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework as agreed with NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee earlier this year. There are number of minor additional changes to other parts of the SFE. The amendment comes into force from on 1 April 2008, with the balance effective from 23 October 2008. 

Action: PCT chief executives to note the amendment and ensure General Medical Services payments are made in accordance with the amended SFE.

• Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) (No 5) Directions 2008

Consultations and evaluations

2. Draft children’s cancer measures (Gateway reference number 10780)

A three-month consultation has been launched into children's cancer measures. The purpose is to make measures clear, prior to their inclusion in the revised Manual for Cancer Services 2008.

Action: NHS chief executives wishing to comment on the measures should submit responses by 30 January 2009 to:

• Andrianna.davis@ncpr.org.uk (opens new window)
• Manual for Cancer Services 2008: draft childrens measures - consultation
• CQuINS: online manual for cancer services (opens new window)

Publications

3. Long term conditions - national patients’ prospectus (Gateway reference number: 10748)

The national patients' prospectus, Your health, your way - a guide to long term conditions and self care was launched on NHS Choices on 2 November 2008. The prospectus sets out what people with long term conditions can expect to be available locally from April 2009 in terms of choices around support for self care. 

Action: NHS and Local Authority chief executives will be interested in the letter from Mark Britnell, which provides more information, at:

• Patients prospectus, 'Your health, your way - a guide to long term conditions and self care' national launch

4. NHS car parking (Gateway reference number: 7416)

There is currently high media interest in hospital parking schemes and charges. BBC Watchdog (27 Oct) and London Inside Out (5 Nov) have run critical articles. In response, Ben Bradshaw has reiterated that appropriate concessionary schemes for regular users should be in place and promoted prominently. Annual ERIC data on car parking, published on 31 October, may generate further interest.

Action: NHS chief executives should familiarise themselves with the 2006 DH guidance and prepare to defend their operation in the light of any approach by local community groups or media.

• Income generation car parking charges best practice for implementation

5. New NHS contracts e-bulletin (Gateway reference number: 10787)

This is the fifth edition in a series of regular updates on the development of new NHS standard contracts for mental health, community and ambulance services. The e-bulletin provides detail on the contract implementation workshops currently taking place. It also feeds back on the acute contract review and testing of the community contract.

Action: Chief executives of PCTs, NHS trusts and independent sector providers will be interested in these developments.

• New NHS contracts

6. Tackling childhood obesity with Change4Life (Gateway reference number: 10554)

Change4Life is a new initiative, which aims to improve children’s diets and levels of activity, bringing together health and education professionals, industry and the third sector.

Action: NHS chief executives may be interested in the aims of Change4Life to see how they can align their organisations with the campaign and access resources.

• Launch of Change4Life, a national movement to tackle childhood obesity

7. Seasonal flu immunisation programme (Gateway reference number: 10812)

Immunisation co-ordinators can log on to the health protection informatics website to check whether vaccination uptake rates in their areas are making progress towards the WHO recommended levels. It is important to reach 75 percent uptake for those aged 65 years and over improve uptake rates for the under 65 clinical risk groups, which include carers and health care workers.

Action: NHS chief executives may wish to check with their immunisation co-ordinators that vaccination uptake rates are in line with WHO recommended levels. For further enquiries, contact Geoff Dent, 020 7972 4100 or email: 

• influenza@dh.gsi.gov.uk (opens new window)
• PL CMO (2008)3, PL CNO (2008)2, PL CPHO (2008)1: The influenza immunisation programme 2008/09

8. Alignment of regulators with world class commissioning (Gateway reference number: 10765)

The Department of Health has published a joint letter with the Audit Commission and Healthcare Commission setting out in more detail the alignment of the regulators with the world class commissioning assurance system 08/09.

Action: NHS chief executives are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the content of the letter to support the implementation of the assurance system.

• World Class Commissioning and Audit Commission Auditors' Local Evaluation (Use of Resources from 08/09)

9. Planning for disruption to road fuel supply (Gateway reference number: 10619)

The Department of Health has produced guidance to NHS organisations on preparing for disruptions to the national supply of road fuel. This is intended to support the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s National Emergency Plan for Fuel. It will assist NHS organisations in implementing measures to minimise the impact on patient care.

Action: NHS chief executives should use the guidance to plan for situations where they may face ongoing and severe disruption to the supply of road fuel.

• NHS guidance on planning for disruption to road fuel supply: strategic national guidance for NHS organisations

Conferences and events - i) what’s new

10. Vascular Checks Learning Network (Gateway reference number: 10799)

The aim of this workshop is to facilitate the sharing of experience gained in implementing vascular checks. The workshop will take place on 25 November 2008 from 10.00 – 16.00 at The Palace Hotel, Oxford Street, Manchester M60 7HA.

Action: NHS chief executives who wish to attend return their application form before the 14 November 2008. See:

• Vascular Checks Learning Network workshops

Conferences and events - ii) places still available

11. Cancer Reform Strategy conference (Gateway reference number: 10464 )

This is your final opportunity to register for the first conference of the Cancer Reform Strategy’s National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative. Taking place on 21 November in London, this conference will provide information and support for NHS staff working on cancer awareness and early detection initiatives locally.

Action: NHS chief executives can register to attend with the user name: LAUNCH and password: REGISTER (please use capital letters for the user name and password). See:

• EventproUK: On-line Event Registration (opens new window)

Patient safety alerts

12. MEDICAL DEVICE ALERT – MDA/2008/078 (Gateway reference number: 10824)

Device: Breezy Moonlite manual wheelchair manufactured by Sunrise Medical. 

This Medical Device Alert was issued on 29 October 2008 to NHS trusts for immediate action.

Further information can be found at: 

• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - MDA/2008/078 (opens new window)