 The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is inviting suggestions for topic generation for the 2012/13 Quality and Outcomes Framework.
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 The Care Quality Commission is keen to engage with PCT Network members in 2010 as part of its consultation process for the Assessment of Quality 2010/11.
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 PCTs are invited to take part in the piloting process following the Steele Dentistry Review.
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 Following the conclusion of the inquest into the death of out of hours patient David Gray, a number of recommendations have been made which are of relevance to PCTs.
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 On 5 February the Department of Health released Transforming Community Services assurance and approvals process for PCT-provided community services.
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 The National Audit Office has expressed its concern about what it describes as the “unacceptable variation” in trauma care across England.
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 The Department of Health has issued its response to the consultation on quality accounts
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 The Health Select Committee recently held an evidence session with Health Minister Mike O’Brien MP as part of its commissioning inquiry.
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 The Audit Commission has completed its pilot audit reviewing accident and emergency attendance data, examining correctness of data under Payment by Results.
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 PCT Network director, David Stout, has recently appeared on the Today Programme and been quoted in the national media on a range of healthcare issues affecting PCT Network members.
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 PCT Network support for members following the Health Select Committee inquiry on commissioning
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 PCT Network has responded to the Department of health's consultation on proposals for piloting direct payments for health care.
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 The Department of Health sets out the vision for delivering improvements in the NHS.
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The Audit Commission’s assessment of public sector performance in England
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 This Government strategy is aimed at improving the mental well-being of the whole population.
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 The Mental Health Act 2007 updated existing mental health legislation and introduced the deprivation of liberty safeguards into the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
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 David Stout, PCT Network director has been recently quoted in the national media on the issues that concern Network members.
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 Celebrating excellence, endeavour, innovation and inspiration in the healthcare sector
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 The Department of Health has recently commissioned an independent review into the use of antipsychotic medications in people with dementia.
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 The Audit Commission last week recently a report ‘More for Less’. The report analyses changes in healthcare spend between 2007/8 and 2008/9.
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 Prioritising and improving mental health and wellbeing services for patients in England.
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 PCT Network seeking your views on abolishing practice boundaries and opening up choice for GP practices.
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David Stout gave oral evidence to the Health Select Committee on 22 October as part of the Committee's inquiry into commissioning in the NHS
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The key role of the Equality and Diversity Council will be to report on equality and diversity issues to the NHS Management Board, including championing improvement and campaigning for change.
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The Department of Health has recently launched a consultation on the framework for quality accounts.
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 On the 17 September, the Secretary of State for health Andrew Burnham, made a speech at the King’s Fund, which focused on putting quality at the core of the NHS.
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 This guide reports on the first phase of the Action on Health visiting programme and sets out the next steps for the future.
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 NHS Direct is taking steps to strengthen its medical expertise at Board level.
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 Last week the Audit Commission published PCTs’ Use of Resources scores for 2008/9.
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 'Never Events' are serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if the available, preventative measures have been implemented.
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The National Quality Board is a multi-stakeholder board established by the Department of Health to champion quality and ensure alignment in quality throughout the NHS.
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 The Compact is an agreement between Government and the voluntary and community sector in England.
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The Primary Care Trust Network and NHS Alliance have issued a joint briefing in response to the interim statement from the Care Quality Commission on its enquiry into healthcare provider Take Care Now.
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 This consultation seeks views on the Government's detailed proposals for the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
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 The Appointments Commission has launched a consultation on a draft national framework and implementation plan setting out proposals for increasing local involvement in the appointment of PCT chairs.
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 NHS Birmingham East and North has already hosted successful visits from delegates from Canada, Japan, Finland, Spain and Northern Ireland.
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 The Department of Health has issued guidance to remuneration committees on the operation of the pay framework for very senior managers.
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The second year of world class commissioning (WCC) assurance was launched by the Department of Health on 16 September 2009.
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 PCT Network members have the opportunity to contribute to the development of future indicators for the Quality Outcomes Framework.
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 The NPSA is seeking comments from interested organisations and individuals concerning the ‘National Framework for Reporting and Learning from Serious Incidents Requiring Investigation’.
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Carers are a huge resource in our care and support system. They are critical to the future sustainability of the system.
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 Following the significant failings in quality of care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Monitor commissioned KPMG, their internal auditors, to produce a report considering how methods and processes at the trust could be improved.
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PCT Network board met on 1 September at the Confederation offices in London.
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The Department of Health has been reviewing the standard contract for mental health and learning disability services.
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 Following two stakeholder workshops held earlier this year, NICE has developed a “How to” guide on how NICE guidance can be used to support the commissioning of high quality care and services.
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 The Care Quality Commission is currently consulting on its mental health strategy.
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Monitor has developed further advice for PCTs on how commissioners and Monitor can work together to deliver improvements in quality.
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 ‘The Compact and procurement law: a guide to frequently asked questions’, is a useful tool for PCT commissioners who are procuring services from third sector providers.
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Guidance on the governance of PCT Provider Committees has now been published
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 A letter has been issued to SHAs and PCTs from David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS in England, signalling changes to the timetable for Transforming Community Services.
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 Would you like to help shape national mental health policy and support the development of mental health commissioning practice?
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 Following discussions with the Department of Health, the Audit Commission proposes to re-run the National Duplicate Registration Initiative (NDRI) as part of the statutory audit in 2009/10.
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 The Audit Commission has launched its consultation on the Payment by Results (PbR) data assurance framework for 2010/11 onwards.
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 We have been asked by the Leicester health community if we would put together a group to share intelligence and approaches to rethinking local health systems in ways that allow providers to release significant fixed costs.
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 The government’s 10 year plan for transforming mental health services – the National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health – comes to an end this year.
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The PCT Network has responded to the recent Monitor consultation
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The Cooperation and Competition Panel (CCP) is considering the need for guidance to PCTs on how to handle potential conflicts of interest in their procurement processes.
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Members views are sought on this consultation on a new MRSA objective:
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The tendering exercise being undertaken by the DH for a job evaluation scheme for very senior managers has fallen somewhat behind schedule and the scheme is not now expected to be in place by April 2010 which was the original deadline.
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The DH has produced a provisional review of CQUIN schemes.
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 PCT network hosted a breakfast meeting with Andrew Lansley CBE MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, on 1 July in London.
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 The Department of Health is seeking comments on proposed changes to the world class commissioning assurance system for year 2.
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 This week the Government published its new national strategy Building Britain’s Future.
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 PCTN has been invited to nominate a PCT Chief Executive to join the National Mental Health Policy Implementation Board.
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 The PCT network will be holding a policy workshop in July and two conferences in the autumn.
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PCTN is contributing to the DH’s review of the Standard NHS Contract for Mental Health and Learning Disability Services.
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The Care Quality Commission has published the self-assessment of core standards across the NHS for 2008/9.
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 A new resource pack for GPs, 'Practice-based commissioning in action', has been created by the Department of Health in consultation with GPs, the NHS Confederation, NAPC and NHS Alliance.
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 The PCT Network has been asked to nominate a PCT commissioner to join the National Mental Health PbR Project Board.
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 Professor Sir Michael Marmot has issued an Interim report setting out his emerging findings for his strategic policy review of health inequalities in England.
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Professor Jimmy Steele has published his review of NHS dental services. The proposals include development of dental contracts with much clearer incentives for improving health.
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The Department of Health has this week launched a series of transformational guides to support the NHS in delivering high quality community healthcare services.
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 David Stout, director, PCT Network was quoted in the HSJ this month highlighting the importance within PCTs for a robust tendering process for community services.
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 Community services lag behind much of the rest of the NHS on IT investment, according to the NHS Confederation's Primary Care Trust Network.
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An article by Matthew Winn, Managing Director, Cambridgeshire PCT and PCT Network board member has been published by HSJ recently.
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The DH's Transforming Community Services Programme is setting up a new Project Board to oversee its community information work. ...
more At the Transforming Community Services launch on 13 January chief nursing officer Chris Beasley announced funding to the tune of £1.5m to support innovation and leadership in community services....
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