HEADLINE NEWS
VOLUNTEER REQUIRED
The Panel has a vacancy for a volunteer with a special
interest in Mental Health Services Finance.
Expressions of interest should be submitted on the Panel
feedback webpage www.cipfa.org.uk/panels/health/feedback.cfm
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CIPFA NEWS
CONFERENCES/SEMINARS
The Public Expenditure Implications of Britain’s
Ageing Population
– London, 8 September
The issues raised by the changing age profile of the
population of Britain and the implications for local
government and other public services. It will cover:
the headline figures; the LGA's input to spending reviews
and thoughts on the implications of changes in the age
structure; the implications of population change and
ageing for Personal Social Services; the challenge of
managing population growth in an ageing Britain.
Children’s Services: The Financial,
Strategic and Operational Challenges – London,
23 September
This course, for finance professionals from local government,
police authorities and health and voluntary organisations,
will examine the new financial arrangements that are
required by the implementation of the children's services
framework. Richard Harbord, Chair of CIPFA's Social
Services Panel will host the event, and speakers include
Janet Grauberg of DfES, Yvette Stanley, acting Director
of Education at Camden LBC and Steve Houston, Director
of Finance at Knowsley MBC.
Health Conference 2005 – Bournemouth,
6 and 7 October
This year's Health Finance Conference takes its theme
from post-election landscape that will emerge over the
summer months, alongside elements drawn from the major
themes of 2005: the inspection framework for the NHS,
funding, structural changes and service re-alignment
between health, education and social services.
To register and receive more details of events please
contact Alexandra Aarons, CIPFA, 3 Robert Street, London,
WC2N 6RL (tel 020 7543 5751; e-mail alexandra.aarons@cipfa.org).
Further details can also be found on the CIPFA website:
www.cipfa.org.uk/shop.
HEALTH ADVISORY NETWORK
Developing robust costing in the NHS
With local reference costs now forming the basis of
the national tariff, never before has the incentive
been greater for organizations to ensure that their
provider activity is collected, coded and costed accurately.
How can financial stability be predicted if local costs
are not accurate?
The CIPFA Health Advisory Network are running a series
of one day interactive workshops between September and
December 2005, which will enable participants to gain
this crucial awareness.
This workshop will look at all aspects of the costing
‘lifecycle’ from recording the activity
all the way through to the production of the national
tariff. It will focus on how to improve the overall
quality and reliability of local costing and how to
utilize the published data to best effect.
22 September, Leeds
5 October, Manchester
19 October, Exeter
15 November, Leicester
29 November, Newcastle
6 December, London
If you would like further details about this workshop
or would like to find out more about the CIPFA Health
Advisory network, please visit our website at www.ipf.co.uk/healthcare
or email eve.billings@ipf.co.uk
Attendance on this workshop can count towards CIPFA's
CPD Scheme as laid out in CIPFA CPD Guidelines.
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CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CIPFA's new innovative tool to support members in their
CPD, the CIPFA Learning Centre (CLC), was launched at
the Annual Conference on 15 June in Manchester. The
CLC was developed by IPF's Internet Services and will
enable members to: access guidance about the CPD scheme;
plan, manage and record CPD participation; develop technical
and management knowledge and skills; and share CPD Plans
with a CPD buddy.
To access the site please visit http://learning.cipfa.org.uk
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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Strong and effective financial management is key to
well-managed and sustainable public services.
The CIPFA Financial Management Model (FM Model) is
a web-based self-assessment tool that examines financial
management in the public services. It tests how an organisation
measures up against 42 good practice statements and
places that organisation into a spectrum of three 'styles'-
Enabling Transformation, Supporting Performance and
Securing Stewardship - to build a picture of how finances
are working and identify areas for improvement. A key
feature is the ability to survey opinion throughout
the organisation.
The FM Model sits on a secure website that lets users
score and evidence the good practice statements, revisit,
collate and report on their scores and target questions
at key people to test views and opinions. It offers
organisations the opportunity to:
- Manage strategic risk through self-assessment;
- Identify strengths and areas for improvement;
- Prioritise improvement;
- Be better prepared for inspections and audit;
- Review and track its progress over time;
- Benchmark performance against other comparable
organisations
For more information visit www.cipfa.org.uk/shop
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IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
A tool for children and young people's services is
the latest addition to the Improvement Network website.
The 'Better outcomes for children and young people'
evaluation tool is now available on the website, www.improvementnetwork.gov.uk/imp/core/page.do?pageId=1002496
created by the Audit Commission, CIPFA, the Employers’
Organisation and the IDeA.
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PUBLIC MONEY AND MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATION (PMPA)
The Public Management and Policy Association (PMPA)
is a national membership organisation, managed by CIPFA,
dedicated to helping managers, policy makers and academics
keep in touch with and understand the wider cross-cutting
developments in public policy making that affect the
governance, general and financial management of the
public services. In addition to excellent networking
and personal development opportunities across the public
services, the benefits package includes:
- Priority booking for PMPA lectures
- Subscription to Public Money and Management
- Up to three PMPA reports each year
- The PMPA quarterly Review
PMPA lectures in 2005 include:
22 September 2005
Professor David Hunter: The Fall and Rise of the
NHS.
Chair: Professor Michael Clarke. Venue: Park House,
University of Birmingham.
8 November 2005
Professor Andrew Gray: Are We Being Served Appropriately?
Citizens, Clients and Customers as Service Beneficiaries.
Venue: Robert Street, London.
8 December 2005
PMPA Annual Conference. Speakers include
Anna Randle, Head of Policy at the
New Local Government Network; Sue Slipman,
Director of the Foundation Trust Network; Ben
Page, MORI Director; and Jeremy Smith,
Secretary General to the Council of European Municipalities
and Regions.
Chair: David Walker. Venue: IPF, Queen Anne’s
Gate, London.
The latest PMPA publication is the third edition of
‘The State of Britain: A guide to the UK Public
Sector’ authored by Andrew Massey - is now
available. (Non-member price £12).
Individual Membership is £80 (£75 for CIPFA
and other associate member organisations) and £35
for retired members and full time students. Corporate
rates start at £350 for up to five persons registered
by their employing organisations to receive the benefits
package.
Full details are available on the Association's website
www.pmpa.co.uk or
email info.pmpa@cipfa.org
asking for an information pack and sample publications.
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PUBLICATIONS
Financing Long Term Illness in the NHS
The successful management of long term health conditions
presents one of the greatest challenges for NHS management
in the 21st century. Life-threatening diseases such
as diabetes, heart failure and respiratory illness are
making heavier and heavier demands on hospital resources
across the western world. Meanwhile, conditions such
as arthritis and lower back injury have a profound impact,
both on health services and - through prolonged absence
from work - on the economy as a whole.
This timely publication on the financing of long term
health conditions addresses two important needs:
- First and foremost, it offers NHS finance professionals,
service managers, commissioners and others a solid
grounding in the financial importance, concepts and
practice of modern chronic disease management. It
includes:
- an introduction to chronic care and the linked
concepts of case management and supported self-care;
- an overview of experience to date, including a
range of case studies; and
- a survey of tools and techniques that support
good chronic disease management, covering modern
technology, end of life care, and policy initiatives
such as expert patient programmes and the GMS contract.
- In addition, it provides an independent professional
commentary on key financial and accounting issues
arising from the NHS's new focus on long term illness,
and practical signposts through some of the associated
dilemmas. Principal areas covered include the business
case for chronic care, the implications for acute
hospitals, and how chronic disease management can
be squared with payment by results.
To purchase a copy visit http://secure.cipfa.org.uk/cgi-bin/CIPFA.storefront/EN/product/HE009
Future Publications
The Panel has commissioned guidance on the practical
steps to implementation of the following NHS policy
initiatives that are due to be published winter 2005/6.
- Foundation Trusts
- Practice Based Commissioning
More details will be published in future editions.
Public Money and Management (PMM)
The past 25 years of the National Health Service (NHS)
are under scrutiny in the August edition of Public Money
& Management (PMM), the publication of the Public
Management and Policy Association (PMPA). The magazine
contains in-depth analyses of the UK’s health
system and its relationship with local and central government
from experts in the field, in addition to informed public
sector debates.
Professor Rob Baggott looks at the health agendas
of recent governments in his article From Sickness to
Health? Public Health in England. The professor of public
policy at De Mont University states that since the early
1970s – when the world witnessed a rise in the
promotion of health in line with advancements in technology
– governments have been more concerned with prolonging
life and preventing illness.
The article looks at different governments’ approaches
to health and concludes that the current government
is cautious and equivocal over the optimum balance between
the state and the individual taking responsibility for
health, fearing criticism of the ‘nanny state’.
Public Money & Management is owned and managed
by CIPFA, and is the official journal of the Public
Management and Policy Association which is published
on behalf of CIPFA by Blackwell Publishing.
Public Money & Management has a multidisciplinary
and international audience. It publishes articles which
contribute new knowledge as a basis for policy or management
improvements, or which reflect on evidence from public
service management and finance in order to suggest topics
for research. Readers include: officials in all types
of public service organizations; academics; consultants
and advisers working with the public services; politicians;
journalists; and students on both academic and professional
courses.
In response to a steady rise in sales and submissions,
Public Money & Management increased its frequency
from quarterly to five issues per year. The number of
pages in the volume was also increased: from 256 pp.
a year to 320 pp. The final issues in 2005 will be published
in October. Articles for consideration by the editors
should be sent to micky@mickylavender.com.
Public Money & Management has a strong reputation:
citations have increased steadily in the UK and abroad
and its articles were prominent in submissions by academics
to the Research Assessment Exercise of 2001. Blackwell
Publishing's recent survey of readers has also strongly
endorsed Public Money & Management's position as
a bridge of academic and practitioner interests.
For further information on PMM and details on how to
subscribe, please see www.cipfa.org.uk/pt/pmm.cfm
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TIS HEALTH ONLINE
A significant new feature has been added to TISonline
- instant emails to inform subscribers when new and
updated guidance is added to the TIS information streams.
This development follows from the successful monthly
e-alert, which now has some 5,000 recipients.
Instant emails inform all subscribers who have signed
up, when new and updated guidance is added to the information
stream(s) of their choice, thus enabling access to this
guidance as soon as possible. Users can select the subjects
on which they want to receive information; from information
streams to which their organisation subscribes and can
also change their selected options at any time.
Subscribers can also elect to receive the monthly e-alert
which provides a summary of all TISonline guidance updated
during the preceding month and additionally includes
update highlights, monthly news and tips on how to get
the best from their subscription.
To find out if your organisation subscribes, and for
more information about instant emails, contact Sarah
Ellison on 020 7340 1203 or sarah.ellison@ipf.co.uk.
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OTHER NEWS
ENGLAND
ADULT SOCIAL CARE
An umbrella group of organisations campaigning on behalf
of older people has joined calls urging the government
to address the funding implications of the Green Paper
on adult social care.
The call was made in a new report, What Price Care
in Old Age, published by the Social Policy on Ageing
Information Network (Spain). Spain, whose members include
Action on Elder Abuse, Carers UK and the Parkinsons
Disease Society, said the Green Paper provided an opportunity
to re-evaluate the nature of social care and re-think
the way care is funded and delivered.
However, it said it was unrealistic to expect the
shift from acute services to preventive services to
be cost neutral.
The report makes a number of recommendations, including
a better financial settlement for social care in the
next spending review which takes into account figures
from Derek Wanless in his forthcoming review; increased
resources to support the government’s commitment
to end discrimination against older people in the provision
of social care; and equal protection of funding for
adults and children's services.
The full report is available at www.helptheaged.org.uk/CampaignsNews
A CIPFA response to the Green Paper is also available
at www.cipfa.org.uk/panels/social_services/
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CANCER SCREENING
A new drive to help beat bowel cancer has been unveiled
by Health Minister Rosie Winterton.
Bowel cancer is the second largest cause of cancer
deaths in the UK with around 30,000 new cases each year.
In 2003, over 16,000 people died from the disease.
Rosie Winterton announced that a national bowel cancer
screening programme would be phased in, starting from
April 2006. Men and women aged 60-69 years old will
be screened every two years. The programme will cost
£37½ million in its first two years of
roll-out.
It is the first time such a programme will operate
in England and one of the first of its kind in Europe.
Home testing kits will be sent to around two million
people in the target group each year to enable them
to do the test in the privacy of their own homes. The
person then sends the kit back to a laboratory where
it will be analysed.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PressReleases
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COMMISSIONING
Commissioning a patient-led NHS follows on
from the publication of 'Creating a Patient Led NHS'
in March, and focuses on how the DH will develop commissioning
throughout the whole NHS system, with some changes in
function for PCTs and SHAs.
In future both will concentrate on three main areas:
- promoting health improvement and reducing inequalities
- securing safe and high quality services for their
population
- emergency planning
The document asks SHAs to work with their local health
communities to consider roles and responsibilities of
organisations in their areas, and sets out criteria
for assessing any local proposals for change within
a realistic timetable. It also commits to a development
process for PCTs and SHAs similar to that for NHS Trusts
to prepare them fully for their new roles.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk
Government plans to carry out a major restructuring
of the NHS could derail the health service reform agenda
and place health professionals under severe pressure.
That was the view of the King's Fund in response to
the above guidance published by the Department of Health,
which reveals plans to reconfigure the service and cut
back on management and administrative costs.
For more details visit www.kingsfund.org.uk/news/press_releases/major.html
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CONTINUING CARE
The Government has published a response to the Health
Select Committee’s Sixth Report of Session 2004–05
on NHS continuing care. The Government welcomes the
opportunity to explore in detail several issues, which
were raised during the evidence sessions of the Committee.
In particular, we welcome the opportunity to set out
clearly the difference between fully funded NHS continuing
care, and the registered nursing care contributions.
The full report is available at www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Corporate governance has become increasingly important
throughout society, since effective governance is the
cornerstone of well-managed organisations whether they
are in the public, private or voluntary sectors.
The Audit Commission aims to ensure that it maximises
the impact of its work, while discharging its statutory
duties. In doing so, it seeks to be a model of excellent
corporate governance, so as to set the standards it
expects of others through its own example and to earn
the confidence of its stakeholders.
This Corporate Governance Framework lays down the
necessary responsibilities and procedures that are the
foundations for an excellent organisation. It was formally
approved by the Board of the Commission on 15 July and
will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains at the
forefront of best practice.
It is published on the Commission's website www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports
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DENTAL SERVICES
Draft regulations and explanatory notes outlining the
new arrangements for commissioning of primary care dental
services have been published by the Department of Health.
They are particularly aimed at dentists and primary
care trust primary care managers who will be responsible
for commissioning local dental services from next April,
with a preparatory period from 1 January 2006.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/Dental/fs/en
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
The Department has published a forward plan that focuses
on what the DH will do in 2005-06 to lead and support
the drive to achieve the Government's objectives for
health and social care, and to support Ministers in
their accountability to the public and Parliament.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NHS staff with no professional qualifications will
have access to learning accounts, Health Secretary Patricia
Hewitt has announced.
The NHS Learning Account (LA) scheme exists to help
those staff who do not have a work related professional
qualification develop their skills and potential and
help to raise standards in the fundamentals of patient
care.
An NHS Learning Account is worth up to £150
per year towards the cost of a learning/training programme.
The NHS is keen to support and encourage people back
into learning and see this scheme as a key building
block to open up a wide range of learning opportunities?
whether it be NVQ level, the first steps to professional
training or accessing further LA support.
All NHS employees who do not hold a relevant professional
work-related qualification are eligible to apply for
an NHS Learning Account.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk
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FOUNDATION TRUSTS
Monitor has issued a consultation document Best Practice
in Making Investments to NHS Foundation Trusts which
covers investment of funds in third parties and separate
legal entities (e.g. private and voluntary sectors,
etc) under section 17 of the Health and Social Care
(Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.
For more details visit www.regulator-nhsft.gov.uk
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HEALTHCARE IN LONDON
The King's Fund has issued three challenges to statutory,
voluntary and community groups in London to develop
and improve services in areas in which health needs
remain unmet.
The challenges mark the launch of a new scheme, Partners
for Health in London, that will invest £1.2 million
a year in funding activities and make the King's Fund
a more active partner with the organisations it supports.
The three areas and their challenges are:
Developing mental health advocacy: to develop and deliver
services that aim to establish how effective mental
health advocacy may be in different circumstances.
Promoting better sexual health: to make the development
and the delivery of sexual health services more responsive
to defined minority ethnic communities.
Improving end of life care: to deliver projects that
will improve the quality of life for dependent adults
and their carers facing the impact of end of life.
For more details visit www.kingsfund.org.uk/news/press_releases/kings_fund_38.html
HEALTH RESEARCH
The Department of Health has launched a consultation
on proposals for a new modernised National Health Research
Strategy.
The views of research professionals, organisations,
patients and the public are being sought on the future
direction of health research for the Department of Health
and the NHS in England.
The strategy aims to ensure the NHS supports the Government's
commitment to positioning the UK as the best place in
the world for health research, development and innovation.
The proposed changes
include:
- Modernising the way research in the NHS is funded
- to ensure a transparent system of funding that more
accurately reflects the levels of health research
conducted by NHS Trusts.
- Establishing a set of Academic Medical Centres -
to serve as the nation's premier research hospitals
and compete with other top clinical research institutes
throughout the world.
- Creating the National Institute for Health Research
- a virtual institute to work with the UK Clinical
Research Collaboration to co-ordinate the research
infrastructure of the NHS. This would bring together,
for the first time, all elements of NHS and Department
of Health research.
A copy of the consultation document can be found at
www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations/fs/en
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KINGS FUND
The government now needs to broaden its focus from
driving down waiting times to ensuring that the NHS
delivers equal treatment for patients in equal need
of it, according to a new report from the King's Fund.
The report argues the government has reasons to feel
optimistic that no patient will wait more than 18 weeks
from GP appointment to hospital treatment by 2008, although
it warns there are many constraints that could still
mean the target is missed. It also suggests the government
will need to monitor carefully the impact of potentially
destabilising policies, such as payment by results and
the extension of patient choice.
For more details visit www.kingsfund.org.uk/news/press_releases/government_fight.html
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PAYMENT BY RESULTS
This Code of Conduct describes principles for best
practice, which are supported by some more detailed
rules.
The Code of Conduct was developed by a working group
with representatives from Department of Health, Monitor,
the Healthcare Commission, the Audit Commission, Strategic
Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, NHS Foundation
Trusts, NHS Trusts, Primary Care Practices and the Independent
Sector.
The DH propose to issue the Code of Conduct in late
2005, subject to Ministers' views on the outcome of
the consultation and will also make available a summary
of responses we receive, and any changes made as a result.
The DH expect to publish these on the Department of
Health website in December 2005.
The DH are inviting comments by 4 November on any aspect
of the Code of Conduct, but have provided some questions
on which they are particularly keen to hear views.
The Code of Conduct is available at www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations
In addition a letter from Richard Douglas, NHS Director
of Finance, on 4 August outlined final decisions on
a number of outstanding issues relating to the implementation
of Payment by Results in 2005/06
Outstanding issues relating to the implementation of
Payment by Results in 2005/06 include:
- Planned support
- 20% cap
- Group 3 and Group 4 rejected or deferred NHS Foundation
Trusts
- Other outstanding adjustments, and
- Payment of invoices
A copy of the letter is available at www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars
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PRIMARY CARE
Deprived and growth areas get support to tackle inequalities
in health services.
Thousands of people will soon find it easier to visit
a GP thanks to a wave of new GP practices and walk-in
services set to open next year in towns and cities hit
by the poorest access to primary care services.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has revealed the six
primary care trusts (PCTs) to benefit from Government
support to improve patient access to NHS care outside
of hospitals. The first patients to benefit under the
programme will be those in London (two PCTs), Liverpool,
Lancashire, Plymouth and Yorkshire.
With support from the Department of Health, PCTs in
these areas will open a total of three new walk-in services;
two new GP practices; one nurse-led practice; as well
as employ additional GPs, nurse practitioners, healthcare
assistants.
There are also plans for new 'breakfast' and 'tea-time'
surgeries, with practices open as early as 7am and as
late as 10pm; GPs to provide a wider range of services
at the GP practice, such as direct access to medical
tests and local care for diabetes, asthma and arthritis;
and regular visits from nurses and GPs for nursing and
residential home patients.
In addition, Patricia Hewitt announced that GPs would
have more power to commission services so that local
healthcare reflects the need of the local community.
By 2006, all PCTs will have arrangements in place to
allow GPs to hold a budget for the treatment of their
patients under practice-based commissioning.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk
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PRIVATE HEALTH CARE
Spending on health & care 'cover' products in the
UK, including private medical insurance, health cash
plans, dental benefit plans and long term care insurance,
reached £4.2 billion in 2004, according to a new
report from leading independent analysts Laing and Buisson
and sponsored by Accenture.
The largest portion of health & care 'cover',
some £3.4 billion, was spent on private medical
expenses cover (private medical insurance and self-insured
corporate medical schemes). The rest consists of £425
million spent on health cash plans, £274 million
on dental benefit plans (private capitation and insurance),
and £136 million annual spending on long term
care 'cover' products.
Allowing for overlap, health & care 'cover' products
now reach approaching 20% of the UK population. Private
medical schemes cover 12.7% of the population, 8.1%
of the population have health cash plans, 3.3% have
private dental cover, but less than 0.1% have long term
care cover.
For more details visit www.laingbuisson.co.uk/healthandcarecover05.htm
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SEXUAL HEALTH
Public Health Minister Caroline Flint has announced
a further £15m to help transform sexual health
services across the country.
The funding, to be added to the £130m already
committed for genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) services
in the Public Health White Paper, will be made available
immediately for use over the next year allowing sexual
health clinics to improve their buildings, expand their
services, increase capacity and reduce waiting times.
One of the main aims of the sexual health strategy
is to relieve the burden on traditional services by
providing screening and testing in a range of different
settings such as pharmacies and GP surgeries.
For more details visit www.dh.gov.uk
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SOCIAL CARE
Care Services Minister Liam Byrne has announced a joint
white paper, designed to deliver integrated health and
social care systems. It will bring together proposals
for both adult social care and all care received outside
of hospitals.
He also announced three brand new initiatives as part
of his work plan as Care Services Minister:
- That the Care Services Improvement Partnership
(CSIP) and the Local Government Improvement and Development
Agency (IDeA) develop a joined-up national improvement
strategy for adult social care. This strategy will
offer practical support through a range of regionally
tailored methods and approaches. It will be developed
in collaboration with SCIE, LGA and the ADSS to ensure
future work programmes are based on local need.
- A new taskforce, linked to the existing National
Strategic Partnership Forum, will identify the obstacles
the sector experiences in delivering services in partnership
with health
- A joint review with the DfES will identify further
workforce development options, which will be known
as Options for Excellence. This will include recruitment
and retention, education and development, leadership
and expanding professional regulation
The consultation on the White Paper will begin later
this year and more details are available on www.dh.gov.uk
Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the Commission for Social
Care Inspection, welcomed the Government's commitment,
in its recent Green Paper on the future of adult social
care in England, to inclusion, choice and personal control
and the emphasis on sustaining the ordinary fabric of
a person's life.
However, Dame Denise said there was a significant
gap between how services are currently delivered and
the aspirations set out in the Green Paper. The Commission's
response to the Government's consultation sets out some
of the challenges that will need to be addressed to
make the vision a reality.
If the vision is delivered, social care services will
be transformed for the better, benefiting everyone who
uses care services.
For more details visit www.csci.org.uk/media/press_releases/green_paper_response.htm
A package of £1.3billion to help local authorities
and their partners to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour,
education, housing, livability, health inequalities
and worklessness has been announced by the Office of
the Deputy Prime Minister.
The funds will improve the quality of life for local
people by the investment in cleaner, safer greener public
spaces.
The funding allocations announced by the Office of
the Deputy Prime Minister are:
- £1.05billion Neighbourhood Renewal Fund spread
over two years 2006-8 to the 80 most deprived local
authority districts in England and six now significantly
improved districts
- £265million Safer Stronger Communities Fund
(SSCF).
The SSCF Neighbourhood Element of £160 million
over four years 2006-10 is targeted at the 84 local
authorities that contain pockets of deprivation in small
neighbourhoods. The SSCF Cleaner Safer Greener element
of £105 million for the two years 2006-8, is targeted
at 50 local authority districts that need to make a
significant improvement in their public spaces.
For more details visit Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Website: www.odpm.gov.uk
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STAR RATINGS
The Healthcare Commission has published the annual
star ratings of performance for NHS trusts in England.
Overall the ratings show an improvement in the performance
of the NHS against tougher waiting time targets for
outpatient appointments and operations, as well as lower
death rates for cancer and heart disease. But almost
a quarter of all trusts, including a third of acute
trusts, failed to achieve financial balance for the
year.
The ratings, which cover the financial year 2004/2005,
assess performance in meeting targets that have become
progressively tougher each year. Areas covered include
waiting times for hospital treatment, access to GPs
and response times of ambulances, as well as management
of finances and handling of patients and staff.
For more details visit www.healthcarecommission.org.uk
Financial instability is putting NHS reforms at risk,
warns King's Funding in response to the Healthcare Commission
report on star ratings.
For more details visit www.kingsfund.org.uk/news/press_releases/finances_put_nhs.html
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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
An Audit Commission report Local quality of life
indicators - supporting local communities to become
sustainable contains and explains the background behind
the 45 indicators that measure the quality of life in
individual localities and the effectiveness of local
sustainable community strategies, which are also closely
linked to national sustainable development indicators.
The measures have been identified by the Commission,
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).
For more details visit www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/NATIONAL-REPORT.asp?CategoryID=ENGLISH^576&ProdID=0D488A03-8C16-46fb-A454-7936FB5D5589
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WALES
CARERS GRANTS
Carers across Wales will receive more help and support
to look after loved ones, thanks to an extra £5.9million
from the Welsh Assembly Government, Health and Social
Services Minister Dr Brian Gibbons has announced.
All local authorities will receive a share of the
funding to increase the range of support on offer and
make it more flexible and accessible.
The Carers Grant will transfer into the local authority
revenue support grant from April 2006. It is Assembly
Government policy that such grants should transfer into
the revenue settlement: support for carers should be
seen as a mainstream activity for councils not an add-on.
The timing of the transfer was determined following
advice from the Carers Strategy Review Panel.
The 2005-06 local authority carers grant plans include
an outline of the approach each local authority will
be adopting to work with voluntary organisations and
other stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition when
the carers grant transfers into the revenue settlement.
Since 2000-01 the Welsh Assembly Government has allocated
nearly £29 million in grant to local authorities
to help develop local services for carers.
For more details visit www.wales.gov.uk
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HEALTH TOURISM
From 1 August only patients using the welsh prescriptions,
issued by welsh practices will be able to benefit from
reduced prescription charges in Wales, Heath Minister
Dr Brian Gibbons has announced, in order to deter ‘health
tourists’ from outside Wales.
The regulations will reduce prescription charges from
£4 per item to £3 in April 2006. The cost
of an annual pre-payment certificate will be reduced
from £57.46 to £43.09 and a four monthly
pre-payment certificate will be cut from £20.93
to £15.69.
For more details visit www.wales.gov.uk
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