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Welcome to our News RoundupA digest of news reports and press comment specifically selected for Practice Managers
In each article there are link(s) to other websites - clicking on a link will open a new window (or a new Tab if you are using tabbed browsing). Close that window/tab to return here.
Pop-up blockers (Windows XP, Google, Yahoo and others). If you have a pop-up blocker enabled, the links below may not open. So if you click on a link and nothing happens, hold down the Ctrl key and click the link again (holding the Ctrl key overrides the pop-up blocker)
Headlines w/c 8th March 2010
GPs set for pay cut after Government overrules DDRB on expenses
GPs in England are to receive an effective pay cut for 2010/11, after the Government chose to ignore the pay review body's recommendation and apply a 'prospective efficiency saving' on GP expenses.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=23
&storycode=4125338&cid=pay_100310#Andy Burnham launches consultation on abolition of practice boundaries
Does this signal the end of general practice as we know it? Popular practices could reap the benefits whereas those which make it difficult for patients to see them will suffer. You can find all of the details here:
http://www.gpchoice.dh.gov.uk/Virgin plans to lead GP care across country
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin empire has plans to co-ordinate GP services across the country as private firms use the financial crisis to gain a firm grip on the NHS. Virgin became the leading private provider of Darzi centres – with 15 in total – and joint owner of 30 GP companies after its acquisition of Assura Medical Ltd last week. A Virgin board member told Pulse the company, now a corporate partner of more than 1,500 GPs, wants to run polysystems involving thousands of GPs to undercut hospitals and provide cheaper primary care services.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125319&cid=Latest_headlines_2_100310£281m potential takeover of Care UK signals private sector intent
City investors bargaining on a huge shift of NHS services to private companies signalled their intent with a £281 million takeover deal for the provider Care UK. Leading private equity group Bridgepoint offered a 9.2% premium on the company’s share price to Care UK’s investors and with the deal recommended to go through by management, the takeover looks set to spark a massive increase in private sector strategic activity.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125252&cid=Latest_headlines_3_040310Consolidated Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) text
This consolidated version of the SFE (as at 1 February 2010) is provided for ease of reference. It is not a legal document but it will help you check what’s in the SFE. The consolidation includes all amending Directions up to and including The Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) (No.6) Directions 2009.
Download Consolidated SFE text as at 1 February 2010 (PDF, 2298K)
DH set to scale back plan to shift A&E to GPs
The Department of Health is set to ask NHS managers to look again at plans to shift a huge volume of A&E work to GPs in polyclinics and urgent care centres, after admitting there was ‘very limited’ evidence to support the policy. Ministers were forced into damage limitation mode last week as a major new report commissioned by the DH found claims as much as 60% of A&E work could safely be transferred to GPs were grossly exaggerated.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125320&cid=Latest_headlines_2_090310BMA demands suspension of Summary Care Record rollout
The BMA has called on the Government to halt the controversial Summary Care Record programme, as outrage over the rollout's acceleration and a huge workload for practices spills over into open rebellion.
In a strongly-worded letter to health minister Mike O’Brien, BMA chair Dr Hamish Meldrum and GPC chair Dr Laurence Buckman demand that the rollout be immediately suspended, claiming confused patients are unwittingly having electronic records created because of the 'breakneck speed' of the programme expansion being demanded by NHS IT chiefs.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125330&cid=Latest_headlines_1_100310Shift of work to GPs 'to last a decade'
The push of hospital services into primary care will continue for at least the next decade, health secretary Andy Burnham has emphasised in an exclusive interview with Pulse. He said the huge financial challenges ahead could only be met if more services were taken into GP settings in the coming years, which he said would come to be defined as ‘the decade of primary care’.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125289&cid=Latest_headlines_3_090310Nurse-led clinics improve healthcare access in rural Scotland, says RCN
Nurse-led clinics and services run by highly qualified nurse practitioners can greatly improve access to healthcare in rural Scotland, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland has said. RCN Scotland says that in rural areas it is not always necessary to see a doctor, and suggested that so long as healthcare is safe and effective, it should not matter who provides it and how it is delivered.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/988919/Nurse-led
-clinics-improve-healthcare-access-rural-Scotland-says-RCN/GP alarm as NHS managers push for paediatric centres in polyclinics
The move looks to put into practice hugely controversial commissioning guidelines laid out by Healthcare for London last year, which many fear would strip GPs of their lead role in paediatric care. NHS East of England, NHS South East Coast and NHS Yorkshire and the Humber have also developed plans to create community paediatric practitioners and move child outpatient work out of hospitals.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125296&cid=Latest_headlines_1_080310Doctors pose 'serious tax risk', claims HMRC
There are solid grounds for targeting doctors and dentists who have not declared all their income, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/988604/
Doctors-pose-serious-tax-risk-claims-HMRC/NHS appraisals website overwhelmed as GPs rush to meet deadlines
The troubled NHS Appraisals Toolkit website was hit by fresh problems over the weekend as unprecedented numbers of users tried to log on to complete overdue appraisals. GPs reported being unable to log in to their account, while the speed of the site slowed to a crawl after five times as many users as usual tried to access their accounts. Some also said they had been unable to get through to the site's helpdesk, which has been deluged with more than 800 calls.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125299&cid=Latest_headlines_4_080310NHS 24 extends Clinical Solutions deal
Scotland’s health advice service, NHS 24, has extended its contract with Clinical Solutions for telephone triage and clinical content services.
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/5714/
nhs_24_extends_clinical_solutions_dealHeadlines w/c 1st March 2010
Guidance for access to health records requests
The DH has updated its guidance on access to health records for both living and deceased individuals.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets
/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_112914.pdfPrescribing incentive schemes are illegal, says European Court
The European Court of Justice advocate general said earlier this month that such schemes break EU directive 2001/83, which prohibits promotion of medicinal products by gift.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/985840/
Prescribing-incentive-schemes-illegal-says-European-Court/Pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza vaccination programme
Letter from Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer provides an update on the influenza vaccination programme.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/
Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_112691Acute trusts could 'take over' general practice, warns Londonwide LMCs
Plans to integrate services in the capital could lead to general practice being 'taken over' by the acute sector, according to Londonwide LMCs.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/986258
/Acute-trusts-take-over-general-practice-warns-
Londonwide-LMCs/?DCMP=ILC-NewslinksLabour urged to suspend NHS IT programme
A storm is brewing over government efforts to secure a quick fix for the controversial and much-delayed £12.7bn NHS IT revamp before the general election -
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/technology/labour-urged
-to-suspend-nhs-it-programme/5012117.articleGP appraisal website could have been vulnerable 'for years'
The NHS Appraisal Toolkit website could have been vulnerable to hackers 'for years', say its developers -
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/987210
/GP-appraisal-website-vulnerable-for-years/Revalidation: the way ahead. 20 questions the GMC wants you to answer
The General Medical Council has set out the most comprehensive statement yet on revalidation, with proposals on how it will work, when it will be rolled out, and what doctors and employers need to do -
http://www.gmc-uk.org/news/5881.aspGMC begins consultation on MOT for doctors
Proposed five-year MOT would help to prevent disasters by spotting poor-performing doctors early -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010
/mar/01/doctors-mot-medical-councilBirmingham GPs spied on with secret surveillance in patient survey drive
Undercover patient checks, video surveillance and secret tape recordings are all being employed as part of a radical crackdown on practices to improve patient survey scores in the UK’s second biggest city -
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
sectioncode=35&storycode=4125229&c=2BMA says SCR roll-out ‘too hasty’
The BMA has criticised the roll-out of the Summary Care Record programme, claiming patients do not have enough information and that it is too hard for them to opt out if they want to -
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news
/5686/bma_says_scr_roll-out_‘too_hasty’GP2GP reaches 1m transfer milestone
NHS Connecting for Health has announced that 1 million records have now been transferred using its GP2GP record transfer system -
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/
5689/gp2gp_reaches_1m_transfer_milestoneScotland: GPs to debate patient data safeguards
Family doctors are to debate for the first time safeguards for a system to share patient data across Scotland, it has been disclosed -
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/technology/
gps-to-debate-patient-data-safeguards/5012045.articleScotland: Flying doctor scheme set to be extended
Scotland's flying doctor service, which enables specialist doctors to fly to treat the most critically ill patients on the spot, is being extended throughout remote and rural Scotland -
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/03/02094826Professional development
Joy Sutton explains its importance for practice managers -
http://www.practice-management.net/Images
/Current%20Issue/20100212-13.pdfHeadlines w/c 22nd February 2010
Clinical governance and adult safeguarding: an integrated process
The 'Report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets' (DH 2009), highlighted that adult safeguarding systems were under developed within the NHS. Respondents argued that there is a need to clarify the relationship between adult safeguarding, adverse incident reporting, patient safety, and complaints.
The guidance and flow chart has been developed to encourage organisations to establish local robust arrangements to ensure that adult safeguarding becomes fully integrated into NHS systems.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digita
lassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_112341.pdfGP and Practice Team Bulletin, Issue 91, February 2010
This bulletin is a monthly information update providing resources on health policy and practice for GPs and the primary care audience, including practice managers and nurses.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets
/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_112330.pdfPCTs plan to cut millions from primary care
An exclusive report from Healthcarerepublic says that details are emerging of PCT plans to cut millions from primary care contracts this year, despite the DoH's insistence that trusts must not 'slash and burn' when looking to make savings. Documents from PCTs that have finalised financial plans for beyond 2010/2011 reveal trusts are looking to recover millions from PMS and GMS practices. An SHA source also said that the DoH expects to save £42m from primary care contracts if the DoH's proposals for GP pay are accepted by the Review Body in March.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/984516/
Exclusive-PCTs-plan-cut-millions-primary-care/BT priority fault repair service to be withdrawn
A letter from Peter Dyke of NHS Connecting for Health says that from 1 April BT will no longer provide priority fault repair services to telephony infrastructure at GP premises. The existing agreement for this service is being terminated due to new regulations introduced by OFCOM stating that a priority repair service should no longer be provided for non-emergency infrastructure.
http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/industry/ewa/bt_faultrep_term.pdfWelsh LMCs urge practices to open contracted hours
Welsh LMCs have urged practices to examine their availability to patients and recommended that practices that close for a half a day should consider re-opening.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/985377/Welsh-LMCs-urge
-practices-open-contracted-hours/?DCMP=ILC-NewslinksGovernment scraps swine flu vaccination campaign for under fives
The Department of Health has revealed it is to scrap plans for healthy children under five to continue to be vaccinated against swine flu, just three months after urging GPs to vaccinate more than three million youngsters against the outbreak.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125143&cid=Latest_headlines_1_220210MPs call for end to NHS funding of homeopathy
An influential group of MPs has called on the Government to scrap the funding of homeopathy on the NHS.
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee also claimed the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) should not allow homeopathic product labels to make medical claims without evidence of efficacy.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125148&cid=Latest_headlines_2_220210'Fit notes' to be issued by telephone
GPs will be allowed to assess a patient’s suitability for work by telephone for the first time, under Government guidance on ‘fit notes’ issued today. The Statement of Fitness for Work will replace the Med 3 and Med 5 forms from the 6 April 2010, and advice from the Department for Work and Pensions says it now can be issued following a face-to-face consultation, a telephone assessment or from another doctor’s written report.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125142&cid=Latest_headlines_3_220210Employers’ guidance on Fit Notes
You can find an Employers' Guide to Fit Notes on the DWP website at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/fitnote-employer-guide.pdfNHS to provide more care at home
Measures to shape NHS services around individual patients have been set out by Health Secretary Andy Burnham. More dialysis at home and chemotherapy in the community will mean patients can benefit from more convenient services that help produce better outcomes and can be more efficient.
Other measures include providing more services at home for children and young people who have acute or long-term conditions or disability or palliative care needs, and giving more people the option to die at home if they wish to.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Recentstories/DH_112688Care record advice on 0845 hotline
Patients have been told to call a paid 0845 hotline number if they want advice about how their electronic records will be used by the NHS, after Government IT managers reneged on promises to provide detailed information, Pulse can reveal. GP leaders are frustrated at how the mass, fast-tracked rollout of the Summary Care Record is being handled, with NHS managers failing to provide promised information to millions of patients and thousands of GPs.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125163&cid=Latest_headlines_2_230210NHS to be using NHSmail by 2013
The head of the NHSmail programme has said that he wants “most” NHS organisations to have migrated to NHSmail by the time its current contract expires in July 2013.
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/
5656/nhs_to_be_using_nhsmail_by_2013GPC issues community care shake-up warning
Thousands of GPs are finding it even more difficult to access district nurses, health visitors and other PCT-provided health staff because of the reorganisation of community health services, GPs leaders have warned.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125157&cid=Latest_headlines_4_230210QOF set for acute illness target in 2012/13
GPs could be paid for the first time for meeting QOF targets in an acute illness, and for their success at not prescribing a drug. The QOF indicator advisory committee will consider new indicators for prescribing antibiotics for urinary tract infections and cough at its next meeting in June, with a view to potentially developing indicators for the 2012/13 negotiations. Earlier this month NICE issued a call for new topic suggestions for the 2012/13 QOF, and the advisory committee will also consider topics that were received during an earlier call for suggestions.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125155&cid=Latest_headlines_3_230210Headlines w/c 15th February 2010
Safety fears raised as trusts cut funding for out-of-hours services
A Pulse exclusive reports that primary care organisations are cutting their investment in out-of-hours services by driving down contract payments, in a move that has raised concerns over its impact on the quality of care. Almost two-thirds of PCOs that have renegotiated out-of-hours contracts in the last 12 months or are about to do so are reducing the amount they pay to out-of-hours providers, a Pulse investigation reveals.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125028&cid=Latest_headlines_2_100210Premises left to crumble as PCTs scrap upgrades
The Government’s much-vaunted programme of investment in GP premises has made almost no impact on the quality of surgery buildings, with PCTs now cancelling upgrades in the wake of the financial crisis.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125024&cid=Latest_headlines_1_100210PCTs make premises funds dependent on GP performance
PCTs are starting to make money for building new premises dependent on GPs signing up to performance targets.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/bulletin/
DAILY_NEWS/article/983474/?DCMP=EMC-BreakingnewsfromHealthcareRepublicWMS report on improving QOF scores
Williams Medical Supplies have commissioned some research on the QOF points scores achieved by every practice in the UK and you can see a copy of the Gravitas Public Relations report on how practices can improve their scores and revenue streams whilst saving time at:
http://www.firstpracticemanagement.co.uk/Bulletins
/QOF%20analysis%20for%20GP%20practices%202010.docGPs still not adopting Agenda for Change
A recent salary survey for nurses in general practice by
www.practicenursing.co.uk indicates that few general practices are embracing Agenda for Change (AfC). Based on pay and holiday entitlement less than 4% of practices provide the same pay and conditions as received by nurses working for the NHS.Health and social care must merge to make savings, says CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has called for greater integration between health and social care in its first major report to Parliament on the state of care in England.
The State of Health Care and Adult Social care in England claims £2bn could be saved annually if hospital admissions were reduced to the levels in the best performing trusts. The regulator calls for joined-up health and social care services, especially in primary care, to improve efficiency and provide a smoother service for patients.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/983227/
Health-social-care-merge-savings-says-CQC/GPs in Wales win patient survey victory
The patient experience survey in Wales for 2009/10 will be completed by patients in GP surgeries, rather than sent out by post. GPC Wales chairman Dr David Bailey said that the controversial survey, which informs the PE7 and PE8 aspects of the QOF, will produce more accurate results if completed in surgeries.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/982861/
GPs-Wales-win-patient-survey-victory/GP-led health centres cost three times more than practices
New GP-led health centres have received three times the funding per patient of regular GP practices, despite in some cases very few patients registering with them, according to the BMA.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/983452/
GP-led-health-centres-cost-three-times-practices/BMA launches major public campaign against private sector
The BMA has launched a major fight-back against the expansion of private sector provision in the NHS.
The ‘Look After Our NHS’ campaign – launched today - will send campaign packs to all 100,000 BMA members containing posters and leaflets urging patients to show their support for a publicly-funded NHS.
The posters picture businessmen taking money out of the NHS, and call on the public to ‘help us put patients before profits.’
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125069&cid=Latest_headlines_3_120210Managers oppose BMA's anti-commercialisation campaign
The NHS Confederation has declared its opposition to the BMA's ‘Look After Our NHS campaign’ against the commercialisation of the NHS.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/983684/
Managers-oppose-BMAs-anti-commercialisation-campaign/Virgin poised to swipe raft of Darzi centres
Richard’s Branson’s Virgin Healthcare is preparing to make a dramatic return to primary care with a deal which overnight would make it the biggest provider of Darzi centres in the country, according to reports circulating in the City. Speculation is rife after Assura, one of the largest private primary care providers, issued a statement revealing it was in talks with a potential buyer for its healthcare business.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125066&cid=Latest_headlines_1_120210Half of GP practices judged by patients
More than 50% of GP practices have now been commented on or rated by patients on NHS Choices, according to the Department of Health.
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/5637/
half_of_gp_practices_judged_by_patientsCQC raises discharge concerns
Almost 50% of GPs are not receiving discharge summaries from acute trusts in time for them to be useful, according to the Care Quality Commission’s report on the state of care in England. In its first annual report, the care regulator found that only 53% of GPs reported receiving discharge summaries in a timely fashion, while 81% said that the details they contain about patients’ medication were incomplete or inaccurate “all” or “most” of the time.
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/5645/
cqc_raises_discharge_concernsThe King's Fund response to CQC State of Care report
The Kings Fund has commented on The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) - see:
http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/what_we_do/press/
press_releases/the_kings_fund_14.htmlFigures reveal thousands of assaults on GPs and staff
There were nearly 3,500 assaults on GPs and primary care staff recorded last year, according to the latest Department of Health figures. Data from the NHS security management service, published in an answer to a Parliamentary question, showed PCTs reported 3,472 physical assaults on staff, including GPs, in 2008/9.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125082&cid=Latest_headlines_4_150210GPs told to ignore choice and refer to Care UK services
Pulse reports that GPs are being told to refer thousands of patients to the private sector to bail out a Government scheme to outsource services from hospitals. A group of 10 PCTs in the Manchester area is insisting practices send patients to services run by the company Care UK, after it emerged they were currently seeing fewer than a third of the projected number of referrals.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4125097&cid=Latest_headlines_1_160210Headlines w/c 8th February 2010
Recommendations to Improve GP Out of Hours Services
A report into GP Out-Of-Hours care that makes a number of recommendations for improving the system was published by the Department of Health today. The report, ‘General Practice Out of Hours Services,’ follows a review by Dr David Colin-Thome, National Clinical Director for Primary Care at the Department of Health and Professor Steve Field, Chairman of Council, Royal College of General Practitioners.
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/ImageLibrary/
DownloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=1371PMS funding diverted to pay for ‘polysystems’ in London
Pulse exclusive says NHS managers are planning to scrap growth funding for PMS practices across London and use the cash to fund a new network of 100 ‘polysystems’ – the successors to Lord Darzi’s polyclinics. Plans unearthed by Pulse show trusts plan to make huge savings by denying growth money to practices in the capital, and have earmarked it to finance their latest policy drive rather than pay off deficits.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
sectioncode=35&storycode=4124925&cid=polysystems_040210#£100m drive to recruit cancer nurses to work in patients' homes
Specialist personal nurses are to offer free one-to-one care to cancer patients in their own homes in England, according to Gordon Brown.
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/bulletin/DAILY_NEWS
/article/982285/?DCMP=EMC-BreakingnewsfromHealthcareRepublicGPs set up company to prevent 'McDonald's-style' practices
An LMC is taking the extraordinary step of setting up a company to run out-of-contract practices on a short term basis – to block private sector companies stepping in. Essex LMCs expect to finalise plans and register with Companies House this week. The company, which as yet remains unnamed, would have six GP directors offering a service to PCTs of stabilising small practices for six months after a contract ends. This might be because of a doctor’s illness or death, retirement, emigration or poor performance.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?
storycode=4124960&cid=Latest_headlines_3_080210Issued by First Practice Management
If you have any comments on this document or feedback on any of our other information and support services please contact us at mail@firstpracticemanagement.co.uk
Disclaimer
News Roundup uses third party information and links to third-party websites, but neither endorses nor can guarantee the accuracy or authenticity of these sources
