Gateway reference number: 01412
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Contents
NHS Commissioning Assembly News:
NHS Commissioning Assembly – membership expansion
NHS Commissioning Assembly- story so far
System Leadership Peer Challenge: Recruiting now
Strategic issues:
Successful PM Challenge Fund Pilots Announced
Further support to strategic planning: Webinars
Quality Premium 2013/14: eligibility and assessment arrangements
FAQ for CCG Annual Reporting Guidance (ARG): 2013-14
Better information means better care- care.data programme update
Providing proactive care and avoiding unplanned admissions: a programme of action for general practice
Operational issues:
Urgent action required for those NHS organisations that have not migrated away from Microsoft Windows XP
Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme – Next steps
GP pensions
Improving Adult Rehabilitation Services online questionnaire
Guide to new GPSoC framework now available
Out of Hours (OOH) training for GP Registrars
Increases to optical voucher values from 1 April 2014
Clinical Terminology Roadmap consultation
Other News:
Guidance issued on Hard Truths commitments regarding the publishing of staffing data
Films promote information sharing to protect children
Making ‘medicines-taking’ a better experience
Improving dental care and oral health – a Call to Action event
Commissioning Nurse Leaders Community launched on the 6Cs live website
Events and Campaigns:
CCG representatives for direct commissioning assurance workshop
NHS Commissioning Integrated Care Event – London, 19 June
Letters
Secretary of State for Health writes to NHS staff about making the NHS safer
NHS Commissioning Assembly News
NHS Commissioning Assembly – membership expansion
The NHS Commissioning Assembly is broadening its membership to include a wider range of leaders from CCGs and NHS England as the voice of the NHS commissioning system. Rosamond Roughton and Dr Peter Melton, Co-chairs of the NHS Commissioning Assembly wrote to CCGs in early April updating them on the plans for the next phase of the NHS Commissioning Assembly. The NHS Commissioning Assembly will focus on connecting all commissioning leaders and deliver on priorities which directly relate to the challenges NHS England and CCGs share in improving outcomes.
Please contact us or visit our website to find out more.
NHS Commissioning Assembly- story so far
The NHS Commissioning Assembly’s story so far is now available to watch here. This short film was developed for the Health and Care Innovation Expo and provides insight into the membership, Steering Group, Working Groups and outputs of the Commissioning Assembly over the last year.
A recent interview with the chairs of the Assembly’s Quality Working Group is also available. In this interview Dr Paul Husselbee (Clinical Lead Officer of NHS Southend CCG) and John Stewart (Director, Quality Framework, NHS England) discuss the importance of the quality agenda, and the role of the Quality Working Group in driving this.
For further information visit the Commissioning Assembly website. If you are in a leading role within a CCG and would like to register to access the Assembly site, please contact us.
System Leadership Peer Challenge: Recruiting now
Peer Challenge is the cornerstone of the Health and Wellbeing System Improvement Programme. The Local Government Association has a new programme for 2014/15 and is particularly seeking CCG peers to support peer challenges.
The event is free and will provide an overview of the programme, insight into the process and the skills needed to take part in a successful peer challenge. You will engage in a peer challenge simulation which has been highly regarded by previous attendees. Please see what other CCG peers have said about the programme.
Expressions of interest should be submitted to Welna Bowden by Wednesday 7 May.
Strategic Issues
Successful PM Challenge Fund Pilots Announced
More than seven million patients across England will benefit from innovative pilot schemes and extended access to GP services, funded by the £50m Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund. Twenty GP collaborations have been awarded funds to run pilots for one year that will transform primary care services for patients, as part of the national initiative being overseen by NHS England. NHS England will be working with the successful schemes to share learning with all GP practices and spread innovation.
Further support to strategic planning: Webinars
Two one hour webinars, with Q&A sessions, have been organised to showcase the Any Town tools and Levels of Ambition for Improved Outcomes tools. These are particularly relevant to CCG, CSU and area team colleagues to support strategic plans.
Sessions will be recorded and made available for those unable to participate on the day.
For joining details to Any Town on Tues 29 April at 1pm and Levels of Ambition on Weds 30 April at 2pm email Elaine Kirton.
Quality Premium 2013/14: eligibility and assessment arrangements
Guidance has been issued setting out the roles of CCGs and NHS England in assessing the levels of Quality Premium earned in 2013/14, together with dates when the awards will be made to CCGs.
It sets out the actions to be carried out by CCGs with area teams to support the assessment process. The guidance builds on the existing 2013/14 Quality Premium guidance.
FAQ for CCG Annual Reporting Guidance (ARG): 2013-14
A number of questions have been raised directly by CCGs, and via NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHS CC), about the CCG ARG. NHS England has worked with NHS CC to gather and respond to these queries to help all CCGs and provide further clarification where it may be useful. In particular the FAQ provides further clarification on matters relating to the “members report”.
Better information means better care- care.data programme update
Better information means better care – care.data programme update
Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information, wrote to all CCGs and area teams earlier this week to outline next steps on the care.data programme, how we intend to listen and act on the views of stakeholders – including those of a newly established independent advisory group – and proposals for a phased roll out of the GP data extraction process to begin in the autumn.
Providing proactive care and avoiding unplanned admissions: a programme of action for general practice
NHS England has published a 5-page guide to support GPs in their role of ‘accountable GP’.
It describes the role and responsibilities of GPs and CCGs in carrying out this significant new enhanced service that came into effect on 1 April 2014. The guide complements the specification and guidance for the enhanced service.
CCGs will wish to review this document to understand the actions that they should now take.
Operational Issues – for action
Urgent action required for those NHS organisations that have not migrated away from Microsoft Windows XP
Free support for Windows XP ended on 8 April 2014. The DH and Crown Commercial Services have an agreement with Microsoft making Custom Support (centrally funded by the DH) for Windows XP SP3, Office 2003 SP3 and Exchange 2003 SP2 available to any NHS organisations until 14 April 2015; whilst migration away from XP takes place.
Affected CCGs, NHS GP IT delivery partners (e.g. CSUs) and GP practices must have a Premier Support Agreement in place prior to Tuesday 13 May to ensure continued access to Security Patch downloads. Note that this may be done on their behalf if necessary.
This briefing provides more detail on how NHS organisations can access the support.
Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme – Next steps
If you completed the December status report for The Winterbourne Joint Improvement Programme (WVJIP), you will have received an email requesting an update by Monday 5 May on your current position.
The WVJIP was established to ensure delivery of the Concordat milestones. The WVJIP will produce a narrative of the progress being made on two approaching milestones. These are the June 2014 target for individuals inappropriately in inpatient care to be moved into community based settings, and the completion of strategic local area plans by April 2014. If you have not received the email, please view it here.
GP pensions
CCGs are asked to check they are aware of their responsibilities for administering GP pensions.
The NHS Pensions Agency has notified NHS England that fewer GP pensions are currently being collected than in previous periods, and that this may be due to their guidance not being followed.
CCGs are reminded of the need to follow the guidance which NHS Pensions Agency issued in item 6 of their August 2013 Employer Newsletter.
Improving Adult Rehabilitation Services online questionnaire
NHS England is considering how to support the improvement of adult rehabilitation services. A questionnaire has been developed to establish a baseline of adult rehabilitation services currently commissioned by the NHS across England. This baseline will support NHS England in understanding current availability of adult rehabilitation services and identify gaps. The findings will be used to inform priorities for further work to improve adult rehabilitation services.
We also hope the process of completing the questionnaire will be of value to CCGs as a tool and process to support local mapping of rehabilitation services.
The deadline for responses is Friday 23 May 2014.
Work will also be undertaken to map specialised commissioned adult rehabilitation services.
For further information please contact Bushara Bostan.
Guide to new GPSoC framework now available
A guide to the new GP Systems of Choice framework has been published on the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s website. The guide includes information about the provision of Lot 1 services, Principal and Subsidiary Clinical Systems. Contracts for Lot 1 have now been signed, and the guide provides information about the suppliers on Lot 1 and what services they will be offering, funding, and support for IT-related changes in the GP contract from April 2014. A number of Frequently Asked Questions are also available to read.
Further information about the new framework can also be viewed on the GPSoC website.
Out of Hours (OOH) training for GP Registrars
Please note continuing CCG and OOH provider responsibilities with regard to GP Specialty training registrars (GPSTRs), in OOH services since the April 2013 reorganisation of the NHS.
Stakeholders are informed of the increase in GPSTRs between 2012 and August 2015. There will need to be an increase in capacity for OOH training of around 16%. Area teams will need to discuss with their local LETB the current and anticipated increase in OOH opportunities for GPSTRs to ensure this can be delivered through measures currently in place with OOH providers.
Future commissioning will need to reflect the forecasted training capacity.
Increases to optical voucher values from 1 April 2014
Staff within CCGs that are responsible for Hospital Eye Service contracts will wish to note new NHS optical voucher values and new Hospital Eye Services charges from 1 April 2014. This letter and determination provides information about the increases.
If you have any queries or for further information, please contact Derek Busby or Sue Pritchard.
Clinical Terminology Roadmap consultation
In reference to the ‘Power of Information’ strategy for care, this consultation is to determine the timescales to move to Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) as the single clinical terminology for NHS England. Please provide your views.
The consultation aims to:
Determine timescales for withdrawal of clinical coding scheme Read v2 and depreciation and withdrawal of Read v3
Identify migration issues to SNOMED CT
Identify single terminology benefits reducing clinical risk
Identify Commissioner operational issues
The consultation ends 27 June 2014.
Other News – for information
Guidance issued on Hard Truths commitments regarding the publishing of staffing data
NHS England and the Care Quality Commission have issued joint guidance to Trusts on the delivery of the ‘Hard Truths’ commitments associated with publishing staffing data regarding nursing, midwifery and care staff levels.The guidance was issued by Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Professor Sir Mike Richards, Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Care Quality Commission. It follows on from National Quality Board guidance ‘How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time’ and Government commitments in ‘Hard Truths’.The guidance covers the frequency with which Boards and Trusts need to display and evaluate staffing data and publish their reports online, and the dates when stock-takes of their progress will be undertaken.
Films promote information sharing to protect children
CCGs play a pivotal part in the successful delivery of the Child Protection-Information Sharing (CP-IS) project by ensuring commissioners and safeguarding leads are aware of the project and build it into future contracts with providers. Supported by Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter, CP-IS helps the NHS give a higher level of protection to children who visit unscheduled care settings by enabling local authorities to share child protection information with the NHS, at a national level.
NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) have now launched a series of films to promote the benefits of the project to demonstrate the very real difference this solution will make to the lives of children at risk of cruelty. The films can be viewed on YouTube.
For further information please contact CP-IS at HSCIC.
Making ‘medicines-taking’ a better experience
As part of its work on medicines optimisation NHS England has prepared a report to present the outcomes and supporting evidence from a one-day patient engagement workshop.
Its findings are being incorporated into the overall medicines optimisation strategy but CCGs may be interested to read patients’ views about medicines and incorporate this into their own work around getting the most from medicines.
Improving dental care and oral health – a Call to Action event
As part of the wider primary care call to action, NHS England held a special NHS England Call to Action event in London on 7 April 2014 aimed at further shaping the future of dental care and oral health services.
Oral health professionals joined patient representatives, national bodies such as Public Health England and Health Education England and NHS staff from area teams, acute and community trusts.
Discussions included tackling health inequalities; ease of access; improving data, inspection and monitoring; adapting the dental workforce and information and communication.
CCGs are encouraged to have their say on Improving Dental Care and Oral Health – a Call to Action which includes questions around how to improve information flows between primary care dentistry and other health professionals and how dental services could contribute to the identification and management of chronic or acute disease.
The survey closes Friday 16 May.
For more information please contact Martin Smith
Commissioning Nurse Leaders Community launched on the 6Cs live website
The Commissioning Nurse leaders Network (CNL Network) are delighted to announce the launch of an interactive Community on the 6Cs live website, connecting Commissioning Nurse Leaders from across England and providing a hub of information. Community members now have quick access to the following:
Information on CCGs, CSUs and area teams
Useful resources for CNL Network members
Recordings of CNL Network Webinars
Events Calendar
Tweets from @CNLnetwork
Forums – this is an area for network members to start communications with each other
Explore for yourself and join the interactive community
Events and campaigns
CCG representatives for direct commissioning assurance workshop
NHS England would like to invite CCG representatives to contribute to a workshop on developing the direct commissioning assurance process.
The workshop will test elements of the draft 2014/15 direct commissioning assurance operational guidance, including the best practice approach for CCG and other stakeholder input into the assurance process.
The event will take place on 30 April, 10am – 3.30pm in central London.
Please contact us for more details or to register your place.
NHS Commissioning Integrated Care Event – London, 19 June
CCGs are invited to attend this free event which will focus on the integration of healthcare services – sharing the opportunities and approaches that the Integrated Care agenda presents for NHS providers and CCGs.
Chaired by the NHS Strategic Projects Team and Director Andrew MacPherson, the event will share the experiences of Integrated Care from managing the innovative Cambridge & Peterborough CGG ‘Integrated Older People’s Pathway and Adult Community Services’ procurement; a 5 year £800m tender.
For more information, full programme details and to register please visit the event page.
Letters
Secretary of State for Health writes to NHS staff about making the NHS safer
Jeremy Hunt has published his latest message to NHS staff on the gov.uk website.
The Secretary of State for Health has launched ‘Sign up for Safety’ which aims to halve avoidable harm and save up to 6,000 lives in next 3 years.
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