New HR Strategy - Consultation Document AvailableAndrew Foster has announced that the consultation document outlining the new HR strategy is available for comment and discussion. The document has been developed by the National Workforce Taskforce and the Human Resources Directorate in the Department of Health, and the final document will be launched at the HR in the NHS conference in July. The NHS Plan contains nearly 50 targets that are workforce led, and the successful implementation of many of the other Plan targets are dependent on the workforce. HR in the NHS Plan proposes how the vision outlined in the NHS Plan can be turned into reality and suggests how the NHS should look once the workforce targets have been met. It sets out the relationships between the necessary strands of modernisation and important concepts such as the Skills Escalator. HR in the NHS Plan calls upon the NHS to become both a model employer and offer a model career and outlines the benefits for staff, patients and employers. The HR in the NHS Plan is available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hrinthenhsplan with details of how you can comment.
Andrew Foster has announced that the consultation document outlining the new HR strategy is available for comment and discussion. The document has been developed by the National Workforce Taskforce and the Human Resources Directorate in the Department of Health, and the final document will be launched at the HR in the NHS conference in July. The NHS Plan contains nearly 50 targets that are workforce led, and the successful implementation of many of the other Plan targets are dependent on the workforce. HR in the NHS Plan proposes how the vision outlined in the NHS Plan can be turned into reality and suggests how the NHS should look once the workforce targets have been met. It sets out the relationships between the necessary strands of modernisation and important concepts such as the Skills Escalator. HR in the NHS Plan calls upon the NHS to become both a model employer and offer a model career and outlines the benefits for staff, patients and employers.
The HR in the NHS Plan is available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hrinthenhsplan with details of how you can comment.
Pay for NHS Senior Managers 2002/2003Nigel Crisp's letter of 11 April to Strategic Health Authority, NHS Trust and PCT Chief Executives and copied to Strategic Health Authority, NHS Trust and PCT HR Directors and Chairs, sets out the Department of Health's guidance on pay rises for senior managers in 2002/03. This year's guidance makes a clear distinction between three-star trusts and all other NHS organisations. Each employing authority should apply the guidance locally and be able to account for decisions taken. A compliance statement will be required for inclusion in Annual Reports for 2002/2003.
Nigel Crisp's letter of 11 April to Strategic Health Authority, NHS Trust and PCT Chief Executives and copied to Strategic Health Authority, NHS Trust and PCT HR Directors and Chairs, sets out the Department of Health's guidance on pay rises for senior managers in 2002/03.
This year's guidance makes a clear distinction between three-star trusts and all other NHS organisations. Each employing authority should apply the guidance locally and be able to account for decisions taken. A compliance statement will be required for inclusion in Annual Reports for 2002/2003.
New Salary Scales for Healthcare Pharmacists and Maintenance Staff for 2002-03Agreement has been reached on increases in national salary scales for healthcare pharmacists and maintenance staff for 2002/03. Advance Letters (PH)1/2002 for Pharmacists and (MC)1/2002) in respect of maintenance staff contain full details of the agreements. The Advance Letters are available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html
Agreement has been reached on increases in national salary scales for healthcare pharmacists and maintenance staff for 2002/03.
Advance Letters (PH)1/2002 for Pharmacists and (MC)1/2002) in respect of maintenance staff contain full details of the agreements. The Advance Letters are available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html
National Occupational Standards for Healthcare Scientists
The National Occupational Standards Project in Healthcare Science commenced in February 2001 to develop standards for competent performance for all 40+ identified disciplines within the sector. The outputs of the project are key to the implementation of DOH policy document 'Making the Change; a strategy for professionals in Healthcare Science'. Further information can be found ) on the project web site http://www.noshcs.co.uk.
Healthcare Scientists Roadshows 2002
The Healthcare Scientists Strategy Implementation Group (HCS-SIG) was established to take forward the implementation of Making the Change: A Strategy for the Professions in Healthcare Science (Feb 2001). Three roadshows are being held this summer to re-launch and reiterate the main messages in the strategy. They will provide the opportunity to review progress and to analyse the best way to move forward on further implementation. The events will bring together all the key stakeholders to discuss the work agenda and are aimed at Healthcare Scientists, their managers and heads of HCS Departments, Trust/PCT managers and HR, Nursing Directors, Workforce Development Confederations. Each event will focus on the key messages in the strategy, what has happened so far, examples of current leading edge practice and a number of interactive workshops.
Further details and booking form are attached to this Reps Direct.
Salary Protection
One issue to be discussed shortly in the Agenda for Change negotiations concerns the length of protection for terms and conditions. To better inform our position, Amicus MSF would like information on existing salary protection a) on the length of the period of any protection b) the circumstances on which this applies and c) whether this covers certain professions or is a Trust wide agreement. Better still just send us a copy of your current agreement. This will be useful in determining our negotiating position in respect of salary protection for Agenda for Change.
Send any information or agreements to Colin Adkins Health Section Research and Policy Officer at Colin.Adkins@amicus-m.org
Cytology Screeners
Have you had any success in negotiating local improvements to the salaries of Cytoscreeners e.g. moving them onto MTO scales? If so one of our Regional Officers would like to know. Please send any details to Colin Adkins on the e-mail address above.
COMMUNICATIONS BULLETIN 26 April 2002
NHS Syndication Service www.nhs.uk/syndication The latest entries are: 1. Nurses are key to success - Milburn 2. Time for recognition - staff urged to enter health and social care awards 3. Career break support for dentists 4. Reduction in NHS fraud 5. Virtual world for children in care
The latest entries are: 1. Nurses are key to success - Milburn 2. Time for recognition - staff urged to enter health and social care awards 3. Career break support for dentists 4. Reduction in NHS fraud 5. Virtual world for children in care
Modernisation in Action
NHS Magazine and Primary Care Both magazines are free to NHS and social care staff. They seek to share good practice, stimulate debate and keep people up to date with health issues. The Department of Health publishes them 10 times a year. To ensure you continue to receive your copies please keep us informed of any changes likely to affect distribution. .Email any changes to your job title, organisation or address to Neil Cussons at Neil.Cussons@doh.gsi.gov.uk · This bulletin is produced by the Department of Health's NHS Communications Team. It aims to keep communications staff in the NHS informed about services that are being developed and updated to support communications activity in local NHS organisations. It is distributed weekly.
Both magazines are free to NHS and social care staff. They seek to share good practice, stimulate debate and keep people up to date with health issues. The Department of Health publishes them 10 times a year.
To ensure you continue to receive your copies please keep us informed of any changes likely to affect distribution. .Email any changes to your job title, organisation or address to Neil Cussons at Neil.Cussons@doh.gsi.gov.uk
· This bulletin is produced by the Department of Health's NHS Communications Team. It aims to keep communications staff in the NHS informed about services that are being developed and updated to support communications activity in local NHS organisations. It is distributed weekly.
Modernisation in Action Bulletin - 26 April 2002 Key facts and figures on progress 1. For the NHS there will be an annual average increase of 7.5% above inflation over the five years 2003-2008. For personal social services there will be an annual average growth in real terms of 6% from 2003-2006.
Key facts and figures on progress
2. By 2008, the NHS is expected to have net increases over the September 2001 census of at least 15,000 more consultants and GPs, 35,000 more nurses, midwives and health visitors; and 30,000 more therapists and scientists
3. Extra investment, announced in the Budget 2002, will enable the NHS to get waiting times for inpatient treatment down to three months maximum by 2008. There will be an increase in treatment capacity equivalent to over 10,000 beds.
Case studies
Improving patient access University Hospital, Durham, has introduced partial booking for outpatient appointments with a waiting time of more than six weeks and has reduced its DNA (did not attend) rate by half. This is co-ordinated by a Central Appointments Bureau and no patient now waits more than 26 weeks for an outpatient appointment.
The waiting list department has begun to centralise the administration of all in patient and day case waiting lists. No patient is now waiting more than 12 months for inpatient treatment. Consultants now have to give six weeks notice of a cancelled clinic.
Helping people with dementia remain more independent A specialist community service involving health and social workers is providing support to people with dementia and their carers living in the community. This helps them to remain at home as safely as possible for as long as possible. It also has links with voluntary to provide independent specialist support Nottingham City Council social services, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Rushcliffe Primary Care Trust
Cutting treatment waiting times for urology cancer In Dorset, patients with haematuria (abnormal blood in urine) were waiting 16 weeks for treatment. Now they are waiting two weeks. Before, patients were referred to an open access clinic which then tried to slot patients into an already busy urology clinic, resulting in delays. Once seen, referrals for investigations were made, involving four separate visits to the hospital. There is now a co-ordinated pathway of care. Patients have one appointment for all investigations; patients and GPs informed of outcomes on the same day; and appointment slots in the urology clinic were released.
Personal medical services - improving primary care A single-handed practice in an isolated rural community and a large GP practice, working from cramped premises, came together as one pilot. The single-handed GP retired and was replaced by three salaried doctors, giving patients in that isolated community access to three GPs. The practice installed a new computer system at the former single-handed practice networked to the main surgery. The larger practice had a branch surgery for consultation only. The plan is to relocate that to a more densely-populated area. This will be a purpose-built six GP training surgery offering full general medical services, community services, pharmacy. This is being developed under PFI.
Breast screening and speed of treatment Worthing Hospital's breast screening unit is testing more than 20,000 women each year in three mobile units which tour West Sussex. Over 80 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have an operation within three weeks.
Reducing outpatient waiting times Two orthopaedic consultant surgeons from Belgium are helping to reduce outpatient waiting times at Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust. The surgeons are seeing patients in extra clinics, particularly those with hand and foot conditions. The consultants will return at a later date to treat any patients who need an operation, ensuring continuity of care. The cost of employing the doctors is comparable with the costs of using the private sector in the UK.
Improving care for older people An older people's support service in Essex, set up in June 2000, has saved more than 7,000 bed days. It offers a crisis intervention service, preventing unnecessary admissions into hospital by providing acute nursing care in the home. It has a rehabilitation service which helps with timely discharges from hospital. And it has a bridging service providing domicillary care for those people waiting for home care from social services. A joint management team for older people at Epping Forest PCT, which runs the older people's support service, has held three summits to develop a strategy for older people, which has included carer and user representation. The 'elderly' strategy' is an integral part of the PCT's business plan.
Extending the skills of nurses into minor surgery The academic surgical unit at St Mary's Hospital in London has set up an intensive four-day course for nurses, covering basic skills of surgery, dermatology and communication, using innovative educational methods. Participants practice minor surgical skills working with multi-media and simulated patients.
Good practice case studies can be sent to: NHS-News@doh.gsi.gov.uk Please include a brief summary and contact details.
Queries should be addressed to Chris Hewitt, communications manager, 0113 254 5982 or chris.hewitt@doh.gsi.gov.uk