Health Direction - enhancements (April 2007)

(Published April 2007)

Health Direction's April 2007 newsletter brings Health Direction clinets up to date with some of the enhancements and additions that Health Direction have made to their master database, which are then available to their clients in the formats that they require. As usual, Health Direction are well ahead with what’s important right now in the NHS as well as collecting information around emerging trends and strategies for the future.

Practice Based Commissioning (PBC)

Starting with PBC, which continues to develop and as it does so presents a whole new tier of the local health economy and with a range of new challenges for the Healthcare industry. Health Direction have recently completed some analysis around the changing complexion of PBC Clusters:

	Jul-06	Apr-07
No of Clusters	529	607
Individual Commissioning Practices	136	455
PCO Commissioning Clusters	15	20
Total No of Clusters	680	1082

The PBC Clusters are all at differing stages of development as well as taking on varying levels of commissioning responsibility. Health Direction have identified the early PBC movers and shakers using their industry leading 'Sophistication Index'.

Health Direction are also able to provide the following PBC information in spreadsheet format:

- Clusters – which practices are in each Cluster
- Leads – PBC Clinical and non-clinical Leads at PCT, PBC and practice level
- Priorities – disease and service development priorities
- Enhanced Services provided by each Cluster
- Incentive Schemes – where available
- Documents: PBC Commissioning Plan, PBC Governance Plan

Health Direction currently has special offers on the above information. Call: 023 9245 5533 for further information.

New Secondary Care Information for Disease Specific Databases

Following much demand from current users, Health Direction are expanding their secondary care database information to include disease specific information:

- NHS Consultants
- Analysis and mapping of Hospital Episode Statistics data for admissions and length of stay
- Waiting times for diagnostic testing
- Disease Networks
- Provider/Commissioner relationships
- which PCOs are commissioning from the NHS Trust

Professional Executive Committee Review

PCTs now have the freedom to determine how PECs should be structured and operate according to local circumstances, based on a set of guiding principles for all PECs. PCTs are required to implement the recommendations in the document 'Best Practice Guidance' by 1st October 2007.

The guiding principles for Professional Executive Committees:

- PECs need to be patient-focused and promote the health and well being of communities, as well as addressing health inequalities.
- PECs need to be drivers of strong clinical leadership and enablers of clinical empowerment.
- PECs need to be decision-making and firmly part of the governance and accountability framework of the PCT.
- We fully expect PECs to reflect a range of clinical professions and the wealth of experience this brings.
- PCTs will have the freedom to determine how PECs operate according to local circumstances.

PEC membership will be for local determination, but must be sufficient to be able to deliver the following functions:

- Support the PCT in developing their vision and strategic direction
- Commissioning and supporting PBC
- Clinical effectiveness and clinical governance
- Leading clinical communications with partners and stakeholders

Health Direction have already updated their database to reflect newly appointed Chief Executives and Boards and are keeping a watchful eye on how each PCT is interpreting the above guidance and will ensure that changes are reflected as soon as the information is available.

Commissioner/Provider relationships

As well as looking at the provider/commissioner relationship from secondary care, Health Direction are also mapping the very complex contracting arrangements from the commissioner/provider aspect. Again this a disease specific initiative which will initially show which NHS Trusts are providing care to the PCO population, but will develop to include private providers and ultimately will embrace the commissioner/provider relationships at PBC level!