National Health Service, PCT & Local Health Board News - Sept 06

National Health Service (NHS), PCT & Local Health Board News - Sept 2006

England - Local PCT News

Bexley Care Trust - Diabetes

Concern has been expressed by local Diabetes groups regarding the future provision of services at Queen Mary's Hospital, which provides 80% of diabetes care for Bexley Care Trust. The hospital has proposed a 50% reduction in services from its Centre of Excellence Diabetes Unit - this includes Patient Education, the loss of the inpatient Specialist Nurse, and the Paediatric Specialist Nurse being cut to half the full-time equivalent. Bexley Care Trust also has financial difficulties which, it is feared, will compound the situation.

Patient groups fear that closing the Patient Education Unit at Queen Mary's and moving this service out to GPs in the community will be a false economy, as some surgeries say it will take two years for staff to be fully trained in the complexities of diabetes. GPs and Practice Nurses are currently able to telephone the unit at Queen Mary's for detailed advice. A spokesman for the Bexley Care Trust said that "the Care Trust has been working closely with the Diabetes Team at Queen Mary's to ensure that services are not compromised. The Care Trust has asked Queen Mary's to continue to provide structured diabetes education, while exploring alternative providers." She added that developing services for people with diabetes in Bexley "has been a local priority for many years".

Blackburn with Darwen PCT - Community Pharmacy

The PCT's Pharmacy First pilot is being expanded to allow more homeless people to visit a community pharmacist for minor ailments instead of seeing their GP first. The pilot started at Bramwell House, the Salvation Army hostel in Blackburn.

Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale PCT - East Lancashire Diabetes Network

The East Lancashire Diabetes Network, hosted by Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale PCT, has launched a new website (www.eastlancsdiabetes.nhs.uk) providing advice and information. East Lancs has higher than average levels of diabetes, with 10,500 sufferers.

New Foundation Trusts

Eight new NHS Foundation Trusts have been authorised by Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts. This group completes the second wave of Foundation Trust applications, and brings the total number of foundation trusts to 48.

Eight new NHS Foundation Trusts have been authorised by Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts:

- Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Foundation Trust
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
- Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

This brings the total number of NHS Foundation Trusts to 48 and completes the second wave of foundation trust applications. A further 12 NHS Trusts have now been recommended to apply for foundation status.

Newbury & Community PCT - Herceptin

Newbury & Community PCT has lodged an appeal against draft guidance on Herceptin from NICE, requesting clarification on patient treatment, cost effectiveness and potential risks. It would like NICE to consider the benefits of shorter courses of treatment.

Preston PCT - Long-Term Conditions

The PCT plans to develop a new long-term conditions centre within a £6m development in the Pavilion Stand at Deepdale football ground. It will initially focus on diabetes, heart disease and COPD, and will include asthma once the centre is up and running.

Salford tPCT - Diabetes Award

The Salford Diabetes Care Call Service has won the PCT's Best Practice Award 2006. It has developed a pro-active telephone support service for people with Type 2 Diabetes which allows patients to be discharged from hospital to manage their own condition.

Watford & Three Rivers PCT - Sexual Health Clinic Consultation

The PCT is proposing to close Garston Clinic and relocate most of its services to Avenue Clinic in Watford. However, because this is close to an existing sexual health clinic at Watford General Hospital, the family planning service offered at Garston would be cut. Family planning staff at Garston Clinic are available for help and advice every Monday and Wednesday evening. Most of the clinic's visitors are under 23, with some teenagers as young as 14, and approximately 50-60 people a week use the service.

A consultation period with staff and patients ended in August, and a decision will be made at the 28th September board meeting. A PCT representative said: "West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust currently provides the family planning outreach service at Garston Clinic on Monday and Wednesday evening. It is intended the family planning service will relocate to Meriden in October 2007 when new premises (the new Butterwick Surgery) become available. The PCT is in discussion with WHHT as to where the service will be located in the interim."

Wales - Local Health Board News

Bridgend LHB / Neath Port Talbot LHB - Joint Chief Executive

Dr Andrew Goodall, CE of Neath Port Talbot LHB, has been appointed to the the post of CE at Bridgend LHB and will be joint CE across the two Health Boards. This follows Dr Kay Howells' 3-year secondment to the Welsh Assembly Government on 1st August 2006.

Powys LHB - Cardiac Services

The development of the local Cardiac Service at Brecon Hospital was first proposed in 2003. It was recommended that a dedicated Consultant Cardiologist be appointed with the Nevill Hall team (Abergavenny) for South Powys patients, and that the following be provided at Brecon Hospital:

- Development of a One-Stop Heart Failure Clinic
- Provision of a general Cardiology Outpatient Clinic
- Low-risk patients to remain in Brecon where clinically appropriate
- Equipment to be standardised and fully compatible between Brecon and Abergavenny
- Thrombolysis to be provided in the Minor Injury Unit

Plans are now in place to link General Practitioners to the new clinic in Brecon, and the service was due to commence in early July.

Scotland - Local NHS News

NHS Borders - Sexual Health

A new nurse-led drop-in clinic has been opened at the Burnfoot Health Flat which is the focus of NHS Borders' latest sexual health campaign. The clinic offers testing for Chlamydia, contraception, free condoms and the morning-after pill.

NHS Western Isles - New Interim Chair

Ronnie Cleland, a non-executive director of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, has been appointed Interim Chair of NHS Western Isles following the resignation of David Currie. This follows allegations within Western Isles of financial mismanagement and bullying.

Northern Ireland - Local NHS News

Down LHSCG / Lisburn LHSCG - Joint Locality Prescribing Committee

A new Joint Locality Prescribing Committee has been proposed for Down and Lisburn LHSCGs. Membership could include GPs, local pharmacists, prescribing advisors and professionals such as nurse prescribers.The annual cost will be approx £5,000 for each HSCG.

Strule & Erne LHSCG - Consultant Diabetologist

Additional funding has been secured for a Consultant Diabetologist and there is ongoing discussion as to whether this post should be based within an acute setting at Altnagelvin Hospital, or should be primarily a leadership role within the Omagh community.

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