|
Introduction
NHS Update
is a brief precis of current NHS changes and developments that may impact on
the business and activities of UK Pharmaceutical sales teams. A more
comprehensive monthly review, along with other relevant intelligence and useful
feature articles, is available via our free monthly newsletter:
PharmaceuticalReview. Subscribe now ->
Alternatively, if your business
demands a more specific market analysis, you should contact Alan Jones of ajc
healthcare. ajc healthcare corporate newsletters are employed throughout the UK
Pharmaceutical Industry as a source of crucial NHS intelligence.
To discuss how your team could benefit
from regular up-to-date analysis of the NHS changes and issues that directly
impact on your business, please contact:
Alan Jones of ajc healthcare
1. In the news…..
Alan Milburn has told NHS staff that they have a key role to play in
boosting public confidence in the service. 'I ask the NHS to stand up for
itself and speak for itself. We can't assume public confidence - we have to go
out and argue for it', he said. Even the HSJ had a go at the media, "Media
coverage is running at an unprecedented levels. Much of it is ill-informed,
distorted and biased". Health was also on the box with the BBC even boldly
going into overdrive with a 'Your NHS' day.
2. Strategic Health Authorities
Next month 28 Strategic Health Authorities appear. StHAs have the
responsibility for developing a strategic framework and performance managing
PCTs and NHS Trusts to secure delivery. Like the Regional Offices before them,
they will also be responsible for holding local health services to account and
intervening and brokering solutions where conflicts and problems arise. Mr.
Milburn has admitted that the structural upheavals currently under way in the
NHS present 'huge risks' ahead for NHS.
3. NICE
The House of
Commons Health Select Committee's NICE Inquiry ran its course. Amongst the
'experts' called were several Directors of Public Health who made the point
that room for local discretion about central decisions seemed to be going,
which meant that PCTs and HAs were having to divert money to meet them. Also to
come out of the inquiry were claims that companies had withheld important
evidence from NICE. NICE's 7th work programme is now out for consultation. Some
dozen areas are being considered.
4. Primary Care
CHI is
set to start clinical reviews of PCTs. Detailed practice questionnaires already
sent out have questions on risk management of prescribing. See
www.chi.nhs.uk. 8 more PCTs have been awarded Teaching
Trust status. The next wave of 40 Medicines Management Services pilot sites has
been announced. West Midlands and Trent Regions have advertised for PCT
Directors of Public Health.
5. Care Trusts
Care
Trusts are anther organisation going live next month. Last year ministers
seemed to envisage all social care being provided within the Care Trust model
by 2005 but the scale and pace of change here now seems far reduced with only
some 15 pilot Care Trusts starting between April 2002 and April 2003. Care
Trusts can come through both the PCT and the Mental Health Trust routes.
6. Rx & Budgets
Nurse's new prescribing powers have been described as 'potty and
dangerous' by the GPC. Training for extended nurse prescribing has already
begun in several areas. See
www.doh.gov.uk/nurseprescibing. The DoH notes on primary
care prescribing for 2002/3 are worth examining carefully as they will be the
'bible' for the new PCTs. See
www.doh.gov.uk/prescribingbudgets/index.htm.
Disclaimer
OnePharm
Internet Ltd excludes any warranty, express or implied, as to the quality,
accuracy, timeliness, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose of this
briefing. OnePharm Internet Ltd will not be liable for any claims, penalties,
losses, damages, costs, or expenses arising from the use of or inability to use
this briefing or from any unauthorised access to or alteration of the Briefing.
OnePharm Internet Ltd makes no warranty that the contents of this briefing are
compatible with all computer systems and browsers. |
