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Introduction
NHS Update
is a 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 newsletter: PharmaceuticalReview.
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demands a more specific market analysis, you should contact Alan Jones of ajc
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To discuss how your team could benefit
from regular up-to-date analysis of the NHS changes and issues that directly
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Alan Jones of ajc healthcare
1. In the news.
Mr.
Brown has promised a 43% increase in health spending over 5 years. The final
Wanless report set out the stall for this particular Budget. See
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/. Delivering the NHS Plan - next
steps on investment, next steps on reform spells out where the money is to be
spent. See
http://www.doh.gov.uk/deliveringthenhsplan/index.htm.
2. Primary Care.
Four
Care Trusts went live last month. More to come in October. There have been more
adverts in the HSJ for PCT Directors of Public Health. Apparently only about
20% of the 305 new PCTs currently have DPHs appointed. Appraisal for GPs was
introduced last month. But the BMA has said that if PCTs do not properly fund
the system then GPs should pull out.
3. Strategic Health
Authorities.
A month since their launch, the urgent pressures of
the service and financial framework (SaFF) round seem to have forced StHAs to
revert to old 'command and control' behaviours. The role of StHAs in delivering
the results promised on the back of the huge rise in health spending should not
be underestimated. Although, in theory, it will be the PCTs that control the
money, their freedom to determine priorities - and therefore spending levels -
is likely to be tightly controlled by centrally determined targets.
4. Prescribing & Medicines
Management.
The consultation on supplementary prescribing by nurses
and pharmacists is now out. See
www.doh.gov.uk/supplementaryprescribing. The NPC has
produced a new guide on medicines management services. See
www.npc.co.uk.
New guidance on LPS Pilots is at
www.doh.gov.uk/localpharmaceuticalservices/guidance.pdf.
PCT Directors of Finance have suggested prescribing costs will be the biggest
financial pressure facing PCTs this year because of overspends last financial
year. Uplift factors for 2002/3 are not expected to be enough.
5. NHS Confederation Forum
meeting.
Last month the NHS Confederation ran a two-day 'forum' for
the Industry on partnership with the NHS, which drew the HSJ to comment,
"….but has the NHS Confederation done anything to 'mend' the relationship
between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry?" Coming back, Confed Chief
Executive Dr Gill Morgan said, "If only someone was able to mend the
'notoriously tricky relationship' between the NHS and the industry over two
days, the NHS would be a happier place. The point of the conference was, of
course, that there are no easy answers."
6. Scotland & Wales.
NICE and SIGN have signed a statement on working together to produce
clinical practice guidelines. The Executive is setting up a new advisory panel
to review decision-making in NHS Scotland and a report from the Primary Care
Modernisation Group suggests expanding the role of the LHCCs. The CSBS is now
to perform annual reviews on acute trusts. See
www.clinicalstandards.org. An All Wales Medicines Strategy
Group (AWMSG) is being established. The CMO's report has been published. See
www.wales.gov.uk/subihealth/content/reports/cmo2002-e.pdf.
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