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Teaching PCT's
Teaching PCTs
are a very interesting organisational development that we are keeping a very
watchful eye on, as it is likely they will have a significant influence on the
development of health services in their local area.
Recent developments
include:
- Expressions of interest from 13 PCT's in the Trent
region, but only three were invited to submit full bids: NE Lincolnshire, SW
Lincolnshire and Doncaster.
- London approvals: Haringey PCT, City and Hackney PCT and
Greenwich PCT.
- · Others propasals submitted: Portsmouth City PCT,
Sunderland West PCT, Stoke (joint North and South Stoke PCTs), Heart of
Birmingham PCT (Proposed PCT from April 2002).
NSF External Reference
Groups
Health Minsiter Jacqui Smith announced 3 NSF External
reference Groups this month. They are the Childrens NSF, the renal NSF and the
Diabetes NSF.
New Chief Executive for NHS
Lanarkshire
Mr David Pigott, the current Chief Executive of Lothian
Primary Care NHS Trust is to be new Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire. He will
take up the post early in 2002. Claire Cowie (Director of Finanace) is
currently acting Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire pending the arrival of Mr
Pigott.
NHS Shetland
A new Local Health Care Co-operative
has been established in Shetland. The new LHCC will oversee primary care
locally, having responsibility for managing, developing and delivering family
and community health services. Dr Dave MacFarlane has been appointed to chair
the LHCC.
A statement from the Health and Social
Services Minister was issued on the 28th November and talks about the
structural changes that will take place over the coming months.
- Health Boards (LHB's), in each local authority area will
be the building blocks of the new NHS in Wales. The principles of coterminosity
with local authorities are widely regarded as providing very important
advantages. 22 Local Health Boards will be established and will become
statutory bodies. This will give them the power and status essential for them
to discharge their responsibilities.
- The partnership between LHB's and local authorities is
critical. The Assembly Government is seeking specific Welsh clauses in the NHS
Reform Bill that was introduced into Parliament on 22 November 2001. These will
make provision to place a duty on each local council and each LHB jointly to
formulate and implement a strategy for the health and well being of members of
the public in the local authorities area. This will include agreeing joint
investment priorities and the joint planning of interface services, based on a
joint assessment of need.
- Over the next 18 months, from December 2001 onwards, a
full development programme will be undertaken to prepare LHB's for their new
roles and functions in order to be confident that tey will be fit for the
purpose.
- The membership of LHB's will need to be widened, to
include local authority representation and to strengthen the place of voluntary
and lay representation. The membership will also include an executive team
including public health and other professional staff. This will result in a
Board that will have a wider and more inclusive membership than present.
- Individual members of the LHB's will need to be selected
in a way that secures the legitimacy of representation. Its is clear that
Boards must be required to conduct business in public and to strengthen ways in
which engagement with the public can be ensured.
Local Health and Social Care Groups
(LHSCG's)
The Primary Care Directorate issued a guidance circular
(HSS 15/2001) in November 2001 called Establishing Local Health and Social Care
Groups. It signals the end of the GP Fundholding Scheme and cessation of
funding of the Primary Care Commissioning Pilots at the end of March 2002. In
their place will be the introduction of primary care, based on the
establishment and development of Local Health and Social Groups (LHSCG's). Over
the coming weeks the department will issue guidance on the implementaion
through a series of circulars, which may be supplemented by information from
HSS Boards to cover the practical issues.
The present HSS Boards are to
determine the configuration of LHSCG's and to notify the department of their
proposals by January 2002.
The commitment to replace the GP Fundholding
scheme with fairer, less bureaucratic arrangements was set out in the Programme
for Government 2001 - 04. Consultation took place and the Minister announced in
October 2001 broad support for the establishment of the new LHSGC's
The
key tasks for the LHSCG's falls into three categories. All patients registered
with a GP will become the responsibility of the LHSCG of which their GP is a
member. Local geography, demography and traditional allegiances will influence
the size and shape of group configurations.
During November - December
2001 the Constitution, Governance and Accountability of the LHSCG's will be
decided upon, together with the financial arrangements and staffing issues.
From January - Mrach 2002 development of the LHSCG's will take place. |
