Editorial
Well Keith is returning from his well earned holiday
down under so this is my last spot as guest editor of
Brunswicks Healthcare Review for a while.
We have quite some turmoil in the sector over the
last week. An eminent professor claiming that British
medicine is facing its worst crisis since the creation
of the NHS – and this is all about the computer
based junior doctor recruitment programme and
that’s before anyone considers the deliberate
delaying of NHS treatment from one financial year to
the next. Some commentators have suggested that
Patricia Hewitt is on similar course to company
directors who seek to massage their financial figures
artificially. Quite a week I’m sure you’ll agree.
Parliament
6 Mar 2007—HoL—Third reading of the Mental
Health Bill
7 Mar 2007—HoL—Questions, NHS cleaning
standards
8 Mar 2007—HoL—Questions, Independent care
homes
Next
Abuse
1. The taboo of child-on-child abuse
2 March 2007 – BBC News
The number of children committing sex crimes is rising.
This article discusses why children are behaving
in this way and also considers this normally "taboo"
subject.
For full report click here
2. Warning over children who abuse
27 February 2007 – BBC News
Experts are calling for more help to be given to children
at risk of sex offending to reduce the rising
numbers of sex crimes committed by youngsters.
Charities say that the internet is a growing factor with
children as young as five being treated for inappropriate
behaviour.
For full report click here
Business News
3. Southern Cross Healthcare Group PLC
Acquisition of Life Style Care Plc
Portfolio expanded by a further 1,737 beds
Southern Cross has acquired Life Style Care plc, a
subsidiary of LSC Holdings Ltd. Life Style owns the
leasehold interest of 23 high quality elderly care
homes with a total of 1,737 beds and gross assets of
£11.8 million.
The majority of the newly acquired homes will be
operated under Ashbourne Senior Living brand.
They are located in Greater London where previously
Southern Cross had little presence.
Life Style has interests in 23 high quality elderly care
homes with a total of 1,737 beds and assets valued
at some £11.8 million.
4. Mears Group PLC
Recommended offer for Careforce Group plc
The boards of Mears and Careforce have, on 5
March 2007 announced the terms of a recommended
offer, to be made by Mears for the entire issued and
to be issued share capital of Careforce.
Under the terms of the Offer, Careforce Shareholders
will receive 0.4552 new Mears Shares for each Careforce
Share they hold, valuing each Careforce Share
at 160p and the entire issued share capital of Careforce
at approximately £22.2 million.
Shareholders will be offered a cash alternative on the
basis of 150p in cash for each Careforce Share which
can be exercised for all or part of the proposed holding.
The Offer represents a premium of approximately
43.5% over the Closing Price of 111.5p per Careforce
Share on 2 March 2007.
Mears has announced that Shareholders owning approximately
55.0 per cent of the existing issued ordinary
share capital of Careforce have undertaken to
accept the Offer.
Mears will finance the cash payable alternative by
way of a Placing of 7,532,900 new Mears Shares at
334p per share. This will raise approximately £25.2
million before expenses. The Placing requires the
approval of Mears Shareholders.
Following completion of the Acquisition, Careforce's
Chief Executive, Mr. Michael Rogers, will join the
Mears Board as an executive director with responsibility
for the Enlarged Group's newly formed care division.
Commenting on the Offer, Bob Holt, Executive Chairman
and CEO of Mears, said:
'The recommended offer for Careforce which we have
announced today is an expansion of our public sector
services into the community domiciliary care provision
market. There are enormous opportunities ahead for
both our existing business and the sector we are
moving into.'
Peter Stone, Chairman of Careforce, said:
'There is a strong strategic fit between Careforce and
Mears' existing activities. In particular there are many
parallels between the domiciliary care market and
those in which Mears currently operates. Being part
of a larger group with a track record of establishing
long term partnerships with Local Authorities will bring
benefits to our clients and employees. Mears has
stated its intention to invest in Careforce in order to
build an increased share in the UK community and
care services market and to continue the acquisition
strategy which we have successfully pursued to date.
Overall the Careforce Directors believe that the offer,
which is being made at a healthy premium to our current
price, is in the best interests of the shareholders,
employees and clients of Careforce and recommend
that shareholders accept it.'
This is an edited version of the press release put out by Mears
Group plc. Anyone with an interest in these matters should
refer to the formal advertisements issued by Meears Group plc
and/or Careforce.
Care Homes
5. NHFA blows whistle on residential care
top-up charges
2 March 2007 – Community Care
A residential care advice body, the NHFA has
warned that residents and their families are being
over-charged for services, in some cases illegally,
due to local authority cash constraints
For full report click here
6. NCA response to minister claims over elderly
‘poor food’
February 2007 – NCA
The National Care Association has responded to the
Care Services Minister, Ivan Lewis’ claim that substandard
food is being served to elderly people in the
care home sector.
For full report go to http://www.nca.gb.com/press%
20releases/february_02.html
7. Tears as elderly forced to leave home
26 February 2007 – Bridgehousetoday
The Haven Nursing Home in Rastrick closed last
week, with relatives of elderly residents expressing
their worries that the stress of moving could be too
traumatic for some of them. Residents were given
just seven days to find somewhere else to live.
The Haven was home to up to 23 people suffering
from dementia, however, in May 2006 the CSCI told
the owners that it had to shut because of poor standards.
Case Reports
Law Reports
Nothing to report
Disciplinary cases
Nothing to report
Cases in the news
8. Carer convicted of sexual abuse
2 March 2007 – BBC News
Harry Perera, 57, of Kent has been convicted of
sexually abusing a woman with a mental disorder.
The offences took place at a care home in March
2006. Mr Perera will be sentenced on 30 March
2007.
For full report click here
9. Nurse struck off for mistreatment
2 March 2007 – BBC News
Male nurse, Mikhail Gvozdinsky has been struck off
for mistreating vulnerable patients in his care in Aberdeen.
He was found to have shown a “cavalier attitude”
to nursing and was found guilty of eight charges
of misconduct.
For full report click here
10. Care Manager stole
26 February 2007 – icNewcastle
A care manager who stole up to £10,000 from elderly
residents at Ashton Grange Nursing Home in Sunderland
was spared jail. Alyson Smith stole the money
from the safe to fund her abusive boyfriend’s nights
out and his gambling debts.
Children
11. Pair cleared of boy's salt death
2 March 2007 – BBC News
Ian and Angela Gay have been cleared of using salt
to poison and kill three-year-old Christian Blewitt, a
child they hoped to adopt. The pair were previously
convicted of his manslaughter but won a retrial because
new medical evidence showed the high salt
levels as natural.
Prosecutors at Nottingham Crown Court originally
claimed that the couple had force-fed salt to the boy
as a form of punishment.
For full report click here
12. Debate over cause of boy's death
2 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report click here
Ed – I for one find it offensive and objectionable
for the CPS to comment as they did. With the evidence
being that high natural levels of salt could
occur through “salt diabetes” and no direct evidence
to suggest the Gays had administered salt
to Christopher there is a strong argument the
case should never have been brought in the first
place. Certainly after the initial conviction was
successfully challenged on appeal in the light of
the further expert testimony regarding the natural
condition of salt diabetes not deployed at the initial
trial, it was, in my personal opinion wrong to
bring the matter back to court as there clearly
was a reasonable doubt defence. Thus in that
light, after the acquittal, for the CPS to say their
thoughts are with the child’s family leaves one
with the very unsatisfactory feeling that the
clever CPS publicists deliberately chose language
which could be interpreted in an offensive
way to the Gays, whom, in the eyes of the law are
innocent.
It is the CPS’s duty only to bring cases to court
where they believe a court can properly convict
someone on the evidence available on the basis
of a reasonable jury being properly directed. It is
all too frequent in this day and age for our public
servants to duck the difficult questions and to
hide, as they seemingly have in the case, behind
the decision of others – such as the jury. Do the
CPS not have any words of public apology for the
ordeal the system wrought on the Gays? Let’s
not forget this government has now limited the
compensation available to those who are
wrongly convicted to £500,000. So imagine, a
professional family torn apart by a miscarriage of
justice and unable to earn at their expected level
for a number of years. The ultimate insult then
arrives in the shape of a claw back against their
compensation for the bed and breakfasting provided
in prison courtesy of the state and cash
limited compensation. Isn’t it interesting that the
“victim agenda” pushed by this government
does not extend to the victims of injustice made
more likely by the changes it itself has
wrought?
13. Councils called on to engage with new
childcare quality network
2 March 2007 – Community Care
The National Children’s Bureau is calling for councils
to engage with a new network for bodies involved in
promoting standards in early years and childcare services.
For full report click here
14. GSCC joins with nurses and teachers'
regulators in search for views on children
and young people's services
1 March 2007 – Community Care
The General Social Care Council is asking for practitioner’s
views on a joint statement. The statement is
referring to delivering services to children and young
people.
For full report click here
15. More adults banned from schools
28 February 2007 – BBC News
A tightening of the rules for adults working with children
in England has meant that thirteen adults have
been barred even though they were previously
cleared to work with children. Twelve of the 13 adults
were previously given partial bans and one was entirely
free to work with children.
All 13 are now on the Department for Education and
Skills blacklist known as List 99.
For full report click here
Conferences & Courses
To follow next week
Consultations
16. The Protection of Vulnerable Groups
(Scotland) Bill: Pre-Consultation Discussion
Paper on Secondary Legislation
2 March 2007 – Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive discussion paper on the Secondary
Legislation for the Protection of Vulnerable
Groups (Scotland) Bill. This is not a formal consultation
exercise yet.
17. Safeguarding Children from Abuse
Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession
Closing Date: 9 March 2007
The Government is committed to publishing nonstatutory
guidance on child abuse linked to a belief in
spirit possession. This consultation paper constitutes
draft guidance on this issue for all agencies, and
seeks the views of stakeholders to help ensure that it
is appropriate and clear.
For consultation click here
18. Consultation on core principles for everyone
providing care to NHS patients
Closing date: 16 March 2007
The NHS in England: the operating framework for
2007-08’ publication sets out for consultation a draft
set of NHS principles. All NHS and independent sector
providers who sign national model NHS contracts
with commissioners from April 2007 will be required
to have regard to these principles once they are
agreed and published. The relevant contracts will be
those covering hospital care.
For consultation click here
19. Consultation - Disability, Race and Gender
Equality Scheme
Closing Date: 19 March 2007
The Criminal Records Bureau has launched a public
consultation in relation to its Disability, Race and
Gender Equality Scheme (DRG Scheme).
For full report click here
20. NHS QIS Disability Equality Scheme
Closing Date: 30 March 2007
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are consulting
on their draft Disability Equality Scheme (DES). This
sets out how they plan to fulfil their duties their duties
in relation to disability equality and explains what the
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland do in relation to
matters including involving disabled people, ensuring
the DES is put into practice, access issues, and the
monitoring of their polices.
For full consultation click here
21. Getting it right for every child: Draft Children's
Services Scotland Bill
Closing Date : 31 March 2007
A Scottish Executive consultation on a draft Bill intended
to support the implementation of Getting It
Right for Every Child, the reform programme for children's
services. The bill proposes to place duties on
agencies to promote the well-being of children and to
work together. Also included are measures to ensure
that the views of children are taken into account. Any
grounds for referral to the Children's Hearings system
would also change if the bill were passed as legislation.
For full report click here
22. Consultation on the hospital travel costs
scheme
Closing date: 13 April 2007
A consultation looking at how patients can be reimbursed
for their travel expenses as more care is delivered
closer to home. It will also look at raising
awareness of the scheme in staff and patients.
For full consultation click here
23. DTI launches consultation on increasing
holiday entitlement
Closing Date: 13 April 2007
The Department of Trade and Industry is launching a
second public consultation on the implementation of
the changes to statutory annual leave entitlement. It
is planned to increase the entitlement in two stages,
rising from 20 to 24 days on 1st October 2007, and
from 24 to 28 days on 1st October 2008.
For full press report click here
To view consultation go to http://www.dti.gov.uk/
consultations/page36462.html
Ed - in other words 4 weeks contractual holiday
plus the 8 bank holidays. I remember when I was
a lad I was only given 15 days leave. Times were
hard!
24. Consultation on Criminal Records Bureau
checks of trustees of charities
Closing Date: 11 May 2007
The Charity Commission launched a 12-week consultation
on its approach to Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB) checks for trustees of charities working with
children or vulnerable adults.
For full summary of consultation go to http://www.charitycommission.
gov.uk/enhancingcharities/crbsummary.asp
For consultation click herehttp://www.charitycommission.
gov.uk/enhancingcharities/consultcrb.asp
25. Implementation of the Health Act 2006:
Fees for applications to provide NHS pharmaceutical
services in England
Closing Date: 11 May 2007
The Department is proposing to amend the 2005
Regulations to implement the provisions of the Health
Act 2006 to enable reasonable charges to be introduced
for applications concerning a chemist’s inclusion
on a NHS Primary Care Trust list. The charges
will be determined by way of Directions from the Secretary
of State to PCTs.
The DoH is formally inviting the views of NHS Employers,
the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee (PSNC) and the British Healthcare Trades
Association (BHTA) on these proposals.
For consultation click here
26. The Bournewood Safeguards: Draft illustrative
code of practice
Closing Date : 31 May 2007
The Bournewood Safeguards draft illustrative guidance
is intended to be used by people exercising
functions under the Bournewood provisions with the
intention that the guidance will eventually form part of
the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice (due
to be issued in Spring 2007). The covering note invites
comments on the draft guidance before June
2007.
For full report click here
CSCI, CSIW, Healthcare
Commission &
Scottish Care Commission
27. Read our response to plans for superregulator
1 March 2007 – CSCI
CSCI has commented on the Government’s proposed
plan to create a ‘super-regulator’ for both adult social
care and health.
For full report click here
28. Platt demands health service involvement
in care system reforms
27 February 2007 – Community Care
For full report click here
29. Progress on NHS hospital services for
children patchy, says healthcare watchdog
28 February 2007 – Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission is commenting on the
framework for delivering high quality care to children.
The quality of care provided to children inpatient services
is good with 71% of trusts scoring good or excellent.
Almost all children (99%) are treated in children-only
wards.
For full report go to http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/
newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm/cit_id/5222/FAArea1/
customWidgets.content_view_1/usecache/false
30. Care Regulator Releases Care Quality
Findings
27 February 2007 – Scottish Care Commission
The Care Commission has released the findings of
its Annual Quality Review, which presents a comprehensive
national picture of the quality of care in Scotland
for the first time.
For full report click here
31. One third of Scottish children's homes
fail to act on care commission's advice
28 February 2007 – Community Care
The Care Commission has found that nearly one
third of children’s homes in Scotland had failed to
deal with concerns raised by the country’s care regulator
in 2004-5 after a year.
For full report click here
32. CSCI Update
Notification of death, illness, and other
events: Regulation 37
Guidance issued by CSCI to care home providers
about the kind of events CSCI expect to be told
about and how the CSCI will respond.
For full report click here
33. Commission for Social Care Inspection's
Response to the Care Matters Green Paper
The CSCI’s response to the Government's plans to
transform the lives of children and young people in
care.
For full report click here
Education
34. More adults banned from schools
28 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report see Children—item ??
Ireland, Scotland & Wales
Ireland
Nothing to report
Scotland
35. NHS ‘failing to offer help to obese children’
4 March 2007 – Sunday Herald
An investigation has highlighted that the NHS in Scotland
is failing to provide specialist services to help
overweight children shed weight. The majority of
health boards currently only offer referrals to general
dietician services.
36. No. 100 The Adults with Incapacity
(Conditions and Circumstances Applicable to
Three Year Medical Treatment Certificates)
(Scotland) Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report see Legislation Update – item 69
37. No. 104 The Adults with Incapacity
(Medical Treatment Certificates) (Scotland)
Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report see Legislation Update – item 70
38. No. 105 The Adults with Incapacity
(Requirements for Signing Medical Treatment
Certificates) (Scotland) Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report see Legislation Update – item 71
39. Patients hail NHS as waiting times cut at
hospitals
1 February 2007 – Evening Times
Patients are singing the praises of improved hospital
waiting times after Scottish hospitals achieved their
best all-round performance on waiting times.
However health boards are still failing to ensure that
95% of cancer patients start treatment within two
months of an urgent referral.
40. Nursing leaders attack pay offer
1 February 2007 – BBC News
The Royal College of Scotland has said that the UKwide
pay deal giving a phased 2.5% wage rise would
leave nurses "angry, frustrated and let down".
The deal was defended by the Scottish Executive,
which said that it would take average nursing salaries
up from £30,500 to £32,000, starting salaries would
go up from £19,200 to £19,700 and the salaries of the
highest-paid nurses would go up from £60,900 to
£62,400, according to the executive.
For full report click here
41. Outback appeal to attract medics
1 February 2007 – BBC News
A new television series is appealing for GPs and
hospital specialists who would like to work in a remote
part of the Australian outback. Successful entrants
will live and work in Australia for at least three
months and star in the series “Desperately Seeking
Doctors” as it delves into the shortage of doctors in
Australia.
For full report click here
42. Budget row over vulnerable care
1 February 2007 – BBC News
A Scottish MP and Scottish Borders Council are
clashing after criticism over care provision for vulnerable
adults in the region. Christine Grahame, of the
SNP has criticised the authority for cutting £1m a
year from care packages after changes to its assessment
criteria, but the council insist that the people
with the greatest need are getting their service increased.
For full report click here
43. Banned workers double in one year
1 February 2007 – BBC News
According to new figures, the Scottish Executive has
revealed that the number of adults who are banned
from working with children more than doubled last
year.
In 2005 which is the same year the blacklist was set
up - 88 people were put on the list.
For full report click here
44. Sort out hospital car park fees . . . I'll do it
for you
28 February 2007 – Evening Times
FIRST Minister Jack McConnell has threatened hospital
bosses about controversial parking charges. He
has ordered them to come up with a way of deterring
those who use hospital grounds as free local car
parks - but without imposing "excessive" parking
charges that will penalise nurses, other hospital staff,
and genuine visitors.
45. Elderly care homes give 'concern'
27 February 2007 – BBC News
A new report by the Care Commission reveals that
poor food and a lack of qualified staff were just a few
of the hundreds of complaints triggered by old people’s
homes. Most of the complaints were upheld by
the care sector’s watchdog body.
The Commission investigated 792 complaints about
old people’s homes in 2005-06 with more than three
quarters of the complaints being upheld. The review
was based upon the findings of more than 55,000
inspections.
For full report click here
46. Probe into 'hidden' waiting lists
27 February 2007 – BBC News
Andy Kerry, Scottish Health Minister has vowed to
investigate claims of a Glasgow hospital manipulating
waiting figures to meet new targets. A Freedom of
Information request by a doctor showed that routine
hip and knee operations at the Southern General
were classed as specialised which meant that patients
were removed from the waiting lists.
For full report click here
47. Action plan over hearing aid wait
27 February 2007 – BBC News
NHS Borders are undertaking to tackle the lengthy
waiting times for hearing aids as quickly as possible.
Part of the plans include recruitment after the latest
figures show a 94-week wait for a hearing aid in the
region compared to the national target of 26 weeks.
For full report click here
48. Extra guards for violent patient
26 February 2007 – BBC News
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI) has spent £42,000
on security measures to cope with one single abusive
patient. The hospital paid for extra security guards
and a special room to deal with convicted rapist and
kidney dialysis patient Donald Gibson.
The revelation came after it emerged that NHS Scotland
has spent a total of £3m dealing with violent and
abusive patients.
For full report click here
49. Hospitals pass cleanliness test
26 February 2007 – BBC News
A recent quarterly cleanliness audit shows that all of
Scotland’s major hospitals have passed for the first
time with a minimum 90% compliance rating. An average
score of 95.4% was achieved.
In the previous quarter, Carstairs state hospital failed
to reach the grade along with Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
and the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
For full report click here
50. Scottish Care at Home - Conference and
Awards April 2007
26 February 2007 – Scottish Care
Scottish Care at Home Conference and Awards 2007
– the invitation is extended to anyone who wishes to
attend.
For full report go to http://www.scottishcare.org/news.php?
news=55
Wales
51. Cardiff Council to consult on increasing
maximum home care charges
3 March 2007 – Community Care
Cardiff Council is looking at consulting on increasing
maximum home care charges by 25% to enable it to
tackle its financial difficulties. The highest fees for
care would affect 20% of users and would rise from
£7.95 to £10 under the proposed plans.
For full report click here
52. Wales to review social care funding
1 March 2007 – Community Care
The Welsh assembly government are reviewing social
care funding in Wales is is reviewing social care
funding in Wales. This is being done as part of a 10
year plan for social services.
For full report click here
53. More care at home in 10-year plan
28 February 2007 – BBC News
Wales’ Health Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons, is planning
to shake up social services in the region. The assembly
government has issued a 10-year strategy to
give people more say over the care or support they
currently receive. It also wants more emphasis on
caring for elderly and disabled people at home, and
taking fewer children into care.
For full report click here
54. Hospices warning of service cuts
27 February 2007 – BBC News
Welsh hospices say they may have to turn away terminally
ill patients because of a funding crisis. The
Hospice of the Valleys in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent
which provides palliative care said it would have to
cut services unless it was "properly funded". Health
Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons has promised to allocate
£2m core funding yearly for the 12 charitable hospices
in Wales.
For full report click here
55. Eye drug private costs 'immoral'
26 February 2007 – BBC News
Elderly patients in Wales are paying as much as
£2,000 a month for sight-saving injections as the
NHS waits for guidance on new drugs. This is even
though Wales’ local health boards were told they can
pay for the treatment now.
For full report click here
Learning Disabilities
56. Health concerns heard for review
26 February 2007 – BBC News
People with learning difficulties are sharing their concerns
over future care in Cornwall with health bosses
as part of a review into abuse uncovered at a hospital
last year. A conference is being staged and will hear
from more than 100 service users.
For full report click here
57. Children with learning difficulties face
higher probability of poor mental health
26 February 2007 – Community Care
Research by the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents
with Learning Disabilities in Britain has found
that an increased risk of mental health problems
among children with learning disabilities could be the
result of their exposure to poverty and social exclusion
rather than their condition in some cases.
For full report click here
Legislation Update
58. No. 441 The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
of Great Britain (Registration Rules) Order
of Council 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
59. No. 442 The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
of Great Britain (Fitness to Practise and
Disqualification etc. Rules) Order of Council
2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
60. No. 504 The NHS Direct Special Health
Authority Abolition Order 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
61. No. 542 The National Health Service
(Optical Charges and Payments) Amendment
Regulations 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
62. No. 543 The National Health Service
(Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Amendment
Regulations 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
63. No. 544 The National Health Service
(Dental Charges, General Dental Services
Contracts and Personal Dental Services
Agreements) Amendment Regulations 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
64. No. 556 The Commission for Social Care
Inspection (Fees and Frequency of Inspections)
Regulations 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
65. No. 559 The National Health Service
(Functions of Strategic Health Authorities
and Primary Care Trusts and Administration
Arrangements) (England) (Amendment)
Regulations 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
66. No. 561 The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
of Great Britain (Fitness to Practise and
Registration Appeals Committees and their
Advisers Rules) Order of Council 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
67. No. 562 (C. 23) The Drugs Act 2005
(Commencement No. 5) Order 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
68. No. 564 The Approved European Pharmacy
Qualifications Order of Council 2007
2 March 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
69. No. 100 The Adults with Incapacity
(Conditions and Circumstances Applicable
to Three Year Medical Treatment Certificates)
(Scotland) Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report click here
70. No. 104 The Adults with Incapacity
(Medical Treatment Certificates) (Scotland)
Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report click here
71. No. 105 The Adults with Incapacity
(Requirements for Signing Medical Treatment
Certificates) (Scotland) Regulations 2007
1 March 2007 – OPSI
For full report click here
72. No. 464 The Education and Inspections
Act 2006 (Prescribed Education and Training
etc) Regulations 2007
28 February 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
73. No. 460 The Office for Standards in Education,
Children's Services and Skills
(Children's Rights Director) Regulations 2007
27 February 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
74. No. 462 The Education and Inspections
Act 2006 (Inspection of Local Authorities)
Regulations 2007
27 February 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
75. No. 463 The Childcare Act 2006
(Childcare Assessments) Regulations 2007
27 February 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
76. No. 478 The NHS Direct National Health
Service Trust (Establishment) Order 2007
27 February 2007 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
Mental Health
77. Pregnancy depression 'is missed'
28 February 2007 – BBC News
The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) has called for GPs and midwives to do
more to spot signs of depression in pregnant women
and new mothers. Up to one in seven women experience
a mental health disorder at some point in pregnancy
or after the birth.
Mental health experts welcomed the new guidance.
For full report click here
78. NICE issues guidance to help detect and
treat women with antenatal and postnatal
mental health disorders
28 February 2007 – NICE
For full report go to http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?
o=410181
79. Lords amend Mental Health Bill
27 February 2007 – Community Care
Peers in the House of Lords voted to ensure compulsory
community treatment is only used on people who
would benefit from such treatment.
The Mental Health Bill was again defeated after the
vote by 173 to 140 to ensure that community treatment
orders could only apply to “revolving door” patients.
For full report click here
80. Winterton lambasts lords over mental
health bill changes
1 March 2007 – Community Care
For full report click here
Miscellaneous
81. (DEFRA) Purchasing together could offer
smarter food procurement
5 March 2007 – GNN
Local authority staff with responsibility for buying
food for schools, the fire and rescue service, leisure
centres and social care institutions will be encouraged
to turn to more sustainable procurement by
buying produce from a local supplier.
Buying produce from a local supplier is better for the
environment and regional economy and can also
result in efficiency savings being made because the
food has less distance to travel.
82. DWP study on disability discrimination
act tracks employers' disability attitude
changes
2 March 2007 – Community Care
Government research shows that employers still continue
to have a narrow conception of disability by
focusing mainly on sensory and mobility impairments.
However, compared with 2003, employers had more
positive attitudes to employing disabled people and
those who had experience of disabled had the most
positive views.
For full report click here
83. CRB reaffirms its commitment to free-ofcharge
checks on volunteers
28 February 2007 – CRB
The CRB has reiterated its commitment to providing
free-of-charge checks for volunteers.
For full report click here
84. NICE publishes guidance on fludarabine
for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
28 February 2007 – NICE
For full report go to http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?
o=410186
85. NHS facing dementia time bomb
26 February 2007 – Observer
Experts have forecast that more than 1.7 million people
in the UK will have dementia by 2051. The
evaluation is based on the most up-to-date figures for
dementia and the projected cost will be billions of
pounds each year.
86. 1.7m 'will have dementia by 2051'
27 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report click here
NHS
87. Minister in climb-down over junior doctor
fiasco
7 March 2007—Daily Telegraph
In this article the Telegraph reports how Patricia Hewitt
has had to climb-down over “the flawed selection
system that has left thousands of able young doctors
without the prospect of a job and many threatening to
leave the NHS.” The computer based application
system has come under increasing pressure amidst
criticism that the new arrangements were not fit for
purpose. An interview panel at Birmingham refused
to interview 80 candidates on that basis stating they
could not be confident that they would be choosing
the right doctors for the job. Prof Gus McGrouther
from Manchester University has described the system
as “the biggest crises to hit British medicine since the
start of the NHS.” He insists that the selection process
be suspended immediately. Patricia Hewitt has
asked the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (made
up of the 14 royal colleges) to lead the review. The
Government has promised that there will be enough
jobs for British trained graduates – however there
have been around 30,000 applicants for 22,000
posts.
88. 'Round-the-clock' NHS to create sleepy
surgeons?
6 March 2007
Tony Blair’s suggestion of introducing ‘round-theclock’
surgery to cut NHS waiting times could see
some surgeons joining shift-workers across the country
and trying to balance their internal body clocks.
Much evidence shows that shift workers often have
difficulty getting any kind of quality sleep, which in
turn affects concentration and leads to reduced work
quality.
89. (DH) DH announces review of modernising
medical careers applications
6 March 2007 – GNN
The Department of Health has announced a review
into Round One of Modernising Medical Careers
(MMC) recruitment and selection into specialist training,
made through the Medical Training and Application
Service (MTAS).
The review will be led by Professor Neil Douglas,
Vice President of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
and President of the Royal College of Physicians
of Edinburgh and will be completed by the end
of March, so that any changes can be made in time
for Round Two, which begins on 28 April 2007.
90. Review into doctor recruitment
6 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report click here
91. Hospital children's ward closed
3 March 2007 – BBC News
Shennen Ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital (a
general children's ward) has been closed because of
staff shortages. The ward treats children aged between
2 and 12 years of age.
Managers stated that the closure was temporary and
being reviewed on a daily basis.
For full report click here
92. (DH) Statistical press notice - NHS Inpatient
and Outpatient waiting times figures -
January 2007
2 March 2007 – GNN
Inpatient Waiting times
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 26
weeks at the end of January 2007 was 299. Of
these 299, 17 were English residents waiting in
Welsh hospitals.
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 20
weeks at the end of January 2007 was 44,600, a
decrease of 1,400 from December 2006.
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 13
weeks at the end of January 2007 was 183,300,
an increase of 1,900 (1.0%) from December 2006,
but a fall of 13,400 (6.8%) from January 2006.
• The percentage of patients waiting under 13
weeks was 75.7%, compared to 76.2% in December
2006 and 74.8% in January 2006. The median
waiting time of those still waiting at the end of
January 2007 was 7.6 weeks.
Outpatient Waiting times
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 13 weeks
for a first outpatient appointment at the end of
January 2007 was 103. Of these 103, 92 were
English residents waiting in Welsh hospitals.
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 11 weeks
at the end of January 2007 was 21,800, down
2,900 from December 2006.
• The number of patients, for whom English commissioners
are responsible, waiting over 8 weeks
at the end of January 2007 was 139,600, a decrease
of 13,700 (9.0%) from December 2006,
and a fall of 70,500 (33.6%) from January 2006.
• The percentage of patients waiting under 8 weeks
was 85.4%, compared to 84.7% in December
2006 and 80.9% in January 2006. The median
waiting time of those still waiting at the end of
January 2007 was 3.2 weeks.
93. Prescription charges will not increase
above the rate of inflation
2 March 2007 – GNN
The Health Minister, Lord Hunt has announced that
prescription charges will rise by less than the current
rate of inflation. There will be an increase of 20p taking
the charge for one single prescription item to
£6.85 from 1st April 2007.
94. New network widens access to cuttingedge
clinical studies
1 March 2007 – GNN
A new £2 million Government investment has been
made to enable tens of thousands of NHS patients in
England to benefit from the latest medical treatments
at their GP surgery, dental practice or health centre.
The funding will help to establish a new Primary Care
Research Network (PCRN) of eight regional teams of
specialist doctors, nurses and scientists who will work
with GP practices, health centres and dental practices
to help raise awareness among clinicians of clinical
studies currently recruiting patients.
95. Stop/go pay awards unhelpful, says
King’s Fund
1 March 2007 – King’s Fund
The King’s Fund comments on the announced pay
rises for the health sector.
For full report click here
96. NHS fertility care is 'a lottery'
2 February 2007 – BBC News
Grant Happs, MP, has said that access to IVF on the
NHS is a lottery, with different areas adopting different
rules. Data was obtained under the Freedom of
Information Act showing inequitable IVF provision
across England's Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).
Guidelines say all eligible women aged 23-39 should
get one free cycle of IVF, but some areas have introduced
restrictions such as age limits, with some saying
a woman over 35 is too old, with others saying
that is too young.
For full report click here
97. 'Our time is running out for a baby'
2 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report click here
98. Private Eye—2 March 2007
This edition of Private Eye carries an eight page special
entitled “System Failure!” written by Richard
Brooks considering the difficulties associated with
the Governments £12.4bn IT project for the
NHS. “This is the story of the theft of
1,240,000,000,000 pennies from patients through an
IT project that wasn’t wanted and doesn’t work. It
tells how political vanity, official incompetence and
vested interests have wreaked havoc on the health
service – and calls for a halt to the ultimate in a long
line of New Labour computer cock-ups before it’s too
late.”
The 8 page spread concludes with the following comment:
“The plan to transform the NHS information technology
is deep in the sh-IT. Responsibility goes all the
way to a Prime Minister who was keener to listen to
management consultants than medics as long as he
got his bumper initiative. His government handed
the task to a consultant who ignored intelligent analysis
of the NHS’s true needs in favour of big announcements,
spin and deceit. The result was very
predictable, and very New Labour.”
99. NHS 'needs to use more maggots'
28 February 2007 – BBC News
A Labour MP has called for the NHS to make more
use of maggots to fight conditions such as MRSA,
gangrene and body ulcers. Labour’s Madeleine
Moon called for more testing on the creatures’ medical
benefits. Maggots bred in sterile conditions can
clean wounds by eating rotten flesh and are used as
an alternative to antibiotics.
For full report click here
100. Patients denied cancer treatment
28 February 2007 – BBC News
Up to a third of Derby City General Hospital’s patients
are not able to get funding for the latest treatments on
prostate cancer. Derby City General Hospital is one
of only five UK hospitals offering the high-intensity
ultrasound procedure for prostate cancer and people
from all over the country have taken advantage of
patient choice and visited Derby for the treatment.
However, others have missed out as their local primary
care trust will not pay.
For full report click here
101. NHS closures approach challenged
28 February 2007 – BBC News
An article about the NHS’s ability to push ahead with
plans to close services, as many local councils use
their powers to object and also asking the health secretary
to intervene. In the last two years, 23 have
referred NHS plans to the government, with the
health service only receiving support from ministers in
eight cases.
The government is also publishing a report calling on
the NHS to improve its approach to reconfiguration.
For full report click here
102. Fire crews' medic role dismissed
28 February 2007 – BBC News
The Court of Appeal has ruled that firefighters should
not be obliged to give emergency medical treatment.
Previously reported in BHCR Vol 2, Issue 7 – item 55
For full report click here
103. Firefighters' medic role in court
28 February 2007 – BBC News
For full report click here
104. Review of NHS service improvement
28 February 2007 – DoH
Chief Executive of the NHS, David Nicholson has
sent a letter setting out the findings and recommendations
from Sir Ian Carruthers' review of NHS reconfigurations.
For full report click here
105. New medics to ease A&E pressure
27 February 2007 – BBC News
Wiltshire’s new emergency care practitioners (ECP)
have started work. ECPs are paramedics who have
had extra training to respond to 999 calls that do not
require hospital treatment. They are able to treat
problems and prescribe medicine if necessary.
It is hoped that the venture will reduce the workload
on hospital A&E departments.
For full report click here
106. Mapping the success of NHS building
schemes
27 February 2007 – DoH
The Department of Health has announced that a further
seven private finance initiative (PFI) hospitals,
worth around £1.5 billion, have passed checks on
affordability and value for money, allowing them to
move a step closer to opening their doors to patients.
For full report click here
107. Violence costs NHS '£100m a year'
26 February 2007 – BBC News
A Panorama investigation has revealed that violent
and abusive patients cost the NHS more than £100m
a year. An estimated 75,000 staff were attacked last
year which meant costs for extra security, absenteeism,
training of staff and legal bills.
For full report click here
Nursing
Nothing to report
Older People
108. Help the Aged ploughs £1.7m into research
on older people’s health
1 March 2007 – Community Care
Help the Aged will be carrying out research into treatments
and developments to help older people have
better health and enable them to live independently.
For full report click here
109. Council rapped over woman's death
28 February 2007 – BBC News
A government ombudsman has ruled that carers let
Maria Stones, 95, down. Mrs Stones died after her
home-help failed to report a fall in January 2004
which left her with eight broken ribs. The carer was
provided by Sheffield City Council through an
agency.
For full report click here
110. Older people's charity reveals
'unbelievable' lottery in continuing care
27 February 2007 – Community Care
Age Concern has obtained figures from the Department
of Health which suggest that there is still a
postcode lottery for continuing care in England.
Some areas record up to 40 times more care recipients
than other areas.
For full report click here
Social Care
111. 'You decide' on care matters green paper
priorities, practitioners told
1 March 2007 – Community Care
The government is calling for practitioners to prioritise
proposals in the Care Matters green paper, amid concerns
only some of them will be put into action.
For full report click here
112. Few carers given assessments for services
28 February 2007 – Community Care
The latest obtained figures show that less than
400,000 of England's estimated five million carers
were offered an assessment or review for services in
2005-6.
For full report click here
Staff, employment and
disciplinary
Nothing to report
And now for something
completely different
Rather than an article this week I want to pose a conundrum
and invite your comments. Incidentally
many thanks to all of you who gave me feedback
regarding my “Blair’s legacy” article. No one has told
me yet that they disagree with anything – that’s remarkable
in its own right!
I want you to consider the following hypothetical scenario:
Imagine you are the proprietor of a health and social
care business – it could be a care home or a domiciliary
care agency. For whatever reason you’ve got
into CSCI’s bad books. In fact things are so bad that
CSCI has served notice that it intends to seek the
cancellation of your registration. You have made
representations to CSCI - but all to no avail. The
dreaded letter arrives giving you notice that your registration
is to be cancelled – unless you exercise
your right of appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal.
You chose to appeal and have lodged the necessary
appeal papers in time. Both you and CSCI now have
to await the determination of the Tribunal. You remain
in business, albeit under something of a cloud.
OK, based on those simple facts lets go further.
During the time you are waiting for your appeal to be
heard (this could be as long as 9-12 months away)
you and CSCI still have to go through the usual
round of inspections and reports. This is a difficult
time for all concerned – something of a Mexican
standoff – but then that’s the system.
You learn that your commissioning authorities are
becoming increasingly twitchy in maintaining placements
with you – in fact there are rumours in the air
that your contracts are to be cancelled.
You realise something has to be done quickly as your
business cannot survive without these contracts. The
business will run out of money and won’t last until the
appointed hearing date before the Tribunal when you
are confident that your appeal will be successful.
How would you react if you learnt that it was CSCI
that had approached the commissioning authorities
with a view to starving you of funds so you couldn’t
afford your day in court – your day before the Care
Standards Tribunal?
Do you think it is a legitimate act or tactic of a public
body to seek to undermine your business in this way?
In the immortal words of many an exam paper – discuss!
Do please let us know your thoughts. We’ll aim to
publish some of your responses in a forthcoming edition
of BHCR. Please send your comments to andrew.
dawson@brunswicks.eu .
Andrew Dawson
Partner
Tel: 0870 766 9281
Fax: 0870 766 4089
Andrew Dawson
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