FT Bulletin 16 December 2015
Published 16 December 2015
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2015
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1. For action
1.1 Safer start campaign: tools to help your organisation to improve patient flow
The clinically-led Emergency Care Improvement Programme (ECIP) was established to offer intensive, practical help to 28 health systems under the most pressure.
As we approach the busy Christmas period, one of ECIP’s priorities is to improve patient flow: to help with this they’ve launched the Safer start campaign which identifies processes that the systems will be supported to implement.
We also recommend that all systems look at the campaign - it includes a number of useful tools that could help your organisation to improve patient flow such as each system running a multi-disciplinary accelerated discharge, or breaking the cycle style event in order to safely discharged patients no longer requiring an acute level of care.
1.2 What do you think of the first national whistleblowing policy?
You’ve still got time to share your thoughts on the draft of the first national whistleblowing policy and help us work to encourage a culture where raising issues at work becomes normal practice and where concerns are taken seriously and investigated properly.
Please share this with your staff including local guardians, lead clinicians, non-executive directors (NEDs), and your patients so that all of their views can help shape the final policy.
Thanks to those of you who have already responded; for those who haven’t, you can respond using our online form by 5pm on Friday 8 January 2016.
2. For information
2.1 Agency price caps: your questions answered
The new rules on national price caps for agency staff in the NHS came into place on 23 November. Since then many of you have asked questions on aspects of the new caps including:
- implementation
- scope
- design
- interaction with the framework rules
- monitoring and overriding the rules
We’ve provided these answers to your questions which should make it easier for you to put the caps into place in your organisation.
We’ve also developed a diagnostic tool to help you adopt best practice and reduce the use of agency staff; the tool will help you to diagnose issues, decide ways forward and implement improvements quickly. If you have any questions, please email agencyrules@monitor.gov.uk.
2.2 New link for the Monitor benchmarker: share with costing practitioners, clinical coders and informatics staff
We’re now hosting the Monitor benchmarker (previously the payment by results (PbR) national benchmarker), created by the Audit Commission. This online tool compares detailed acute hospital activity data (based on Secondary Uses Service data) for both providers and commissioners. The tool also includes reference cost benchmarking.
If you’re already signed up to the benchmarker, then please update your bookmarks with this link for future use. If you’re a new user, then you can sign up for access here.
3. Events
3.1 Delayed transfers of care roadshow
Newcastle
Wednesday 27 January
Who is it for?
- Morning session: chief executives, chief operating officers, clinical commissioning group accountable officers
- Afternoon session: staff who deal with admission and discharges on a daily basis
Why attend?
Hear about the revised delayed transfers of care guidance and find out how you can put it into practice using case studies and best practice examples. The focus on the day will be:
- reporting on delayed tranfers of care
- reducing delays
- improving patient care
To book a place at the event, please email transformingcare@local.gov.uk.
3.2 Board induction day
Monitor offices, Waterloo, London
Thursday 18 February
Who is it for?
Newly-appointed chairs and chief executives of NHS foundation trusts who have not had prior experience of Monitor’s foundation trust assessment process.
Why attend?
Come along to our free event and find out about the following areas that will help you in your role:
- our role, including an overview of pricing and competition
- the NHS foundation trust legal framework
- the regulatory regime: including the risk assessment framework and enforcement processes
- quality and quality governance
- foundation trust governance, including working effectively with governors
- current issues in the NHS
Places are limited so if you would like to enquire about a place or be kept informed of future dates, please contact mel.baldwin@monitor.gov.uk.
Other events coming up
| Event name | Event details | Who is it for? | Why attend? | How can I sign up? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief operating officer development events | Leeds, Monday 25 January | Foundation trust and NHS trust chief operating officers (COOs). | This is a development event for COOs and will cover career development, improving organisational change and meeting the challenges of the current strategic and operational environment. | Find out more and book your place now. |
| Introduction for new foundation trust and NHS trust medical directors | London, Wednesday 27 January | New foundation trust and NHS trust medical directors. | Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) are holding this workshop to support you in this demanding role both now and in the future. | Find out more and book your place now.. |
| NEDtalk seminars - events for foundation trust and NHS trust non-executive directors | Monitor offices, Waterloo, London, January – March 2016 | NEDs of foundation trusts and NHS trusts. | Hear from NEDs who will share their experiences and reflections on: finance and turnaround; culture and workforce; strategic planning and business development. | Find out more and book your place now.. |
4. External updates
4.1 From NHS England’s Sustainable Improvement Team: elective care survey - reducing elective orthopaedic waiting times
The Sustainable Improvement Team and its partners have launched a short online survey which aims to identify what is working well in reducing elective orthopaedic waiting times, as well as the enablers and barriers to success.
If you have any feedback on this area then please complete this survey or share with any colleagues who work in orthopaedics.
4.2 From the Department of Health (DH): a consultation on extending charges from overseas visitors and migrants for NHS services
DH is seeking views on proposed changes to extend further the charging of overseas visitors and migrants who use the NHS. You can find out more and provide feedback on the DH website. You have until 7 March 2016 to respond to the consultation.
5. Get in touch
5.1 Our latest job opportunities
For more information or to apply, please visit our recruitment website joinmonitor.com.
5.2 Queries or feedback
If you have any queries about the information in this bulletin, please contact your relationship manager at Monitor.
5.3 News alerts
You can subscribe to Monitor’s news update service and receive relevant information direct to your inbox.
5.4 Publications
All of our publications are available to download from our publications section.