Correspondence

FT Bulletin 29 July 2015

Published 29 July 2015

Applies to England

1. For action

1.1 New monthly financial data collection: applies to all foundation trusts from this month

From this July (month 4 2015/16), we will be collecting monthly financial data from all foundation trusts.

This process has been established to provide us with more timely information on the foundation trust sector’s financial performance between the existing quarterly reporting process, which will also help us identify areas of potential concern earlier. The quarterly reporting process will remain in place as a comprehensive review of both financial and operational governance positions.

We’re basing the monthly reporting template on the current quarterly template, so your current systems should still map across. There will be some minor additions to the template to cover the new requirements for management consultancy and agency spend, which will also be reflected in the quarterly template.

• Monitor will not require board sign-off on the monthly templates prior to submission
• the monthly information you provide won’t be published on our website
• this change also applies to foundation trusts that are already undertaking monthly monitoring

At the beginning of August we will send you the template for your first monthly return which should be returned to Monitor at the end of August 2015 (specific deadlines will be communicated separately). Further information and guidance on the monthly reporting process will be provided shortly, and these changes will be reflected in the updated risk assessment framework when it is published in early August.

1.2 Weekly 62-day cancer patient tracking lists: first submission due today

A reminder that from today, Wednesday 29 July 2015, all foundation trusts with patients on 62-day pathways for cancer treatment will need to submit a 62-day standard Patient Tracking List (PTL) via UNIFY2. Guidance on how to complete the template (which is based on the existing NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) weekly cancer PTL for NHS trusts) is available via UNIFY2.

The data should be submitted every Wednesday, from today, and contain information for the previous week ending Sunday. If you have previously used an Excel template to complete your submission, please ensure you have switched to using the UNIFY2 PTL template.

This was one of the actions in the letter we sent to chief executives earlier this month where we, NHS England and the NHS TDA, identified priorities and actions to help address current challenges associated with meeting the standard.

If you have any further questions about the guidance or your submission, please contact our Sector Reporting Compliance team at: compliance@monitor.gov.uk.

1.3 Apply for local modifications for 2016/17 by 30 September

Applications for local modifications for 2016/17 must be submitted by 30 September 2015 for consideration. The starting date for any successful application submitted after that date will be considered on an individual basis.

This is an update to section 7 of the 2014/15 National Tariff Payment System and Monitor’s guidance on locally determined prices, which continues to have effect in 2015/16.

This new deadline will allow our decisions on local modifications to inform commissioners’ plans and budgeting for 2016/17, as late applications can adversely affect the financial position of a commissioner.

The date for applications does not apply to local modification agreements submitted jointly by commissioners and providers for Monitor’s approval.

1.4 Changes to the RTT operational standards and reporting arrangements, and updated risk assessment framework

We wrote to chief executives on 24 June about the simplification of referral to treatment (RTT) standards and reporting requirements. We will reflect these changes in the updated risk assessment framework.

As mentioned in the letter, starting with the publication of June data in August, the following statistics will be published monthly on the same date by NHS England: RTT, Cancer, Diagnostics, A&E, Ambulance, NHS 111 and Delayed Transfers of Care. Further information can be found in this NHS England Statistics Calendar.

Thanks to those of you who responded to our consultation on changes to the risk assessment framework. We are in the process of considering these and deciding the outcome, and we will update you in early August

2. For information

2.1 Do you have any questions about managing consultancy spend?

We have produced guidance including ‘frequently asked questions’ to assist you in writing your business cases, following our initial guidance on consultancy spend approvals in June.

This has been developed with NHS England and the NHS TDA from common themes we have identified in business cases submitted to us so far. There are 2 parts to the guidance: ‘What to cover in a business case’ and ‘How to ensure your case is as well presented as possible’.

If you have any questions, please email businesscases@monitor.gov.uk.

2.2 How can our local payment examples help you deliver new care models?

We have worked with NHS England to produce a series of payment examples to help support the delivery of new care models identified in the Five Year Forward View.

Changes to the payment system are critical for the adoption of the new care models in helping to promote person-centred and co-ordinated care for patients. We’ve produced introductions to capitated payments, gain/loss sharing and outcomes-based payment for mental healthcare, in addition to the more detailed local payment example for finance, contracting and commissioning staff on how to approach developing and implementing the potential new payment approach locally.

We’ll refine the payment examples as we learn more from the local health economies that implement these new models.

If you’re exploring the use of any of these payment approaches, we’d like to hear about your experiences. Please email us at pricingenquiries@monitor.gov.uk.

2.3 Your audited accounts

We have published our consolidation of your audited accounts for the 2014/15 financial year, and will be publishing your individual accounts and plans on our website over the coming weeks.

2.4 Risk assessment framework: next steps

Thanks to those of you who responded to our consultation on changes to the risk assessment framework. We are in the process of considering these and deciding the outcome, and we will update you next month.

3. Events

3.1 Health and Care Innovation Expo 2015

2-3 September 2015, Manchester

Who is it for?

Executive and non-executive directors

Why attend?

Expo 2015 brings together change agents from health and care, the voluntary sector and local government.

Monitor, NHS TDA and NHS Providers are running dedicated sessions for providers, which include:

Session title	What will be discussed?	Who is speaking?
Enabling new care models – locally led, nationally supported	Hear about the support available to support new care models and to ensure their replicability. Organisations already in the vanguard will share their experiences and innovations.	Paul Dinkin (Programme Director on the New Care Models Team, and Provider Sustainability Director, Monitor) and Ralph Coulbeck (Director of Strategy, NHS TDA).
What is the success regime and how will it affect you?	Discuss the success regime and how together we aim to provide a systematic approach to tackling entrenched issues across health and care, in particular across local health economies.	Adam Sewell-Jones (Director of Provider Sustainability, Monitor), Ralph Coulbeck (Director of Strategy, NHS TDA), Saffron Cordery (Director of Policy and Strategy, NHS Providers).
Developing cultures to deliver value	Looking at the leadership capabilities needed to deliver on the ambitions of the Five Year Forward View. A focus on enabling change from within by developing cultures that support staff to deliver value, and the importance of strong local leadership in actively engaging staff and patients in the redesign and transformation of healthcare.	Suzie Bailey (Development Director, Monitor) and Jo Vigor (Senior Development Advisor, Monitor).

We are also running 2 sessions for commissioners, in the pop up university, looking at managing conflicts of interest, and involving patients in commissioning community services. Book your place now.

Free tickets are still available for NHS provider organisations – register online using code PROVEXP1 if you are a chair or chief executive, or PROVEXP2 for other roles.

4. Upcoming webinars

4.1 What is a webinar?

Webinars are virtual events you ‘attend’ live online at a set time, by logging in on a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Read more about our webinars.

4.2 Price modelling - from reference costs to tariff prices

Tuesday 18 August, 1-2pm

Who is it for?

Acute providers only:

• finance directors/managers
• clinicians
• costing specialists
• service managers

Why join?

Find out how the annual reference costs submitted are changed into tariff prices.

We will:

• explain how we calculate tariff prices
• look at what steps we take to clean the data
• outline the review process

Please note that this will not include information on tariffs currently in development – it is an overview of the current process.

Register now for the ‘Price modelling’ webinar.

4.3 Best practice tariffs explained

Tuesday 25 August, 2-3pm

Who is it for?

Acute providers only:

• finance directors/managers
• clinicians

Why join?

Hear from Monitor and NHS England on best practice tariffs.

We will:

• outline the basic principles of best practice tariffs including how they are constructed and how they operate
• explain the rationale for amending the methods of price calculation for 2016/17

Register now for the ‘Best practice tariff’ webinar.

5. External updates

5.1 Exit from CSC Local Service Provider Contract

If your foundation trust receives IT systems and services under the CSC Local Service Provider (LSP) contract, please note that you are required to ensure preparations are in place to safely exit from the current contractual arrangements by July 2016.

The full details of the actions that you need to take are included in the recent letter sent to chief executives, from Tom Denwood at the Department of Health.

5.2 Secretary of State message to NHS staff: the future of the NHS

The Secretary of State for Health has announced his ideas on how the NHS will be reformed over the next 25 years.

6. Get in touch

6.1 Our latest job opportunities

For more information or to apply, please visit our recruitment website joinmonitor.com.

6.2 Queries or feedback

If you have any queries about the information in this bulletin, please contact your relationship manager at Monitor.

6.3 News alerts

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6.4 Publications

All of our publications are available to download from our publications section.