Correspondence

FT Bulletin 4 November 2015

Published 4 November 2015

Applies to England

1. For action

1.1 National price caps for agency staff: less than 2 weeks left to have your say

You still have time to tell us what you think of our proposals to introduce caps on the total amount NHS trusts and foundation trusts can pay per hour, for all types of agency and bank staff.

We’ll consider all responses to the consultation and decide whether, when and how to implement the price caps.

You can respond by completing our survey by 5pm on Friday 13 November.

If you have any trouble accessing the survey, or any questions relating to the consultation or proposed rules, you can email agencyrules@monitor.gov.uk.

1.2 Proposed changes to local payment rules covering mental health services in the NHS

We, along with NHS England, are considering whether commissioners and providers of adult and older people’s mental health care should be required to adopt one of the following payment approaches in 2016/17:

• a payment approach based on year of care or episode of treatment
• a payment approach based on capitation

Your responses to the proposed changes will help inform proposals for the local payment rules in the statutory consultation on the 2016/17 national tariff, which we will publish in early 2016.

You can respond using our online form or by emailing feedback to pricing@monitor.gov.uk, by 5pm on Thursday 19 November.

1.3 Finance directors: help shape the minimum requirements for costing software

We’re keen to hear your views on our draft minimum requirements for the costing software used by providers for the costing of NHS services.

This consultation is part of our costing transformation programme which we set up to achieve a step change in the quality of cost information in the NHS, and to help improve the quality and outcomes of NHS-funded patient care.

We’ll consider all of your responses to the consultation and assess whether the draft minimum software requirements support the costing methodology defined by the costing standards, before publishing revised minimum software requirements in March 2016.

You can respond using our online form by 5pm on Friday 20 November.

If you would also like to receive our costing newsletter, you can sign up by emailing costing@monitor.gov.uk.

2. For information

2.1 Improving elective care productivity: our findings at a glance

Our new 2-page visual summary shows where elective teams can concentrate their efforts to maximise quality and efficiency. Improvements in these areas could improve productivity by 13 to 20%.

For more on our findings, read our recent report and supporting case studies.

2.2 Update on the process for very senior manager (VSM) pay

We’re reminding all foundation trust chairs of the Secretary of State’s request to seek the views of ministers before making appointments to boards/executive boards where the salary is higher than the Prime Minister’s. For foundation trusts in receipt of distressed finance compliance is a condition of that finance.

We’ll be publishing guidance on our website later this month for you to consider prior to seeking ministers’ views.

3. Events

These are events that we are leading or co-leading with our partners.

Event name	Event details	Who is it for?	Why attend?	How can I sign up?
Board induction day	Monitor’s offices, Waterloo, London - Thursday 12 November 2015	Newly appointed chairs and chief executives of NHS foundation trusts who have not had prior experience of Monitor’s foundation trust assessment process.	Come along to our free event and find out about the following areas that will help you in your role: Monitor’s role; the foundation trust legal framework; the regulatory regime, quality and quality governance; foundation trust governance (including working effectively with governors) and current issues in the NHS.	Email mel.baldwin@monitor.gov.uk to enquire about a place.
Optimising referral to treatment (RTT) pathways for planned care in the North of England	Harrogate - Friday 6 November 2015; Bolton - Friday 20 November 2015	Commissioners, providers and members of clinical networks in the North of England.	Find out more about the delivery of RTT pathways for improved patient experience and outcomes.	Book now for 6 November. Book now for 20 November.
Strategy in practice workshops	London - Tuesday 17 November 2015; Leeds - Wednesday 2 December 2015	NHS foundation trust and NHS trust strategy leads, and anyone with an interest in developing strategy.	Come along to find out more about the current knowledge, tools and resources available to help you lead the strategic planning process and to develop a robust plan for your organisation.	Book your place now.
Securing competition clearance for NHS hospital mergers	London - Monday 23 November 2015	Senior leaders of foundation and NHS trusts, including chairs, chief executives, non-executive directors and strategy directors.	Join this discussion on lessons learnt from the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) decision to clear the planned merger between Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.	Book your place now.
Making improvements in mortality (with a keynote speech from Mike Durkin, Director of Patient Safety at NHS England)	London - Thursday 26 November 2015	NHS foundation trust and NHS trust medical directors and nursing directors.	Ahead of the forthcoming national mortality review, come along to this event to hear your colleagues share their experiences of the approaches they’ve taken with case note reviews and the use of care bundles, in improving care and reducing avoidable mortality.	Book your place now.

You can also come and see us here.

Event name	Event details	Who is it for?	Why attend?	How can I sign up?
NHS Providers annual conference	Birmingham - 10 to 11 November 2015	Board members, senior managers, clinicians from NHS foundation trusts and trusts.	Hear the debate on new ways of working across local health and social care systems and the best ways to innovate and improve. You can visit us on our joint stand with the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) and hear from Monitor staff Nick Ville, Policy Director and Miranda Carter, Executive Director of Provider Appraisal. Jim Mackey, Chief Executive Designate of NHS Improvement, will also be speaking at a plenary session at 3pm on 11 November.	Email events@nhsproviders.org for more information and book your place now.

4. External updates

4.1 From the Department of Health (DH): Consultation on the responsibilities of the statutory National Data Guardian

DH is consulting on the responsibilities of the statutory National Data Guardian for health and social care. The National Data Guardian will help to ensure that personal confidential data is held and used to support better outcomes from health and care services. They will also provide confidence that there are thorough safeguards in place to protect personal confidential data.

This may be of particular interest if you are a Caldicott Guardian, or a lead in information governance or integrated care. Your responses will form a major part of the development for more detailed proposals to establish the National Data Guardian for health and social care on a statutory footing.

Visit DH’s website to find out more and share your views before 17 December.

4.2 From Health Education England (HEE): 2 new frameworks to share with your colleagues

District and general practice nursing service, education and career framework

Sets out the specialist knowledge and skills needed to deliver and advance in district nursing and general practice nursing. The framework underpins the shift from acute to primary and community care by setting out standardised roles and responsibilities, as well as providing practitioners with a career pathway.

National dementia core skills education and training framework

Developed by Skills for Health and HEE in partnership with Skills for Care, this is a comprehensive new resource designed to support health professionals and educators working with people living with dementia.

The framework sets out the essential skills and knowledge necessary for all staff involved in dementia care and will enable organisations to:

• standardise the interpretation of dementia education and training
• guide the focus and aims of dementia education and training delivery through key learning outcomes
• ensure the educational relevance of dementia training
• improve the quality and consistency of education and training provision

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.

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5.4 Publications

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