Correspondence

Foundation trust bulletin: November 2014

Published 1 December 2014

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2014

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-foundation-trust-bulletins-2014/foundation-trust-bulletin-november-2014

1. For Action

1.1 The 2015/16 National Tariff Payment System: A Consultation Notice

On Wednesday 26 November, Monitor and NHS England published the 2015/16 National Tariff Payment System: A Consultation Notice.

This important document sets out the prices, rules and methods which Monitor and NHS England propose to include in the 2015/16 national tariff.

Our goal is to set a demanding but achievable challenge for providers and commissioners to work together to both manage demand and deliver services more efficiently. The proposed national tariff is a practical package of measures that we believe would offer a realistic balance between the need for providers to maintain quality services and the ability of commissioners to pay for them.

The proposals are subject to a statutory consultation process and we are seeking your views and responses to this. The consultation period starts on Thursday 27 November 2014 and ends immediately before midnight at the end of Wednesday 24 December 2014. You will be able to find out more about the objection process and how we will calculate any objections in the consultation document.

We strongly encourage all foundation trusts to respond to this consultation.

Please note:

We’ve sent the consultation response form via a unique link to your trust’s nominated representative. Please use this link to respond.

If you use the response form on our consultation webpage you will not be identified as a relevant provider and your response will not be used in Monitor’s calculations under this statutory process.

1.2 Foundation trust annual planning – priorities and timetable for 2015/16

This document sets out the priorities and timetable jointly agreed by Monitor, NHS England and the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) for the 2015/16 NHS planning process.

Read it to find out what is required of your foundation trust.

1.3 Foundation trust accounts timetable 2014/15 - for finance directors

We’ve published the timetable for foundation trusts’ accounts preparation and submissions to Monitor between now and July 2015. This letter was sent to all foundation trust finance directors on 7 November and gives the latest update on the timetable.

1.4 New financial guidance from the Department of Health

The Department of Health (DH) recently published guidance under section 42A of the NHS Act 2006, on its powers to provide financial assistance to foundation trusts and NHS trusts. It covers the range of finance that DH may provide; the processes for requesting financial assistance; the DH’s criteria for deciding whether, and how, to provide financial assistance; and the terms and conditions that may be applicable to the different forms of finance.

Any foundation trust expecting to need interim support and/or planned term support, as defined in the guidance, should contact their Monitor relationship manager, as applications for these funds are made by Monitor to DH on behalf of a foundation trust.

2. For Information

2.1 Quarter 2 performance report (2014/15)

For a summary of the sector’s performance for the 6 months ending 30 September 2014, read this report and helpful infographic.

2.2 Are you publicising complaints information in public areas?

As set out in the Francis Report, and the Government’s response ‘Hard Truths’, NHS organisations need to provide clear, simple and accessible information to patients and the public about how to complain, and the support available to do so.

Some foundation trusts are already publicising complaints information, but those who are not may wish to use this poster template to help ensure that patients and the public are aware of how to complain. Once you’ve opened the template, it can be edited with local information and personalised with your trust’s logo.

2.3 What challenges were faced in setting the national tariff for 2015/16?

Our latest blog post, ‘The challenges in setting the national tariff for 2015/16’, discusses some of the pressures that the NHS faces and how Monitor has taken them into consideration when setting the national tariff.

2.4 Enquiries about the 2014/15 national tariff

We have published your enquiries about the national tariff for 2014/15 and Monitor’s responses. If you have a question on the tariff please contact Monitor’s pricing enquiries team: pricing@monitor.gov.uk.

2.5 Public Accounts Committee update

The Public Accounts Committee held a session on the financial sustainability of NHS bodies last week. Evidence for the discussion was provided by David Bennett, Chief Executive, Monitor; Simon Stevens, Chief Executive NHS England; David Flory, Chief Executive of the NHS TDA; and Richard Douglas, Director General of Finance and NHS, Department of Health.

A full transcript and recording of the meeting are both available online.

3. Events

3.1 Webinar: Costing direction of travel, and patient level information and costing systems (PLICS) 2013/14 collection feedback, 2 December 2014, online

Directed at: Finance and commissioning staff at commissioner and provider organisations; medical, nursing and clinical leads; operational directors and managers; and GPs.

Why join? To learn about Monitor’s proposed approach to costing NHS services and hear feedback from the 2013/14 PLICS collection.

In this webinar we’ll look at this year’s data validation process, and give an update on the PLICS and materiality and quality score (MAQS) benchmarking tool.

You will have the opportunity to submit questions and comments during the webinar.

Sign up here

3.2 Webinar: Urgent and emergency care: management of acute frailty, 5 December 2014, online

Directed at: Clinicians and operational directors/managers within acute and primary care; and community health providers and commissioners of NHS health services within CCGs, CSUs, NHS England and local authorities.

Why join? To learn about effective pathways for vulnerable older people.

Our fifth webinar on urgent and emergency care will focus on the components of a successful pathway and examples of good practice when caring for frail older people. It will explore areas including how to support independence; crisis care close to home; and discharge planning and post-discharge support, all as part of an integrated approach.

You will have the opportunity to submit questions and comments during the webinar and we will put these to the speakers at the end of the session.

Sign up here

You can also watch the first 4 webinars in the urgent and emergency care series online:

3.3 Strategic development briefing events, 28 January 2015 (London) and 4 February 2015 (Leeds)

Directed at: Executive directors at foundation trusts.

Why attend? For an opportunity to improve your organisation’s capability in strategy development through informative presentations and practical sessions.

You will discuss the role of the whole executive team in influencing, shaping and delivering a clinically-led strategy and will hear about good practice on both strategic and operational components including:

  • workforce planning
  • improving demand forecasting and patient level costing
  • deciding on your trust’s commercial and strategic options
  • disseminating your strategy and engaging staff in its delivery

Your peers will also share how they have addressed strategy development within their local health economies.

Confirmed speakers for the London event include Sir David Dalton, CEO, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust; James Purnell, Director of Strategy and Digital, BBC; and Baroness Wall, Chair, Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust. Speakers for the Leeds event include Sir Andrew Cash, CEO, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a case study from Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Book your place.

For further information please contact Helen Crumley, helen.crumley@monitor.gov.uk.

3.4 Monitor and Foundation Trust Network: joint induction programme for new non-executive directors, 19 to 20 February 2015, London

For: New NHS foundation trust non-executive directors and NHS trust non-executive directors nearing completion of the foundation trust application process.

Why attend? To get an overview of the NHS, foundation trust governance and more.

The programme includes:

  • an overview of the NHS and the role of foundation trusts
  • foundation trust governance, risk and assurance
  • Monitor’s regulatory regime and how we work with the CQC
  • foundation trusts, governance and the law
  • governors, stakeholders and the public
  • patients, quality and safety
  • finance

Find out more and sign up.

3.5 CEO and chair induction day – 19 March 2015, London

For: Newly appointed chairs and chief executives of NHS foundation trusts without previous experience of our foundation trust authorisation process.

Why attend?

To learn about:

  • Monitor’s role, including an overview of pricing and competition
  • the NHS foundation trust legal framework
  • the regulatory regime, including how we assess risk and our enforcement processes
  • current issues in the NHS
  • quality and quality governance
  • foundation trust governance, including working effectively with governors

If you’d like to attend this event or be kept informed of future dates, please contact mel.baldwin@monitor.gov.uk. Places are limited.

3.6 NHS England event: The Perfect Week - Safer by Design; an event run by the Emergency Care Intensive Support Team (ECIST), 12 December 2014, West Bromwich

Directed at: Senior clinicians, directors, senior managers and commissioners with responsibility for leading the delivery and improvement of high quality urgent and emergency care and capacity management.

Why attend? To learn how you can improve patient services by making changes to your emergency care pathways.

This conference will demonstrate how you can apply the ‘perfect week’ concepts in your organisation to improve emergency care pathways. The conference will also examine the best ways to consolidate and build on the gains made during such initiatives in the longer term. On the day you will hear from various speakers who will share their own practical experience and learning from running these types of initiatives both in acute trusts and more broadly across local health economies.

Find out more and sign up

4. External updates

4.1 New information sharing guidance – give your feedback by 31 January 2015

The DH and the Information Governance Alliance have issued a new guidance leaflet for health and care professionals setting out when you should share information, how to do it safely and where to turn if in doubt.

You are asked to give feedback on the guidance by 31 January 2015. This letter gives more detail about the purpose of the guidance.

4.2 New duty of candour: update from DH

From 27 November, NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts will be subject to a new duty of candour and a new fit and proper persons test for directors. These regulations are requirements for registration with the CQC, and set out that providers must be open and honest with people about their care, and ensure that their directors are fit for their role. The CQC has published guidance to help explain how providers can meet these duties.

4.3 How to use surplus NHS land: an update from DH

This letter to all NHS foundation trust and NHS trust chief executives encourages them to identify any surplus land that could be made available for redevelopment, and to become involved in the development of local authorities’ plans around future housing needs.

4.4 NHS Procurement and Efficiency Programme update

Important updates for NHS procurement staff are now available on the Centre for Procurement Efficiency portal.

4.5 Update from the Secretary of State for Health

Read the latest update here.

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.

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