Economic Outlook
Institute of Fiscal Studies – The distributional effect of tax and benefit reforms to be introduced between June 2010 and April 2014 (August 2010)
The IFS has published a briefing note on the impact of the Emergency Budget. It states that the poorest households will be disproportionately impacted.
Robert Chote, IFS Director, has been nominated to be the new Chair of the Office of Budget Responsibility subject to the approval of the Treasury Select Committee.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has stated that, under equality legislation, the government has a responsibility to consider the effect of budget cuts on vulnerable groups. The Fawcett Society has mounted a legal challenge to the Budget regarding its impact on women.
The Government has announced the adoption of the first three savings ideas submitted through the Spending Challenge process (ideas submitted by public service workers and the public on how to reduce public spending). These include reducing the number of CRB checks for junior doctors which will save up to £1 million per annum. For further information on the Spending Review and the Spending Challenge - click here.
The results of the Spending Review will be announced on 20 October and a summary will appear in this Digest next month.
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National Policy and Developments
Skills for Health – Skills Passport pilot success
Skills for Health has published an independent evaluation of its 12-month ‘skills passport’ pilot, delivered as part of the Modernising Nursing Careers initiative under the guidance of Deputy Chief Nursing Officer David Foster. The pilot confirmed ‘proof of concept’ for the passport and underlined substantial potential cost-savings for employers through reductions in duplicate training and pre-employment checks. Click here for more information.
Skills for Health - Regional LMI reports
Skills for Health has published new resources to help health sector employers understand and respond to the fast-changing regional skills and labour market environment. The nine intelligence briefings bring together the latest health and labour market statistics for each English region, providing a sound basis for local workforce planning activities by employers in the NHS, independent and voluntary sectors. Click here for more information.
Department of Health – Second Transition Letter (September 2010)
Following his letter of 13 July, the NHS Chief Executive has written a second letter to the chief executive community providing further details on the proposed changes and managing the transition. There are also some FAQs (section E focuses on workforce issues) and a list of regional leads for commissioning, provision and bridging.
For further information on the White Paper and the transition, visit the NHS Employers website - click here.
Department of Health – Achieving Equity and Excellence for Children (September 2010)
As a supplement to the consultation on the White Paper (Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS), the DH has published its vision for the health of children and young people in an engagement document.
At the same time, Professor Sir Ian Kennedy’s review was published: Getting it right for children and young people: Overcoming cultural barriers in the NHS so as to meet their needs (September 2010). This focuses on the cultural barriers to improving services and states that service quality is variable and that child mortality rates, although falling, lag behind the EU average.
NHS Confederation – Liberating the NHS? Analysis and questions on the white paper (August 2010)
This consultation paper analyses the white paper reforms and calls for members’ views by 24 September 2010. Click here
UNISON has started legal proceedings regarding the lack of public consultation on the White Paper proposals themselves (as opposed to their implementation) - click here.
Department of Health – HR Principles for NHS transition
Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive of NHS East of England, is leading the work on developing a set of HR principles and frameworks to underpin the changes proposed in the White Paper, the reduction in management costs and the results of the arms length body review. For further information see the NHS Employers website.
NHS Employers – National Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS)
The national MARS has been developed with the Social Partnership Forum and covers Special Health Authorities, SHAs and all NHS trust apart from Foundation Trusts. It is intended to support employers in managing staff cost reductions and the workforce implications of service redesign. The timeframe is mid September to the end of October 2010. For guidance and FAQs go to the NHS Employers website.
National Audit Office – A Framework for managing staff costs in a period of spending reduction (August 2010)
This NAO framework for effective management of staff costs has four elements:
1. Identifying and appraising options for staff cost reduction; 2. Planning staff reduction;
3 Delivering staff reduction and 4. Embedding a business as usual approach to staff cost management.
NHS Confederation – Capital challenge: improving healthcare in London (September 2010)
Following the White Paper, this paper looks at the particular challenges faced by London’s healthcare services.
British Medical Association General Practice Committee – The principles of GP commissioning (August 2010)
The GPC has published The principles of GP commissioning which cover care for the patient, individual GPs and practices as commissioners, GPs involved in commissioning consortia and the role of LMCs. The NHS Confederation has welcomed the publication but has stated that the proposal that GP consortia should choose NHS providers as the providers of choice is “doubtful in law and unwise in practice”.
The GPC has also published guidance on how GP consortia could develop. This includes the statement (page 6) that consortia with populations of less than 500,000 could find it difficult to manage financial risk. See further GPC consortia commissioning: initial observations.
The Nuffield Trust – Removing the barriers to integrated care in England (September 2010)
This briefing uses five case studies – Torbay, Nottingham, Redbridge, Trafford and Cumbria – and finds that the proposed reforms have the potential to provide more seamless patient care but that competition needs to be balanced with collaboration in order to support the integration of care. Click here for further information.
Department of Health – New 111 service
The DH has announced a new 24/7 non-emergency health services telephone number which will operate alongside the 999 emergency number. It is being piloted in the North East and will be subsequently launched in Nottingham City, Lincolnshire and Luton before being rolled out nationally. For further information: DH website.
NHS spend on management consultancy 2009/10
SHAs and PCTs spend £313.9 million on external management consultants in 2009/10. For further information - BBC and the NHS Confederation website.
Department of Health – End of Life Strategy – Second Annual Report (August 2010)
The End of Life Strategy was published in July 2008 and the National Clinical Director for End of Life Care has published the second annual report on its implementation. It states that progress has been made, e.g. free e-learning for health and social care staff in end of life care, but more needs to be done in respect to supporting choice of place of death.
Age Concern – Still Hungry to be Heard (August 2010)
This report looks at malnutrition suffered by people in later life in hospitals. Although 82% of NHS hospitals in England have engaged with the “Hungry to be heard” campaign, malnutrition remains a problem. Click here for the Care Quality Commission response.
Department of Health – National Programme for IT
The national NPfIT review has concluded that a more local system of IT procurement should replace the national approach. Click here for further information.
Department of Health – Midwifery 2020: Delivering expectations (September 2010)
The Midwifery 2020 Programme was commissioned in 2008 to develop a vision of the contribution of midwives in delivering quality, cost effective maternity services in the UK. The final report has now been published.
Home Office – Research Report no 43 – The Migrant Journey (September 2010)
The Home Office, as part of a process to reduce net immigration levels, will look at all routes into the UK, e.g. through work and study. It has published research which looks at those who came to the UK over the period 2004 – 2008 (apart from short term visitors).
It highlights that 186,000 students were given visas in 2004 and that 20% of them were still in the UK five years later.
Home Office – equal pay
The Chartered Institute for Management and XpertHR have published research that shows that a significant gap still exists between the pay for female managers compared with their male counterparts. The Home Office has stated that the government is taking a number of steps to address the issue - click here.
HM Treasury – Regional Employer NIC Holiday for New Businesses
A three year scheme will allow new businesses outside London, the South East and the East of England to take a “holiday” for each of their first ten employees employed in the first year of business. For further information, go to the Business Link website.
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Recruiting your workforce
Centre for Workforce Intelligence – Medical Specialty Training Numbers Report 2011 (August 2010)
The CfWI is in the process of producing a number of reports looking at the size and shape of the workforce needed by the NHS in the future. This first report looks at the numbers going into medical specialty training from foundation training. Click here for further information and here to access individual medical speciality workforce factsheets.
Research published by the BMA in September looks at how junior doctors spend their time in the first year of specialist training.
NHS Employers will stop collecting junior doctors’ hours monitoring data as this is no longer required by the DH. Further information
NHS Information Centre – NHS Vacancies Survey England 31 March 2010
(August 2010)
The latest publication indicates a reduction in total vacancies in all staff groups in comparison to last year. Three month rates have also fallen except for midwives.
The latest Provisional Monthly HCHS Workforce Statistics in England for May 2010 were published in August and can be accessed here
NHS Information Centre – GP Practice Vacancies Survey 2010 (August 2010)
The total vacancy rate for GPs was 2.1% (1.6% in 2009) and both practice staff and practice nurse total vacancies fell in 2010 compared to 2009. The GP three month vacancy rate has increase to 0.5% (0.3% in 2008 and 2009). Sixth Annual Survey
Takeover Day 2010 – Friday 12 November 2010
Takeover Day is a national event in its fourth year and is aimed at offering children and young people the chance to work with adults and get involved in decision making in a wide range of organisations. For further information - click here.
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Developing your workforce
Unique strategic workforce planning course
Recruitment is underway for the Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Workforce Planning, brought to you by Skills for Health and the Centre and Thames Valley University. The course gives health and social care staff involved in workforce planning the specialist knowledge, skills and expertise to develop their roles, and workforce planners the opportunity to obtain a recognised and credible qualification. Closing date for applications is 5 November. Visit www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/pgcertificate.html or email michelle.logan@skillsforhealth.org.uk
NHS Employers – Default Retirement Age consultation
NHS Employers is collating employers’ views on the Government consultation on the default retirement age proposals. An online survey is available until 1 October 2010.
Click here.
NHS Employers have also published a new resource for employers on NHS Pension Scheme retirement flexibilities.
The future of health sector education and training - have your say
Skills for Health works to ensure training and education is employer led. Give us your views on our future plans and we’ll use them to champion your views, influence supply by providers and facilitate partnerships to ensure you get training and education you need.
Department of Health – Engagement exercise on independent prescribing
The DH is considering widening independent prescription responsibilities to include physiotherapists and podiatrists. Engagement exercises seeking views are currently running with a deadline for responses of 26 November 2010.
Department for Work and Pensions – Training and Progression in the Labour Market (August 2010)
DWP Research Report No.680 looks at the impact of training (whilst in work or in anticipation of working in the future) on careers. The proportion of workers in training (aged 16-69) rose from 20% (1994) to 28% (2003) but has since declined.
To access recent Skills for Health publications relating to skills use the following links:
- 2010 England Regional Skills and Labour Market Intelligence Briefings
– click here
- Understanding the contribution of Skills to productivity in the UK Health Sector (August 2010) – click here
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Quality and productivity
Dramatically cutting waiting times and improving productivity
New case study showing how Skills for Health’s Nationally Transferable Role templates are transforming services in NHS Dudley.
Cutting length of stay at Whittington Hospital NHS Trust
New case study on how Skills for Health competences helped develop new roles to deliver a more productive workforce.
Department of Health – review of consultants pay reward scheme
The DH has announced a UK-wide review of Clinical Excellence and Distinction Awards (the Clinical Excellence Award Scheme is operated by The Advisory Committee of Clinical Excellence Awards ACCEA ). The review will be led by the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) with recommendations to be submitted by July 2011. For the Terms of Reference and further information - click here. Written responses and evidence for the review should be submitted by 26 November 2010.
NHS Information Centre – complaints statistics
The number of complaints about NHS hospital and community health services in England rose 13.7% in 2009/10 to 101,077. For further information click here or access the full report here.
The Law Commission is currently running a consultation on draft proposals for reforming the legislative structure of the Public Services Ombudsmen who handle complaints against public bodies, including the health service. For further information -
http://www.lawcom.gov.uk/ombudsmen.htm.
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Good Practice
Skills for Care – Accolades 2010
The finalists for Accolades 2010 have been announced and the awards will take place on 25 November. For further information - click here.
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Regulation
Nursing and Midwifery Council – Guidance on professional conduct for nursing and midwifery students (August 2010)
The NMC has published its updated guidance which sets out the personal and professional conduct expected of students.
The NMC has decided to remove the additional registration required of EU trained nurses and midwives.
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Other news
The National Audit Office (NAO) report – Department for Education: The Academies Programme – published on 10 September; states that academies are performing well in delivering improvements but that this may not be an accurate predictor of how future academies perform as the programme expands.
Department of Education – Wolf Review of Vocational Education
An independent review of vocational education for 14-19 year olds has been announced. This will be lead by Professor Alison Wolf (King’s College, London) and will report in Spring 2011.
Museum, Libraries and Archives Council – Culture and lifelong learning
The MLA and National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) have published two reports about the sector’s contribution to widening participation and lifelong learning and how public libraries can work with colleges. Click here
Institute of Alcohol Studies – Drinking in Great Britain
The IAS produces a wide range of factsheets on alcohol-related topics. For information on drinking in Britain click here.
The Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE2010) have been made available by the North West Public Health Observatory. Data, e.g. alcohol related crime, mortality statistics etc, can be viewed at PCT/Local Authority level - http://www.nwph.net/alcohol/lape.
More news, events and resources
Skills for Health are en route to your area
This autumn, Skills for Health will be holding a series of free, locally tailored conferences across the UK.
These will inform you of our solutions and tools that are being used successfully across the health sector to improve productivity and deliver more cost effective services that are responsive to patient need.
The aims of the events are to demonstrate Skills for Health products and services that can:
- help you address current and future workforce developments
- help you create better skilled, more productive teams
- help you unlock quality & productivity gains
- help you develop a more flexible workforce to suit the needs of ever-changing service demands.
These conferences are aimed at Directors and Senior managers, and those involved in workforce development and skills issues across the whole health sector, including Independent. Skills for Health has a range of solutions and tools that are being used successfully across the health sector to improve productivity and deliver cost effective services that are responsive to patient need.
The benefits of attending include helping you to:
- develop a more flexible workforce to suit the needs of ever-changing service demands
- create better skilled, more productive teams
- unlock quality & productivity gains.
| South West |
5 October |
Taunton |
| North West |
15 October |
Manchester |
| North East) |
27 October |
Middlesborough |
| East Midlands |
3 November |
Northampton |
Yorkshire and
The Humber |
5 November |
Leeds |
| London |
10 November |
London |
| East of England |
SOLD OUT |
Cambridge |
| Scotland |
16 November |
Glasgow |
| West Midlands |
24 November |
Birmingham |
| South East |
30 November |
High Wycombe |
| Northern Ireland |
8 December |
Templepatrick |
| Wales |
January 2011 (TBC) |
Cardiff |
Centre for Workforce Intelligence – October events
Date: Oct 18, 2010 from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM
Venue: The Tower Hotel, London
Date: Oct 21, 2010 from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM
Venue: Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
The Centre for Workforce Intelligence will be running two events during October. These events will give you the chance to network with health and social care executive colleagues from around the country. You will also be able to attend three workshops, two keynotes and a panel plenary that capture current thinking on planning to meet workforce needs in the new era.
To sign up for these events, click here
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About us
Skills for Health (SfH), is the employer-led Sector Skills Council for the health sector, serving the NHS,
independent and voluntary sectors (2.1m employees throughout the UK). SfH was relicensed in 2009 with an
‘outstanding’ contribution to workforce redesign. We are the authoritative voice on skills issues for the health
sector and offer employers proven workforce solutions and tools – with the expertise and experience to use
them effectively.
Visit www.skillsforhealth.org.uk
To sign up for our quarterly newsletter please visit: http://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/newsletters
Watch this space for news of our SfH regional roadshows taking place in the autumn.
More news will follow.
If you do not wish to receive this News Digest from Skills for Health in the future, please select this unsubscribe link or contact Skills for Health directly.
Please note that the links are correct at the time of publication but websites are constantly being changed so the links given may become out of date. Skills for Health does not claim any responsibility for contents of other websites/publications. This publication is focused on England only.
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