FT Bulletin 12 August 2015
Published 12 August 2015
Applies to England
1. For action
1.1 Tell us what you think about the 2016/17 national tariff proposals
Over the next 2 weeks we鈥檒l be publishing the 2016/17 tariff proposals for currency design and relative prices, and national variations and local pricing.
Your feedback will be important in helping to shape the final proposals that will be subject to statutory consultation.
You鈥檒l be able to share your feedback in a variety of ways, including by joining our webinars, where you can also find out more about the proposals.
We鈥檒l also be seeking your views on our proposals for the efficiency factor, cost base and service development after the spending review.
We encourage you to use this opportunity to review our proposals and let us know your views.
1.2 Introducing new rules on nursing agency spend: tell us what you think by Thursday 20 August
We are seeking your views on how proposed new rules on using agency staff in the NHS will work in practice. We first contacted you about this in June.
The rules aim to increase your bargaining power when you negotiate with agencies for nursing agency staff, and to encourage a move among nurses back to permanent and bank working. They should also help you to manage your workforce in a more sustainable way, reduce reliance on temporary staffing, raise quality and improve the working environment for staff. The rules will not prevent you from prioritising patient and staff safety.
We would like to hear from you about the design of the rules, including:
- maximum rates a provider can pay for agency workers
- mandating use of certain framework agreements for procuring agency staff
- stipulating a maximum each trust can spend on agency staff
Please email your views to [email protected] by 5pm Thursday 20 August 2015.
1.3 Changes to the risk assessment framework: what you need to know
Thanks to all of you who took part in our risk assessment framework consultation in June.
Following this we鈥檝e made changes to the risk assessment framework that will enable us to act sooner if we have concerns about financial sustainability and/or efficiency. You were emailed details of these changes last week and can find more information on our website.
1.4 Preparation for winter 2015/16: please share across your organisation
Together with the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) and NHS England, we have for the rest of the year, to help ensure the system is in as strong a position as possible ahead of winter. These include:
- System Resilience Group (SRG) assurance
- available support
- development of mental health services
- surge management
- this year鈥檚 winter marketing campaign
- flu preparation
Please could you share this information across your organisation with colleagues who have a role in resilience work, preparations for winter, and wider transformational changes in line with the
1.5 Help shape support for medical directors
We鈥檙e in the process of designing a networking event for medical directors this autumn, based on your feedback from last year鈥檚 survey asking how we can support you in your role.
Some of the topics raised in the survey feedback that we鈥檙e looking to cover in the event include:
- how your role as medical director can lead cultural change
- ways to deliver quality and finance alongside each other
- leading, managing and motivating medical professionals
We鈥檇 like to understand more about what you鈥檇 find most useful for us to focus on, so propose running 2 focus groups of 5-6 people in late August /early September in London (likely to be 27 August and 3 or 10 September).
We鈥檇 like to hear from any medical directors interested in attending, particularly if you are new to the post. The networking event will be open to all medical directors and is likely to be in late October / November.
Please email any thoughts about the proposed topics for this event, and whether you would like to participate to [email protected].
1.6 Could you lead the way in transforming costing?
The Costing Transformation Programme aims to improve costing processes and information in NHS providers. The long-term aim is to introduce a single, mandated patient-level cost collection across all care settings.
It鈥檚 important that the new approach is developed, tested and implemented in a real-world environment, before being rolled out across the sector. To help us with this, we鈥檙e looking for up to 5 acute providers to act as roadmap partners to provide technical expertise in the development of costing standards, datasets and dictionaries.
Your input will ensure that the standards are practical and that our implementation plans are realistic. You鈥檒l also have a direct influence on the development of the standards and will receive on-site support from our costing team during the implementation phase. Improving the quality of costing information in your organisation will help you to identify possible efficiency savings, and can be used to inform service development and redesign to improve patient care.
For more information, email [email protected].
2. For information
2.1 A 3-part payment approach to support urgent and emergency care networks
We have published a new payment example for urgent and emergency care (UEC), as part of our series of local payment examples that support the rapid shift to new care models.
A 3-part payment is a single, consistent payment approach that has the potential to drive greater collaboration between all of the services within a UEC network.
It has been specifically designed to support commissioners and providers to establish networks by:
- reflecting the 鈥榓lways-on鈥� nature of UEC services
- aligning incentives across the UEC network
If you鈥檙e exploring the use of a 3-part, or alternative, payment approach for UEC, we鈥檇 like to hear about your experiences. Email us at [email protected].
2.2 GPs working together: 3 commissioning risks to manage
Commissioners frequently ask us if the rules around choice and competition prevent them from encouraging GPs to work together and with hospitals, and from awarding contracts to GP federations.
If your trust works with local GP federations, to find out more about what providers and commissioners can do to manage possible risks.
3. Webinars
3.1 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 鈥� it is an overview of the current process.
3.2 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
4. Events
4.1 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 , which include:
Session title | What will be discussed? | Who is speaking? |
---|---|---|
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). | |
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). | |
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.
Free tickets are still available for NHS provider organisations 鈥� using code PROVEXP1 if you are a chair or chief executive, or PROVEXP2 for other roles.
5. External updates
5.1 The government鈥檚 public efficiency challenge
Chancellor George Osborne and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands are seeking suggestions from the frontline for where public services could be provided for less money.
If you think there is a better way to do things, please by Friday 4 September. These will be looked at and considered by the Treasury and Cabinet Office, in partnership with government departments.
5.2 Updates on the NHS procurement and efficiency programme
DH published the latest updates for NHS procurement staff on the Centre for Procurement Efficiency portal on 6 August 2015.
6. Get in touch
6.1 Our latest job opportunities
For more information or to apply, please visit our recruitment website .
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
You can and receive relevant information direct to your inbox.
6.4 Publications
All of our publications are available to download from our publications section.
*SRG]: System Resilience Group