Medical Directors’ Bulletin – June 2013
£150,000 dementia prize fund launched
Frontline health and care professionals are being invited to bid for a share of the £150,000 NHS Innovation Challenge Prize for Dementia. The competition is open to anyone working in dementia care including GPs, specialist nurses, social workers, support workers, charities and patient support groups.
£260 million technology fund to make the NHS safer
The Secretary of State for Health and Professor Sir Bruce Keogh have launched a £260 million Technology Fund to enable doctors and nurses to access better information about patients and provide safer care. The fund will be available to NHS providers, supporting the rapid progression from paper-based systems for patient notes and prescriptions to integrated electronic care records and the development of e-prescribing and e-referral systems.
The Heatwave Plan for England 2013
The Heatwave Plan for England 2013 has been published. Its objective is to raise public and professional awareness of potential dangers to health of a severe heatwave and describe actions to be taken to prevent and respond to such an event.
Issue of Healthcare Professional Alert Notices
NHS England has written to NHS Trust Medical Directors and Area Team Medical Directors setting out interim arrangements for issuing Healthcare Professional Alert Notices. In the letter, the Secretary of State has directed the National Health Service Litigation Authority to operate the Healthcare Professional Alert Notices system from 1 April 2013. NHS organisations who wish to request the issue of an Alert Notice should notify the National Clinical Assessment Service.
£10million Homeless Hospital Discharge Fund
You may now apply for part of the £10million government fund dedicated to improving hospital discharge procedures for homeless people is now open. The DH working with NHS England seek funding bids from voluntary sector organisations, working in partnership with NHS and local authorities, to improve care and reduce ‘revolving door’ admissions. The deadline for applications is 8th July and funding will be allocated in August 2013 to be used within the 2013/14 financial year.