We have amended the medical agency price caps in line with the recently approved pay rise for medical staff. This ensures continued compliance with the Agency Worker Regulations and the change applies to those staff on medical contracts (pay groups).

If you have any queries, please email nhsi.agencyrules@nhs.net.

This week we published our proposals for the 2019 national tariff, and we’d like you to tell us what you think.

The proposals include a change of the default way of paying for urgent and emergency care (moving away from episodic prices), recalculated market forces factor values and options for how the tariff might be used to fund the new NHS supply chain organisation.

If you have any queries, please email pricing@improvement.nhs.uk. You can also find out more about our maternity and blended payment proposals by watching recordings of our recent webinars.

Improving spoken communication across the NHS requires action from many people. A new paradigm is needed that addresses not only the structure and format of what is said, but also how a person should adapt their spoken communication to ensure they deliver information in a way that is appropriate for the person being addressed.

We commissioned a working group to provide a better understanding of the issues surrounding both good and poor spoken communication of safety critical information.

We’ve published a summary of the group’s findings and the six key areas identified as presenting challenges to spoken communication, as well as the group’s report.

Applications are now open for the latest cohorts of our ACT Academy’s QSIR College (quality, service improvement and redesign) programme in Leeds and the South West.

The programme offers health systems and NHS organisations the opportunity to build sustainable service improvement capability by developing candidates to skill up others across their system/organisation.

Following our save the date last week, chairs, chief executives, medical directors and nursing directors should all have received an invite to join one of two engagement events for providers and CCGs later this month.

We have been clear throughout that this plan will only work if it benefits from the expertise, realism and ambition of those who lead it at local level, as well as the patients we serve, and we very much hope that you are therefore able to attend and help inform the final stages of the plan’s development. Find out more about engagement on the long term plan.

Monday 15 October, 10am-11am, online

Next Monday is AHP Day. Watch our live stream on the day to:

• meet the NHS Improvement AHP team
• learn more about the work that the team is undertaking on leadership, productivity, workforce, urgent and emergency care, mental health, and implementing evidence-based practice
• hear about the launch of our ‘AHP’s: improving practice and delivering solutions’ case study collection and learn how you can get involved

Friday 16 November, 10am–3pm, Leeds

This event is an opportunity for chairs and NEDs across the North region to:

• network with peers across the region
• gain the latest insight into the strategic challenges and opportunities facing the system in the months ahead
• hear directly from our Executive Regional Managing Director (North) Lyn Simpson
• share your views and experiences to shape our thinking and ongoing support to the system

Thursday 15 November, London

The annual partnerships summit will focus on how NHS/independent sector partnerships can help deliver the vision of the forthcoming NHS 10-year plan and ensure that every pound of NHS funding is spent wisely.

NHS Improvement Chair Dido Harding is confirmed as the keynote speaker, and the summit will also feature speakers from NHS England, NHS Digital and the CQC.

Friday 9 November, 3 Carlton House Terrace, London

Youth volunteering and social action benefits the young people involved, their communities and healthcare providers.

Volunteer managers, patient experience board leads and trust directors – join this NHS England and #iwill campaign event to explore how more young people can be supported to make a difference in health and care.

Confirmed speakers include Ruth May, Executive Director of Nursing, NHS Improvement, Prof. Stephen Powis, Chief Medical Director, NHS England and the NHS Youth Forum.

• Provider bulletin: 3 October 2018