NEWS - JUNE 2016
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHAKE-UP REVEALED
It will no longer have separate directorates for digital, technology, local government and social care. Instead they will form a single new community care directorate.
The new structure will be overseen by Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald. The new setup, which will come into effect from 01 July, will see four new directorates under Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald.
Will Cavendish, former Director General responsible for technology, has moved permanently to the Cabinet Office with his responsibilities moving to the new community care directorate. This will be led by former Chief Operating Officer, Tamara Finkelstein, who will also oversee social care.
Jon Rouse, former Director General of Social Care and Local Government, will stay on at the DH to oversee changes before taking on his new role as Chief Officer of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
Felicity Harvey, Director General for Public Health, will be retiring from the DH, and a new role of Director General for Global and Public Health has yet to be appointed.
The changes are part of the Department’s cost cutting drive, aimed at reducing running costs by 30 per cent by 2020 and losing up to 700 posts.
- DH unveils new directorate structure as part of cost cutting drive
- Social care and technology move into new community care directorate
- Four new directorates report to Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald
It will no longer have separate directorates for digital, technology, local government and social care. Instead they will form a single new community care directorate.
The new structure will be overseen by Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald. The new setup, which will come into effect from 01 July, will see four new directorates under Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald.
Will Cavendish, former Director General responsible for technology, has moved permanently to the Cabinet Office with his responsibilities moving to the new community care directorate. This will be led by former Chief Operating Officer, Tamara Finkelstein, who will also oversee social care.
Jon Rouse, former Director General of Social Care and Local Government, will stay on at the DH to oversee changes before taking on his new role as Chief Officer of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
Felicity Harvey, Director General for Public Health, will be retiring from the DH, and a new role of Director General for Global and Public Health has yet to be appointed.
The changes are part of the Department’s cost cutting drive, aimed at reducing running costs by 30 per cent by 2020 and losing up to 700 posts.
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HEALTHWATCH ENGLAND TO REDUCE STAFF NUMBERS AND ORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THE CQC
Healthwatch England will cut staffing numbers and work more closely with the CQC, a paper at today’s CQC Board Meeting says.
The paper, from Susan Robinson, Acting National Director of Healthwatch England, says that Healthwatch England will have to reduce its staffing to remain “lean and fit for purpose” after its pay budget for this year decreased from £2.8m to £1.8m.
From 09 May, Healthwatch England moved to within the CQC’s offices on Buckingham Palace Road in London, and the new permanent National Director will report to CQC Chief Executive, David Behan.
The paper says: “A new chapter’s opening for Healthwatch England as we take our existing links with the rest of CQC to the next level. Our closer relationship will enable us to benefit from the facilities that CQC has to offer us, which will also help us make even better use of public money. Even more importantly, our new set-up is creating an increasing number of opportunities for Healthwatch insight to inform CQC’s work and for CQC to help Healthwatch achieve positive change."
It adds that one of its key priorities in the next year will be: “Reshaping the organisation, managing a reduced budget and therefore reducing staffing, so that it is lean and fit for purpose through a restructure. As the pay budget has reduced from £2.8m to £1.8m for 2016-17, the staff team size will reflect this budgetary decrease.”
Interviews for the new CQC National Director, as well as a new Chair to replace Interim Chair, Jane Mordue, will take place in September and October.
The report also says that Healthwatch England will focus on working more closely with its 152 local Healthwatch groups, which are commissioned by Local Authorities, to help them develop relationships with the CQC and be “the most effective they can be”.
Last year, it emerged that almost a third of Local Authorities are cutting their funding to local Healthwatch groups.
Healthwatch England will cut staffing numbers and work more closely with the CQC, a paper at today’s CQC Board Meeting says.
The paper, from Susan Robinson, Acting National Director of Healthwatch England, says that Healthwatch England will have to reduce its staffing to remain “lean and fit for purpose” after its pay budget for this year decreased from £2.8m to £1.8m.
From 09 May, Healthwatch England moved to within the CQC’s offices on Buckingham Palace Road in London, and the new permanent National Director will report to CQC Chief Executive, David Behan.
The paper says: “A new chapter’s opening for Healthwatch England as we take our existing links with the rest of CQC to the next level. Our closer relationship will enable us to benefit from the facilities that CQC has to offer us, which will also help us make even better use of public money. Even more importantly, our new set-up is creating an increasing number of opportunities for Healthwatch insight to inform CQC’s work and for CQC to help Healthwatch achieve positive change."
It adds that one of its key priorities in the next year will be: “Reshaping the organisation, managing a reduced budget and therefore reducing staffing, so that it is lean and fit for purpose through a restructure. As the pay budget has reduced from £2.8m to £1.8m for 2016-17, the staff team size will reflect this budgetary decrease.”
Interviews for the new CQC National Director, as well as a new Chair to replace Interim Chair, Jane Mordue, will take place in September and October.
The report also says that Healthwatch England will focus on working more closely with its 152 local Healthwatch groups, which are commissioned by Local Authorities, to help them develop relationships with the CQC and be “the most effective they can be”.
Last year, it emerged that almost a third of Local Authorities are cutting their funding to local Healthwatch groups.
GP PREMISES' CHAOS
Practices looking to expand or improve their premises have been excluded from NHS England’s much-touted £1bn 'Transformation Fund' because cash-strapped CCGs cannot afford the subsequent rent increases.
Practices looking to expand or improve their premises have been excluded from NHS England’s much-touted £1bn 'Transformation Fund' because cash-strapped CCGs cannot afford the subsequent rent increases.
NURSING, MIDWIFERY AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS POLICY UNIT TO GO
The Department of Health is planning to axe its nursing, midwifery and allied health professions Policy Unit . The DH is reducing its headcount from 2,000 to 1,400 by 2017
The proposal will mean the departure of seven staff, including Director, David Foster. Mr Foster will retire in September. Also affected will be the DH’s adviser on mental health, Ben Thomas; nursing and midwifery adviser Jean Christensen; and AHPs adviser Alison Raw. In addition, three support staff have also been formally told their roles are at risk of redundancy.
The plan is a consequence of the “DH 2020” cost cutting drive, under which the Department lose around 700 posts in a bid to reduce its running costs by 30 per cent over the next five years.
The loss of the nursing Policy Unit comes three years after Sir Robert Francis QC criticised the lack of a strong nursing voice in the NHS and called for the profession’s voice to be strengthened.
The Department of Health is planning to axe its nursing, midwifery and allied health professions Policy Unit . The DH is reducing its headcount from 2,000 to 1,400 by 2017
The proposal will mean the departure of seven staff, including Director, David Foster. Mr Foster will retire in September. Also affected will be the DH’s adviser on mental health, Ben Thomas; nursing and midwifery adviser Jean Christensen; and AHPs adviser Alison Raw. In addition, three support staff have also been formally told their roles are at risk of redundancy.
The plan is a consequence of the “DH 2020” cost cutting drive, under which the Department lose around 700 posts in a bid to reduce its running costs by 30 per cent over the next five years.
The loss of the nursing Policy Unit comes three years after Sir Robert Francis QC criticised the lack of a strong nursing voice in the NHS and called for the profession’s voice to be strengthened.
CHAIR OF HEALTHWATCH ENGLAND
The Chair and National Director roles are to be advertised in June, with interviews for the Chair early September and the Director late September. That is the plan, with the Chair being a Ministerial appointment.
The Chair and National Director roles are to be advertised in June, with interviews for the Chair early September and the Director late September. That is the plan, with the Chair being a Ministerial appointment.
HEALTHCARE SAFETY INVESTIGATION BRANCH
The existing head of the UK’s Air Accident Investigation Branch is set to become the Chief Investigator of the new NHS patient safety body.
Keith Conradi, formerly a professional pilot, has been selected by Health Secretary,Jeremy Hunt, as his preferred candidate to lead the new Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch.
He will appear before a confirmation hearing by the Commons' Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee next week.
The existing head of the UK’s Air Accident Investigation Branch is set to become the Chief Investigator of the new NHS patient safety body.
Keith Conradi, formerly a professional pilot, has been selected by Health Secretary,Jeremy Hunt, as his preferred candidate to lead the new Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch.
He will appear before a confirmation hearing by the Commons' Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee next week.
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CLINICAL WASTE SERVICES FOR GPs AND PHARMACIES
Factsheet 2 pages NHS England has launched a new framework agreement for the collection and disposal of clinical waste from GP surgeries and pharmacies. NHS England is responsible for the funding and commissioning of these services on behalf of GPs and Pharmacies. This factsheet provides some more information about the Framework, the benefits and how you can find out more. |
