Weekly news
Released on 08/02/2010
Events Diary
2 March
NHS QIS
National Clinical Governance Conference: Tomorrow’s World
Glasgow Hilton
Conference programme will focus on HAIs and patient safety. Registration open January 2010. See flyer at www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/Flyer_Conferenceabstract.pdf.
4 March
IHM Scotland
How to increase your power and influence
9.30am-4pm, Dunblane Hydro
Hilary Robertson of Double Loop Development presents a one day workshop aimed at
developing the skills and techniques required by managers to increase their power to affect decision-making and change in their
organisations and to improve the influence they have with colleagues and partners. Links directly to the IHM Milestone ‘Role of the
Enterprise Manager’. See attached flyer for full details.
22 April
IHM Scotland
Leading great teams
9.30am-4pm, Holiday Inn East Kilbride
Joyce Brown of Balkello Consulting presents a one day workshop looking at critical aspects of team functioning and giving guidance in dealing with team conflict. For managers at all levels who wish to take stock of their team’s functioning and plan for improvements. See flyer for details.
This week in Parliament
Thursday
14:30 Health and Wellbeing Questions
Pauline McNeill (Lab, Glasgow Kelvin): what is the catchment area for maternity services at the Southern General Hospital and whether the SG considers that there is sufficient capacity in Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board; Shirley-Anne Somerville (SNP, Lothian): what reports have been received from NHS Lothian regarding the New Pyjamas campaign organised by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation; Claire Baker (Lab, Mid Scotland and Fife): what will be discussed at the SG’s next meeting with representatives of NHS Fife; Iain Smith (LibDem, NE Fife): when did the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last meet the chief executive of NHS Fife; Rhona Brankin (Lab, Midlothian): what is the SG’s position on the MMR vaccination; Andy Kerr (Lab, East Kilbride): when did ministers last meet representatives of Health Protection Scotland; John Wilson (Lab, Central Scotland): what procedures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of patient transport services, especially in relation to visits to accident and emergency departments; Dr Richard Simpson (Lab, Mid Scotland and Fife): what discussions have been had with regard to changes in testing for healthcare associated infections; Alison McInnes (LibDem, Mid Scotland and Fife): what progress has been made in developing eating disorder services for children and young people; Malcolm Chisholm (Lab, Edinburgh North and Leith): do the rules regarding legal authority to access medical records without explicit consent apply equally to children and adults; Lewis Macdonald (Lab, Aberdeen Central): how many NHS Grampian patients have been treated by plastic surgeons following illness or injury in each of the last three years; Brian Adam (SNP, Aberdeen North): what discussions have been had with the UK Government regarding GPs’ recommendations on the physical and mental wellbeing of patients in relation to the employment and support allowance.
17:00 Members’ Business Debate: Richard Simpson (Lab, Mid Scotland and Fife) - Celebrating Scotland’s First Ever General Practice Week - That the Parliament ... is proud of the high quality service provided by GPs and their practice teams every day, and welcomes the first ever General Practice Week in Scotland, from 8 to 14 February 2010, hosted by the British Medical Association Scotland in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland, which aims to celebrate the very best of NHS general practice in Scotland.
Goldie: ‘renegotiate GMS contract’
Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has called on the Scottish Government to renegotiate the UK
contract for GP practices in order to force practices to return to providing out-of-hours services. Ms Goldie made the challenge to First Minister Alex Salmond
during their weekly exchange at First Minister’s
Questions, adding that an incoming UK Conservative
government would be committed to renegotiation of the contract.
Replying, Mr Salmond said that, “health boards in
Scotland are required to ensure satisfactory out-of-hours cover for every citizen of Scotland,” adding that public satisfaction with the NHS in Scotland is the
highest in the UK: “The people recognise the challenges in the health service, but they are extraordinarily
grateful for the fantastic job that all people in the health service do for Scotland—and not just those in primary care.”
The First Minister continued, “Annabel Goldie would not wish to give anything other than the impression that the health service in Scotland is rising to some
considerable challenges, including budgetary
challenges, and is overcoming them in a fashion that is held in great esteem by the Scottish people.”
The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has been conducting an inquiry into out-of-hours
provision in remote and rural areas and is expected to report its conclusions shortly.
Report reveals impact of discrimination on health
A report by the Scottish Public Health Observatory,
entitled Dimensions of diversity: Population
differences and health improvement opportunities, identifies thirteen different potential sources of
discrimination and prejudice which can cause “pervasive and insidious” damage to mental health and wellbeing. The report examines: age, asylum seekers and
refugees, carers, disability, ethnicity, language, literacy, migrants, poverty, prisoners, religion and belief, sex and gender, and sexual orientation. The report’s
authors said that they hoped it would “contribute to a better understanding of the complex causes of
disadvantage and how they can affect our health in many different ways.” www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Publications/scotphoreports/pub_diversityreport.asp
MSPs agree drop in
prescription charges
A bid by Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon to block the latest drop in prescription charges has failed after the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee voted that the Scottish
Government’s planned reduction should go ahead. From 1 April, prescriptions will cost £3 each.
Death certification
consultation
The Scottish Government has launched a
consultation on death certification, burial and cremation which will, among other areas, focus on ensuring sufficient safeguards around the death certification process,
including taking account of recommendations that resulted from the Shipman inquiry. The consultation poses questions such as whether it would be appropriate to enable trained clinical staff such as nurses and paramedics to verify life extinct.
The consultation closes on 21 April and can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/26131024/0.
Farewell to Jim
As reported last week, IHM Scotland
members said farewell to departing Scottish secretary, Jim Currie, at the Institute’s recent AGM.
Below, Jim (left) receives his presentation from Scottish Council member Karen Murray and IHM Scotland chair Malcolm Wright.
