Government Initiatives
NHS Reforms What it will mean for therapists who work in MS
The NHS reforms – what will it mean for the services that therapists deliver for people with MS?
Karen Middleton is the Chief Health Professions Officer and most senior allied health professional adviser to the Government. She delivered a detailed presentation about the potential contained within the proposed reforms, as they were being perceived in February 2011, at the national AHP conferences. The major messages contained within that presentation remain the same despite the recommendations made by the NHS Future Forum Report, published June14th.
If you look through that presentation, Karen made it clear that there were opportunities for AHPs to add something to the commissioning of services but that we have to get in there and be more confident about influencing commissioners. We have a wealth of experience and knowledge that could significantly improve the commissioning of integrated care for people with MS.
Click here to read Karen's presentation
Despite the changes put forward in the NHS Future Forum Report, GPs will still hold the major role in commissioning so it is essential to get to know who they are in your area and work with others to influence them. The Government’s response to the Report indicates that other clinicians will now be part of the Clinical Commissioning Groups (the new name for the GP commissioning groups). There will be a nurse and a specialist doctor as a minimum. Once these are appointed it will be worth sounding them out and finding sympathetic ears. Find out what their major concerns and issues are and try and offer them a simple clear solution. Use data to support your suggestion and make sure you consider the outcomes framework when you are collecting data (see slide pack). Remember that being represented by someone else who understands your role maybe as good as being one of many appearing at the GPS door so do work with others to influence where it is appropriate. A good tip is to have your 3 most important messages rehearsed and at your fingertips just in case you find yourself (by accident or design) in a lift or conversation with a commissioner. Make sure you can deliver them clearly using plain English so they make an impact.
The Government in response to the NHS Future Forum Report has made the following recommendations that will go before parliament:
- NHS Commissioning Board will have a stronger role in overseeing local commissioning as well as specialist commissioning.
- Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) will take over commissioning in 2013 unless they are not ready, in which case the NHS Commissioning Board will remove their budget
- CCG boards will have a mandated place for a hospital doctor and a nurse but not an AHP or healthcare scientist, although they could be appointed if locally agreed.
- Clinical senates and networks will be set up to advise commissioning. These will be groups of clinicians including AHPS and be hosted by the local ‘arm’ of the NHS Commissioning Board. It is important to get involved in these so start finding out who is leading their development. They may well develop out of current networks.
- Health and well being boards will be able to refer back commissioning plans to CCGs if they consider them not in line with local health and social care strategies. These boards will have a significant number of local authority councillors and the hope is to join up health and social care.
- Integration to be promoted as well as competition where appropriate, by Monitor. Any qualified provider will be commissioned from April 2012 but only where there is a tariff at the moment. In other words, any service whether private, charitable or NHS based that meets certain criteria can compete for tenders.
- Shared decision models, decision support tools, information prescriptions and personal health budgets have all been highlighted as tools that will be given more support in long term conditions.
So for now the > priorities are to ensure you are delivering high quality services for people with MS despite the financial restraints. Make sure you use data to demonstrate the value and outcomes for your service and use these to promote your service, especially with GPs. People with MS are relying on you to keep providing quality services and ensure commissioners see their worth too.
If you want to read more go to :
http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/detailed-response/
Sir David Nicholson’s letter to the NHS can be read at:
http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/sir-david-nicholson-on-transition-arrangements/
Jane Nicklin, AHP Professional Advisor and co-chair of the Therapists in MS (TiMS) Network Working Group, comments on the proposed NHS reforms and the presentation made by the Chief Health Professions Officer at the national AHP conference