News
NURSING MANAGEMENT April 2009 | Volume 16 | Number 1 5
In brief
New guidance issued
on practice-based
commissioning
New GuiDANCe on practice-based
commissioning (PBC) and how it relates to
world-class commissioning has been published
by the Department of Health.
Clinical Commissioning: Our vision for
practicebased commissioning describes how
clinicians and health service managers can
combine their expertise to improve local health.
it outlines the principles to achieve this
and describes how commissioning can become
more rigourous through the introduction of a
series of clear entitlements that practice-based
commissioners can expect.
Meanwhile, primary care trusts across england
have received individual assessments of how
they have performed against the ten world-class
commissioning competencies set by the
government. None has achieved level 4, the best
score, for any of the competencies, but more
achieved level 3 than expected.
`superbug supremo'
to oversee random
hospital inspections
A `suPerBuG supremo' is to be appointed
to spearhead scotland's new inspectorate to
scrutinise hospitals' performance in dealing with
infections such as MrsA and Clostridium difficile.
The Care environment inspectorate,
based in NHs Quality improvement scotland,
will carry out random inspections of every
scottish acute hospital to ensure that they
adhere to the highest standards of infection
prevention and cleanliness.
The chief inspector, to be appointed this
month, will be responsible for ensuring that each
inspection is rigorous, thorough and `leaves no
stone unturned' in the battle against bugs.
Health secretary Nicola sturgeon said: `with
the right person at the helm, offering strategic
vision and strong leadership, i am confident
that the inspectorate will ensure all boards meet
the highest possible standards.'
every acute hospital will receive at least one
planned and one random visit in the three-year
inspection cycle, with extra visits as required.
Ms sturgeon added: `Nobody should doubt
this government's commitment to tackling
healthcare-associated infections. But it is
crucial that we and, more importantly, the
public are assured that this work is delivering
the high standards everyone expects.
The Care environment inspectorate's stringent
independent inspection regime will do just that.'
Younger patients
undergo hip and knee
replacement surgery
THe AVerAGe age of patients undergoing
hip and knee replacement is falling and
more patients consider themselves to
be active, according to a survey by the
Hip and Knee Network.
The survey results also show that many
patients experience hip or knee pain for more
than eight years before doing anything about
it and that the reputation of individual surgeons
is the most important factor influencing
decisions on whether to undergo hip or
knee replacement surgery.
implant reputation and access to the best
clinical technology are increasingly significant,
however, particularly in younger patients.
Patients are generally optimistic about
the expected outcome of their hip or knee
replacement surgery.
The International Council
of Nurses (ICN) is inviting
applications to join its 2009
Global Nursing Leadership
Institute. The institute encourages
an actionlearning approach to
observing and analysing strategic
leadership, and aims to enhance
global health knowledge, peer
learning and development.
The closing date for application
is April 21. For details, go to
www.icn.ch/institute.htm
The winner of December's
readers' survey competition
was Nursing Management
reader Mary Mallett of
Perranporth, Cornwall. She
wins an iPod. The two
runnersup, who each receive
�50 vouchers, were Bianca
Postelmans of High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, and Sue Stone
of Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Thanks to all who entered.
To find out the results of the
survey, see pages 2123.
The RCN and national
children's charity WellChild are
calling on the government to
address the `severe' shortages
of community children's nurses.
The two organisations have
launched the Better at Home
campaign to improve
homebased care for children
and young people with complex
needs. For more information,
visit www.wellchild.org.uk
The 2009 Nurses' Day service
commemorating the life and
work of Florence Nightingale will
be held in Westminster Abbey,
London, at 6.15pm on May 13.
Entrance to the service is by
ticket only. Tickets are free but
will be allocated on a first come,
first served basis, and the closing
date for application is April 17.
To apply, go to www.florence
nightingalefoundation.org.uk
SciencePhotoLibrary
Find out more
Hip and Knee Survey 2009: www.hipandkneenetwork.
co.uk/pages/news/hipandkneesurvey2009
i
Find out more
Clinical Commissioning: Our vision for
practice-based commissioning: www.dh.gov.
uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_095692
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