News
Expert Patient Programme becomes a community interest company
Published: 05.04.07
The Government announced on 2 April that the Expert Patient Programme (EPP) is being established as a social enterprise organisation. This means that PCTs will now be able to commission the EPP company to run local self-management events for people with long-term conditions.
This will help to extend the reach of the programme, and may ultimately save money for trusts by helping to create more informed, empowered patients who are able to better manage their own conditions. Evaluation data from previous EPP participants has shown a 16% reduction in emergency admissions and a 10% reduction in outpatient visits.
Health Minister Rosie Winterton said, "This is an excellent opportunity for PCTs to help patients in their local area to better manage long-term conditions. By commissioning these courses, they are investing in self-care and empowering patients, increasing social capital and improving community health."
The community interest company went live on 1 April.
Thousands of young people with diabetes could be blind by 40
Published: 15.03.07
One in three people with Type 1 diabetes aged between 18 and 30 already has retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness in later life, says a survey presented today.
Although retinopathy, a condition affecting the blood vessels supplying the retina, can be treated successfully if caught early, some of the young people in the study had already reached advanced stages of the disease.
These worrying findings, presented today at the Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference (APC), raise the issue of inadequate access to retinal screening. Recent statistics have shown that 26 per cent of young people with diabetes aged between 12 and 17 haven’t had an eye test for retinopathy in the last 12 months. Official government guidelines state that all young people with diabetes should receive a yearly screening from the age of 12.
The study of 103 young adults, conducted by researchers in Norwich, also shows a correlation between people not attending their clinic appointments and increased risk of developing retinopathy: 54.3 per cent of those who showed signs of the complication had a history of non-attendance. This raises fears that the current services do not meet the specific needs of young people, making them ‘drop out’ of their diabetes clinics.
“Retinopathy is a common complication in people with diabetes but seeing such widespread signs of the disease in such young adults is alarming,” said lead researcher Dr Ritesh Rampure.
“The majority of the young people with eye disease had a history of poor attendance at clinics and poor blood glucose control. We need to address the issue of non-attendance to stop people from losing their sight needlessly.”
Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, added: “These findings are startling and deeply worrying. We have to make sure that all people with diabetes across the UK have access to digital retinal screening."
“There is also a critical need for services to be more targeted around the specific needs of young people with diabetes in order to make the transition between paediatric and adult care smoother.
"We also need to improve access to structured education and more research is needed to look into the possible benefits of screening children at an earlier age."
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News_Landing_Page/Thousands-o...
Practice based commissioning reduces referrals
Published: 26.01.07
The Department of Health has released information suggesting that practice-based commissioning has cut referrals from practices by a quarter in some areas. Referrals for hospital treatment have been cut by between 25 and 33 percent in early adopter sites. If a similar level of success were achieved nationwide, it could mean that 2.5 million more patients are treated outside large hospital settings.
The news comes at the same time as the release of December 2006 statistics on uptake of PBC, which indicate that universal coverage has been achieved on target.
Health Minister Andy Burnham said “Dealing with some referrals outside of large hospitals is common sense, as it can relieve pressure on the NHS, provide more convenient care for patients, deliver better value for money for the taxpayer, and help us slash hospital waits.”
The Department of Health’s reforms are intended to enable GPs working closely with patients to create innovative services, and bring them closer to the people who need them. The Minister added “We want to encourage GPs to consider the best course of treatment for their patients, rather than needlessly referring them to hospital. Practice based commissioning provides this incentive for GPs to think carefully before referring a patient to a consultant."
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/OrganisationPolicy/Commiss...
Recommended Reading
Practice based commissioning: practical ... - Provides details for PCTs and practices for implementing PBC for 2007/08. This year’s guidance on practice based commissioning replaces Practice based commissioning: achieving universal coverage (January 2006). It should be read in conjunction with the NHS in England: the operating framework for 200... read more »
News Archive
Commissioning toolkit launch
Asthma UK, the British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK and National Services for Health Improvement launched the Commissioning Toolkit for Long-term Con... Click here to view full story »
Commissioning_toolkit_launch_press_release_18_01_07.doc 78kb
Register for Email Updates
