Correspondence

Independent provider bulletin: March 2015

Published 24 March 2015

Applies to England

1. Actions

1.1 National Tariff update

On 10 March we published the details of the organisations, including independent providers, that had decided to move to a new Enhanced Tariff Option for 2015/16. This includes 88% of NHS hospitals, community health services and mental health trusts.

We have also published a Q&A document with NHS England that provides further information on the following items:

• Enhanced Tariff Option (ETO)
• Default Tariff Rollover (DTR)
• mental health
• marginal rate emergency tariff
• acute specialised services marginal cost arrangements
• standard contract and CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation)

Please visit this page for future updates to the Q&A document.

1.2 Quality accounts requirements 2014/15: upload your quality account by 30 June

NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority have written to NHS providers confirming the arrangements for quality accounts for 2014/15. The letter confirms that there are no changes to the content requirements of quality accounts compared to 2013/14.

1.3 Have you signed up to safety?

The Sign up to Safety campaign, is designed to strengthen patient safety in the NHS and make it the safest healthcare system in the world.

All organisations involved in the campaign are being asked to share their pledges and safety improvement plans with their colleagues, patients and the public.

A ‘what’s next’ toolkit has been developed and includes a new infographic and the top safety priorities that have emerged from the plans submitted to date. You can follow the campaign on Twitter @Signuptosafety or watch this webinar featuring some of the organisations that have signed up.

For a detailed guide on how to sign up to the campaign, including the commitments and pledges that your organisation will need to make, visit the Sign up to Safety website.

1.4 New legal requirement to display your CQC ratings from 1 April 2015

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced that from 1 April 2015 health and care providers will be expected to prominently display their CQC rating. This will allow patients, services users and family members to make more informed choices about their care. The ratings displayed will be: outstanding; good; requires improvement; or inadequate.

This is a legal requirement and CQC has published this guidance.

1.5 Exploring international acute care models: share your insights

Last year we launched a research project looking at international acute care models to identify alternative methods of care that could be adopted by NHS providers.

We have now published the findings of this research with a view to informing and encouraging wider debate.

We would like to hear from you if you are implementing these models of care in the NHS, and to share your insights so the sector as a whole can better understand the potential benefits and what can be done to remove any barriers to their wider use.

Please email jointhedebate@monitor.gov.uk.

2. For information

2.1 NHS adult hearing services in England

We recently published a report that looks at how choice can work for patients who require NHS adult hearing services in England. We sought views from the public, patient groups, GPs, commissioners and providers. Our infographic provides a summary of the key findings in the report.

2.2 Vanguard sites announced

29 vanguard sites have been selected as part of a programme providing new and innovative models of care, as suggested in the Five Year Forward View. These location sites will take a national lead in transforming care for patients across England.

2.3 Updated Monitor and CQC Memorandum of Understanding

We have published an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Monitor and CQC.

Some of the updates to the MoU include:

• how we will work together when trusts are in special measures
• assessing the benefits case for mergers and other competition related queries
• joint registration and licensing

In addition we have updated how we will share information during the assessment process and during transactions reviews. A majority of the changes reflect the CQC’s new regulatory regime which was still under development when the last MOU was agreed; many of the information sharing arrangements were already established but have now been formally reflected in the MOU.

3. External updates

3.1 Update from the Secretary of State for Health

Read the latest update following the investigation into care provided by the maternity and neonatal unit at Morecambe Bay.

3.2 Every Moment Counts

Every Moment Counts, produced by National Voices and the National Council for Palliative Care, is a narrative for person-centred co-ordinated care for people near the end of life. It describes some critical outcomes and success factors in end of life care, support and treatment, from the perspective of the people who need that care, and their carers and families.

3.3 2013/14 NHS Energy Efficiency Fund – outcomes published

The DH has published a report showing the final outcomes of the NHS Energy Efficiency Fund initiative, which was implemented to reduce NHS estate operation costs. The £50 million fund has enabled the NHS to make efficiency savings, which has in turn put money back into patient services. NHS services involved delivered various energy saving projects as part of the fund.

3.4 NHS Improving Quality’s online resource centre

The Edge is a free online resource centre where you can access the latest information, training and learning opportunities for making rapid change in the NHS. Subscribe to The Edge here

4. Get in touch

4.1 Our latest job opportunities

For more information or to apply, please visit our recruitment website joinmonitor.com.

4.2 Queries or feedback

If you have any queries about the information in this bulletin, please contact your relationship manager at Monitor.

4.3 News alerts

You can subscribe to Monitor’s news update service and receive relevant information direct to your inbox.

4.4 Publications

All of our publications are available to download from our publications section.