Health Management and Policy Alert

Proposal for a ‘tie-in’ to NHS dentistry for graduate dentists

Department of Health and Social Care -
This consultation seeks the views of interested parties on the proposal for a ‘tie-in’ to NHS dentistry for newly qualified dentists. This would ensure that graduate dentists spend at least some of their time delivering NHS care in the years following the completion of training. It is aimed at those who have an interest in the policy proposal, whether professionals, organisations or members of the public. The closing date for comments is 18 July 2024.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Open consultation: information standards for health and adult social care

Department of Health and Social Care -
Information standards in relation to the health and adult social care sector are standards relating to the processing of information, prepared and published under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 as amended by the Health and Care Act (HCA) 2022. It is proposed they will be amended by the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which is currently before Parliament. Changes made by the HCA 2022 will: make information standards binding; and extend information standards so that they may also apply to private health and adult social care providers. The closing date for comments is 28 March 2024.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Consultation: changes to DHSC group accounting manual 2024 to 2025

Department of Health and Social Care -
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and its bodies within the DHSC accounting boundary are required by law to produce an annual report and accounts. This consultation seeks views on the DHSC group accounting manual that applies to DHSC bodies for their annual reports and accounts. The closing date for comments is 9 March 2024.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Role of incentive schemes in general practice: consultation

Department of Health and Social Care -
In England, general practices are incentivised through two main schemes, the Quality and Outcomes Framework and the Investment and Impact Fund. These schemes aim to enhance health care delivery and patient outcomes by incentivising continuous improvement in clinical care and public health delivery. This consultation seeks views on the role of incentives in general practice. The closing date for comments is 7 March 2024.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Pharmacy supervision consultation

Department of Health and Social Care -
This consultation seeks views on proposals to modernise legislation governing the supervision of activities by a pharmacist in a pharmacy. The closing date for comments is 29 February 2024.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

The disclosure of industry payments to the healthcare sector

Department of Health and Social Care -
This consultation aims to seek views on the possible introduction of regulations mandating the disclosure of industry payments to the health care sector. The consultation closes on 16 October 2023.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Improving the experiences of people with ME/CFS: interim delivery plan

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 

The DHSC, together with the Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions is seeking views on an interim delivery plan to improve the experiences and outcomes of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. The consultation (open to everyone aged 13 and over) asks for views on specific chapters and actions on: research; attitudes and education; living with ME/CFS; and language used in relation to ME/CFS. The responses will be used to help understand how well the plan identifies and addresses the issues most important to the ME/CFS community, and where further action may be required. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 4 October 2023.

• Consultation document
• More detail

Proposed review of the 2023 scheme to control the cost of branded health service medicines

Department of Health and Social Care - 
The government is proposing updates to the statutory scheme to make sure that the scheme can continue to meet its objectives from 2024 onwards, whether this is alongside a successor voluntary scheme or as a standalone scheme in the absence of this. The consultation sets out proposed amendments in three main areas: increasing the allowed growth rate which will have the effect of changing the payment percentages; revising which sales of branded medicines are exempt from scheme payments; and a new approach to control spending on older branded medicines.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Updates to NICE’s health technology processes manual

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) -
This consultation covers two overarching changes: incorporating NICE’s proportionate approach to technology appraisals into the manual; and a revised approach to updating technology appraisal recommendations for Covid-19 medicines. The consultation closes on 25 July 2023.

• Consultation
• NICE - news

 

Visiting in care homes, hospitals and hospices

Department of Health and Social Care -
This consultation seeks views on visiting in health and care settings to inform decisions around making visiting rules mandatory for the good of service users. The aim is to ensure that visiting (including accompanying people to hospital appointments) is protected and that it remains a priority for health and care providers so that patients and residents can receive visitors whenever it is reasonable and safe. The closing date for comments is 16 August 2023.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations