Health Management and Policy Alert

NHS pension scheme: proposed amendments for April 2025

Department of Health and Social Care -
This consultation seeks views on proposed amendments to the NHS Pension Scheme for 1 April 2025. Among the proposed changes are to: retrospectively amend the definition of overtime in the 2015 Scheme to be pensionable up to whole-time equivalent hours; clarify the method for calculating member contributions where pay reduces during a period of absence; and amend the regulations regarding general practitioner (GP) and non-GP provider annual certificates of pensionable profit. The closing date for comments is 4 February 2025.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Health and social care statistical outputs: consultation outcome

Department of Health and Social Care -
The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Business Services Authority, UK Health Security Agency, Office for National Statistics and NHS England are making changes to statistical products to with the aim of creating an improved, more coherent and efficient health and social care statistical landscape. This response sets out the changes, including: merging and rationalising products to reduce duplication and improve the user experience; changing the frequency of products; changing the scope and/or volume of products; reducing commentary where appropriate; and reviewing products, with the aim of improving the quality of these.

• Consultation response
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Tackling modern slavery in NHS procurement: proposed regulations and guidance

Department of Health and Social Care - 
This consultation invites views on the draft National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024 and accompanying guidance. It is seeking opinions on: how the regulations will be implemented; the impact of the regulations on tackling modern slavery; how frameworks and dynamic markets should assess and manage modern slavery risks; and how public bodies want to be supported to implement these new duties. The closing date for comments is 13 February 2025.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Information standards for health and adult social care in England: consultation response

Department of Health and Social Care -
This is the Department of Health and Social Care’s response to the consultation about proposals for regulations to make provision about the procedure to be followed for the preparation and publication of information standards.

• Consultation response
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Proposed update to the statutory scheme to control the cost of branded health service medicines: consultation response

Department of Health and Social Care -
There were 30 responses to this consultation. The majority (87 per cent) of these responses were from pharmaceutical companies or trade bodies. Following consideration of consultation responses, the department has decided to maintain broad commercial equivalence with the voluntary scheme by implementing various changes.

• Consultation response
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

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