Network Service Advisors meeting
30 November 2012, 2.00pm
At BCS, 9 Fitzroy Square
Attendees: Bernard Prendergast (Chair), Simon Ray (BCS), Huon Gray (DoH NHS development), Mark Anderson, Yaver Bashir, Martin Been, Simon Corbett, John Creamer, Ever Grech, Neville Kukreja, Carl Shakespeare, Doug Skehan, Andrew Sutton, Simon Winterton
Apologies: Andrew Archbold, Edward Barnes, Ian Cox, Paul Das, James Glancy, Paul Jordan, Azhar Khokhar, Alastair McCance, Bet Mishra, David Northridge, Nick Ossei-Gerning, Michael O’Sullivan, Raphael Perry, Chris Plumer, Carol Wilson.
1. Welcome and introduction
Bernard Prendergast chaired the meeting and noted apologies as above. He gave a brief background of the inception of the group and its reinvigoration in 2011 and explained that it was proving to be a very useful forum to channel communication with members via geographical local representatives. He welcomed feedback about the frequency of the NSA meetings (1 or 2 per year) for the end of the meeting.
2. BCS Update
BP reported on BCS activities since the last meeting.
· BCS membership numbers are rising healthily and steadily with increased interest from trainees
· ‘Lost’ Consultant members are to be informed of the increasing portfolio of BCS membership benefits, particularly relating to CPD and revalidation.
· National Commissioning scheduled for April 2013 – BCS members have played major role in Clinical Reference Groups
· Review of the press office
· Primary Care Interface working group starting in 2013
· Clinical Standards activities:
o Acute Cardiac Care report
o Guidance to Commissioners
o Adult Congenital Heart Disease consultation
o ‘What Makes a Good Cardiologist?’
· Training activities
o successful ST3 recruitment round
o BJCA handbook for trainees and trainers
o BCS KBA exam has become the blue print for European diploma.
· Success of 5 clinical research study groups – in partnership with NIHR
· Education: very successful and growing education programme
· Successful 2012 Annual Scientific Conference
o 2013 theme will be innovation (3-5 June 2013, London Excel)
o Importance placed on industry support for conference to attract commercial support
· 2015 ESC Congress to be held in London Excel
· BCS finances strong and robust
3. BUPA
BP explained the background issues with BUPA and how BCS were engaged in discussions with them on behalf of its members. BCS have raised members concerns and are endeavouring to ensure consistent standards across NHS and private practice. Through these discussions BCS have achieved the following:
· Approval of fee splits with providers
· Replacement of Fitness to Practice questionnaire with self-declaration of Scope of Practice document and linkage with enhanced appraisal procedures in conjunction with local Responsible Officers
· Rejection of proposed BUPA clinical pathways
Next steps for BCS are:
· Collate a series of FAQs from BCS members and responses from BUPA (to be circulated and published on the BCS website
· Disseminate the Scope for Practice document to be used alongside appraisal and revalidation processes
· Publicise the Competition Commission investigation into private healthcare
· Devolve questions regarding procedural coding to the relevant Affiliated Groups
· Ensure that BUPA address their concerns regarding individual hospitals/practitioners via RCP, independent experts or local responsible officers
4. The New NHS Landscape – Cardiology Commissioning and Beyond
Professor Huon Gray (Interim National Director for Cardiovascular Disease) presented the NHS organisational changes that will be in place from April 2013. He explained that the overall responsibility for delivering NHS services would move to the Commissioning Board and that Public Health England remains within the Department of Health. The NHS Commissioning Board will be split into 4 regional offices with 27 Local Team Areas (LAT) with core functions, and 212 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). In brief:
· All LATs will take direct responsibility for GP services. 10 will take on specialised commissioning hubs.
· Public Health: all152 local authorities will have greater responsibilities. 152 Health and Well Being boards will provide an interface between NHS and local authorities, joining up social care and health care.
· 12 Clinical senates aiming to help CCGs, HWBs and NHS CBs make the best decisions about healthcare for the population they represent by providing advice and leadership at strategic level.
· 12-18 Academic Health Science Networks with a core purpose of identifying, adopting and spreading innovation and best practice.
· 12 Strategic Clinical Networks
Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy
· Since being announced by the Secretary of State in December 2012, work began in March 2012. The intention is to write a new type of strategic document, aligned to the new NHS structure and Mandate, with the intention of:.
· Improving outcomes for people with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease
· Creating a joined-up approach across the three outcomes frameworks: NHS, Public Health, Adult Social Care
· Having undertaken extensive professional and public engagement
· Using 5 professional workstreams to develop specialist thinking around stroke, heart disease and peripheral arterial disease, with all taking account of the adverse influence of diabetes and renal disease
· Aligning it to the Outcomes Frameworks (NHS, Public Health & Social Care)
· Providing an evidence base and cost saving priorities
· Understanding the priorities for professionals, charities, patients and carers.
An open discussion ensued about the place of cardiovascular disease in the new NHS landscape and how the Academic Health Science Networks and Strategic Clinical Networks will interact in the delivery and commissioning of care.
5. BCS Survey 2012
Simon Ray presented the results of the BCS Survey 2012, which correspondent to the 2011 questionnaire presented at the end of December last year.
· England = 1069 Consultant Cardiologists (an increase of 47), 74 new and 28 unfulfilled posts
· Wales = 69 Consultant Cardiologists, 9 new and 3 unfilled posts
· 89 appointments UK wide against 80 CCT awards
The figures differ from those held by the RCP; BCS will aim to convince the RCP to engage with their workforce figures.
Ideas/suggestions for calculating total paid PAs were discussed.
6. What makes a good Cardiologist?
Simon Ray presented the BCS’ ‘What Makes a Good Cardiologist?’ document. This strategic document looks beyond practice in Cardiology and includes the following key elements:
· Transparency of outcomes
· Quality improvement and quality standards
· Relationship with patients
· Continued professional development
· BCS portal
7. AOB
BP thanked attendees for their time and asked if the NSAs should meet once or twice a year. There was a unanimous feeling that the meeting is highly valuable and that two meetings per year are justified (acknowledging that not all Advisors can attend every meeting). It was suggested that the meetings should not always be at BCS HQ. The next meeting will take place at the BCS Annual Scientific Conference in June 2013 at London Excel (exact date and time to be confirmed). Regular updates from BCS Executive will be provided meanwhile.
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