Central Consultants and Specialists Committee Chairman's weekly update
8 August
With all hands to the pump here covering lists and rotas, the handover of junior staff through the junior doctor induction program ran (relatively) smoothly for the 163 new doctors we have received this week, thanks largely to all the effort from our Education Centre staff. It is my first time “leading” this program and it has been great to see so many enthusiastic faces of the new doctors, particularly FY 1s. We have been particularly focused this year, partly by the new set up with the Director of Medical Education post, and partly due to the imminent arrival of PMETB visiting us and the deanery. Such inspections focus the mind wonderfully!
It has been a relatively “quiet” time for health over the last couple of weeks, though much has been made in the press and by the Conservatives of the “vermin” story. Again, the message was that the NHS is failing and is a dirty and dangerous place to be. It would be much better if politicians could be clever enough to talk “up” the NHS rather than repeatedly deride it as a political football. I will try and get this across when I meet Andrew Lansley in the near future and again when attending both the Labour and Conservative Party conferences.
There was also a further flurry of activity around the co-payment/top-up debate with NICE (and the Scottish equivalent, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)) deciding against funding drugs that prolong life for a few months and at great (well greater than £30,000/QUALY) cost. This brings even more importance to the work of the council Working party on the funding of treatment that is currently underway. Mark Porter, Jackie Davis and I are on this as consultants and it is already working on the BMA submission to Mike Richards’ review of cancer drugs and our response to the Conservatives review paper in this area. As details develop I will keep CCSC informed, particularly in the light of our policy from Consultants conference and CCSC in June.
With discussions around the format of NHS MEE underway, my early thoughts are that we need greater medical input – this is clear from the benefit that our BMA members on the program board have brought to solving and improving issues around MMC. We will push hard for this: if the Government want us to lead, then they need to trust us to do so and let us have the authority on NHS MEE. Without this NHS MEE will not gain adequate credibility – a problem we have had with MMC in the past.
The list server has lit up in recent days with issues around choose and book. We are going to try and collate further details on this and perhaps survey to get some harder data on which to press this. This is an area where we need clear medical leadership and strong input from those on the ground trying to make the system work. It is increasingly clear that the centrally imposed model does not fit the bill and perhaps we should realistically now start moving towards a central network that allows communication and common standards. However, local solutions that match local needs and abilities but must also be able to communicate essential information to others.
Whilst most of us are focused on our summer holidays, I hope we are also looking out for new additions to the RCSCs and CCSC in the forthcoming regional elections. It is vital that we continue to develop and bring in “new blood” and new ideas to ensure we are as representative and agile as possible to meet the needs of our members. I thus look forward to seeing some new faces in October, as well as welcoming back the other committed members of the CCSC for another year of pushing forward improvements for our consultant members and our patients. As we move towards implementation of the Next Stage Review plans locally and regionally, as well as the workforce and leadership plans nationally, it will be an important year for us to ensure our message comes across strongly and to utilise the networks and representative structures we have as effectively as possible.
I also hope that many of you will consider standing for the various positions and committees in CCSC come October. I will ask the secretariat to publish a list of the meeting dates as soon as possible, so that you can clear your diary space with enough time. I hope many voting members, will consider standing for the Executive to give CCSC the best choice for the coming year. Those of you thinking about doing so should note that the CCSC exec away day is 14 - 15 October; vitally important dates to kick start the effectiveness of the Executive for 08-09.
I’m signing off now for a break in the French sun, returning refreshed and rejuvenated for the coming year 1st September. I wish you all a relaxing summer break and look forward to all the challenges and opportunities the late summer and autumn are sure to bring.
Best wishes,
Jonathan