Event Details

Overview

The NHS employs over 1.4 million staff in many different organisational settings throughout England and its services are used by around a million people every 36 hours. There are significant challenges to ensuring consistent, high quality care is being delivered throughout the NHS and financial resources are managed effectively. The commissioning role has become increasingly challenging. The NHS of today and the future faces growing demands on services, particularly due to the demographic challenges posed by an ageing population.

The Health and Social Care Act (March 2012) is a significant part of the Government's plans to modernise the NHS and deliver world-class healthcare outcomes and, one year on, will fundamentally change the way NHS Commissioning works. Implementation of the Act will affect almost every part of the NHS and whilst the legislation seeks to improve the quality of care for patients, structural change can place quality and safety at risk. 80% of the NHS budget of £110 billion is held locally within Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and with their abolition due in April 2013, General Practitioners will take control of the budget and commission services based on need. The existing functions of both Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and PCTs will be separated and handed to the organisations which will form the new landscape as part of the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

Implementation of the Health and Social Care Act will require the largest ever transition programme in the history of the NHS and with the new structure aiming to reduce bureaucracy and administrative costs by a third, quality must remain the guiding principle throughout the transition. The new GP Consortia will have the freedom to use resources in order to achieve the most efficient health outcomes for patients. The first Mandate between the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board, setting out the ambitions for the health service from April 2013 to March 2015 was published in November 2012. The Mandate sets out key areas where the Government expects the NHS Commissioning Board to make improvements by coordinating engagement at a local and national level.

This special symposium offers an invaluable opportunity for NHS practitioners, GPs, health and local authorities, PCTs and other key stakeholders to understand the new commissioning landscape and assess how to ensure the quality of care provided to patients is not at risk during the transition process. As we look towards April 2013, this symposium will allow delegates to analyse what the reforms mean for your organisation and gain a better understanding of the new structures and its impact.

Delegates will:

• Gain an understanding of the new commissioning structure and landscape and the importance of an effective handover
• Explore the roles of existing bodies and emerging organisations in providing clear leadership during the transition process
• Discuss and debate the importance of maintaining and improving quality to deliver better health outcomes
• Assess the impact of the reforms on your organisation and in your local area as we approach April 2013

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Primary Care Trusts
• Strategic Health Authorities
• NHS Organisations
• Health Visitors
• Public Health Practitioners
• Private Health Services
• Mental Health Practitioners
• Family Health Teams and Outreach Workers
• Family Nurse Partnerships
• General Practitioners
• Clinical Managers
• General Dental Practitioners
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Health Service Professionals
• Children's Services Professionals
• Midwives
• Maternity Care and Midwifery Organisations
• Maternity Support Workers
• Nutritionists and Dieticians
• NHS Training Departments
• Commissioning Directors
• Clinical Quality Directors
• Directors of Performance
• Heads of Quality and Patient Safety
• Heads of Procurement
• Heads of Estate
• Heads of Innovation and Development
• Preventative Health Professionals
• Paediatricians
• Social Services
• Business Sectors
• Health and Wellbeing Managers
• Occupational Health Managers
• Teenage Pregnancy Coordinators and Advisors
• Local Pregnancy Advisory Services
• Family Planning Clinics
• HR Professionals
• Integrated Disabled Services
• Safeguarding Children Teams and Local Safeguarding Boards
• Voluntary and Community Organisations
• Third Sector Practitioners and Organisations
• Trade Unions
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Practitioners
• Researchers and Academics
• Local Authority Officers and Councillors
• Central Government Departments and Agencies

“ The Health and Social Care Act has now passed into law. At its heart are two simple principles. First, that patients should have more control over the care they receive. Second, that those responsible for patient care - the doctors, nurses and others who work in our NHS - should have the freedom and powers to lead an NHS which delivers continually improving care for its patients. The Health and Social Care Act explicitly supports the core principles of the NHS: care provided free at the point of use, funded from general taxation, and based on need and not ability to pay. But the Act is only the beginning of a journey. My ambition is for a clinically-led NHS that delivers the best possible care for patients. ”
— Secretary of State for Health, April 2012

“ Never in its long history has the NHS faced such rapid change in our healthcare needs, from caring for an older population, to managing the cost of better treatments, to seizing the opportunities of new technology. This Mandate is about giving the NHS the right priorities to deal with those challenges. By focusing on what matters to patients, and giving doctors and other professionals the freedom to deliver, we will make sure the NHS stays relevant to our needs and continues providing the best possible care for us all. ”
— Health Secretary, November 2012