Monthly Bulletin - Issue 33 - September 2007

President's update - Patient Safety

So, the PM has announced that every hospital is to be ‘deep-cleaned' in a concerted attempt to reduce MRSA, C diff and other superbugs. This sends a powerful message that patient safety is right at the top of the government's health agenda.

But it raises two questions in my mind. First, deep-cleaning is a costly and disruptive exercise – how do we know it will make a real difference? How often would it have to be repeated? Where's the evidence that it's cost-effective?

As I write this, I'm at a conference on patient safety research in Porto, co-hosted by the FPH, WHO and others. A key message from the conference is that policy should be based on sound research. Too often big decisions are made simply to pander to public pressure or satisfy political agendas. What's needed is more funding for patient safety research to understand causes and evaluate interventions so that we know how to use extra money most effectively.

The other question is: what is the role for public health in all this? Safer healthcare is a key aspect of clinical quality and health service planning. It links all three domains – health protection, healthcare quality and health improvement. Should we be taking the lead, or leaving it to others to take forward?

It's an interesting and timely debate – and I'd like to hear your views. Please email us.

Best wishes

Alan Maryon-Davis

Patient Safety Research Conference

The Faculty of Public Health was one of the partners in the organisation of a major international conference which focused on the future of patient safety research in Europe.

The conference, Patient Safety Research - shaping the European agenda, was very well received and attracted over 400 patient safety researchers and policy makers from across Europe, as well as delegates from overseas.

The event took place in Porto, Portugal from 24-26 September. For further details of the proceedings and outcomes of the conference, please visit www.patientsafetyresearch.org

Overseas Regional Advisers

The Faculty's International Committee is seeking to appoint six overseas regional advisers, one for each of the WHO regions (Africa, Americas, SE Asia, Europe, Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean).

A key responsibility of the advisers will be the development of regional networks to improve communication between local members and also with the Faculty's central office. The advisers will serve as corresponding members on the International Committee.

For further information and application details, please contact Caroline Wren. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2007.

CPD Update

Following discussions at a recent Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Co-ordinators Committee meeting and comments received from members, we have spruced up and spring cleaned the CPD section of website, made it much easier to navigate and uploaded the new CPD guidance and documents. Please take a moment to look round and make sure you have the up- to-date forms for your returns.

We are also working on improvements to the CPD online diary to make it more user-friendly and details will be announced in a future bulletin.

Any members who have concerns about meeting their CPD requirements, including those who may currently not be working but wish to return to public health practice, should liaise with the local CPD Co-ordinator to find out what local events are available. It is also worth checking the Faculty's conference website and email bulletins for local and national events.

Please remember that your CPD return for 2007 (or application for exemption) needs to reach the Faculty office by 31 March 2008. If you have previously been exempted from participating in the Faculty's CPD scheme, you will need to apply for an extension to the exemption before the period of the exemption has expired.

Anne  Mackie
CPD Director

Consultant's Clinical Excellence/Distinction Awards
2008 Awards Rounds (National Level)

England and Wales

Faculty Advisers for Wales and the English regions are responsible for ensuring that a Faculty process is in place within their own region or country to enable the submission of nominations for consideration by the Faculty centrally for national level consultants' clinical excellence awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum).

Guidance about the Faculty's role, including details of the Faculty's timetable and procedure for submitting nominations to the Faculty for national level awards are available on the FPH website.

The English and Welsh ACCEAs have brought forward the closing date for receipt of applications for the 2008 awards round so the Faculty's timetable has also had to be brought forward. If you are applying for an award at national level and you wish your application to be considered for support by the Faculty, you should contact the Faculty Adviser for your region/country as soon as possible.


Consultants should refer to the relevant Department of Health websites for full details and guidance on the national applications processes:

Consultants are strongly advised to check that they are included in the ACCEA nominal roll and that their details are correct.

Scotland

For the 2008 round of awards, there will be a new online system similar to that used in England. Further details will be published on the SACDA website within the next couple of weeks.

NCHOD Atlases

The National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD) atlases are now available with programme budget spend and quality and outcomes (QOF) data included.

These are now on the NCHOD website and provide a way to map the prevalence, spend and outcomes for the main programme budget categories across England by PCT.

This is a valuable resource to support needs assessment and development of commissioning plans.

Climate change & health conference

FPH President Alan Maryon-Davis will be one of the panel guests at a Royal College of Physicians (RCP)Conference looking at the impact of climate change on health on 29 January 2008.

Speakers such as Sir David King, who delivered the Royal Society of Health lecture at the recent FPH Annual Conference, will examine the implications for future human health and wellbeing, and what, if anything, the medical profession can do.

See the RCP website for further information.

Events

 

October 2007

Sprawling suburbs, spreading waistlines
Conservative Party Conference Fringe Event
1 October
Blackpool
For further information see www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/partyconferences2007.php

 

Climate Change: Implications for the Human and Natural Environment
Short Course
3 October 2007
University of the West of England, Bristol
For further information see: UWE Website

 

Climate change and health: Global warming - setting the scene
15 October 2007
RSM Series of Evening meetings on Climate Change
London
For further information see: Royal Society of Medicine website

 

Global warming and infectious disease: human and animal hazards
29 October 2007
RSM Series of Evening meetings on Climate Change
London
For further information see: Royal Society of Medicine website

November 2007

HTA Conference 2007
1 November 2007
New Connaught Rooms, London
For further information see: HTA website

 

Global warming and food production: will we starve?
12 November 2007
RSM Series of Evening meetings on Climate Change
London
For further information see: Royal Society of Medicine website

 

Reducing the Harm Caused by Alcohol: A Coordinated European Response
13 November 2007
Royal College of Physicians, London
 For further information see: RCP website

 

Climate Change: Implications for the Human and Natural Environment
Short Course
14 November 2007
York
University of the West of England
For further information see: UWE Website

 

Linking Health and Planning: A health map for urban planning
Short Course
15 November 2007
York
University of the West of England
For further information see: UWE Website

 

Understanding Spatial Planning for Public Health Professionals
Short Course
16 November 2007
York
University of the West of England
For further information see: UWE Website

 

FPH Scottish Affairs Committee Conference
15-16 November 2007
Airth Castle Hotel, Falkirk in Forth Valley
For further information see: www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/scotland_2007

 

Sexual Health: Emerging answers and mixed messages
15 November 2007
Royal Institute of Public Health, London
For further information see the registration form [pdf]

 

Introductory Medical Statistics Course
26-27 November 2007
National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London
 For further information see the course flyer [pdf]

 

BHF National Centre for Physical Activity & Health Annual Conference:
Evaluation in a nutshell – turning theory into good practice
28 November 2007
East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham
British Heart Foundation & Natural England
For further information see www.bhfactive.org.uk

 

Action for the health consequences of climate change
26 November 2007
RSM Series of Evening meetings on Climate Change
London
For further information see: Royal Society of Medicine website

December 2007

CEMACH Report Launch: Saving Mothers' Lives
London: 4 December 2007 (Royal National Hotel)
Cardiff: 5 December 2007 (Mercure Holland House)
Manchester : 6 December 2007 (Lancashire County Cricket Ground)
Glasgow: 6 December 2007 ( Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons)
For further information see: www.cemach.org.uk

 

Epidemiology: an introduction to concepts, theories, principles and methods
10-14 December 2007
Edinburgh
For further information see the University of Edinburgh Community Health Sciences website

 

Neighbourhood Planning for Physical Activity
Short Course
14 December 2007
Bristol
University of the West of England
For further information see: UWE Website

January 2008

Climate Change And Its Impact On Health
29 January 2008
London
Royal College of Physicians London
For further information see the RCP website