Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) leads on a variety of programmes and work streams to deliver on the recommendations contained within the report on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Humans in 2011.

The report was discussed at the Group’s February 2013 meeting and it was agreed that SAPG would work in collaboration with its stakeholders to take the recommendations forward as part of its 2013-14 programme of work.

Further details on work around the recommendations contained in the report are provided in the annex to this letter.

The strategic engagement group is due to hold its first meeting on 15 May 2013.

The new rules being introduced by the Department of Health in April 2013 do not extend to Scotland where NHSScotland boards have responsibility for recruitment. Patient safety is a top priority and it is important that those who are providing care and treatment have the ability to communicate effectively.

In order for doctors to provide primary medical services in Scotland they are required to be on a health board’s performers list and each board has a statutory duty to maintain their own list.

A board can refuse to admit an applicant if it is not satisfied that an applicant has the knowledge of English which, in the interests of the applicant and of patients who may receive primary medical services from the applicant, is necessary for performing primary medical services.

The first meeting of the MedTech Health Innovation Partnership (HIP) took place on 1 April 2013.

The Medicines Strategic Engagement Group (the equivalent of a medicines HIP) will meet on 15 May.

The Innovation Partnership Board (IPB) is expected to consider proposals for the Digital Health Innovation Partnership at its next meeting in June 2013.

Whilst the conclusions of the report on Reduced Mortality with Hospital Pay for Performance in England are interesting, the Scottish Government has no plans to introduce pay for performance at the clinical team level. The research findings in this area are mixed and we would need much more compelling evidence that financial incentives alone contribute to reduced mortality.

The equivalent group for medicines is the Medicines Strategic Engagement Group, the remit of which has been drafted and will be agreed at its 15 May meeting.

The Innovation Partnership Board (IPB) is expected to consider final proposals for the Digital Health Innovation Partnership at its next meeting in June 2013.

The allocation formula developed by the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) was designed to allocate funds to health boards for hospital and community health services and prescribing. The formula was derived using data relating to the utilisation of hospital and community health services and drugs dispensed by community pharmacists. The NRAC committee ceased to exist once its final report and recommendations were submitted, and the formula is now maintained by the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA). The work of TAGRA is published at the following link:

http://www.tagra.scot.nhs.uk/index.html.

The funds for the provision of General Medical Services (primary care) are allocated according to the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements. The latest version is available via the following link:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/pca/PCA2012(M)13letter.pdf.

The MedTech Health Innovation Partnership (HIP), the Medicines Strategic Engagement Group (the equivalent of a medicines HIP) and the Digital Health Innovation Partnership will all report to the Innovation Partnership Board (IPB).

The Innovation Partnership Board Measures Group met for the first time on 12 February 2013.

Education Scotland is strongly committed to ensuring “zero tolerance” to bullying in Scottish schools.

Schools’ approaches to meeting the pastoral needs of children and young people are looked at in all school inspections. This includes evaluating how well schools deal with any bullying, and ensure safe use of the internet.