National service framework leaders appointed
pharmafile | October 22, 2003 | News story | |
Key appointments for the Children's National Service Framework and the Long-term Conditions National Service Framework have been announced.
The external working group (EWG) for the Long-term Conditions NSF will be made up of health and social care professionals, service users, carers and other advocates to develop what the Government calls "a blueprint for a first class neurological and disability service".
The EWG will be chaired by Diana Whitworth, Chief Executive of Carers UK, with Lynne Turner-Stokes, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, King College Hospital, London, and Andy Mckeon, Director of Policy and Planning, Department of Health, as Deputy Chairs.
The appointments are unique among NSFs in that Diana Whitworth is the first lay chair of a group, supported by a medical deputy and a director within the DoH.
Health Minister Jacqui Smith said the NSF will aim to raise standards, reduce variations and improve standards of care for people with neurological and other long-term conditions.
"This is a challenging agenda and that is why we have appointed a highly knowledgeable EWG covering the multidisciplinary aspects of this NSF. They have an extremely important role to play in the development of this work".
The NSF is due to be published in 2004 with a 10-year implementation period from 2005. The Department of Health has indicated that its development and implementation will be co-ordinated with the renal and children's NSFs, in order to minimise the impact on the NHS and Social Services.
For full details of the EWG's members, visit http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/intpress.nsf/page/2002-0482?OpenDocument
Also announced on the same day were the members of the Children's NSF, which is due to be published some time in 2003.
Prof David Hall, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Professor of Community Paediatrics at Sheffield University, and Chris Town, Chief Executive of North Peterborough Primary Care Trust, will jointly chair a group of experts from health, social care, statutory and voluntary agencies to develop standards and service models for "The Ill Child" to be included in the NSF.
Prof Al Aynsley-Green, Chairman of the Children's Taskforce and National Clinical Director for Children, said: "For the vast majority of children and young people admission to hospital is very much a last resort and many illnesses both short and long-term can be treated successfully at home, with appropriate access to advice, support and treatment for them, their families and carers".
Standards for the hospital treatment of children will be published shortly by one external working group. A new EWG will now be established to set standards for children with minor or common illnesses.
