College News - June 2009

26 June 2009

Support the campaign to reduce youth smoking in Scotland

The College is an active member of the Scottish Coalition on Tobacco (SCOT). SCOT has recently launched a campaign in support of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill which contains key proposals intended to reduce smoking in young people – to end the display of tobacco at point of sale (requiring cigarettes and other forms of tobacco to be removed from public display) and a ban on vending machines.

The campaign provides information about the Bill and urges people to e-mail their MSPs through a form letter. It’s a simple and quick process. All you have to do is fill in your details and make any changes to the letter you require and your email will be sent to your constituency and regional MSPs.

The College encourages Fellows and Members in Scotland to support this campaign and to send an e-mail to their local MSPs using the following link.

Scottish Coalition on Tobacco (SCOT) campaign to reduce youth smoking

26 June 2009

EWTD: list of specialty rotas in England granted derogation

The Department of Health in England has confirmed that is has accepted the recommendations of the National Scrutiny Panel (comprising representatives from the Royal Colleges, the BMA and NHS Employers) that 200 specialty rotas should be granted derogation in relation to the implementation of the EWTD.

The list of affected rotas can be accessed here

19 June 2009

Subject: DOCTORS URGE WIDER PUBLIC DEBATE ABOUT NHS RATIONING IN SCOTLAND

***EMBARGO: NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST BEFORE 00:01HRS MONDAY 22 JUNE 2009***

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) Press Release

Doctors Urge Wider Public Debate About NHS Rationing in Scotland

Less than a year after the NHS celebrated its 60th anniversary, doctors, NHS managers and voluntary sector leaders will be gathering at a conference in Edinburgh today (Monday 22 June 2009) to discuss how long Scotland and the rest of UK can realistically continue to afford to pay for the NHS and, in particular, free health care for all.

The conference [1] has been organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) in order to stimulate discussion about what the RCPE believes is becoming an increasingly important issue of national relevance.

During the last year the NHS has found itself under increasing, and some would say greater than ever before, financial pressure –

New and expensive drug treatments are offering increasingly sophisticated, targeted, treatment for a number of diseases, but local NHS prescribing budgets are limited and uncomfortable decisions are having to be made about which drugs the NHS can afford to prescribe to patients and which groups of patients to prioritise for treatment.
Patient demand for potentially effective drug treatments which may improve the quality of life, but which have not been approved at a national level for use by the NHS on grounds of cost, has led to much discussion about ‘co-payment’ – whether those who can afford and choose to access privately some additional treatments not available on the NHS should also be entitled to receive other aspects of care free on the NHS. While guidance has recently been produced to enable some form of ‘co-payment’ in both Scotland and England, many believe this will lead to a two-tier system of healthcare dependant upon an individual’s ability to pay for treatment.
Limited public funding for capital projects has led to the involvement of the private sector in building new hospitals and financing new hospital equipment, but the success and future viability of such funding models is unclear.
The current recession is also anticipated to put significant financial pressure on the NHS. Firstly, increased governmental borrowing to reduce the effect of the recession is anticipated to result in a reduction in future public spending, including on health. And secondly, the role of the voluntary sector in supporting the NHS has previously been under-recognised. As the current recession continues, major donor and public giving to the voluntary sector is forecast to decline, putting further pressure on NHS budgets, medical research and, ultimately, patient care.

Coupled with an ageing population and increased life expectancy in a range of disease areas this is putting the NHS under significant financial pressure.

The conference will explore the different pressures on the NHS and will hear from leading Scottish and UK experts in the areas of drug regulation, patient/consumer choice and information, health economics, health policy, private sector involvement, ‘co-payment’ and from Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Scottish Government.. The conference will also aim to address the following key questions - What effect will these factors have on the NHS and its ability to provide free care for patients?, Can the NHS continue to deliver the quality of care which doctors believe it is essential to provide and which patients expect?, How much longer can we realistically expect to afford the NHS? And is it now time to consider adopting a different form of healthcare system in the UK?

Dr Stuart Rodger, RCPE, and Lead Organiser for the event, said,

“Rationing of NHS treatment is a very sensitive subject and clearly goes against the founding principle of the NHS which sought to provide free care for all at the point of need. Logically, it can be seen that faced with limited budgets, the NHS cannot indefinitely continue to afford to fund free care for all. We have an ageing population in Scotland and the rest of the UK, life expectancy is increasing in a range of disease areas, a new generation of increasingly expensive drug treatments are coming on to the market and the NHS also faces significant public health challenges in the form of rising obesity and alcohol-related harm. It is clear that this situation is not sustainable financially, particularly when taking into the account the anticipated impact of the recession on the NHS, and that something will have to give if the NHS is to survive.

“For doctors alone it is hard to consider such matters, as we are committed to providing the highest quality of patient care which we believe patients deserve and expect. We firmly believe that decisions about treatment should be based on clinical need and not on cost. However, we do recognise that NHS budgets are not unlimited. This is why we believe it is vital to encourage everyone with an interest in the future of the NHS to participate in informed discussion about its future and funding.”

ENDS

Contact: Graeme McAlister on 07808-939395

Notes to Editors

[1] ‘Rationing, charity and private support: how much longer can we afford the NHS?’ will be held at the RCPE, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh from 9.00am – 5.15pm on 22 June 2009. Details of the programme can be accessed here.

[2] Journalists wishing to interview Dr Stuart Rodger or to attend the event should call Graeme McAlister on 07808-939395.

Issued: 19 June 2009.

18 June 2009

RCPE Comment on Report of Calman Commission

The final report of the Calman Commission on devolution, ‘Serving Scotland Better: Scotland and the United Kingdom in the 21st Century’, has just been published.

The College welcomes the publication of this forward-looking report. In particular, we note that the Commission has agreed with the College’s written evidence in relation to regulation of the health professions in which we stated that any fragmentation of standards through devolved regulation would not be in the best interests of patients. We very much welcome that the Commission has accepted this advice and recommended that the regulation of all health professions, not just those specified by the Scotland Act, should be reserved.

EMBARGO: NOT FOR BROADCAST OR PUBLICATION BEFORE 00:01HRS 2 JUNE 2009

02 June 2009

RCPE Press Release
1 June 2009

RCPE President Elected as Chair of UK Academy

Prof Sir Neil Douglas, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE), has been elected as Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, an influential group which represents all of the UK Medical Royal Colleges and advises, and engages with, the Departments of Health on UK-wide medical areas including the postgraduate training and education of doctors. This represents the first time in which a President of a Scottish based Royal College has been elected to Chair the UK Academy.

Prof Sir Neil Douglas successfully chaired the Medical Training Application System (MTAS) Review on behalf of the English Secretary of State for Health in 2007 which resulted in significant changes to the way doctors applied for training posts.

Prof Sir Neil Douglas, who is currently Vice-Chair of the UK Academy and Chair of the Scottish Academy, said,

“I am delighted to have been elected to Chair the Academy. This is a prestigious honour for both the College and for me personally. The Academy plays a vital role in representing the medical profession in discussion with government and in improving training of doctors and the standards of clinical care. While health services in the constituent countries of the UK are increasingly diverging, many decisions regarding medical training and standards take place at a UK level, so it is very important for the profession to interact with government in such discussions. I intend to build on the work of my predecessor and to ensure that the Academy continues to be an influential body which represents doctors and seeks to deliver the highest possible level of patient care”.

Professor Dame Carol Black, outgoing Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said,

“I am very pleased that Neil has been elected, he brings a wealth of experience and a confidence that will serve the Academy’s members well over the coming years. There are without doubt some pressing issues facing the medical profession – I have known Neil for many years and have always found him to be a highly effective leader. I am sure he will do extremely well in the post and wish him the very best.”

Prof Sir Neil Douglas will take up post in mid-July when the current Chair, Prof Dame Carol Black, steps down.