Feature / Technical round-up

Programme budgeting – financial returns – PBR seminars

? Guidance documents for the 2011/12 programme budgeting data collection are now available from the Department of Health website. The Department said the guidance document outlines the approach for calculating programme budgeting data and would help commissioners and NHS providers complete their 2011/12 data return.

? The Department of Health has posted guidance on the financial return forms covering analysis of expenditure by type for 2011/12. It said the forms have been posted to individual pigeonholes and should be returned completed to the Department by the end of the day on 4 October.

? Changes in payments made to community pharmacy contractors will be implemented this month, the Department of Health said. In a letter, it said interim funding would be introduced pending the outcome of negotiations over cost of service – an inquiry that considered how much it costs contractors to provide pharmaceutical services reported in July last year. Pending completion of the negotiations, the community pharmacy contractual framework funding is being maintained at £2.48bn, although there are adjustments to some of the elements of the payments.

? Experts have recommended a list of specialised services that should be commissioned nationally by the NHS Commissioning Board (NCB). Ministers and the NCB are expected to finalise the list during the autumn and the board will take over commissioning duties from April 2013.

? Strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and specialist commissioners have been asked to provide details of any current or future plans to tender sexual health and genito-urinary medicine services. The Department of Health said in many areas the services are co- located with HIV care and it was particularly interested in the impact any tender would have on HIV services. Deadline for replies is 12 October.

? Places can now be reserved on four HIV outpatient currency seminars being planned by the Department of Health. The seminars, to be held in Birmingham, Manchester and London, and in York this month, will discuss the planned currency and seek views on the proposal to mandate a currency for HIV adult outpatients.

? Northern Ireland’s health and social care bodies have been asked to provide tax compliance information to HMRC. A circular added that HMRC will introduce a real-time information system for PAYE. And all employers and pensions providers must give HMRC information about tax, national insurance and other deductions when or before payments are made, instead of waiting until the end of the tax year.

? The Department of Health has updated the information on the role of its accounting officer in relation to the NHS, public health and adult social care arrangements after April 2013. The accounting officer has three main roles: ensuring health spending remains within budget; ensuring that organisations are performing their functions effectively; and keeping ministers advised on all matters of financial propriety and regularity across the Department’s functions.