• Part One: Introduction
• Part Two: The Classes Of Information That We Hold
• Part Three: Bodies which monitor/inspect our performance.

Index to the Publication Scheme, and useful Resources

This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely published by Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust. It is a description of the information about the Primary Care Trust which is made publicly available.

The Trust will review the Scheme at regular intervals and monitor how it is operating.

It is important to us that this Scheme meets your needs and it has been designed to be a route map so that you can find information about the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust easily. Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (there is a link to the Act in Part Three below), the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme for the publication of Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust information. The purpose of the Act is to promote greater openness by public authorities (of which Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust is one).

The Freedom of Information Act does not change the right of patients to protection of their patient confidentiality in accordance with Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, the Data Protection Act and at common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment on our part.

To help with this, the Primary Care Trust has appointed someone who is called a Caldicott Guardian, and who has responsibility to ensure the protection of patient confidentiality throughout the Trust in accordance with your legal rights. In Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust, the Caldicott Guardian is:

Dr Tony Morkane
Director of Public Health
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

Information falling into the Classes will be retained in line with the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust’s retention and disposal schedules, which comply with circular HSC1999/53 and Public Record Office Guidance.

Information not required for the business purposes of the Trust is stored at a place of deposit approved by the Lord Chancellor for the purpose of holding public records.

Any questions, comments or complaints about this Scheme should be sent in writing to:

Phil Brice
Director of Corporate Business
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: pbrice@somerset.nhs.uk.

If you have a complaint about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust has dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please write to:

Linda Pope
Complaints Manager
Director of Corporate Business
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: lpope@somerset.nhs.uk

Rights of Access to Information

At the present time, in addition to accessing the information identified in this Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust under the NHS Openness Code 1995. A link to this is available in Part 3 of the Scheme and hard copies are available free of charge from:

Department of Health
DoH Publications
PO Box 777
London
SE1 6XH

Tel 0207 210 4850
E-mail dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Sometimes, some or all of the information cannot be provided and if this happens we will explain the reasons why the information is not available.

The Freedom of Information Act recognises that as a member of the public, you have the right to know how public services such as the NHS are organised and run, how much they cost and how you can make complaints if you need to. You have the right to know which services are being provided, the targets that are being set, the standards of services that are expected and the results achieved.

From January 1^st 2005, it will also oblige the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust to respond to requests about the information which it holds and is recorded in any form and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which the Trust has to take into account before deciding what information can be released. The Publication Scheme will help you to find all the information which the Trust publishes.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and to do this you can contact:

Phil Brice
Director of Corporate Business
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: pbrice@somerset.nhs.uk.

New Environmental Information Regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information, as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The information is grouped into broad categories as follows:

• 1. The NHS and how we fit
• 2. Who we are
• 3. Financial and Funding Information
• 4. Corporate Information
• 5. Aims, Targets and Achievements
• 6. Our Services
• 7. The Primary Care Trust and Independent Practitioners
• 8. Reports and Independent Enquiries
• 9. Policies and Procedures
• 10. Public Involvement and Consultation
• 11. Regular publications and information for the public
• 12. Complaints
• 13. Human Resources
• 14. Communications with the Press and Media Releases
• 15. Environmental Information
• 16. This Publication Scheme

We will state how you can obtain the information outlined within each Class. This will either be via the web site or as a hard copy or other media as stated within each Class. Single copies of the publications are all free unless otherwise indicated within each Class. Where information is provided at a cost the charges will be calculated as set out in Class 16.

The Trust’s commitment to publish information excludes any information which can legitimately be withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or the Freedom of Information Act. Where individual classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons are e.g. the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies to most Classes within the Publication Scheme

The Publication Scheme will be available in both hard copy and on our web site.

Following the publication of ‘The NHS Plan’ and ‘Shifting the Balance of Power within the NHS’ the roles and responsibilities of NHS organisations in planning and commissioning services have significantly changed.

Primary Care Trusts are responsible for the planning and securing of health services and improving the health of the local population.

For example, Primary Care Trusts must make sure there are enough GPs to provide for their population and that they are accessible to patients. Primary Care Trusts must also ensure the provision of other health services including hospitals, dentists, mental health care, Walk-In Centres, NHS Direct, patient transport (including accident and emergency), population screening, pharmacies and opticians. In addition, they are responsible for integrating health and social care so the two systems work together for patients.

The 303 Primary Care Trusts in England are given the funding to plan and commission health services for their local communities - a role previously carried out by health authorities.

The following chart shows how Primary Care Trusts and the other NHS organisations link to each other.

Key policy documents issued by the Department include the following which can be found on the web or by writing to the Department at Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS:

• The NHS Plan (www.doh.gov.uk/nhsplan )
• Shifting the Balance of Power (www.doh.gov.uk/shiftingthebalance )
• Improvement, Expansion and Reform: The Next 3 Years Priorities and Planning Framework 2003 – 2006
  (www.doh.gov.uk/planning2003-2006 )
• National Service Frameworks ( www.doh.gov.uk/nsf )

Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust was formally established on 1 April 2002. In line with ‘Shifting the Balance of Power within the NHS’ the new Primary Care Trust took over almost all the roles and functions of the former Somerset Health Authority for the population of Taunton Deane in October 2002.

Taunton Primary Care Trust works closely with the other local NHS organisations, details for most of which can be found at www.somerset.nhs.uk. These include:

Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority. Strategic Health Authorities are responsible for developing strategies for the local health services and ensuring high-quality performance. They manage the NHS locally and are a key link between the Department of Health and the NHS. They also ensure that national priorities are integrated into local plans.

Other Primary Care Trusts in Somerset:

• Mendip Primary Care Trust
• Somerset Coast Primary Care Trust
• South Somerset Primary Care Trust

NHS Trusts - in particular:

• Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust
• Royal Devon & Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust
• Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust
• East Somerset NHS Trust

NHS Direct, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Social Services and other statutory local and voluntary organisations to ensure that services are provided in support of patient need and across organisational boundaries.

‘Shifting the Balance of Power within the NHS - Securing Delivery’ places a clear responsibility on Primary Care Trusts for planning, securing the provision of, and performance managing health services. Each Primary Care Trust is responsible for securing health services for all parts of the community it serves, including acute mental health, learning disability and specialist services. In discharging their responsibilities, Primary Care Trusts are expected to work closely with patients, carers, local communities, other Primary Care Trusts, NHS Trusts, local authorities and other local statutory and voluntary organisations.

Within the Dorset and Somerset health community it has been agreed that one Primary Care Trust will have lead responsibility for planning, securing the delivery of and performance managing all the services provided for the whole population of Dorset and Somerset by a specific provider or group of providers. Each lead Primary Care Trust is responsible on behalf of other Primary Care Trusts for the service providers for which it has lead responsibility. Lead responsibilities for Somerset are set out in the following table:

In addition to the services listed in the above table, each Primary Care Trust manages service level agreements with smaller NHS providers, with local independent and voluntary sector providers such as those providing specialist palliative care services.

‘Improvement, Expansion and Reform: The Next Three Years - Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006’ sets out the national priorities and targets for the next three years for the NHS and Social Services. It also sets out a framework within which local health organisations and health and social care communities need to plan in order to deliver those priorities and targets.

The Primary Care Trust’s principal planning document, ‘Achieving New Standards, Delivering New Challenges: The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust Three Year Local Delivery Plan’ sets out the local plans for delivering the targets set out in ‘Improvement, Expansion and Reform: The Next Three Years Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006’.

The Local Delivery Plan brings together a number of strategies and plans covering the provider and commissioning responsibilities of the Primary Care Trust. This Three Year Delivery Plan is supported by an annual Business Plan which sets out specific in-year targets for the Primary Care Trust to achieve its three-year goals. This, in turn, is based on an Annual Accountability Agreement made between the Primary Care Trust and the Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority under which the Primary Care Trust is managed against its performance during the year.

Supporting these plans are a number of specific strategy and development documents, including:

Copies of the planning documents and the Primary Care Trusts principal strategies are available on the Primary Care Trust website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business whose contact details are set out Part One.

Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust was established on 1 April 2002 and covers a registered population of around 104,000. The Primary Care Trust includes 15 practices, 16 dental surgeries, 18 community pharmacies and 10 optometrists, and employs around 300 staff. The Primary Care Trust is also responsible for the management of two community hospital services and the provision of community nursing and therapy services to its population. Additionally, it is responsible for providing sexual health and contraceptive services to the population of Somerset.

The Primary Care Trust’s boundaries are co-terminus with those of Taunton Deane Borough Council. Taunton is the largest centre of population (50,000) followed by Wellington (11,000). Wiveliscombe (2,900) and Bishops Lydeard (2,800) are the largest centres of population in the more rural western area. The remainder of the residents live in villages and more isolated settlements.

• General Medical Services - General practitioners and primary health care team members provide the first point of contact with the NHS for the majority of people, and provide most of their ongoing care and support. A total of 73 GPs are based in the 15 practices which provide a comprehensive range of services within Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust. Outside of normal working hours services are provided by Deane Doctor, an out-of-hours co-operative managed by local doctors.
• Pharmacies, Dental Surgeries and Opticians - The Primary Care Trust includes 18 community pharmacies, 16 dental surgeries and 10 opticians. Work is already ongoing with community pharmacists with regard to the implementation of the NHS Plan and the Primary Care Trust intends to strengthen links with the other professional groups.
• Community Hospitals and Community Services - Taunton Community Hospital, based on the Musgrove Park site, and Wellington & District Cottage Hospital are the two community hospitals with the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust area. Services provided include:
  • inpatient care, mainly for older people;
  • rehabilitation services;
  • some minor surgery;
  • outpatient clinics.

The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust Board is responsible for the setting the overall policy and strategy for the Trust, for monitoring performance and maintaining the highest standards of public accountability. The Board is made up of the Chairman, six Non-Executive Directors, the Chief Executive and five other Executive Members.

The Chairman and Non-Executive Directors are drawn from the local community and appointed by the NHS Appointments Commission for fixed terms. The Executive Members are the Chief Executive, the Director of Finance and Performance and the Director of Public Health, together with the Chairman of the Professional Executive Committee and two other members nominated by that committee.

All Non-Executive Members, including the Chairman, are members of the Remuneration and Terms of Service Committee, responsible for appraising the performance of the Chief Executive and Directors and determining their terms of service and salary.

In addition, there are the following sub-committees of the Board, which include both Executive and Non-Executive members:

• Audit Committee
• Clinical Governance Committee
• Finance and Performance Committee
• Controls Assurance Committee
• Complaints and Commendations Review Committee

All of these committees are chaired by a Non-Executive member.

In addition Non-Executive directors champion particular areas of work within the Primary Care Trust (e.g. Older People Services, Human Rights, Freedom of Information). The Non-Executive Champion for Freedom of Information is Ann Papworth. Details of these and other responsibilities are available on the Primary Care Trust website

The members of the Primary Care Trust Board are:

• Alan Hopper, Chairman
• Peter Berman, Non-Executive Director and Vice Chairman
• Barrie Dale, Non-Executive Director
• Andrew Govier, Non-Executive Director
• Philippa Hawks, Non-Executive Director
• Jonathan Meads, Non-Executive Director
• Ann Papworth, Non-Executive Director
• Edward Colgan, Chief Executive
• Sue Balcombe, Professional Executive Committee Member
• Will Chandler, Professional Executive Committee Member
• Ian Chislett, Director of Finance and Performance
• David Edmondson, Chairman of the Professional Executive Committee
• Tony Morkane, Director of Public Health

Board members can be contacted via

Carol Brock
PA to the Chief Executive and Chair
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail cbrock@somerset.nhs.uk

The Board meets in public on the third Thursday of every month (except August and December) at different venues across the area. Meetings begin at 2:00 p.m. Details of the meetings can be found on the Primary Care Trust website

Members of the public are welcome to attend the public sessions of Board meetings and questions are invited at the beginning and the end of the public part of the meeting. All approved minutes of the public sessions of Board meetings are available via the website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business.

The Primary Care Trust is able to provide access to, or copies of our;

• Standing Financial Instructions
• Standing Orders
• Accountability Framework
• Scheme of Delegation
• Codes of Conduct and Accountability

In addition non-executive directors champion particular areas of work within the Primary Care Trust (e.g. Older People Services, Freedom of Information), details of these responsibilities are available on the Primary Care Trust website

The Professional Executive Committee is responsible for the planning, development and performance management of the services provided and commissioned by the Primary Care Trust. The Committee comprises members of the local primary care community, including local GPs, nurses, a therapist and a community pharmacist, together with representatives from the Taunton Deane Borough Council and Somerset County Council Social Services Department.

The Professional Executive Committee meets monthly in private. The minutes of its meetings are presented to the Primary Care Trust Board in public session.

The Professional Executive Committee are:

• David Edmondson, GP and Chairman
• Sue Balcombe, Acting Head of Community Services
• Nyree Bevan, Somerset County Council Social Services
• Will Chandler, GP
• Ian Chislett, Director of Finance and Performance
• Edward Colgan, Chief Executive
• Barbara Fierek, Health Visitor
• Martina Harrison, Head of Physiotherapy
• Jan Hull, Director of Development and Patient Services (co-opted)
• Ruth James, Taunton Deane Borough Council
• Tony Morkane, Director of Public Health
• Kate Staveley, Clinical Governance Lead (co-opted)
• Peter Whitaker, Community Pharmacist

The Primary Care Trust management structure comprises three principal directorates:

• Finance and Performance (Director: Ian Chislett)
• Development and Patient Services (Director: Jan Hull)
• Public Health (Director: Tony Morkane)

In addition, the Trust has two sections supporting these directorates:

• Corporate Business (Director: Phil Brice)
• Pharmaceutical and Prescribing (Lead: Shaun Green)

Details of the members of the Professional Executive Committee are published in the Primary Care Trust's Annual Report or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business.

The Primary Care Trust receives funds directly from the Department of Health. The Trust then works with other local organisations to fund services across Dorset and Somerset. Details of the allocation and how the funds are pooled locally can be obtained by contacting the Director of Finance and Performance.

Each year the Trust Board agrees a budget for the work of the Trust. The Board then monitors spending against the budget by means of monthly reports. At the end of the financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March, a set of Annual Accounts, which include the External Auditor’s independent opinion, are produced. These are presented to the Board in July each year. All of these documents can found in the monthly Board papers (see class 4) or can be obtained from the Director of Finance and Performance.

For the financial year 2002/2003, Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust spent a total £89.24 million of public money on NHS services for local people. The majority of these monies were used to commission services from NHS Trust, fund the prescribing and other costs of primary care and provide clinical services through the PCTs own hospitals and community staff.

Ian Chislett, Director of Finance and Performance has corporate responsibility for the oversight of the Primary Care Trust’s finances.

The Board and the Professional Executive Committee receive regular updates on the financial position. It is a key target, set by the Department of Health, for the Primary Care Trust to achieve financial balance by the end of each financial year.

The Primary Care Trust produces a Performance and Finance Report for each Board meeting. The Primary Care Trust has in place and adheres to Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions and a Scheme of Delegation, which have been approved by the Board. These form the governance framework for the organisation and are set by the Department of Health. They include, for example, arrangements for Board meetings, the Code of Conduct for managers and the tendering procedure. These documents are available from the Director of Corporate Business.

The Trust has a number of charitable funds made up of money donated by patients and members of the public. The funds are currently held on behalf of the Primary Care Trust by Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust whose Board fulfil the role of corporate Trustee. Details of current balances and the headings under which charitable funds are spent may be obtained by contacting the Director of Finance and Performance.

Note: Personal confidential information (e.g. relating to the source of charitable contributions or individuals for whose benefit they are spent) will be withheld.

The Primary Care Trust also receives grants from other Charities - particularly the League of Friends of the two community hospitals who generously support the work at these locations.

The NHS community in Somerset has a shared Supplies service, which follows the guidance established by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA), whose website can be found at www.pasa.doh.gov.uk. The PASA guidance sets out the standard terms and conditions that NHS organisations should follow in regard to purchasing equipment and supplies. In the NHS, we refer to this as procurement. The contact for this is

Liane Jennings
Community Procurement Manager
Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust
Musgrove Park
Taunton
TA1 5DA

E-mail ljennings@tstrust.nhs.uk

The Primary Care Trust will advertise tenders for goods or services worth over £100,410 through the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC) procedures. The website for OJEC is www.ojec.com. Background information relating to the tenders sought and awarded by the Primary Care Trust will be included in this publication scheme. Items not included will be those where a commercial issue or issue of confidentiality is involved.

The Primary Care Trust is responsible for determining the need for hospital and community based services, planning their delivery and negotiating with local providers and funding the purchase of appropriate levels of care. This includes outpatients, diagnostic investigations, inpatient and day case treatment, accident and emergency services, including ambulance and emergency admissions to hospital, community hospital services and domiciliary care. The provision of these services for local residents is monitored throughout the year to ensure value for money and compliance with NHS Plan access targets and local quality criteria.

Details of the expenditure on services during 2002/03 is set out in the chart above.

The Director of Finance and Performance has corporate responsibility to oversee this expenditure.

Financial accountancy services, including payment of invoices, cash management, maintenance of ledgers and production of trial balances are provided to the Primary Care Trust by Shared Financial Services, hosted by Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust.

The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust routinely publishes information about its services and development. All NHS organisations are required to publish an Annual Report which include information on their Annual Accounts.

The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust’s first Annual Report will be published in October 2003 and will be available via the Primary Care Trust website or from the Director of Corporate Business.

Documents that are routinely published and are publicly available now, include:

• ‘Achieving New Standards, Delivering New Challenges: The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust Three Year Local Delivery Plan’
• Primary Care Trust Board papers – these are the agendas, minutes and supporting papers (including finance reports) for the Board. Papers are normally available up to seven days before the date of the meeting and the agenda is displayed in the Reception at the Primary Care Trust headquarters buildings at Wellsprings Road, Taunton. The agenda and approved minutes of previous meetings are also available on the Primary Care Trust website;
• Professional Executive Committee (PEC) – agendas, supporting papers and minutes are available on request;
• Annual Accountability Agreement – agreed with the Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority each year and setting out the key objectives and priorities;
• Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust Business Plan – document setting out in-year targets for internal performance management;
• Organisational policies and strategies – class 9 details arrangements for approving the Primary Care Trust’s principal policies. Also available are the Primary Care Trust’s policies and strategies on, for example, Health & Safety, Communication; Risk Management and Estates;
• Corporate communications – the Primary Care Trust staff newsletter, PCT News and other newsletters for example on Clinical Governance, Prescribing, Information and Communications Technology are available to the public, as are press releases and media briefing notes;
• Your Guide to Local Health Services (Patient Prospectus) – this is your guide to health services in Taunton Deane. This leaflet is distributed annually during October to all homes in the area and is available in GP surgeries, hospitals and Reception at the Primary Care Trust headquarters, Wellsprings Road, Taunton
• Public Health Annual Report – each year, the Director of Public Health publishes a report highlighting health issues across the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust. The Annual Report for 2002/03, ‘Partnerships for Health’ is available on the Primary Care Trust website or from the Director of Public Health;
• Clinical Governance Annual Report - sets out the Primary Care Trust’s plans and achievements in improving the quality of care provided. The Annual Report for 2002/03 is available on the Primary Care Trust website or from the Director of Public Health;
• Annual Complaints Report – sets out information on the complaints received and dealt with by the Primary Care Trust and the way in which lessons learned from complaints have been used to improve services. The Annual Complaints Report will be available on the Primary Care Trust website or from the Director of Corporate Business;
• Annual Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Report – sets out information on the enquiries handled and the activities undertaken by the Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust PALS. . The Annual PALS Report will be available on the Primary Care Trust website or from:

Tricia Nelson
PALS Officer
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: tnelson@somerset.nhs.uk

If you do not have access to the internet, or for documents that are not available on the internet, please contact the Director of Corporate Business, whose details appear in Part One.

The aims of the Primary Care Trust are set out in a variety of documents. The Primary Care Trust’s principal planning document, ‘Achieving New Standards, Delivering New Challenges: The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust Three Year Local Delivery Plan’ sets out the local plans for delivering the targets set out in ‘Improvement, Expansion and Reform: The Next Three Years Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006’.

The core objectives of Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust are:

• to improve the health of the population of Taunton Deane through health promotion, the reduction of health inequalities, effective health protection services and joint working with partner organisations;
• to provide and develop effective primary care and community health services for the population of Taunton Deane;
• to commission and develop effective secondary care and specialist care services to meet the health needs of the local population;
• to improve access to primary care, community and secondary care services in terms of waiting times, patient choice and location of services;
• to work with statutory partners and other organisations to develop effective partnerships across clinical and social care services to avoid inappropriate hospital admissions and enable people to return home from hospital more quickly;
• to work with primary care and secondary care to develop clinical governance arrangements across the PCT with the aim of delivering high quality effective services to patients;
• to work with primary care and secondary care to improve the quality of prescribing and the effective management of prescribing costs;
• to develop effective communications to ensure patient, carer and wider public involvement in the planning, development and delivery of health services;
• to develop effective communications to ensure the involvement of PCT staff, primary care colleagues and other clinical colleagues in the review, planning and development of health services in Taunton Deane;
• to provide and develop a skilled and motivated workforce in primary and community care through training, development and a supportive human resources programme to deliver and develop health services and improve the health of the local community;
• to provide and develop community and primary care facilities, clinical equipment and information systems to deliver a safe working environment and develop improved health services;
• to develop the Primary Care Trust to ensure it operates within clear corporate governance and performance management frameworks, and delivers sound financial management and value for money.

The Local Delivery Plan brings together a number of strategies and plans covering the provider and commissioning responsibilities of the Primary Care Trust. This Three Year Delivery Plan is supported by an annual Business Plan which sets out specific in-year targets for the Primary Care Trust to achieve its three-year goals. This, in turn, is based on an Annual Accountability Agreement made between the Primary Care Trust and the Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority under which the Primary Care Trust is managed against its performance during the year.

The Primary Care Trust also agrees a Governance Development Plan each year which sets targets for maintaining and improving the quality of our services.

The Primary Care Trust monitors its performance against its targets through regular High Level Performance Reports which are presented to the Board, together with Quarterly Progress Reports against targets within the Business Plan and the Clinical Governance Development Plan. These reports are included within the Board papers and available to the public as set out above (see Class 4).

The Primary Care Trust is also subject to formal quarterly and annual review by the Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority. The results of the Annual Review are reported to the Board.

The Primary Care Trust’s Annual Report summarises the performance for the year and includes within it summary financial statements. This is formally presented at the Primary Care Trust’s Annual General Meeting which is held in October each year.

Each year the Trust assesses and scores itself against the National Controls Assurance Standards. There are twenty-one standards covering three core areas: Finance, Governance and Risk Management and eighteen additional elements, including health and safety, human resources, medicines management etc. Where this assessment indicates that the Primary Care Trust needs to improve its systems to achieve 100% compliance, appropriate an action plan is drawn up. A report on the self-assessments is produced by the Trust’s Internal Auditors. The assessments are presented to the Board.

The Primary Care Trust is monitored and scrutinised by a number of external bodies, covering different aspects of its performance, such as professional conduct, services and adverse events. A full list of these bodies is attached at Part 3.

See also Class 9 below.

• General Medical Services - General practitioners and primary health care team members provide the first point of contact with the NHS for the majority of people, and provide most of their ongoing care and support. A total of 73 GPs are based in the 15 practices which provide a comprehensive range of services within Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust. Outside of normal working hours services are provided by Deane Doctor, an out-of-hours co-operative managed by local doctors.
• Pharmacies, Dental Surgeries and Opticians - The Primary Care Trust includes 18 community pharmacies, 16 dental surgeries and 10 opticians. Work is already ongoing with community pharmacists with regard to the implementation of the NHS Plan and the Primary Care Trust intends to strengthen links with the other professional groups.

The Primary Care Trust’s directly provided Primary and Community Care Services comprise:

• Community Hospitals
• Community Nursing
• Rehabilitation Service
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Other Primary Care Services

There are two Community Hospitals situated at Taunton and Wellington.

Taunton Community Hospital is currently sited on the first floor of the Duchess Building within the Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust at Musgrove Park, Taunton.

The Community Hospital comprises two wards providing 24 beds for Rehabilitation and Assessment and GP admissions.

In addition to providing inpatient services, Taunton Community Hospital also provides outpatient services including a care of the elderly outpatient clinic. The Hospital also acts as the base for the Community Therapy Services.

The current configuration of beds is 16 female beds on a Nightingale Ward, with a smaller area of six beds with two side rooms for male patients. Two treatment rooms and two examination rooms with a small waiting area are also provided.

Wellington & District Cottage Hospital is currently sited at Bulford, near the Wellington town centre. The Hospital provides 11 GP in-patient beds, used predominantly for the care of the elderly, together with the following out-patient clinics:

• gynaecology
• ante-natal
• dermatology
• urology
• orthopaedic
• general surgery outpatients

Community Nursing comprises district nurses, health visitors and school health nurses who work mainly from GP practices and provide services to patients in their homes, the independent sector or local schools.

The Community Therapy Services comprising physiotherapists, occupational therapists and assistants provide a variety of services, including in-patients, out-patients, outreach and intermediate care.

The Primary Care Trust commissions Speech and Language Therapy for all client groups both adult and children, with the exception of Adult Learning Disability, from Somerset Coast Primary Care Trust.

The Primary Care Trust manages the countywide Contraceptive and Sexual Health Service. Clinics are held in a number of different locations across the county. They are held on a daily basis in Taunton, at Somerset House, and at various times of the week in Bridgwater, Yeovil, Minehead, Glastonbury, Wells and Chard. Some clinics are also run in colleges and schools. The service offers a full range of methods of contraception, including emergency contraception. A vasectomy service and psychosexual counselling service is also provided.

The Primary Care Trust has a named nurse, Carol Blackmore, a designated Nurse Ann Allen and a named doctor, currently Dr Tony Morkane, Director of Public Health. These individuals attend the Area Child Protection Committee and a PCT-wide Child Protection Forum has recently been set up with the aim of ensuring that County and Region wide policies and protocols and guidelines are implemented across the Primary Care Trust. The Nurse Consultant for Child Protection (Somerset) is part of the forum and together with the named Nurse works with the Primary Care Trust to ensure an integrated approach is taken.

Further information can be obtained about our provider services from

Jan Hull
Director of Development and Patient Services
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail jhull@somerset.nhs.uk

Service agreements are in place with a range of providers locally and across the country to ensure access to services for the local population. The main local providers are:-

• Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust - Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust is the lead commissioning Trust for secondary care services from the Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust. The NHS Trust provides services at Musgrove Park, Taunton that include inpatients, daycases, outpatients, Accident & Emergency and diagnosic tests. All the main specialties are provided including medical, surgical and maternity services.
• Royal Devon & Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust - Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust also has lead commissioning responsibilities for services from the Royal Devon & Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
• Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust - provides services from a variety of Community based units and settings across the Primary Care Trust that includes inpatients, outpatients and day care.
• West Country Ambulance Services NHS Trust - provides both emergency and routine patient transport services across Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust.

GP practices, dental practices, opticians and pharmacies are independent practitioners, which means that they are not directly employed by the Primary Care Trust but enter into contracts with the Primary Care Trust to provide services. A summary of the independent practitioners for which the Trust is the relevant Primary Care Trust are on the Primary Care Trust website.

The full medical and other lists can be obtained from:

Primary Care Contracts Agency
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

Tel 01823 333491

The policies for adding and removing practitioners from the lists and also for the allocation of patients to doctor’s lists can also be obtained from Primary Care Contracts Agency. The policies for managing poor performance by doctors and other practitioners can be requested from the Director of Public Health. The number of patients on doctor’s lists at the last point measured (usually quarterly) can be obtained from the Director of Development and Patient Services.

The Terms of Service under which GPs provide General Medical Services can be obtained from the Director of Corporate Business. Details of Personal Medical Services Agreements (these are a local agreements under which for GPs and dentists provide and are paid for services) can be obtained from the Director of Development and Patient Services.

Dentists can choose to provide treatment to patients either privately or under NHS arrangements and can provide both services within the same practice.

Dental services are provided within normal working hours, plus advice and treatment, if necessary, outside working hours, up to 10.00 pm. Patients encountering difficulty accessing Dental Services may also wish to phone the dental help line 0845 7697691.

Community pharmacists provide a service that covers GP surgery opening hours. Outside of those hours and at weekends there are rotas in place, so that the public are able to access a pharmacy dispensing service each day. It is the Primary Care Trust’s responsibility to ensure that a pharmacy dispensing service is available within normal working hours and contracted to cover emergencies outside those times. NHS Direct can provide help with emergencies out of hours Tel: 0845 4647.

Optometrists provide NHS sight tests for those patients who are eligible. These services are available during normal working hours.

8. Reports And Independent Enquiries

The Primary Care Trust appoints Internal Auditors to review its systems and ensure that risks are properly managed. They are:

Bentley Jennison
Howard House
Queens Avenue
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 1QT

Tel: 0117 925 9255

Web: www.bentley-jennison.co.uk

The Audit Commission appoint External Auditors in order to provide independent assurance to Parliament on the exercise of the Primary Care Trust’s functions. They are:

RSM Robson Rhodes
10 Queen Square
Bristol
BS1 4NT

Tel: 0117 926 0066

Web: www.rsmi.co.uk

Both sets of auditors produce audit reports which be obtained from the Director of Finance and Performance. The External Auditors also present an Annual Management Letter to the Board which is available as part of the Board papers (see class 4) or by contacting the Director of Finance and Performance.

The Primary Care Trust may be scrutinised or inspected by a range of external bodies including:

• Commission for Health Improvement
• Patient Environment Action Team
• Improving Working Lives
• Action for Somerset’s Health (Somerset County Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Health)
• Somerset Community Health Council (until December 2003) or the local Patient and Public Involvement Forum (when established)
• Health and Safety Executive

There is a more comprehensive list in Part 3.

Some reports of inspections or assessments may be published on the website. Reports can also be obtained by contacting the Director of Corporate Business.

Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust has a range of policies and procedures in place to support its staff, business processes and working arrangements.

Policies are managed across specific areas including – Human Resources, Health & Safety, Corporate and Clinical.

The Trust has a range of Human Resources policies in place, for example and including:

• Recruitment policy
• Maternity leave and pay policy
• Working Time Regulations agreement
• Whistleblowing policy
• Protection of Pay policy
• Equal opportunities policy
• Managing sickness/absence policy
• Employee relations policy (including procedures for grievances, disciplinary action and dealing with poor performance)
• Retirement policy

In each section, policy requirements are identified and a rolling programme of development, implementation and updating is currently being established. Existing policies are available in all these areas, details of which can be obtained from the Director of Corporate Business.

 10. Public Involvement And Consultation

Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust recognises that "patients are the most important people in the health service" and shares the vision set out in Chapter 10 of the NHS Plan to "shape its services around the needs and preferences of individual patients, their families and carers".

The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust has developed a Strategy for Patient and Public Involvement in line with the guidance document "Strengthening Accountability: Involving Patients and the Public" issued by the Department of Health in March 2003. This Strategy will be presented to the Board in September 2003 and will be available, once approved, through the Primary Care Trust website or from the Patient Advice and Liaison Officer.

The Primary Care Trust has a statutory duty to involve service users, carers and the public in the work of the organisation. This Publication Scheme will form part of the process for informing patients and the public of any proposed service changes or variations in accordance with our duties under section 11 of the Health & Social Care Act 2001. This Act can be found at www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/20010015.htm.

Where the Primary Care Trust has carried out public consultation exercises around development of its services, relevant documents will be available in public libraries, on the website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business. The results of consultations, including comments received, and the final shape of proposals will also be made available, for example by presentation to the Trust Board.

Note: Where respondents to consultations have asked that their comments be kept confidential this information will be withheld.

The Primary Care Trust has established a Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) to provide information, advice and support to patients. The service can help you find your way through the system or listen to suggestions or comments about services and make recommendations to the Primary Care Trust for improvements. The PALS Officer can be contacted at:

Tricia Nelson
PALS Officer
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: tnelson@somerset.nhs.uk

Please contact the PALS Officer if you want to get involved in the development of services, for example by:

• reporting an example of good practice, or to highlight where things could have been done better;
• taking part in the user surveys that will be conducted from time to time;
• becoming a volunteer at a local hospital.

The Primary Care Trust works in partnership with local communities, alongside our colleagues in the NHS, local authorities and other organisations in:

• National Service Frameworks (NSF)s for Mental Health (see also www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/mentalhealth.htm), Older People (see also www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/olderpeople.htm), Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease and PPI.
• Drug Action Teams
• Local Strategic Partnerships
• Community Safety Partnerships and many other groups.

To find out more about the patient and public involvement in the NHS, visit the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients.

This class includes guidance and information leaflets produced for the public.

The Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust publishes a number of leaflets, reports and plans providing information about the Primary Care Trust and how to access services. The Primary Care Trust also publishes a staff newsletter.

These publications are available on the website (where the title is highlighted) or from the Director of Corporate Business, whose details are shown in Part One.

The publications include:

• Your Guide to the NHS
• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) leaflet
• ‘How to make a complaint’ leaflet
• Your Guide to Local Health Services (Patients Prospectus)

We aim to provide a high standard of care, but sometimes things go wrong and people wish to complain. It is useful for the Primary Care Trust to have people’s views, so that they can be taken into account in planning for the future and to improve services for the benefit of the whole community. The Primary Care Trust welcomes complaints, compliments, comments and suggestions about the way in which we undertake our work.

It is important for the Trust to monitor the level of complaints and to learn from them. The Board receives a complaints report each quarter and an Annual Report on Complaints is also produced. Both are included with the Board papers (see class 4) or can be obtained from the Complaints Manager.

The Trust has a Complaints Policy and Procedure and an information leaflet which explains the procedure for making a complaint. This follows the processes prescribed by the NHS Complaints Procedure. There are also guidance notes for staff relating to handling complaints. The policy and leaflets are available on the website or from the Complaints Manager (see below).

If you wish to make a complaint about the services provided by this Primary Care Trust, please contact:

Linda Pope
Complaints Manager
Director of Corporate Business
Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

E-mail: lpope@somerset.nhs.uk

The Primary Care Trust commissions its human resources services from Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust. The Director with responsibility for Human Resources within the Primary Care Trust is Phil Brice, Director of Corporate Business.

The Trust has a range of Human Resources policies in place, for example and including:

• Recruitment policy
• Maternity leave and pay policy
• Working Time Regulations agreement
• Whistleblowing policy
• Protection of Pay policy
• Equal opportunities policy
• Managing sickness/absence policy
• Employee relations policy (including procedures for grievances, disciplinary action and dealing with poor performance)
• Retirement policy

These are available on the website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business.

Procedures used by the Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust Human Resources Department and the Payroll Department are available by contacting the Personnel Manager or the Paymaster Services Manager respectively at

Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust
Musgrove Park Hospital
Musgrove Park
Taunton
TA1 5DA

Tel: 01823 333444.

The general terms and conditions of employment and details of current vacancies open to external applicants are available on the website or by contacting the Recruitment Service at Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust (as above).

 Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust is involved in the national Improving Working Lives project and is developing a Human Resources Strategy which will be available on the website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business. There is an Improving Working Lives Steering Group which oversees the Primary Care Trust's implementation of the Improving Working Lives programme.

Management regularly meets with representatives of staff, including the trade unions and professional bodies, to discuss matters of common interest. Agendas, Papers and Minutes of the Joint Management Staff Committee can be requested from the Director of Corporate Business.

Training is vital to effective patient care and a Training Education and Development Strategy is in preparation. Further details can be obtained from the Director of Corporate Business.

The Primary Care Trust also recognises the importance of workforce planning in ensuring that there are the right number of appropriately skilled staff to deliver the services and developments envisaged by the organisation. The Trust is preparing a Workforce Development Strategy which will be available on the website or from the Director of Development and Patient Services.

There is a monthly Newsletter for staff, incorporating a Board Briefing. Copies are available on the website or by contacting the Director of Corporate Business.

14. Communications With The Press And Media Releases

Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust receives communication services from Somerset NHS Communications which is based at:

c/o Taunton Deane PCT
Wellsprings Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 7PQ

Tel: 01823 333491

Press releases are available on the website or by contacting Somerset NHS Communications.

The Trust has a website which can be accessed via