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Key Challenge 2 - Objectives
II Development

FWe develop our services to provide new benefits to stakeholders and to improve existing service levels. These developments may be project funded and hence subject to the formal approval of a business case. They may, alternatively, be resourced through internally derived efficiencies as a form of reinvestment in the PPA's services.

Projects within the Development activity stream are typically managed under the PRINCE2 Project Management Methodology. The Management Board will receive reports summarising the overall position of all these activities against their project deliverables and resources once a quarter, or more frequently by exception.

9 Improving existing information services
KC2 D Ball
  We provide a number of information services primarily covering prescribing and dispensing in England. The basic delivery of these services is covered by Objective 2. We are committed to continuing to develop these service to meet the evolving needs of users. We will engage with our stakeholders to specify the form of improvements to be pursued over the next three years. This objective highlights the foreseeable development targets.
Objective Maintain and improve the currency of our existing information systems and expand the user base.
Targets 1. Roll out Phase 2 of Hospital ePACT.net from April 2003.
2. Provide training in the use of PPA ePACT systems.
3. Produce an annual development plan based on feedback from users of the systems and DH policy requirements.
4. Continue development of existing information services based on customer feedback and changing requirements.
5. Collect user requirements to inform the development programme.


10 Developing new information services
KC2 D Ball
 

We have traditionally provided a number of specialist and technical information services, many of these on paper. Under our current strategy, we are committed to moving these services to electronic delivery in support of the Modernising Government initiative and have sought to generate the internal economise and saving to support these developments.

A pilot system is already being developed providing tools for GPs to look at their PACT data. This is reflected in the first target.

Target 3 is a continuation of collecting data electronically from stakeholders, some of which currently is printed out from computer systems, sent to us and then re-entered. These services will be developed with reference to our emerging user forums for those elements we have not started.
Objective Work with DH, PCTs and other NHS business partners to identify new, enhanced information flows between the PPA and its customers.
Targets

1. Develop electronic information systems for GPs by September 2003.
2. Develop electronic information systems for Pharmacies by December 2003.
3. Develop electronic links, which enable the interchange of data between the PPA, PCTs, Pharmacists and the logistics chain.


11 21st Century IT
KC2 D Ball
 

The DH strategy document 'Delivering IT in the 21st Century covers a number of areas directly relevant to the PPA. These include:

  • National Prescription Service
  • UKCPRS (PCDD)
  • ICRS

We will continue to monitor the development activities undertaken in these areas and contribute to them as appropriate.
Objective Put in place the appropriate infrastructure to enable the PPA support and participate in Delivering IT in the 21st Century.
Targets

The DH strategy document 'Delivering IT in the 21st Century covers a number of areas directly relevant to the PPA. These include:

  • UKCPRS (PCDD)
  • ICRS

We will continue to monitor the development activities undertaken in these areas and contribute to them as appropriate.


12 Developing Electronic Drug Tariff
KC2 C Dalton
 

The DH is funding a project, which will aim to produce an electronic version of the Drug Tariff. A plan will be produced following the completion of a scoping study - by 31 March 2003
Objective Develop and deliver an electronic version of the Drug Tariff.
Targets

(If managed under PRINCE2)
Next significant event from:

  • PID
  • Milestone/deliverable
  • Project completion
  • Spend to date vs. profiled budget


14 IT Infrastructure Maintenance
KC2 D Ball
 

This area covers:

  • bigger boxes (except mainframe)
  • extending MDIS life
  • Networks
  • Intranet
  • Windows XP
Objective Maintain and enhance the PPA IT Infrastructure to enable it to achieve its business objectives.
Targets

1. Determine how to extend the life of the existing data capture systems by June 03.
2. Replace the Sun Unix systems by 2005
3. Put in place a corporate Intranet by October 2003.
4. Enhance the network infrastructure to support the increased processing workload.


15 Impact of changes to regulatory policy on reference data and organisation
KC2 C Dalton/J Smith/D Ball
 

TThere are a large number of regulatory changes in prospect originating in the DH policy 'Pharmacy in the Future' and elsewhere. Principal amongst these are:
BANs to rINNs
Patient Packs
OXERA/MPS
OFT
New Pharmacy Contract
New GP Contract
Review Pharmacy Advance (80/20)
FP 57s
EURO
National Shared Services Initiative
Objective To review and recognise the impact of relevant environmental changes upon the PPA
Targets To report to Management Board by exception


17 NHS Primary Care Drug Dictionary
KC2 C Dalton
 

PCDD forms the first operational component of the United Kingdom Clinical Product Reference Source (UKCPRS). To demonstrate its effectiveness in use, it needs to be incorporated into GP and pharmacy IT systems, so that its benefits are felt throughout prescribing and dispensing as well as within the processing activities of the PPA.

This is linked to the delivery Objective - 3 (ii)
Objective Work with DH/NHS Business Partners to promote the distribution and implementation of the NHS Primary Care Drug Dictionary to external stakeholders, to facilitate a common code and description for all drugs and appliances in support of ETP.
Targets

1. Work with GP and Pharmacy System suppliers to ensure a consistent implementation of the PCDD in accordance with the PPA's distribution strategy.
2. Work with the NHS Information Authority on the implementation of the UKCPRS
3. Work with system suppliers to enable access to richer data on prescribers and formularies alongside the agreed distribution of the NHS PCDD.


18 Repeat Dispensing
KC2 A McDonald
 

The take-up of repeat dispensing pathfinders will significantly affect the development of our processing capacity modelling and hence of the planning assumptions leading up to the implementation of reengineering. For this reason, we will closely monitor its spread and the impact measured in terms of prescription volume growth.
Objective The Authority in line with the current assumptions outlined in the capacity model will ensure that service delivery is maintained during the roll out of repeat dispensing.
Targets

1. Implementation of recruitment plan April 2003 to deal with potential 14.5% growth by April 04
2. Outline budget implications of the additional recurring running costs associated with the repeats initiative for the DH April 2003
3. Quarterly review of capacity model assumptions June 03, Sept 03, Dec 03, Mar 04 with corrective action taken to recruitment plans where appropriate
4. Review the number of PCTs involved in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th wave pathfinder and the impact roll out has on growth assumptions
5. Continuous review of impact on growth the repeats initiative has had on historical growth levels within PCT pathfinder sites


19 Health Benefits Schemes Improvements
KC2 A McDonald
 

The Health Benefits Division (HBD) was originally formed to operate the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS). We now administer a range of health benefits schemes. These cover exemptions offered on medical and income grounds as well as prescription prepayment certificates. There is scope to create a more integrated suite of services, which assist customers to identify and access the appropriate scheme for them, and assist the NHS in recognising the legitimacy of those claiming help with health costs.
Objective To complete a restructure of the Health Benefits Division by the end of September 2003 and to engage with stakeholders to improve the customer's experience and improve access to our services.
Targets

1. To create a structure that is flexible and a closer fit to stakeholder requirements in the areas of customer service and service delivery timescales.
2. To create operational flexibility to react quickly to stakeholders' needs whilst maximising operational efficiency.
3. Customer surveys for LIS
4. Telephone surveys of all HBD services
5. Focus groups with patient representative organisations



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