A meeting of the Steering Group (led by Newcastle Primary Care Trust) was held on Friday 30th January 2004.

Funds have been allocated by the Department of Health as follows:

CLINICAL NETWORK COORDINATING CENTRE (CNCC)
£44,500 per year has been allocated for two years from 1st April 2004
(A bid for £60,000 per year was submitted)

LOCAL MULTI DISCIPLINARY TEAMS (LMDT’S)
Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trusts have been allocated £59,000 for part year 2004/5 and £118,000 for year 2005/6

North of Tyne Primary Care Trusts have £57,500 for part year 2004/5 and £155,000 for year 2005/6.

Both bids were for substantially more (around £150,000).
With part year funding only for this year it is envisaged that work will start on the planning for services immediately but will not come on stream until October 2004.

South of Tyne bid was deferred and a new bid for year 2005/6 will be submitted by 1st April 2004. Everyone expressed disappointment with this news, all LMDT bids were similar. Sunderland PCT as the lead will be in discussion with the Department of Health to ensure success for next year.

Cleveland PCT’s have yet to develop a bid. To ensure equity of services across the region it is envisaged that this will be completed in time for 1st April 2004.

For the CNCC the first step is to identify a Clinical Co-ordinator. Main role will include bringing together what is presently available across the North East and develop guideline and training needs. A meeting of all 12 CNCC leads will meet at the Department of Health later this month. A meeting chaired by Professor Pinching will outline the shape and practice of the centres, and how they will work with the local teams.

The first meeting of the local teams are being planned (Durham and Darlington this week). Regular updates will be provided on this site.

The funds will be incorporated into Primary Care Trust budgets beyond 2006 and will be ring-fenced.

More information will be available in the March edition of Focus.