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Currently Colchiro
The perpetual e-newsletter of The College of Chiropractors |
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10 August 2009 - Assessing complementary practice - report published today
The publication, Assessing complementary practice: Building consensus on appropriate research methods, which is the final report concluding the work of an independent advisory group convened by The KIng's Fund and chaired by Dame Carol Black, is now available. The Fund's CEO, Niall Dickson, explained that the goal was to bring together research funders, researchers, commissioners and complementary practitioners to discuss how a robust evidence base for complementary practices can be developed.
The report concluded that new research methods are needed in order to test the clinical and cost effectiveness of complementary therapies - methods of research that assess the value of an approach that seeks to integrate the physical intervention, the personal context in which it is given, and non-specific effects that together comprise a particular therapy.
The King's Fund hopes the report will help create a consensus on how to move forward so that those responsible for spending public money can base their decisions on sound evidence.
27 May 2009 - Low back pain: early management of persistent non-specific low back pain
Produced by the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care at the Royal College of General Practitioners on behalf of NICE, the long awaited guideline on the management of chronic low back pain was released today. The introductory information on the web states:
This guideline is about the care and treatment that people who have persistent non-specific low back pain can expect from the NHS in England and Wales to help them manage their pain. It explains guidance (advice) from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). It is written for people with non-specific low back pain but it may also be useful for their families or carers or for anyone with an interest in the condition.
The recommendations, aimed at GPs, include:
- Provide people with advice and information to promote self-management of their low back pain.
- Consider offering a course of manual therapy including spinal manipulation of up to 9 sessions over up to 12 weeks
- Consider offering a course of acupuncture needling comprising up to 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks
- Consider offering a structured exercise programme tailored to the individual.
Full details are provided in the guideline document, accessible from the following link: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG88
20 April 2009 - Understanding health care markets: a PCT guide to market analysis and market management
The new NHS Constitution has at its centre the right of patients to choose. This choice is underpinned by competition between health care providers, competition that is intended to be a driving force for improved quality and efficiency. This guide is intended as a short introduction for PCTs to market analysis and market management (ref: http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/news/2687) and uses low back pain to illustrate market segments.
17 February 2009 - Research Committee announces new package of support for clinic-based research
The College of Chiropractors Research Unit is pleased to announce a new package of support to assist those chiropractors who wish to undertake clinic-based research but require advice and/or small amounts of funding. This initiative provides:
· A central point of contact to receive requests for advice on how to progress a specific research idea where a clearly focused objective has already been identified - enquirers will be put in touch with appropriate Research Unit members
· Ethics sub-committee to undertake ethical review, and provide ethics approval where appropriate
· A number of small grants of up to £500 to contribute to the funding required to undertake clinic-based research
· A number of Science Direct accounts providing free full-text access to all Elsevier’s journals online to facilitate literature review
Requests for advice and/or funding should be directed to Rob Finch, Chief Executive (rob.finch@colchiro.org.uk | 0118 9469727)
in the first instance.
17 February 2009 - Evaluation of the 'Get Well UK' CAM pilot project in Northern Ireland
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/GP/LatestNews/881347/Patients-healthier-complementary-medicine/?CMP=EMC-DAILYNEWS
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/final_report_from_smr_on_the_cam_pilot_project_-_may_2008.pdf
11 February 2009 - Inaugural meeting of the College's Occupational Health Society
21 January 2009 - 10th Anniversary AGM and President's Lecture
The College of Chiropractors 10th Anniversary Annual General Meeting took place today at The Royal Society, London.
The membership passed a special resolution which has enabled a significant restructuring of the College’s governing Council to be implemented. The Council previously included all the College’s Regional and Clinical Specialist Faculty Chairs as Directors/Trustees, but this has now changed. These important posts remain but their representation on the Council is via two newly elected Directors. The result is a more responsive and dynamic Council body.
The formal business of the AGM was followed by the 2009 President’s Lecture delivered by Richard Lilford, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Birmingham, who presented a fascinating view on evidence and judgement in applied research.
Prof Richard Lilford's slides (warning - large file - 2.8Mb)
3 December 2008 - Hew Helps appointed Chair of the Lay Partnership Group
| Mr Hew Helps (pictured) was today elected by Council as the new Chair of the College's Lay Partnership Group. Hew has been a member of the group since its inception in 2003. His appointment follows the departure of Margaret Hallendorff MBE whose valuable contribution to the LPG over thge past three years was noted with grateful thanks. |
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1 September 2008 - New Clinical Management Quality Mark (CMQM) launched
3 July 2008 - Commencement of KTP project
Following the College's successful bid with the University of Reading (UoR) for Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funding, the project to develop an online learning platform to support the PRT postgraduate training programme commenced today. Systems Developer Richard Connor, a graduate of UoR, has taken up the role of KTP Associate for a period of two years.
30 June 2008 - High quality care for all: NHS Next Stage Review final report
Today saw the publication of Lord Ara Darzi's report which 'responds to the 10 SHA strategic visions and sets out a vision for an NHS with quality at its heart'. Julie McKay, Chair of the College's Health Policy Unit, said:
"The Darzi report contains valid points for chiropractors whether they are purely private practice or if you hope to commission NHS contracts.
The over riding theme of the report is of improving the quality of care. This is spoken of not just in terms of clinical excellence but, also includes all aspects of care such as waiting times, communication, after care advice, NHS environments and the way in which professionals from all spheres jointly handle individual patients to provide a seamless service. The theme of improvement in the quality of care can easily be brought into the chiropractic clinic via self audits and the College of Chiropractors Quality Marks and will help to maintain the status of the profession at a time where standards are being constantly raised.
Improvements in quality require measurements and the report refers to patient reported outcome measures to monitor improvements throughout the NHS. It is unclear at the moment in what format these measures will be, but there are many existing, established measures that are easy to use (see the College’s Healthy Policy Unit resources). These measures can provide sterling evidence of improvements to patient health and wellbeing through chiropractic and it looks like outcome measures will become part of the NHS standard procedure in patient care. They should become a normal part of chiropractic procedure also.
The report contains many useful quotes on promoting health, working in partnership with the private sector and helping to keep people in work through various schemes including Fit For Work which will bring together musculoskeletal services and psychological therapies in primary and community care. It is a valuable document for chiropractors to refer to if bidding for a contract with the NHS or other public sector organisation."
6 June 2008 - Visit to Welsh Institute of Chiropractic
Chief Executive, Rob Finch, visited the WIOC today to present details about the College and, in particular, to explain the PRT postgraduate training programme to final year undergraduates.
17 March 2008 - Working for a Healthier Tomorrow
Professor Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working age population was published today, and can be accessed here.
5 March 2008 - College of Chiropractors President Signs Healthcare Professionals' Consensus Statement
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Leaders of 30+ healthcare professional bodies including Tim Jay, President of The College of Chiropractors, came together today to sign an agreement to advise patients of the important role work plays in health. The consensus statement, developed in partnership with Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work, precedes her review of the health of the working age population, due for publication at the end of March 2008.
Evidence shows staying in or returning to work is usually good for health and recovery and in signing the consensus healthcare professionals acknowledged this and agreed to work with all stakeholders to promote and develop ways of supporting individuals to achieve the socio-economic and health benefits of work. They pledged to do all they could to help people enter, stay in or return to work, where appropriate.
The consensus statement, which can be accessed here, was signed at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London as senior representatives of the bodies met with Dame Carol and Secretaries of State James Purnell and Alan Johnson.
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16 January 2008 - AGM and Inaugural Awards Dinner
The ninth Annual General Meeting of The College of Chiropractors was held at The Royal Society in London today. In adddition to the formal business of the Specialist Faculty AGMs and the main AGM, the programme for the day included the 2008 President's Lecture delivered by the Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP, Chair of the Commons Health Select Committee, who outlined the future challenges for the NHS and presented a personal view of the importance of complementary healthcare.
The session that followed, organised and chaired by Julie McKay (Chair of the College's Healthcare Policy Unit) and entitled 'Chiropractors Engaging with the Public Sector', brought together key speakers from academia, general medical practice and chiropractic. The presentations analysed the NHS approach to integration and outlined models by which CAM professions might be commissioned to provide their services within the NHS. |
Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP
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Jane Wilkinson, iCAM |
Dr William House, GP |
Dr Jim Odell, Chiropractor |
"Chiropractors Engaging with the Public Sector" |
The College's Inaugural Awards Dinner was held in the evening. Hew Helps of the Lay Partnerhsip Group announced the winners of the 2008-2010 Patient Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM), listed here. Graham Heale, Director of Academic Affairs, announced the recipients of College Memberships and Fellowships, listed here. All awards were presented by Tim Jay, President, who conlcuded the ceremony by presenting an Honorary Fellowship award to Maureen Atkinson, Chair of the Chiropractic Patients Association, for services to chiropractic patients. |
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Inaugural Awards Dinner, Royal Society, 16 January 2008 |
Maureen Atkinson FCC (Hon) receives her certificate |
| The Awards Dinner was made possible through generous sponsorship support from Anatom, Atlas Clinical, Heales Medical, Physiotools, Pipedreems, Primal Pictures, TM2 and Vista Diagnostics, to whom the College is very grateful. |
27 November 2007 - Office move
The College's Head Office has moved within the existing buidling at Chiltern Chambers in Caversham, Reading. All telephone numbers and other contact details remain unchanged but access to the offices is now via a different door. Directions are available here.
21 November 2007 - Hancock et al (2007) Assessment of diclofenac or spinal manipulative therapy, or both, in addition to recommended first-line treatment for acute low back pain: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 370:1638-43
There are several issues that the chiropractic profession should consider as a result of the poor press following the recent publication of this paper in the Lancet - Nigel Hunt of the College's Health Policy Unit gives a personal view in the HPU area of the website.
22-23 October 2007 - Assessing Complementary Practice: Building consensus on appropriate research methods
There is no clear agreement on where the funders of research should best target their resources in order to generate the most useful and relevant evidence in complementary medicine. This partnership conference, run by the King's Fund and the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health, was convened to generate inter-professional discussion and build consensus on this issue. The conference was led by an independent chair, Professor Dame Carol Black, supported by an advisory group made up of funding organisations, researchers and academics. The Director of Research, Antoinette Young, Editor of Clinical Chiropractic, Martin Young, Chair of the Health Policy Unit, Julie McKay and Chief Executive, Rob Finch participated on behalf of the College. A consensus document is expected to be published in October 2008.
15 September 2007 - Business Matters
A seminar entitled 'Business Matters' organised by Jatinder Benepal, College Director, took place in Birmingham today. Sponsored by Clydesdale Bank and with contributions from the Chiropractic Information Service, Physiotools, Baker Tilly Accountants and Ian Langford, a health and safety advisor, the event brought together some 30 chiropractors from around the UK.
11 July 2007 - Healthy Backs
Julie McKay, Chair of the College's Health Policy Unit, and Rob Finch, College Chief Executive, each facilitated discussion group at a 'Healthy Backs' workshop today organised by the Prines Foundation for Integrated Health. The event brought together health professionals to discuss integrated person-centred approaches to back care.
Participants investigated existing national policy and guidelines in order to determine why these are not being successfully implemented and to discuss possible ways forward with a view to influencing the development of future policy.
9 July 2007 - New DH online glossary of terms
The Department of Health have published a glossary of more than 300 terms, from 'A&E' to 'Your Health, Your Care, Your Say'. You can access it here.
7 July 2007 - COCA Overseas Affiliate Membership
Following a recent meeting between officers of The College of Chiropractors and COCA (The Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia), a joint Overseas Affiliate Membership arrangement has been initiated such that all UK members of the College of Chiropractors automatically become Overseas Affiliate Members of COCA, and vice versa, with effect from 7 July 2007, at no cost. This important development has taken place in the interests of international postgraduate collaboration.
Benefits to College of Chiropractors UK members include full access to COCA’s website and preferential member discounts on educational items, including COCA’s interactive CPD resources.
Benefits to COCA's Australasia members include full access to the College of Chiropractors website and a range of member discounts.
Any communications from the CoC and COCA to their respective overseas affiliate members will be via the relevant national office unless members choose to provide personal contact details. Both COCA and the College of Chiropractors welcome applications for full overseas membership.
7 July 2007 - PRT Tutors Workshop
PRT Tutors participated in a workshop at Regent's College, London, today to review the PRT curriculum and to reflect on, and further develop, their facilitation skills. This was part of the ongoing programme of continual review and improvement of the UK profession's 'PRT' postgraduate training programme.
30 June 2007 - Routes to Membership Workshop
16 delegates attended a workshop in Salisbury today aimed at assisting members to progress through the levels of College membership. Formal and equivalence routes were explained and debated, opportunities for postgraduate study were described and delegates embarked on a process of achieving M-level credits through recognition of their clinical activities.
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 | 27 June 2007 - Julie McKay appointed as Chair of the Health Policy Unit
| Council today confirmed the appointment of Julie McKay BSc DC to the post of Chairman of the College of Chiropractors Health Policy Unit. Julie practices in Nottingham and is the chiropractic member of the Acorn Award winning Impact team (see news items, 24 November 2006 and 15 June 2007.) Julie will lead the College's work in fostering the integration of chiropractic into the mainstream of healthcare. |
19 June 2007 - College and Associations agree PRT Joint statement
The British Chiropractic Association, The College of Chiropractors, The McTimoney Chiropractic Association and the United Chiropractic Association today agreed a joint statement regarding the purpose, nature and importance of the PRT postgraduate training programme for new graduates. The joint statement takes the form of a letter to graduates, explaining the organisations' position and views on the programme, and will be distributed to new graduates as they take up provisional membership of the College and their preferred professional association. The letter can be viewed here.
17 June 2007 - McTimoney Chiropractic College visit
Chief Executive, Rob Finch, visited the MCC today to present details about the College and, in particular, to explain the PRT postgraduate training programme to final year undergraduates. The slides are available here.
15 June - Julie McKay speaks at iCAM, University of Westminster
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Nottingham chiropractor and College Health Policy Unit Officer, Julie McKay, delivered a presentation at the iCAM summer school today on Impact as a business case study, providing an overview on approach to evaluation, intergration, business links and commissioning. Impact (see 24 November 2006, below) is an ongoing integrated medicine project that provides acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy in liaison with the Nottingham City Primary Care Trust, local health centres and a range of community and voluntary sector organisations. | 12 May 2007 - College of Chiropractors represented at MCA Conference in Northamptonshire
The College took its stand to the MCA's Conference today. The stand carried information about the College's growing website and a range of forthcoming College events. Chief Executive, Rob Finch, was on hand to answer membership queries. 4 May 2007 - WIOC visit
Chief Executive, Rob Finch, visited WIOC today to present details about the College and, in particular, to explain the PRT programme to final year undergraduates. The slides are available here. 28 March 2007 - Paediatrics Fellow presents paper at RCPCH Spring Meeting
Jason Leighton, Fellow of the College's Paediatrics Faculty, presented a paper entitled, ' Is there a difference in the magnitude of the remoral neck anteversion angle between those 2-10 - year old children who manifest the clinical signs of “growing pains” and those that do not? A blinded, cross-sectional pilot study' at the Royal College of Paediatics and Child Health's spring meeting at the University of York today. Dr Leighton, who graduated with an MSc (APD Chiropractic Paediatrics) last year, generated a great deal of interest among the many paediatricians who attend the event each year. The abstract of his paper is published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, (April 2007, 92 (Supp1), A42) , accessible from this site shortly. 21 March 2007 - Council Bulletins on-line
Members can now download bulletins from Council (summaries of proceedings) by logging in to the website and visiting COLLEGE > Council bulletins. 17 March 2007 - College of Chiropractors represented at BCA Conference in Bournemouth
The College took its stand to the BCA's Spring Conference held jointly with, and at, the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth today. The stand carried information about the College's growing website, a range of forthcoming College events and the new discount on offer to members for TM2 practice management software. Chief Executive, Rob Finch, was on hand to answer members' queries. 15 March 2007 - Sport & Exercise Faculty Chair attends opening of the Welsh Sports Medicine Centre Dik Skippings, Chair of the College's Sport & Exercise Faculty and Director/Trustee of the College, attended the opening of the Welsh Sports Medicine Centre today at Glamorgan University. This facility is, at present, located in the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, sharing the reception, x-ray and MRI facilities. The Dean of the Faculty, Prof Donna Mead, introduced the dignitaries, Prof Gareth Jones, the Centre Director, then outlined the facilities and aims of the centre. The official opening was made by Alan Pugh AM who is the Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport in the Welsh Assembly. A tour of the facilities, including the Chiropractic Clinic was given to the guests. 2 March 2007 - College contributes to NICE Guideline for chronic low back pain
The College is a stakeholder in the development of a new NICE Guideline for chronic low back pain and contributed, today, to the consultation on the scope of the guidance. The evidence-based Guideline is expected to be published in March 2009. 21 February 2007 - DH publishes long-awaited White Paper on regulation of health professionals
The White Paper, 'Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals' was finally published today.
Although detailed guidelines are not given, all regulators will be required to implement revalidation. The paper states:
'Revalidation is necessary for all health professionals, but its intensity and frequency needs to be proportionate to the risks inherent in the work in which each practitioner is involved. Working closely with the Devolved Administrations, the Department will discuss with each regulator the most appropriate arrangements that are proportionate to the risk that each profession may pose to patients.'
The timescale for the introduction of revalidation is not precisely defined. The paper states:
The Government will discuss with the Devolved Administrations, and with public, private and voluntary sector employers the development of an affordable and manageable timetable for the effective implementation of revalidation. This will reflect the state of readiness of each profession to deliver robust revalidation processes; the impact revalidation would have on diverting frontline staff from direct patient care; the capacity of regulators and employers for each professional group; the level of public concern about professional standards within each professional group; the risks inherent in the care provided by each professional group; the numbers of professionals working in each professional group, including the proportion of self-employed; the ability of practitioners taking career breaks, maternity leave and other absences from practice to engage with these processes; and the particular circumstances in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There are significant imploications for the structure of the GCC and its committees in terms of appointment of members, although its role will remain largely unchanged. The White Paper can be downloaded from here.
The GCC's response is avialable here.
16 February 2007 - AECC visit
Chief Executive, Rob Finch, visited the AECC today to present details about the College and, in particular, to explain the PRT programme to final year undergraduates. The slides are available here.
13 December 2006 - AGM Agenda
The agenda for the College's forthcoming AGM has been published and can be downloaded from this link.
12 December 2006 - Integration and Commissioning
A number of new links and downloads have been added to the Health Policy Unit Resources area of this website. Members need to login to view them.
11 December 2006 - New Seminar and Events Administrator
The College was pleased to welcome Adam Turner to the College today as the new Seminar and Events Administrator. The College is the major UK provider of CPD events for chiropractors and this is an important role. Adam can be contacted at adam.turner@colchiro.org.uk
6 December 2006 - Inaugural meeting of the College of Chiropractors Neurology Society
More than 50 members attended the above, held in the Winchester Guildhall, and enjoyed a fascinating and informative presentation from Robin Pauc. Those wishing to join the Society, and either seek office or nominate officers, should visit the Society's web page for details.
24 November 2006 - Acorn success for IMPACT
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Impact, an ongoing integrated medicine project that provides acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy to people who live in the Hyson Green and Radford area of Nottingham, at no cost to the patient, has been awarded a prestigious NHS Alliance Acorn Award. The Acorn Awards recognise excellence in primary care in all those areas that are crucial to health care success but which get little official recognition. |
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Impact works closely alongside the Nottingham City Primary Care Trust, local health centres and a range of community and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that they are providing a fully integrated service which enhances patients' treatment options.
Left: Julie McKay, chiropractor (centre) and Officer of the College’s Health Policy Unit, and her colleague Fiona Robertson, homeopath (right), received their award from Patricia Hewitt yesterday at the NHS Alliance’s annual conference in Bournemouth. |
5 October 2006 - Foundations of Radiographic Image Interpretation Module: later induction dates announced
Further to the recent letter from College House, and due to a great deal of interest among members, Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has arranged a later induction event (Fri 3rd/ Sat 4th November 2006) for those wishing to join the above module in this current academic session. Click the following link to download the previously provided details ( Radiography flyer.pdf ). To register on the module, please contact the relevant Postgraduate Administrator at GCU, Lynn Rogerson, on 0141 331 8142. There is a £40 discount for College members.
29 September 2006 - General Chiropractic Council added to police notification scheme
The GCC has been added to a list of bodies that will receive information from the police about criminal offences committed by registrants. Chiropractors, and chiropractic students, have been included in a list of occupations that carry special trust or responsibility under the police ‘Notifiable Occupations Scheme’. The GCC has issued a statement on its website.
28 September 2006 - Quality Mark for Chiropractors: Meeting Patient Expectations
The College launched a new quality award today. The ‘Patient Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM)’, conceived and developed by the College’s Lay Partnership Panel, will be awarded to chiropractic practices to recognise and signal excellence in meeting patient expectations. Awards will be made for a period of three years after which a further application will be needed if the quality mark is to be retained. For further details and to download an application form, click here. To obtain the press statement, click here.
4 September 2006 - New premises for The College of Chiropractors
The College's Head Office ('College House') has moved to new premises north of the River Thames in the Caversham area of Reading. Chiltern Chambers is a characterful victorian building in a peaceful residential area with gardens and ample parking (highly unusual in Reading). The semi-serviced offices at Chiltern Chambers provide a cost effective solution to the College's office needs following the expiry of the lease at 106 London Street.
14 July 2006 - The regulation of the non-medical healthcare professions - a review by the Department of Health
Today saw the publication of the long-awaited 'Foster Review'. This comprises a series of recommendations that will now be considered during a period of consultation, ending on 10 November 2006. A key recommendation is that the number of regulators should not be reduced. The review can be downloaded here.
13 July 2006 - PRT Trainers Forum - Training the Trainers
21 College PRT Trainers participated in a lively 1/2-day course held in Leeds today.
12 July 2006 - Chiropractors to help deliver The Musculoskeletal Services Framework
Today, the Department of Health published The Musculoskeletal Services Framework: A joint responsibility: doing it differently. A GCC press release, which welcomes the DH's aim to provide timely and effective care to NHS patients who need prompt access to musculoskeletal services, can be accessed by clicking this link to the GCC's website. The framework itself can be access here. Members can refer to the Health Policy Unit Resources area of this website for guidance on approaching the NHS.
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