Magic touch: the revolution in information sharing

• Increase image
• View all images

For the next stage of healthcare improvement, better and more timely use of information is not just important, it is vital.

Health minister Lord Darzi's next stage review has placed great emphasis on the quality of healthcare and on the outcomes for patients. These things cannot merely be asserted - they must be measured, compared and published. The quality of care must inform the decision-making of commissioners and the remuneration of providers.

The measurement of quality in healthcare is an emerging science. It will need to proceed with care, and to bring the confidence of the clinical community with it. But it is the way of the future.

The 2008-09 operating framework has introduced patient-reported outcome measures for a small range of conditions. And Lord Darzi's report has confirmed that up to 2 per cent of acute trusts' income will in future be affected by quality measures.

Using, generating and respecting good-quality information is now part of the core business of almost everyone who works in delivering healthcare.

For the health service to achieve its goal of being a truly patient-centred service offering the best care, the levers are now becoming available with the tools of world class commissioning (with its assurance process being implemented this autumn, underpinned by information). Yet to operate them effectively, we will need information about how far to push the levers, and in which direction. The expectations on commissioners are high. Ministers, NHS chief executive David Nicholson and Department of Health director general of commissioning Mark Britnell have all consistently emphasised that commissioning is here to stay.

Commissioning stands or falls on good-quality and timely information. Trying to achieve world class commissioning without the best possible information is like trying to drive along an unfamiliar winding country road in the dark without your headlights on: not a wise course of action.

While the health service has been collecting information for decades, it has not always enjoyed its current managerial, operational and policy importance. This used to lead to a vicious downwards spiral of low attention to data quality and collection, leading to criticism and low use of the data.

One of the NHS Information Centre's big aims is to improve the quality, timeliness and accessibility of data. The more clinical and managerial frontline staff understand the need for data and use it, the greater care they will take in collecting and submitting it, creating a strong upwards spiral.

Information is about partnership. Clinical engagement is clearly at the heart of quality. Clinicians are best persuaded by seeing data being used as evidence to drive reforms and improvements.

The recent informatics review confirmed the key role of the NHS Information Centre as the central authoritative source of health and social care information, acting as a "hub" for high-quality, national and local, comparative data. Put simply, the centre is here to help the health service do its job well, and ever better. This supplement aims to tell you more about our work, and how we can help you with yours.

To read more, download the supplement