Information focus - other support

Agencies

Here is a select, alphabetical listing of agencies that provide important resources relating to this clinical governance theme. We have focussed on agencies operating in the United Kingdom.

Online communities and networks

CHAIN (Contact, Help, Advice and Information Networks)
CHAIN is a free, online support network for people working in health and social care. It is multi-professional and cross organisational, and is designed to connect like-minded health and social care practitioners, educators, researchers and managers. The network is free to join and open to anyone working in health and social care.

Connecting with nurses
These web pages from NHS Connecting for Health provide support to the nursing communities. Resources and practical help are provided to help nurses engage with new and rapidly changing technologies.

E-health Insider
E-Health Insider is an independent online news and information service dedicated to UK health care information technology. IT industry and NHS professionals can register with the E-Health Insider portal and sign up for its weekly email newsletter.

e-Health Nurses Network
The e-Health Nurses Network is an independent initiative, freely available to all nurses and health care professionals with an interest in developing e-health in order to maximise the professional delivery of effective patient care. The e-Health Network website links to several regional pages including; Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

eSpace
eSpace is a community based online collaboration tool for the NHS. eSpace is dedicated to improving healthcare and wellness by sharing knowledge and experiences of technology enabled change. It aims to facilitate information sharing, communication, collaboration and networking amongst communities.

National programmes

England: Connecting for Health (National Programme for IT)
NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CFH) is part of the Department of Health Informatics Directorate. Their role is to maintain and develop the NHS national IT infrastructure. This infrastructure includes a number of national services and a range of national applications, including: Spine; N3; NHSmail; Choose and Book; Electronic Prescription Service; Secondary Uses Service; Summary Care Records; GP2GP; Personal Demographics Service and the Quality Management and Analysis System.

England: Department of Health - Information Policy
This area of the Department of Health website covers: information governance; records management and data quality; the policy archive; patient confidentiality and access to health records; information supporting NSFs and NCASP; information security; information for social care and records management.

Northern Ireland: Information and Communications Technology Strategy
The way forward for Northern Ireland's eHealth and Social Services was published in the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) Information and Communications Technology Strategy in March 2005. Northern Ireland is in the process of reforming its public body structures, which will result in a single Health and Social Services Authority. The proposals for future reform of health and social care in Northern Ireland are currently out for consultation. For more information visit: eHealth: priorities and strategies in European countries: Northern Ireland [PDF 193.2KB] [see how to access PDF files]

Northern Ireland's Health Minister has announced a multi-million pound contract to transform patients care records. The Electronic Care Record (ECR) system will transform how patient records are managed throughout the HSC and will directly benefit every person who uses the health service in Northern Ireland. View: Information for better care.

Scotland: e-Health strategy 2011-2017
This ehealth strategy builds on the direction and achievements of its predecessor which ran from 2008 to 2011. The strategy sets out five new strategic eHealth aims which have been developed and these will be the focus of activity over the next six years. They are: supporting people to communicate with NHS Scotland; contributing to care integration; improving medicines safety; enhancingthe availability of information for staff; and maximising efficient working practices.

Wales: NHS Wales Informatics Service
Informing Healthcare (IHC) was the National Programme harnessing the potential of information technologies to transform health services for the people of Wales. It was brought under the umbrella of NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS) in April 2010 along with: Health Solutions Wales; Business Services Centre Information Management and Technology element; Corporate Health Information Programme and the Primary Care Informatics Programme. NWIS brings together the strategic development of Information Communications Technology (ICT), the delivery of operational ICT services and information management. It has a national role to support NHS Wales and make better use of skills and resources. View NWIS strategy documents. An archive of Informing Healthcare publications is also available.

E-libraries and knowledge networks

England: NHS Evidence
The creation of NHS Evidence was announced in June 2008 as part of the High Quality Care for All report from Lord Darzi. The NHS Evidence service aims to provide easy access to a comprehensive evidence base for everyone in health and social care who takes decisions about treatments or the use of resources. NHS Evidence provides access to: an A-Z of topics; journals and databases; NICE pathways; accreditation; public health evidence and QIPP (Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP).

Northern Ireland: Health on the net Northern Ireland (HONNI)
Health on the Net Northern Ireland (HONNI) is a gateway to health information provided by the Medical Library at Queen's University, Belfast. The website provides access to online databases, electronic journals, health care subject gateways and search engines, organisations and associations, general search engines, resource guides and tutorials. An Athens username and password is required in order to access most of these resources from any location. Details of eligibility and how to obtain this are on the website.

Scotland: The Knowledge Network
Formerly NHS Scotland's eLibrary, the Knowledge Network is Scotland's source of knowledge for health and care. The network offers a wide range of resources and services to help users find and share knowledge. It supports evidence-based practice, communication and collaboration by  communities, and access to e-Learning.

Wales: NHS Wales e-library for health
The NHS Wales e-library allows access to a range of resources including databases, evidence based resources, guidelines, ejournals and ebooks. There is a site map and an A-Z list guiding users to the full extent of resources available. Authorised NHS Wales users will need to register for an Athens password in order to use these. Details of how to register for this are on the website.

Information and intelligence services

Dr Foster Intelligence
Dr Foster Intelligence aims to improve the quality and efficiency of health and social care through improved use of information. It is a partnership between the Health and Social Care Information Centre (an NHS Special Health Authority) and Dr Foster, a commercial provider of health care information. The website provides access to a range of products and services including web-based tools, success stories and reports.

Health in Wales
This website is an outcome of a Patient and Carer Empowerment (PCE) project commissioned by Informing Healthcare for the Welsh Assembly Government to enable people in Wales to become far more involved in their health. It aims to provide the people of Wales, including NHS staff, academia, media and partner organisations, with access to links to information from the NHS in Wales and its partner organisations, about the health of the population of Wales, and health and social care services provided by NHS Wales. The website is theme-based with a focus on topics like major health conditions, lifestyles and population groups.

ISD Scotland
Information Services Division (ISD) is Scotland's national organisation for health information, statistics and IT services. ISD provides support to NHSScotland and the Scottish Executive Health Department.

NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre
The Health and Social Care Information Centre was set up in 2005 to co-ordinate and streamline the collection and sharing of health and adult social care data. The Information Centre sets standards for best practice between service users and those who are interested in reports on NHS performance. These include the public and regulatory bodies such as the Healthcare Commission.

NHS Inform
NHS Inform is a national health information service for Scotland providing a coordinated approach and a single source of quality assured health information.

NHS Wales Informatics Service
This service was established in April 2010, as part of the healthcare reform programme, and unites: Health Solutions Wales; Business Services Centre Information Management and Technology element; Corporate Health Information Programme and and the Primary Care Informatics Programme. It brings together the strategic development of Information Communications Technology (ICT), the delivery of operational ICT services and information management. It has a national remit to support NHS Wales and make better use of scarce skills and resources.