HC Deb 29 April 1998 vol 311 cc165-6W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce national standards for clinical and administration information held on NHS databases, and to encourage their operational interactivity. [39588]

Mr. Milburn

[holding answer 27 April 1998]: The White Paper "The New NHS— Modern, Dependable" emphasises the importance the Government attach to ensuring that the right information is made available to clinicians to support direct patient care. It also states that performance against the wider goals of improving health and healthcare outcomes, the quality and effectiveness of service, efficiency and access will be judged by greater use of comparative information.

We accept that the development and introduction of national standards for clinical and administrative information is an essential element in meeting these information needs of the new National Health Service. We are making further investments to build on the progress already made in collaboration with the health professions in establishing national standards covering data items, codes, and Electronic Data Interchange messages. Targets have been set in the White Paper which depend on the availability of such national standards. The new information management and technology strategy for the NHS which will shortly be published by the Department will set out in greater detail the information targets to be met and the steps being taken to ensure their delivery. These steps will embrace both the further enhancement of the definitions of national information standards and the expansion of the use of the NHS electronic superhighway. NHSnet, to ensure that consistent quality information can be shared and made available at the right time and right place with appropriate safeguarding of patients' confidentiality and privacy.