Health & Social Care Information Sharing - A Strategic Framework 2014-2020

Section 3 - Putting things into practice

The information sharing principles and activities outlined in the previous section are required to support safe and effective practice, on a routine basis. We need to move quickly from the theoretical and pilot stage into every day practice.

Information will need to be recorded electronically and in a consistent fashion. There is still a range of situations in which information is held and recorded on paper, so in those situations a shift is required. Effective recording underpins effective sharing.

Partnerships will follow different technology approaches based around the technology models outlined in section 2.5. The funding released by the ISB will support the activities outlined in agreed bids. Some areas have chosen their technology approach, while others have business analysis and requirements gathering activity to undertake, in order to determine what technology approach they will pursue to meet local needs.

Each set of business processes to be supported will have specific points at which information sharing is triggered. This will enable the episodic sharing of particular pieces of information, such as a care plan, assessment or wellbeing concern. In addition, the ability to draw together a view of information from sources beyond current agency or system boundaries will be enabled.

Defining a "generic" or "typical" scenario for sharing is quite challenging as things will vary in different localities, but the following gives an indication of the types of information that would be shared through the process:

Scenario - a complex discharge of Jimmy, aged 78 who has mobility problems, early onset dementia, and a past history of sexual offences