Contents
1 Introduction
Information standards notices (ISNs) are published by the data alliance partnership board (DAPB) (previously data coordination board (DCB)). A dedicated team within NHS Digital provides continuous assurance of standards and the submission of ideas and proposals for change.
An ISN defines technical criteria, content, methods, processes and practices for mandatory implementation across health and social care in England. An information standard describes a common way of managing information. For example, the NHS Number information standard specifies that patients’ medical records should be identified by a single, nationally unique number. Other information standards define how payments are made to hospitals for treating patients.
ISNs are also released via the department of health gateway process and may therefore be received by members of the organisation other than those registered for direct emailing by the DAPB and are available from the following URL, information standards and data collections (including extractions) NHS Digital (opens in new window)
2 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a process which allows the organisation to follow the correct course of action on receipt of an information standards notification.
3 Scope
This policy applies to Information Staff nominated to be in receipt of ISNs.
This document applies to and is relevant across the following services, departments, or care groups:
- heads of service in the organisation in the service area(s) to which a specific ISN may relate
Responsibilities, accountabilities and duties
It is the responsibility of heads of service in areas affected by ISNs to adhere to this policy and its procedures and ensure that all criteria in the ISN are implemented to the required timescales. It is the duty of any nominated Information staff to receive and process ISNs and ensure that the policy and procedures in this document are followed.
5 Procedure or implementation
On receipt of the ISN, the nominated member of the Information staff should email a copy to the BI report development manager including a brief assessment on whether it needs to be implemented within the organisation, in which service areas and a summary of the main points. Each ISN contains a brief description of the standard and who it applies to. This allows any that do not apply to be easily filtered out. Each ISN should be taken to the information management change control panel (IMCCP) meeting to consider what actions need to be taken and by whom.
If the ISN does apply a copy should be emailed to all relevant areas of the organisation. This provides them with an opportunity to estimate the likely impact and to determine where there is the possibility of a challenge to implementation, IT system changes, a change to business processes and or data capture, a requirement for training plan or guidance is needed.
Implementation may vary from one individual making a minor change to one system to a large project involving multiple systems and many departments. Involvement of System suppliers may also be required therefore the relevant staff should liaise with the supplier and establish timescales in accordance with the ISN.
The standard should be implemented by the timescales given within the specification provided by the DAPB. However there maybe cases where this is not possible. In such instances these should be documented and communicated to the manager responsible for implementation and or data capture and escalated to a senior management level.
In some cases the change or the process of change could introduce risks to the organisation, although usually the standard will be aiming to minimise these. The organisation’s clinical systems manager may need to be consulted should there be any doubt about the change of process, hardware, or software. Similarly if the security of the organisation is implicated in any of the changes the Information governance manager should be involved throughout the change.
Where there are significant process changes needed a formal structured change management process might be considered, requiring the identification of a change lead.
Often ISNs introduce a change to wording, definition or a process affecting a small team. Such changes can usually be handled by emails or by a briefing to those staff affected by the changes. However larger changes may involve the need for training and this resource must be scheduled in when establishing the timescales for implementation.
Conformance criteria are specified within the ISN documentation. These criteria should be formally measured or documented at the end of the project to confirm it has been completed successfully.
6 Training implications
Awareness of the policy and the actions that need to be taken by relevant Informatics staff will be given at the member of staff’s local induction.
6.1 Health informatics business analyst
- How often should this be undertaken: Induction.
- Length of training: 30 Mins.
- Delivery method: Face to face or Teams.
- Training delivered by whom: BI report development manager.
- Where are the records of attendance held: Personal file.
As a trust policy, all staff need to be aware of the key points that the policy covers. Staff can be made aware through a variety of means such as:
- continuous professional development sessions
- daily email (sent Monday to Friday)
- group supervision
- intranet
- local induction
- one to one meetings or supervision
- posters
- practice development days
- special meetings
- team meetings
- all user emails for urgent messages
7 Monitoring arrangements
7.1 Standards or collections information standards notices
- How: Data Alliance Partnership Board NHS Digital (opens in new window).
- Who by: Health informatics.
- Reported to: BI report development manager.
- Frequency: Monthly.
8 Equality impact assessment screening
To access the equality impact assessment for this policy, please email rdash.equalityanddiversity@nhs.net to request the document.
8.1 Privacy, dignity and respect
The NHS Constitution states that all patients should feel that their privacy and dignity are respected while they are in hospital. High Quality Care for All (2008), Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, identifies the need to organise care around the individual, ‘not just clinically but in terms of dignity and respect’.
As a consequence the trust is required to articulate its intent to deliver care with privacy and dignity that treats all service users with respect. Therefore, all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant, to reflect the requirement to treat everyone with privacy, dignity and respect, (when appropriate this should also include how same sex accommodation is provided).
8.1.1 How this will be met
No issues have been identified in relation to this policy.
8.2 Mental Capacity Act (2005)
Central to any aspect of care delivered to adults and young people aged 16 years or over will be the consideration of the individuals’ capacity to participate in the decision-making process. Consequently, no intervention should be carried out without either the individual’s informed consent, or the powers included in a legal framework, or by order of the court.
Therefore, the trust is required to make sure that all staff working with individuals who use our service are familiar with the provisions within the Mental Capacity Act (2005). For this reason all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant to reflect the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) to ensure that the rights of individual are protected and they are supported to make their own decisions where possible and that any decisions made on their behalf when they lack capacity are made in their best interests and least restrictive of their rights and freedoms.
8.2.1 How this will be met
All individuals involved in the implementation of this policy should do so in accordance with the guiding principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (section 1).
9 Links to any associated documents
10 References
Further information about the DAPB can be found at
11 Appendices
11.1 Appendix A Definitions explanations of terms used
Acronym | Long form |
---|---|
BI | Business intelligence |
DAPB | Data alliance partnership board |
DCB | Data coordination board |
IMCCP | Information management change control panel |
ISN | Information standards notice |
NHSD | NHS digital |
Document control
- Version: 5.
- Unique reference number: 269.
- Approved by: Digital transformation CLE group.
- Date approved: 8 October 2024.
- Name of originator or author: Business intelligence report development manager.
- Name of responsible committee or individual: Director of informatics.
- Date issued: 9 October 2024.
- Review date: 31 October 2027.
- Target audience: Health informatics.
Page last reviewed: January 17, 2025
Next review due: January 17, 2026
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