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9 November 2011 | Angeline
Albert
The Department of Health (DH) plans to make its data more transparent and available to help
NHS trusts buy IT more effectively.
As part of initiatives announced yesterday, DH will make more information, such
as a supplier database, available to NHS commissioners and trusts to ensure
their local IT buying decisions deliver greater value for money.
A joint initiative with eHealthInsider (EHI)
will give local commissioners and trusts access to data about IT systems and
suppliers used across the NHS. Accessible via the EHI website,
it enables trusts to add their feedback and rate IT suppliers and systems’
performance. Italso gives details of IT systems’ adherence to NHS
standards (published on the Information Standards Boardwebsite).
The department also
announced that raw data about systems will be published on the Connecting for Health website and data.gov.uk to allow third parties to develop
aids such as smartphone apps. Intellect, the trade
organisation for IT suppliers, is working with the department to develop such
initiatives.
DH is also working
with the Government Procurement Service on a pan-government supplier
information database (SID4GOV) to enable better
evaluation and purchase of IT systems.
Katie Davis,
managing director of informatics at DH, said: “We are
committed to providing the NHS with the insight it needs to take the right
decisions in sourcing systems in the future. By making our own core information
on our use of IT available for others to add their own expert insight and
value, we have made a major step forward in providing the necessary information
– for free – to all NHS customers.”
