Website of the Department of Health

Update February 2001

Introduction

This paper provides a brief update of progress on work to develop the children's and adults core data sets.

Children's social services core information requirements

Work on the children's services information requirements has been taken forward under the umbrella of the Quality Protects Management Information Systems project. A substantive document was developed and issued for consultation last October. This documentation included a description of the processes involved in the provision of children's services (the process model), the information required to support those processes (the data model) and a glossary of terms. Consultation ended on 15 January and comments are now being collated. The intention is to update the document and release it in final form, probably in May.

Feedback from the consultation was very positive. The development of the model was welcomed.

Adults/older people's social services core information requirements

Plans to take forward work on the development of the adult core data set were discussed at the last meeting of the group. Unfortunately other pressures have meant that this work has not progressed and is only now getting under way. A project team has been established and a series of workshops to develop the process and data models is being arranged for late February/early March. The development of the model will follow a similar pattern to the children's model and will in fact take the outputs from the children's work as a starting point.

The intention is that a first cut of the adult/elderly social services core information requirements documentation will be released for consultation in May.

Links with mental health and older peoples information strategy developments

The Mental Health Information Strategy (MHIS) includes proposals for development of a minimum data sets. Early indications from discussions around the formulation of the Information Strategy for Older People (ISOP) indicate similar developments. The intention is that the development of these data sets be taken forward jointly. The workshop groups being set up for development of the adults/older peoples documentation referred to above will hopefully include both MHIS and ISOP representatives. Involvement with these two strategies will also help to ensure that interface issues will be addressed.

Implementation plans

One if the areas identified in the call for proposals for the Information for Social Care demonstrator projects is the implementation of the core data sets at local level.

Hopefully, some demonstrator work will be undertaken in this area and lead to the development of guidance for all authorities to follow in implementing the core data sets, probably over a two to three year period. This would enable authorities to achieve the e-Government targets of having records accessible in electronic form by 2004.

For further information contact the Social Care Information Strategy, Planning and Development team on 020 7972 5601 or email Info.SC@doh.gsi.gov.uk

February 2001