IT institute issues tender for healthcare records guidance

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) has joined forces with the Department of Health Informatics Directorate (DHID) to develop clear and easy-to-follow guidance for patients and the public on the subject of health and social care records.

The project will provide patients with advice on how to look after the health and social care records and other sensitive personal data they are creating or that providers are sharing with them. The guidance is intended to support the increasing number of patients accessing their records online and those making use of the growing number of online services to store and share personal health and care data.

Dr Justin Whatling, vice chairman for strategy and policy at BCS, said: “We are very excited about this project and we are glad to have the support of the DHID. In our recent response to the Department of Health's Liberating the NHS, An Information Revolution document, we concluded that to become equal partners in their healthcare, patients will require greater access and control over their records. We identified the need to develop clear and simple guidance on how to use shared and patient controlled records effectively and securely.”

BCS is now inviting individuals or organisations to tender for the contract to carry out this work. Further information about the tender process can be found by clicking here.