03.05.16
Revealed: Department of Health seeks to cut £50m data collection burden
Collecting data in the health and social care system needs to be made simpler, the Department of Health has said as it published a paper showing that it cost £50.7m and 65,131 working days last year.
The department’s Data Reduction plan was developed in response to a concordat signed by the department and arm’s length bodies, following recommendations from the NHS Confederation, to secure a more collaborative and systematic approach to the collection of data in areas such as NHS performance.
The concordat requires the department and related bodies to collect data which is proportionate and with a clear business purpose, not duplicate other data collections, work through the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) as the national base for all data and review the need to collect the data regularly.
Areas where the Department of Health collect data include information on NHS estates (£906,998 and 3,336 days every year), monitoring cancelled operations (£10,963 and 48.16 days) and general practice and dental complaints (£299,122 and 800.2 days).
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an NHE columnist? If so, click here.