NHS Digital has published a set of information standards, developed by the Professional Record Standards Body, to encourage the integration of health and social care.
They cover five areas to ensure important personal details will be recorded and shared with care teams, and non-medical information can be included such as a photo and details about a how a person usually behaves when in good health.
This is aimed at providing professionals with a better understanding of the person.
The standards cover:
- ‘about me’ personal details as requested;
- health care information shared in care homes;
- information shared by local authorities;
- referrals for community assessments for care and support after a hospital stay;
- urgent information needed when a person is transferred to hospital from a care home.
James Palmer, head of the Social Care Programme at NHS Digital, said: “The development of these standards marks a major step forward for social care, supporting better care for service users and wider use of shared digital records across the UK.
“Several areas across the UK have already begun implementing the standards, resulting in improvements to wellbeing and health and care. The learning from these pilots will be shared across the country."
The development of the standards is part of NHS Digital’s Digital Social Care Pathfinders Programme, in which funding to roll out local digital projects has been awarded to 16 organisations which provide and commission adult social care services.
It said that more than 1,000 people, including frontline health workers, patients and carers, helped to develop the standards.
Image from iStock, Slobodan Vasic
