NHS Digital has published a new standard to support the introduction of digital maternity records.
The national IT partner for health and cares services said the move is part of a national plan to improve maternity services and is aimed at ensuring that recorded information is consistent and can be shared more easily across English healthcare services’ digital systems.
Named the Maternity Record Standard, it has been developed by the Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB) and NHS Digital, with support from the Royal College of Physicians’ Health Informatics Unit. It has been informed by the views of midwives, obstetricians, mothers and other professionals, and builds on the Healthy Child Record standard, published by the PRSB in October 2017.
It provides guidance on sets of information including the patient’s medical history, examination findings, procedures, scan details, immunisations and family history. There is also supporting documentation including implementation guidance.
Dr Karen Selby, PRSB’s representative from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and clinical leader of the project, said: “Creating standards for digital exchange of health information is a significant step forward in supporting the work of the Maternity Transformation Programme.”
Nic Fox, director of primary and social care technology at NHS Digital, said: “The Maternity Record Standard will ensure consistent maternity records which will lay the foundation for interoperable exchange of information throughout the care pathway of the woman, regardless of location and systems in use.”
NHS Digital added that it will be working with regions and suppliers on the implementation of the standard and provide an information standards notice with which they will have six months to comply.
Image by Nevit Dilmen, CC BY-SA 3.0 through Wikimedia
