Public agencies in the Outer Hebrides are embarking on a new initiative to share information electronically, with patients’ and clients’ consent, to provide better and more responsive services.

The Outer Hebrides is acting as a pathfinder for similar initiatives across the whole of Scotland.

The project is being driven by the Outer Hebrides Data Sharing Partnership which has representation from NHS Western Isles, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Northern Constabulary and the local voluntary sector. Scottish Government policies are guiding the work, both locally and across Scotland, and the Scottish Government is providing significant assistance.

The immediate achievements are to share information to:-

• Enable Social Work practitioners to see that their client is a patient of NHS Western Isles, and provide contact details of the health practitioners working with their client.
  This information will enable practitioners to work more closely together in providing services to our citizens.
• Provide messages to health practitioners about Child Protection activities as they are progressed by Social Work. For example, to electronically inform a District Nurse that the child they are currently seeing is subject to a Child Protection investigation, or is on the Child Protection Register.
• This means that health practitioners will be better informed, and able to deal more sensitively with the children and families with whom they work.

Later, in April 2008, it is hoped to share Single Shared Assessments for adults electronically  where patients and clients have consented for these to be shared.

This will mean that practitioners will have a more up-to-date picture of the most recent assessments for their patients and clients.

There are strict safeguards about sharing information. No information will be shared, either electronically or through more ‘traditional’ means, unless the patient or client has given their informed consent for this to happen. The only exceptions to this will be where there is a statutory obligation to share information, even in the absence of consent. Child Protection is one example of this.

The Outer Hebrides Data Sharing Partnership will move on from these immediate aims to share more information about patients and clients. This will be governed by local priorities and Scottish Government policies, and will remain subject to the safeguards detailed above.

If you want to know more about Data Sharing, please contact:-

• Maggie.Fraser@wihb.scot.nhs.uk 01851 708060 (NHS Western Isles), or
• nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk 01851 709389 (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar)

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk