NHS Connecting for Health

NHS Connecting for Health is an agency of the U.K. Department of Health which is supporting the NHS to introduce new computer systems and services to help deliver better, safer care for patients. 

The new computer systems and services are together known as the National Programme for Information Technology in the NHS.  They will help the NHS to share high quality information effectively between teams and organisations.

This is needed because the NHS is changing the way it works.  The vision for the future is a more modern, efficient health service “designed around the patient” which gives patients more choice and control over their own health and care.

Sharing information effectively will mean that all those involved in the care of a patient will have secure access to up-to-date, accurate information for diagnosis, treatment and care.  This will be particularly useful out of hours, in an emergency and when the patient is away from home elsewhere in England. 

The new systems and services include:

  • NHS Care Records Service (NHS CRS) – a secure service that links patient information from different parts of the NHS electronically so authorised NHS staff and patients have the information they need to make care decisions.
  • Choose and Book - an electronic referral service, offering patients greater choice of hospital or clinic and more convenience in the date and time of their first outpatient appointment.
  • Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) – allowing a patient’s prescription to be sent electronically from their GP to the dispenser.  This makes prescribing and dispensing safer and more convenient for patients.
  • Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) – digital x-rays and scans available at the touch of a button for faster, more accurate diagnosis.
  • IT supporting GPs, including the Quality Management and Analysis System (QMAS), support for the Quality and Outcomes Framework and GP2GP record transfer, so health records can be transferred safely and efficiently when a patient changes practice.
  • National Network for the NHS (N3) - providing IT infrastructure and broadband connections to link IT systems so patient information can be shared between NHS organisations reliably and securely.
  • NHSmail – a secure email and directory service for the NHS, to enable staff to transfer patient information, swiftly, safely and efficiently.

OHT participation:

At the first OHT Board meeting, Ken Lunn described NHS's Data Standards and Products work - a focus area of its OHT contribution. He also presented a slide presentation on the HL7 tooling project charter - which was approved by the Board. This was updated at the second Board meeting.

Also at the second OHT Board meeting, NHS, along with IHTSDO and NEHTA, proposed a SNOMED CT Tooling project. See slides and charter.