The Chair of the care.data Advisory Group, Ciarán Devane, invites you to participate in their second public discussion session about the work they are developing to inform and assure the programme known as ‘care.data’.

The NHS in England already has some of the best information and data systems in the world and our hospital episode statistics (HES) system has been collecting information about every hospital admission, nationwide, since the 1980s. However, they are currently missing information for most of the care provided outside of hospital, which means there is a gap in their knowledge. For example, they would like to know the average time taken – in every area of the country - between someone seeing their GP with bowel symptoms, to being diagnosed with colon cancer at the hospital. In order to know this, we need to link GP and hospital data.

The intention of the care.data programme is that the NHS will find out about the quality of care being provided in all GP practices, and how well GP practices and hospitals are working together to provide joined-up care for patients. By studying this information in formats that identify conditions but not people, analysts can check that patients are receiving safe care in every NHS setting.

The “care.data Advisory Group” is considering the questions and concerns being raised by all stakeholders - patients, the public, health professionals, NHS staff and others - and advising NHS England and the Health and Care Information Centre about what should be the potential solutions or ideas for amendments to the care.data programme.

Building on initial discussions with a range of interested parties in Peterborough in July, they are hosting a further discussion in London on the 6 September. They will examine the issues of interest to stakeholders and begin to refine potential solutions to address the concerns and issues of staff, patients and members of the public. This second advisory group session will share and build upon the findings of the first and will be used to shape the advisory group’s response and guidance on the future of care.data and the wider data sharing agenda.

More details about the care.data programme is available at www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/thenhs/records/healthrecords/pages/care-data.aspx.

Please note that:

• This event is for health bodies and organisations representing a wider constituency perspective. Separate consultation activities are taking place for individuals to express their view – for more information please visit www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/thenhs/records/healthrecords/pages/care-data.aspx.
• No expenses will be paid to those attending this event.