Improving patient safety by bringing private healthcare and NHS information together into NHS systems

Overview

30 March 2020: Update: Closing date extended to 22 May 2020

Historically, private healthcare providers in the UK have been excluded from the majority of national quality and safety reporting systems. This has resulted in the measurement of private care being largely invisible to the public and not comparable with NHS hospitals due to the absence of a common set of data standards.

Set against the backdrop of increasing overlap between private and NHS healthcare together with some well publicised recent incidents of private clinical malpractice, there is a clear need for greater transparency in clinical oversight, regulation, and patient choice.

The Acute Data Alignment Programme (ADAPt) has been initiated between NHS Digital and the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) to explore how data collected by PHIN from UK private healthcare providers could be aligned to NHS data standards and integrated into relevant NHS quality and safety reporting systems.

These proposals will also support one of the key recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson, namely the creation of a single repository of the whole practice of consultants across England.

This consultation and its associated survey relate to the first set of changes required to support the objectives of the Programme and are described in more detail in the attached Change Proposal document. We expect this survey will take no more than 20 minutes to complete but will vary depending on the level of detail in your response.

Why your views matter

We are proposing to make changes in how and with whom private healthcare data is collected and shared. This will involve trialling the suitability of existing NHS systems for the collection of private healthcare data and bringing it into line with the standards, processes and systems used for NHS funded care.

These proposed changes are based on feedback the ADAPt programme has already received from a wide range of stakeholders. Wider insight from private and NHS healthcare providers, clinicians, the public and other key stakeholders is now welcomed as part of this consultation to ensure that we address any significant issues and concerns which could prevent the successful implementation of these changes.
 

What happens next

These proposed changes are based on feedback the ADAPt programme has already received from a wide range of stakeholders.

Wider insight from private and NHS healthcare providers, clinicians, the public and other key stakeholders which we expect to receive as part of this  consultation will be used to ensure that we address any significant issues and concerns which could prevent the successful implementation of these changes.