Information Group

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Membership

• Dr David Phillips Co-chair BASHH
• Dr Evelyn Kerr Co-chair FRSH
• Dr Jonathan Shaw BASHH Rep. & EPR lead
• Dr Nathan Acladius FSRH Rep.
• Dr Darren Cousins BASHH Rep. Wales
• Mr Howard Gees BASHH Rep.
• Dr Susannah Hall FSRH Rep.
• Dr Asha Kasliwal FSRH Rep.
• Dr Usha Kumar FSRH Rep.
• Dr Rona MacDonald BASHH Rep. Scotland
• Dr Anatole Menon-Johansson BASHH Rep.
• Dr Achyuta Nor BASHH Rep.
• Mr Cuong Chau UKHSA HARS
• Dr Hamish Mohammed UKHSA GUMCAD
• Mr Stephen Duffell UKHSA GUMCAD
• Ms Kate Thurland UKHSA
• Ms Helen Leake UKHSA
• Ms Helena Andrews OHID
• Ms Judith Ellison HSCIC
• Ms Sarah Freeman HSCIC
• Ms Kate Jervis Brook
• Mr Charles Hewitt Pathway Analytics

Observers from software companies

• Ms Shafeda Mohammed RIOMED
• Mr Thiyagarajan Jayaraman IMS
• Mr Iain Galloway IDCapture
• Mr Andrew Denman Inform Health
• Ms Cathy Butler IDOX
• Mr Colin Kowlessar RIOMED
• Ms Liz Lovell IMS

Objectives

• To recommend strategies for IT implementation, data collection and reporting for the spectrum of Sexual Health services (ranging from non-integrated services to fully integrated services).
• To liaise between DHSC, HSCIC, UKHSA and other agencies regarding information issues to achieve best outcomes for both patients, the public and public health.
• To advise on the type, quality and format of information to be collected from Sexual Health services for the purposes of national audit, public health monitoring and monitoring of service performance.
• To respond to relevant consultations affecting service provision, data collection and information governance in Sexual Health.
• To receive and respond to queries and concerns from members relating to IT and information governance, including data protection and confidentiality rules.
• To anticipate issues relating to IT and information governance from new legislation, commissioning or other changes that affect Sexual Health.
• To disseminate important information to BASHH/FSRH members via organisational websites/newsletters.

Significant activities / Outputs 2022-2023

• The Group met on 3 occasions during 2022-23
• The Group continued is work, responding to the Mpox virus outbreak by liaison with services and UKHSA to develop and rapidly deploy intuitive and practical Mpox activity, diagnostic and vaccination codes – expected to pave the way for accurate capture of epidemiology data, vaccine delivery and service provision aligned with tariff algorithms.
• The Group continued to work with DHSC and NHS Digital to produce the consensus statement for confidentiality in Sexual Health Services (following the lapse of the NHS STI regulations).
• The Group responded to numerous questions posed by BASHH members regarding data management, information governance and statutory reporting for sexual health services.
• The Group advised UKHSA on matters arising including GUMCAD and HARS
• The Sexual Health – EPR (Electronic Patient Record) working group finalised and launched the standardised specification for EPR.
• The group, and EPR working group, supported services impacted by the sudden closure of Mill Systems
• The EPR group concluded a national survey evaluating sexual healthcare practitioners’ experience of EPR systems, the result of which were presented at BASHH 2023 winning best Poster prize.

Future plans

• To continue to work closely with members of the FSRH, National Institute for Health Protection, UKHSA, DHSC, NHS Digital, software providers and others to ensure that we meet our objectives.
• To ensure the objectives and benefits of this Group incorporate relevant issues for all devolved nations of the UK.
• To be both pro-active and responsive to upcoming matters that affect data handling and Information Governance to produce and disseminate best practice advice to BASHH & FSRH members.
• To continue to review standard EPR specification and engage with all stakeholders to promote and iteratively develop it.
• To update and repeat the national EPR survey to draw on experiences and ideas across integrated sexual health services to drive change in the market and iterate the specification