Film to raise awareness of use of NHS patient data

A new animated video has been developed by NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre to raise awareness of how patient data are set to be collected and used to help improve care for all.

The video, entitled Better Information Means Better Care, accompanies a leaflet of the same name that is currently being delivered to every household in England.

These materials are part of a range of awareness-raising work by NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre to support GPs in ensuring their patients know about how data are used and the choices available to patients.

For decades, the NHS has been using information from health records for purposes other than providing direct care, for example to support research and to help plan new health services.

The animation presents a simple way for GPs and other NHS staff to explain why NHS England need to upgrade their systems to collect information that is missing at the moment. By incorporating this missing information, they will obtain a more rounded picture of the quality of care across the NHS and social care.

For further information visit www.england.nhs.uk/2014/01/23/patient-data-2.

To view the film visit www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/tsd/care-data.