Information Governance

Streamlining access to appropriate healthcare data to meet research and industry needs.

Since it was set up, IHDP has been stimulating national debate on the challenges of Information Governance (IG) in the healthcare sector and ways to overcome them.

The recent increase in healthcare data collection and technical advances in data handling present opportunities for more efficient access to, and sharing of, clinical data. However, ensuring that the data is used appropriately, securely and legally, is a challenge. A robust and proportionate Information Governance strategy is key. This approach will protect the privacy and confidentiality rights of patients without hindering research and innovations by academia, industry and the third sector. 

Working with stakeholders, IHDP’s goal is to define a clear vision for Scotland’s future approach to Information Governance, so that healthcare data can be used to improve the quality of patient care and patient outcomes.

Organisations such as Understanding Patient Data and Use My Data support IHDP’s efforts by enabling clarity in these areas. By engaging with the public, patients and healthcare professionals, they strive to build confidence in the use of health and care data. They highlight the many benefits that appropriate usage of healthcare data can make to save lives and improve care for all.

Information Governance Case Studies

To aid the ongoing review of Information Governance processes within NHS Scotland, IHDP, in partnership with Cancer Research UK (CRUK), collected diverse case studies. These case studies came from a wide range of academics and clinicians who access, use and share cancer data, and from those controlling this data.

2016 Information Governance Summit

In 2016, IHDP hosted an Information Governance summit. This brought together a varied group of healthcare professionals at different hierarchy levels. The participants considered the legal, ethical, technical and clinical challenges of data sharing.

IHDP continues to work with key stakeholders on a “Once for Scotland” approach that will ensure that Information Governance in Scotland is an enabler of excellent patient care and research, rather than a barrier to it.