Making Data Work

A national approach to healthcare data use.

IHDP is helping to establish national consensus over the types of data that should be collected and linked to improve the treatment and care of cancer patients.

Using healthcare data to improve patient outcomes requires datasets to be accessed easily and securely, and integrated with others so that meaningful analysis can be carried out in a timely manner.

IHDP engages with stakeholders in the cancer sector and digital technologists to reach a national, evidence-based consensus on the best way to use healthcare data. This will provide a better understanding of how data is collected and managed. By bringing data sets together in interoperable systems that meet the needs of patients and clinicians, IHDP is contributing to the delivery of consistent and continuously improving cancer care in Scotland.

IHDP is working on projects that aim to improve the flow of cancer data and aid multidisciplinary team (MDT) working, patient tracking and after-treatment care. The methodology and systems that are being developed are already being applied in the area of rare diseases, and could be applied to other clinical areas in the future.

Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams

IHDP and Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Network establish a working group to develop clinical consensus for key data items required for referral to specialist treatment.

Implementing Treatment Summaries across Scotland

IHDP has brought together key stakeholders to determine what information should be included in cancer Treatment Summaries across Scotland.

Defining a Primary Care Cancer Dataset

The Scottish Cancer Registry and Intelligence Service (SCRIS) is currently considering what data held in primary care could usefully be incorporated into SCRIS to enhance the overall picture of cancer care in Scotland.