Community health services discovery report
Overview
There are over 800 community healthcare providers in the UK, including NHS trusts, Community Interest Companies (CICs), voluntary services, and private providers. The sector has historically faced underinvestment in digital infrastructure, making it extremely difficult to provide integrated care effectively.
A digital team, part of the Community Transformation Programme, was set up to help with digital transformation projects across the NHS in England. Their goal is to help community health services make the most of digital technology, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The main principles include valuing the experiences of patients and staff, recognising the need to address health inequalities and increase digital inclusion at the same time as helping organisations adapt to change.
Project overview
In August 2023, the PRSB (Professional Record Standards Body) was commissioned to review information standards within community healthcare services. The aim was to identify the necessary information standards for supporting direct care within community healthcare services by addressing the following key points:
- identifying universal and service-specific information standards
- pinpointing gaps
- prioritising new standards.
Consultations with front line staff and the public revealed significant challenges in accessing up-to-date, patient-centred information, particularly at the frontline of care.
Despite some existing standards, they often fell short in meeting the specific needs of community health services. A notable gap identified was the absence of a standardised community health services care record, hindering effective information sharing and care coordination.
Recommendations
Following PRSB consultation, addressing the lack of shared information emerged as the top concern for stakeholders. Suggestions include supporting shared care records and developing community care record systems to improve information exchange.
Recommendations also include creating a roadmap for implementing standards in community health care services, using existing standards like the Core Information Standard, and incorporating care assessments and specialist clinical standards such as for diabetes. Also extending technical standards like GP Connect and UK Core FHIR specifications to community care records should be included in implementation plans. Tailored guidance for system suppliers and comprehensive support packages for care providers are also proposed to help with implementation.
Additionally, recommendations include standardising patient engagement portals and aligning the community services dataset with selected standards. Follow-up actions are advised to address survey responses related to local data sharing and standards development.
If acted upon, these recommendations would foster a cohesive and efficient healthcare information-sharing ecosystem between community services and other services in other care settings.
