Standards Partner Scheme

An alliance with the UK health and care tech sector

Join the movement to accelerate the adoption and meaningful use of standards
Get in touch

BECOME A PARTNER FOR INTEGRATED CARE

Stand out from the crowd – the Standards Partnership Scheme recognises vendors who are committed to best practice and convergence with user led standards. Our Partners will be sending a strong signal to customers and investors that they are at the forefront of the drive towards interoperability in care. Find out more about the Quality Partner Scheme here

The authority on professional standards

PRSB standards are widely recognised as the definitive source of information that supports both excellence in care. Link to our network representing more than 2.5million front-line professionals and groups representing the interests of the public.

Supported by leaders

The Standards Partnership Scheme has support from system leaders in the NHS and social care. Our assessments will become widely accepted and valued by customers, regulators and the wider system.

Partners and Quality Partners

As a Partner you can demonstrate your higher commitment to standards through assessment as a Quality Partner. Providing objective, categorical evidence of your level of achievement as assessed by the experts. See our current partners here.

The Quality Partner mark is widely recognised as an independent assessment of conformance with standards – a common currency understood by all stakeholders. The experts who lead on the development of standards will advise you on what the standard means and how it should be used to deliver improvement in care.

Conformance

An independent review by experts of your product’s conformance to PRSB standards.

Assessments

A verified statement that enables your customers to assess how well your level of conformance with a standard fits their needs.

Mutual learning

Learn from the experts and feed back where standards need to change.

'Best in class'

Feedback and practical suggestions for improvements to help you achieve ‘best in class’.

Quality mark

Use of the Quality Partner logo – a hallmark of excellence.

Networking

Participation in a network at the forefront of the movement and leadership to accelerate use of standards to improve health and care.

If your organisation is not yet ready to begin conformance testing for Quality Partner status, you are still able to benefit from our Standards Partnership Scheme as a PRSB Partner. You will have access to the following features and when the time is right you can take the next step to begin your conformance assessment.

Access to the inside track on standards development plans and national developments.

The chance to have your say and influence standards and strategic priorities.

A responsive advice and guidance service.

Workshops and standards masterclasses from experts.

Bi-annual briefings on our standards development route map.

Use of the PRSB Partner badge - a pledge to your commitment to standards.

FEATURES

The Standards Partnership Scheme offers targeted, practical support curated to meet the needs of vendors whether you choose the Partner or Quality Partner options.

Access to PRSB standards and guidance and responsive support service
Attend topic webinars/standards masterclasses
Influence standards through preferential access to standards consultation events and vendor webinars​
Bi-annual briefings on standards development plan and route map, (inter)national insights
Use of PRSB Partner logo on your website, listed on our web site, for use in correspondence and advertising
Regular Partner briefing bulletin​
Recognition in newsletters, promotional materials and case studies
Participation in a community of implementors, sharing learning and best practice
Assessment of PRSB standards conformance
PRSB verified conformance statement
Quality report from assessment of standard conformance and organisational best practice
Use of PRSB Quality Mark to demonstrate standards conformance and organisational best practice

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The information record standards and the associated documents and guidance have been produced by the Professional Record Standards Body. The PRSB is a UK-wide, not-for-profit organisation established by the Department of Health and the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges.

We encourage their use by commercial vendors to develop digital software applications that provide health and care solutions. The standards should not be used without permission for commercial gain by third party professional services business. The intellectual property remains with the PRSB and its commissioners.

There is a link to the easy to fill in register your interest form on this website. Or you can email us at partners@theprsb.org to arrange to speak directly to one of our team to find out more.

The Standards Partnership Scheme is open to system vendors in the healthtech sector and the scheme can flexibly meet the needs of all organisations, regardless of size or level of digital maturity. PRSB will launch a similar scheme for local organisations shortly.

Fees are designed to be fair, good value for money and accessible to all types of vendor. Our fees start at £750 per annum and are reflective of the size of organisations and the value delivered.

We are planning to launch our local organisation membership scheme in the next few months.  Register your interest at partners@theprsb.org and let us know if you are interested in working with us as an early adopter.

By local organisation we mean an individual NHS, social care or private sector provider or a health and care system such as integrated care systems (ICSs).

The scheme is designed to be flexible and accessible to all types and sizes or organisation.  If you would like to understand more and how it could benefit your organisation, get in touch.

We are starting simply and will test conformance with the information model, cardinality, value sets and business rules. We are not at this stage testing interoperability or wider considerations of usability but we expect the scheme to evolve in co-production with our partners.

PRSB standards do indeed define best practice – some organisations are already demonstrating full conformance and this is what we should all be aiming for, However we recognise that the system needs to mature and our aim is to encourage improvement. We are therefore setting a bar that represents a safe and clinically beneficial level of attainment. Over time we expect that bar to move up.

PRSB develop standards with input from the health and care professionals that use them.  We are experts in understanding what the standard is for and how it can be used most effectively and we will share our expertise for your benefit.  Our scheme is also rigorous, robust and independent – much more than a self-assessment and trusted by all stakeholders because of our reputation for quality and has the backing of our members.

The DTAC is assessment criteria for assessing health apps in various dimensions such as data security and usability but at present this does not include against specified information content such as specific information standards. PRSB’s scheme is about assessing conformance with specific information standards. There is a linkage however and in the future, and we would anticipate greater convergence in the future as the information content of standards becomes more aligned.

WHO WE WORK WITH

PRSB is an independent membership organisation whose members represent 2.5 million frontline health and care professionals and people who use health and care services across the UK. Our standards represent the collective views of our members about the information needed to provide high quality health and care. Our members and organisations we work with include system leaders in the NHS and social care such as…

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT PRSB PARTNERS

Prof Maureen Baker, PRSB Chair

"Standards are no use unless they are used. The launch of our scheme is a landmark point in joining the forces of our unparalleled network of health and care professions and people with system vendors who are crucial to delivering transformation in care"

David Turner, CTO at NHSX

“At NHSX we work closely with the PRSB and other partners to drive the adoption of standards to support better care and improved interoperability. This new partnership scheme is an important contribution to developing a truly joined up health and care system. Now is the time for vendors, clinicians, social care workers to join forces and adopt standards for a future focused on better, safer and more integrated health and care.”

Jonathan Papworth, Person Centred Software

"There is nothing better for software providers than a clear specification of the work needed to meet an objective, and PRSB is proving key in providing the specification for interoperability."

Find out more

Contact us at partners@theprsb.org and we can arrange to talk with you, or complete the form to register your interest and we’ll be in touch with more information about the Quality Partner Scheme.