FAQs
On this page you will find answers to the most common questions we get asked about our work. Do you have a question that isn’t answered here? If so, please get in touch at info@theprsb.org.
Who decides the content of the standards?
The standards are developed through a review of existing standards and research, followed by wide consultation with health and care professionals, clinical systems and tech suppliers, and people across the four nations.
How do PRSB standards get reflected in systems and practice?
Suppliers or developers in care provider organisations use them to design and incorporate in their systems, so that health and care professionals and people themselves can then record, access and share the information with everyone using the same specification, and have the same understanding of what it means. Care provider organisations should ensure that clinical systems conform to the information standards when they are purchased.
What does “using” the standards mean in practice?
Using standards in practice means that health and care professionals, and people and their carers, can record or access the information needed for the best care and, where appropriate, it can be shared seamlessly and safely with other staff, other care settings and with people themselves, or their carers.
Doesn’t this just make more work for already stretched staff?
The standards are designed by health and care professionals, as well as people who use services. They are endorsed by professional and public bodies as good practice.
Health and care professionals already complete care records so this is not additional workload. The information standards are about ensuring that the information is recorded in a consistent, comprehensive way so it can be shared appropriately across the system. This will also mean that the same information will not need to be recorded multiple times.
Do we have to implement the standard fully in our system?
The standard represents best practice and is the goal we should all be aiming for over time. However, we recognise that that there is a level of compliance that is still safe and effective without being 100% conformant with the standard. This minimum level is defined as the ‘must haves’ and applies to both data items and business rules. The PRSB conformance Quality Mark can only be awarded to organisations that meeting this minimum level. We hope that both system suppliers and organisations providing care will continue to progress their journey towards best practice.
Does the data have to appear in my system in exactly the way it does in the standard?
No. The presentation of the data to the users of the system can be determined locally, based on local requirements. However, the conformance requirements of the standard and implementation guidance should be followed.
Why do I need the information record standard - isn't it just the FHIR profiles or APIs that I need?
The information record standard sets out what information is needed in a particular situation. The FHIR profiles or APIs set out how to send that information – we need the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ to be right for interoperability to be successfully achieved.
Using FHIR or an API as a proxy for the information content definition is problem
Our local system is not conformant with the standard, what can I do about that?
It will take time for all systems to become conformant with standards. However, appropriate levers and incentives will be put in place to help drive implementation and adoption of standards, such as making conformance a requirement of relevant procurement frameworks. PRSB is working with suppliers and local systems to facilitate the transition.
What role does the PRSB Core Information Standard play in shared care records?
Shared care records consolidate digital patient information from across health and care services to provide a single, holistic view of a person’s health history, facilitating integrated care across healthcare providers. The CIS defines a consistent set of structured information that should be available in all shared care records, enabling seamless communication across primary, secondary and community health and care settings.
The CIS underpins shared care records by ensuring the right data is available across different settings and between shared record services, improving the integration and quality of patient care.
How do the International Patient Summary (IPS) and PRSB’s Core Information Standard (CIS) relate?
The International Patient Summary (IPS) is a globally recognised specification designed to share essential patient information across borders, enabling safe care during both planned and emergency situations.
The Core Information Standard (CIS) supports shared care records across health and social care in the UK to capture consistent, comprehensive, person-centred information across local care settings. Though designed for different contexts, IPS and CIS complement each other. IPS offers a minimal dataset for cross-border care, while CIS provides a broader record for UK-wide care services. The CIS can be used to generate an IPS, enhancing global and local care coordination.
Can PRSB, openEHR, and HL7 FHIR work together?
Shared care records consolidate digital patient information from across health and care services to provide a single, holistic view of a person’s health history, facilitating integrated care across healthcare providers. The CIS defines a consistent set of structured information that should be available in all shared care records, enabling seamless communication across primary, secondary and community health and care settings.
The CIS underpins shared care records by ensuring the right data is available across different settings and between shared record services, improving the integration and quality of patient care.