Health informatics is the name given to the way in which information is acquired, stored and retrieved in the delivery of healthcare, and the information technologies used to support this.  Health informatics plays an important part in supporting NHS services.

Within an aligned informatics strategic framework - implement ‘pathway based’ technologies that; supports and informs clinical decision making; enables care closer to home; facilitates, flexible mobile working; and reduces demand on hospital services.

We lead, support and assure the use of health informatics to improve the wellbeing of people being cared for in the north east.  Our aim is to introduce technology that improves the quality of care and treatment, the experience of patients and makes the best use of NHS resources.
 
Health informatics is important in delivering some of the key objectives in our three regional strategies; Better health, fairer health, Our vision, our future; and Safer care north east.

In the north east, we are committed to being the region of ‘excellence’ for health informatics engagement, innovation and delivery.  We want to make best use of technology to always make sure that patients across the north east can be sure of our commitment to manage with care the information they share with us.

We work closely with the four local health communities in the north east to deliver their plans for health informatics by providing them with strategic direction and assurance.  The local health communities in the north east cover the following areas:

• Durham and Darlington
• North of Tyne
• South of Tyne and Wear
• Tees

Our objectives for health informatics are to deliver robust, integrated and collaborative information systems and to support people operating those systems.  We will support local health communities to introduce the right technical infrastructure and information governance procedures.  Our emphasis is on developing health informatics which meets our needs now and in the future. 

We also work closely with colleagues in other strategic health authorities and the Department of Health to deliver on health informatics technologies being made available under the National Programme for IT (NPfIT).   The national programme is an essential element in delivering the NHS plan and will improve patient care by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of clinicians and other NHS staff.   

Working in partnership with the four local health communities, we are introducing solutions that fully put the patient at the centre of all that we do whilst making sure we offer support with new information technologies.

Whilst the introduction of some new technologies are unique to organisations in the north east, many form part of a nationwide health informatics programme. 

The aim of the health informatics programme is to provide better information leading to better health and care for every patient.  It is changing the way information flows around the health service, making it possible to deliver faster, safer and more convenient patient care. At the same time it is giving patients the information they need to look after their own health.

In the north east we have succesfully introduced:

• the NHS care records service including the summary care record and the detailed care record
• choose and book  
• the electronic prescription service 
• picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) that provide digital scan images
• a new national electronic communications network called N3
• quality management and analysis system (QMAS) providing GPs with feedback on the quality of care 
• a secure email system, NHSmail.

To find out more about what heath informatics programmes and projects have taken place in your area and the benefits they're bringing to healthcare providers and patients visit our interactive health informatcs benefits map.

If you would like to find out more about health informatics in the north east, please contact us at ne.regionwideteam@nhs.net   You can also sign up to receive our quarterly update Newslink.

There are lots of opportunities for a career in health informatics such as a 14 – 19 diploma in Information Technology; health informatics related apprenticeships; and degrees in health informatics.

The biz is a website that has been developed to create a single, easily accessible resource for planning, business case development and benefits management for all staff involved in informatics enabled change and investment programmes.  This site is currently only accessible by people working in organisations with an N3 connection.