This report summarises the deliberations and recommendations of a Joint Working Group established in September 2010 by the Department of Health Informatics Directorate in England. Its remit was to examine matters in relation to the development of Electronic Health Records and recommend how professional requirements and leadership could best support the development of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in line with national policy.
The Group met on six occasions and was chaired by Dr Charles Gutteridge, the National Clinical Director for Informatics. Membership of the JWG included representatives from health (medicine, nursing and AHP) and social care.
- The JWG recommends the establishment of a Professional Record Standards Development Body (PRDSB) that would lead the development and professional assurance of clinical record standards across all specialties and clinical disciplines. The standards will provide the foundation upon which to base the collection, storage, communication, aggregation and reuse of structured clinical information across organisational boundaries throughout health and social care.
- The JWG recommends that an interim body is appointed under the auspices of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges with the task of establishing the final structure, governance and funding of the PRSDB.