A Learning Network focusing on data quality in prisons

Eastern & Yorkshire Region 2009

Data Quality Facilitators are being asked to support prison healthcare staff to improve the quality and accuracy of offender health records across England.

The work follows the Department of Health's decision to commission a project to install a national clinical IT system across the entire Prison Service.

With support from PRIMIS+, PCT staff working in several data quality teams in the Eastern and Yorkshire region have begun to meet regularly with the aim of ensuring that prison data meets the level of quality expected in general practice.

PRIMIS+ Learning Consultants Barbara Heyes and Angie Piesold did not have the experience of prison healthcare services to enable them to offer specific advice. Therefore they responded to requests for help by establishing a learning network to allow facilitators and others to share experiences and best practice.

Barbara explained: "Offenders have the same right to primary health care as anyone else. Therefore, they should have complete, accurate, relevant, accessible and timely records to support clinical decision making and ensure optimum clinical care.

"As with other sectors of healthcare, there may be some inconsistency in records from one prison to another. As many prisons are currently implementing new clinical systems, it's a good opportunity to review the requirements of both health and prison staff, and review the purpose and scope of offender electronic health records."

By utilising each other's knowledge and experience, and by including other appropriate PCT and prison staff, facilitators from Hull, Wakefield, County Durham and Darlington, North Yorkshire and York and Doncaster now hope to develop robust information management, data entry and reporting processes to support the development of high quality healthcare data in prisons.

Glenn Smith, Data Quality Officer at County Durham PCT, works with four prisons, although this number may increase. His role includes supporting information requirements for performance indicators, developing and standardising templates to ensure consistency across prisons and producing procedures to ensure that data is recorded correctly.

Glenn has welcomed the opportunity to discuss issues with others dealing with offender health records. He explained: "The prison specific network allows for the 'correct' people to attend and contribute to a more focused discussion. Being able to set the agenda ourselves is also of use as it allows for any specific issues that people have to be brought to the table for discussion."

Members of the network have already discussed specific PCT issues, prison health IT system requirements and prison health performance indicators. Further down the line the group also plans to discuss business change support, data quality and checking, templates, care plans, discharge planning and training for prison staff with the help of expert speakers.

Barbara said: "It's very early days and not all PCTs have facilitators working alongside prisons, so members of the learning network will aim to ensure that PCT staff involved with offender health records are aware of potential data quality issues.

"I was very encouraged by the first few meetings which have emphasised the importance of being proactive. Many of the problems with data quality in prisons are being replicated in the implementation of community systems. I think local and national forums are an excellent opportunity for people to share knowledge, lessons learned and best practice."

The network is just one of a number set up by PRIMIS+ to allow facilitators to share experience, knowledge and best practice. For further information about learning networks in your area, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .