A Data Quality Learning Network
A case study in the words of a facilitator

A Data Quality Learning Network

Vicki Swain is the Data Quality Facilitator at St Helens & Knowsley Health Informatics Service and is responsible for Data Quality across 54 practices in NHS Halton & St Helens and 33 practices in NHS Knowsley. Vicki has worked in practice management for the last two and half years but has returned to the field of data quality as she has a keen interest in the subject.

Vicki decided to set up a Learning Network after realising that there are no forums for data quality staff working in general practice. She wanted to give practice staff the opportunity to discuss their ideas around data quality and identify the support they needed.

The Data Quality Learning Network highlights training needs across the area and allows Vicki to set up structured learning sessions in an appropriate environment, rather than trying to train staff on a one to one basis in a busy practice setting.

Training includes: READ Coding, MIQUEST, CHART & CHART Online, clinical system searches and disease register validation. Practices are then given the opportunity to address other areas that they require training on in coming months and this can include anything from Local Enhanced Services or more in-depth training on any of the above.

Initial feedback to the network is very positive with practice staff looking forward to getting together in a ‘protected’ environment to share their ideas, best practice tools and tips and look at how they as a whole can move data quality forward in their area.

Vicki hopes that she can use her experience as a Practice Manager and as a Facilitator to encourage practice staff to continue to attend network meetings. She anticipates that by empowering the practices to make decisions around what areas to focus on, they will be more inclined to work on data quality and work together as a team to improve the quality of data across the whole PCT rather than only in their own practice.

The local Learning Consultant, Janet Harrison has been on hand to support Vicki and her team. The team are currently working through PRIMIS+ modules to continue to provide the best support to practices. The PRIMIS+ Learning Centre is giving the team the chance to all get to the same level of understanding and ensures that they know their area well when they are out and about liaising with practices.

As clinical systems are different in the way they extract data and as clinical searches are can be written in different ways, Vicki and her team are working to gain consistency in data extraction. They are using MIQUEST searches in an effort to standardise the way data extraction is carried out and are getting training from PRIMIS+ to help them move this area of work forward. This will ensure consistency across the area.

Vicki feels it is important to have strong links with the staff working on data quality at the PCT and the SHA to help get the most important data quality message out to practices. She reiterated her data quality message and her work in a 2010 Conference poster entitled:

• POOR DATA, POOR DEFENCE

• GOOD DATA, GOOD DEFENCE

Vicki Swain