This page provides an index to ISD's major programmes of work. There are however many additional smaller projects which lie out-with these general category headings. To access a complete listing of all outputs please view our A-Z Index (organised by key-words and titles) or our site map where you can view a high level summary of the site structure. Alternatively you may wish to use the search engine which has now been upgraded to give more accurate and informative results.

If you can't find what you're looking for we are always happy to respond to Information Requests by telephone. Our Customer Support desk is open from 8.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00am to 4.00pm on Fridays (tel: 0131 275 7777  or email: nss.csd@nhs.net).

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Cancer

The Cancer Information programme analyses and disseminates high quality data on cancer; supports quality improvement, monitors public health; supports service planning; monitors and evaluates prevention, screening, clinical genetics and treatment services; supports research into cancer causes and outcomes; and maintains a high quality web information and information request services.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/cancer

Heart Disease and Stroke

The Heart Disease and Stroke programme's main aim is to improve patient care by providing data to support the delivery of patient care, service planning and audit. The programme is working to develop national databases covering all patients diagnosed with heart disease and the treatments they receive across the whole of NHSScotland - from primary care through to diagnosis, cardiac surgery and rehabilitation.

CHD

Web: www.isdscotland.org/chd

Stroke

Web: www.isdscotland.org/stroke

Data Development

The Data Development programme's task is to address the information challenge that arises from the changing ways in which health care is delivered and to meet the demands for more clinically-focused, sophisticated and modern ways of measuring and monitoring the performance of the NHSScotland.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/data_development

Equality and Diversity Information

The Equality & Diversity Information Development programme deals with the collection of more personal information from patients/carers;  ensures the NHS in Scotland is treating people fairly;ensures everyone is benefiting from NHS services irrespective of; age, gender, race, religion/faith belief, sexual orientation, disability or sensory impairment.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/equalityanddiversity

Health and Social Care Information

By combining the Joint Future and Long Term Conditions programmes, the vision is to contribute to the improvement and integration of health and social care, particularly for the elderly and/or those with long term conditions. This can be achieved by the development and dissemination of information tools, better coordination of health and social care data, and supporting policy initiatives to encourage better joint working with external agencies in order to shift the balance of care.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/isd/1323.html

Improving Mental Health Information

The Improving Mental Health Information programme is working to improve the breadth and quality of mental health information. Working with partners in the mental health community in Scotland, including the Scottish Executive, to do this through writing a Mental Health Information Strategy, workshops and dataset development

Web: www.isdscotland.org/imhip

Information Governance

A framework for handling information in a confidential and secure manner to appropriate ethical and quality standards. The Information Services Division are taking forward a programme of Information Governance for NHSScotland. We have worked closely with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to develop a single point of reference about Information Governance.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/isd/1557.html

Managing Data Quality 

To support data quality, ISD provide advice, training and guidance on definitions and standards for data gathering, clinical coding, data validation, accreditation and quality assurance. Collaboration with colleagues throughout Scotland is essential to every aspect of managing the quality and completeness of national data.  The Managing Data Quality area of this website provides details of all of these services and aims to provide those involved in the management of data, with online information to help support them in this process.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/isd/831.html

National Clinical Dataset Development

The National Clinical Dataset Development Programme (NCDDP) supports clinicians to develop interoperable national clinical data standards and datasets to facilitate the implementation of integrated care records across NHSScotland.

Initially datasets are being developed to support national priority areas, including cancer, CHD, stroke, mental health and child health. In addition, national generic data standards are being developed to facilitate consistent recording and exchange of core information common across all settings.

Web: www.show.scot.nhs.uk/clinicaldatasets

NHS Resources

Web: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/6057.html

Costs

ISD Scotland collects annual data on the cost of providing health care in Scotland and publishes this information in Scottish Health Service Costs (Costs Book).  Costs Book 2009 presents a detailed breakdown of expenditure on health, covering £9.3 billion of NHS spending.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/costs

Resource Allocation Formula

The Scottish Resource Allocation formula is used in the allocation of around 70% of the total NHS Budget between the 14 territorial NHS Boards in Scotland.

Web: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5785.html

Scottish National Tariff

The Scottish National Tariff Project was set up in November 2005 to create a list of prices for hospital procedures carried out by one NHS Board for patients who live in another NHS Board area.

Web: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3551.html

Public Health Information (Scottish Public Health Observatory - ScotPHO)

The ScotPHO aims to contribute to health improvement in Scotland through supporting the development of routinely available public health information, helping users interpret information and use it more appropriately and effectively to support decision making, taking a lead on determining Scotland's future health information needs, and developing innovations in public health information. It is part of the ScotPHO collaboration which includes NHS Health Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, GROS and other partners.

Web: www.scotpho.org.uk

Quality Improvement and Clinical Governance

The Quality Improvement programme aims to improve the quality of health care by ensuring the effective use of national information resources to support clinical governance, clinical audit, consultant appraisal and revalidation as well as information on NHSScotland complaints to Acute and Primary Care Trusts.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/quality_improvement

Substance Misuse

The Substance Misuse programme supports the improvement in the health and well-being of those who use/misuse substances (drugs, alcohol and tobacco), through the delivery of high quality information and expertise. Both direction and delivery of the programme is principally through partnership working between core information teams within ISD and professionals in the substance misuse field and across the Scottish Executive.

Web: www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org and www.isdscotland.org/alcohol

Waiting Times

The Waiting Times programme aims to improve how waiting times are defined, measured, monitored and reported in order to support improvements in the management of waiting, individual patients' experiences, and public information.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/waiting_times

Women and Children's Health (incl. Sexual Health)

The Women and Children's Health programme supports the improvement of maternal and children's health and sexual health in Scotland through the provision of high quality information. It has integrated the work of the Child Health Information Team and the Maternity and Neonatal Health Team and is at the forefront of developing and implementing clinical data systems such as the Scottish Birth Record and STISS (Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance Scotland).

Web: www.isdscotland.org/Woman_Child

Workforce

ISD collects a variety of information on staff employed in NHSScotland. Workforce information is now captured through the Scottish Workforce Information Standard System (SWISS) - Workforce Information Repository. SWISS is the data collection and analysis system that is now being used by the whole of NHS Scotland, for local, regional and national reporting.

Web: www.isdscotland.org/workforce