Digital geographic information deal puts NHS on the map

More than 600 NHS organisations in England are to gain direct access to the Ordnance Survey’s most detailed digital geographic information under a new pilot agreement with the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Geographic information can be used to help health managers identify health inequalities, record changes to patient catchment areas, carry out epidemiological analysis and target services to clinical hotspots.

Chief executive of the HSCIC, Denise Lievesley, explained: “Geographic information is needed to underpin vital services and to improve efficiency in the use of health resources. The provision of products and services from Ordnance Survey is a key element in the role of the HSCIC to provide information to inform decisions in health and social care.

“Health service managers will be able to use Ordnance Survey data to support their policies and performance particularly in relation to the allocation of services and facilities and the routing of mobile services.”

Organisations to benefit under the pilot in England include primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, NHS trusts, and cancer registries. From 1 April 2006, the agreement will also cover English ambulance trusts. An HSCIC spokesperson told E-Health Insider the agreement covered a core set of Ordnance Survey products which would be available to NHS organisations at no extra cost.

The HSCIC says the pilot will allow organisations who have not yet used geographic information to explore its benefits ahead of longer term procurement of products and services. It will provide those who already use geographic data with access to a wider portfolio.

The digital portfolio encompasses small-scale mapping of regional areas to more detailed coverage of local areas including street level, postcode, and spatial address data. Products based on new generation OS MasterMap data, specifically designed to be managed as a fully integrated corporate database, will also be available. Further information about the agreement is available on the link below.

Links
Further information about the agreement from the Ordnance Survey

Health and Social Care Information Centre