South, Central and West CSU win child health contract

NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) has been commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement (South West) to create a unified Child Health Information Service (CHIS) for Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.

From April 2022, all child health data will be managed safely and securely in one place as part of the South, Central & West Child Health Information Service (SCW CHIS). The service will ensure that accurate immunisation and screening records are maintained for those aged 19 and under across Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire. This will help to support health care professionals with the delivery of clinical interventions.

Through the programme, children will receive appointment invitations and reminders for the national health screening programmes as they reach the correct age. The system will be interoperable and allow health and care professionals to access the information held.

The NCW CHIS will collate data from a range of healthcare professionals – including midwives, school nurses, health visitors and GPs – to create a single child health record. Not only can this help to improve health outcomes through early intervention but it also has benefits for the protection and safeguarding of children.

It is hoped the service, which supports the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme (0-19 years), will help to encourage a stronger uptake of health screenings and vaccinations. By boosting these vital clinical interventions, children and young people will have a reduced risk of harm, poor health and potential fatalities.

Sue Trinder, director of SCW CHIS, said: “This is very exciting news. I am immensely proud of the SCW CHIS team who work very hard to deliver a well-valued service.

“We are delighted to extend the work we currently deliver in Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire, Swindon to Wiltshire. Our focus now is to ensure a quick and seamless transfer for Wiltshire and to continue driving improvements which impact on the care and welfare of the children in the area.”

Last July, a single CHIS was rolled out across Liverpool and Sefton, after SCW was commissioned to replace six separate Cheshire and Merseyside CHIS.