Informatics Group
The Standing Group
functions as an advisory group to the College on all matters
relating to information management and technology in general
practice. Members of this group also represent the College on
the GPC / RCGP Joint GP IT Committee and in that capacity
collaborate with GPC colleagues and the clinical system National
User Groups.
Purpose
The RCGP Informatics Group
provides informed and authoritative advice and support to the
College, the College Council and Council Executive Committee (CEC)
within its domain of expertise. We may similarly offer advice and
support on behalf of the RCGP to other professional and NHS bodies
within the context of professional principles and ethics. Our
main purposes are:
- To help the RCGP to develop a clear strategic vision in the
field of information management in health care and its
application to support clinical practice, decision-making and
research.
- To help the RCGP to implement appropriate changes to its
policies
|
A project to develop professionally led guidelines that consider
the governance, medico-legal and patient safety consequences of
Shared Electronic Patient Record (SEPR) systems in primary care.
Read the SRPG project report.
|
Connecting for Health has created a Summary Care Record
Information Page for GP Practices which can be accessed here:
web link
Terms of Reference
We will achieve our aims in the
following ways:
-
Health Informatics encompasses many disciplines, which overlap.
The Informatics Group consists of people who are expert in
particular domains and provides a forum in which they can share
expertise and receive support.
-
Members of the Informatics Group represent the
RCGP in various NHS informatics projects and committees including
the Joint GP Information Technology Committee (JGPITC) of the RCGP
and GPC and the National Advisory Group (NAG).
-
Undertaking informatics research, projects and reports
-
Informal discussions with other groups including the Department
of Health, relevant national and regional initiatives, suppliers of
systems to primary care and other relevant groups
-
Formal discussions with other groups including the Department of
Health, relevant national and regional initiatives, suppliers of
systems to primary care and other relevant groups as agreed with
CEC. The group is aware that only Chairman of Council may write to
ministers on the College’s behalf.
-
Any issues falling outside of the agreed remit will be discussed
at CEC or where urgent responses are required through Chairman of
Council (or other agreed and documented mechanism) before responses
are made.
As well as working jointly with GPC
colleagues, the Informatics Group has a separate agenda oriented
much more towards the needs of College members and its role as a
resource for College Council.
Recently, with the major changes in the nature
of NHS information recording, the Group has served a vital function
in preparing papers for Council of the College which make clear the
implications of the changes for general practice and provide
resources to enable the College to enter fully into the debate over
these.
In addition to the major work involved with
the development of the NHS information spine, the Group has set
itself the following programme:
- The development of medical informatics
curriculum standards – undergraduate and postgraduate.
- Professional input into the technical underpinning of medical
confidentiality in electronic record systems
- Professional input into the coded representation of clinical
concepts on electronic record systems
- Professional input into the coded representation of
prescribable products on electronic record systems
- Professional input into good practice standards for the use of
electronic patient records
- Professional input into network standards for communication
between electronic patient record systems
- Professional input into the integrity and safety of the
representation of clinical information in clinical messaging
standards