£2.1m for system to monitor NHS performance

Published on 04/03/2013 00:00

A DATA system being introduced across NHS Scotland should help identify areas where improvement is needed, health secretary Alex Neil has said.

Funding of £2.1 million will be invested in the new system which measures the performance of health boards in key areas.

It will allow NHS bosses to compare how they are doing with other health boards in Scotland and health trusts in the rest of the UK.

The scheme is already operating in NHS Tayside, where it is said to have helped improve the area’s ear, nose and throat service.

Mr Neil said use of the “data dashboard” system has “already seen good results in NHS Tayside”.

Extending it across the country would “help health boards to monitor quality, and to highlight areas in which they are performing particularly well, or where they need to improve”, he said.

“Our NHS is already performing well in many areas but I recognise that there are also areas for development.”

Gerry Marr, chief executive of NHS Tayside, said: “Clinical information generated by this new service has been used in Tayside to redesign ear nose and throat services, resulting in significant improvements in access to services and overall patient experience.

“Staff found the clinical data provided by the system to be the most relevant and accessible information to inform and support improvement.”