The BCS Health Informatics The BCS Health Informatics Forum and the UK Council for Forum and the UK Council for Health Informatics ProfessionsHealth Informatics ProfessionsDr Glyn HayesPresident, UKCHIPChair, BCS Health Informatics CommitteePresident, BCS Primary Health Care Specialist group

OverviewOverview

The BCS and its Health Informatics Forum

What is Health Informatics?

Why do we need for professionalism?

About UKCHIP

UKCHIP voluntary registration scheme

Future

The British Computer The British Computer SocietySociety

Who we areWho we are

Learned and Professional body Formed 1957, Royal Charter 1984 Nominated engineering institution 1990 Over 50,000 members world wide 38,000 professional members 10,500 chartered engineers Over 40 branches UK and overseas Over 50 specialist groups

What the BCS doesWhat the BCS does

Professional standards - BCS/IEE/EGov project Provide member benefits and services Represent the profession Recognise achievement Provide authoritative and timely advice Initiate debate on IS strategic issues Encourage the advancement and dissemination

of IS knowledge Support individual career development

BCS Health Informatics BCS Health Informatics ForumForum Health Specialist Groups

– 3 Regional, Primary Care, Nursing, ASSIST

Health Informatics Forum– International representation

– SGs plus Liaison Groups (20)

– HC Conference

– Publications

– Workshops

– Standards

BCS Policy in Health

What is Health Informatics?What is Health Informatics?

“The knowledge, skills and tools which enable information to be collected, managed, used and shared to support the delivery of healthcare and promote health”

Health InformaticiansHealth Informaticians

ICT staff Health Records & Coding Staff Information Management Knowledge Management Senior HI Managers / Directors of Services Clinical Informatics Education, Training & Development Research

Need for HI ProfessionalismNeed for HI Professionalism

Professionalism – the ContextProfessionalism – the Context

Increasing impact of HI on patient care

Significant NHS investment in HI

Skills and leadership deficit

Recruitment/retention problems

Health Professions Council

The Problem for IT workersThe Problem for IT workers

The need for a career pathway The need for adequate recognition

– Professional Credibility– Appropriate Remuneration– Correct Workplace Setting

The need for a professional “home” Current organisations do not meet these

needs

Bad Health Informatics Bad Health Informatics Damages PatientsDamages Patients Patients must have died due to the London

Ambulance system failure. (Parliamentary report)

Abnormal cervical smears not acted on until too late

Incorrect radiotherapy doses Downs Syndrome risks inaccurately reported

44,000 to 98,000 people die in US 44,000 to 98,000 people die in US hospitals due to errors committed by hospitals due to errors committed by medical professionalsmedical professionals

Health care lags a decade behind aviation on safeguarding consumers lives. IOM reports “To err is human” 2000

The cost of preventable Adverse Drug Reactions was $2.8million per year for one 700 bed hospital

PrescribingPrescribing

Audit Commission – Spoonful of Sugar adverse reactions to medicines and medication

errors currently cost the NHS £0.5 billion each year in longer stays in hospital, to say nothing of the human cost to patients

many errors could be eliminated through the use of computer technology and automation – a national approach is needed to introduce these systems

The Real ProblemThe Real Problem

Patients are being damaged by bad health informatics

Patient care is increasingly impacted by informatics

What is Needed?What is Needed?

Professional standards

– Code of Conduct

– education, training and experience

– continuing professional development

Register of HI Professionals

Career structure for HI professionals

– recognition by employers

The Medical Model of The Medical Model of ProfessionalismProfessionalism

Royal Colleges

Education

Research

Qualifications

British Medical Association

Pay & Rations

Trade Union

Members Needs

General Medical Council

Professional Control

Patients Needs

Medical Schools

UKCHIPUKCHIP’s formal Aim’s formal Aim

Its aim is: “to be the regulatory body for all

branches of health informatics in the United Kingdom”

UKCHIP MilestonesUKCHIP Milestones

Online expression of interest (Oct 02) Code of conduct (July 03) Draft registration scheme (Sept 03)

– registration levels

– entry requirements

– registration process

Online Registration (Mar 04) Council Elections May 2005

UKCHIP Voluntary RegistrationUKCHIP Voluntary Registration

Elements of the SchemeElements of the Scheme

Constituencies

– broad definition of HI

Sectors

– all those involved in HI

Levels of Registration

– different levels of experience and responsibility

SectorsSectors

NHS

Private Health

Industry / Commercial

Higher / Further Education

Registration Levels Registration Levels

Level 1– limited experience/responsibility

Level 2– career grade– significant qualifications/experience

Level 3– leadership grade– advanced qualifications/experience

Registration RequirementsRegistration Requirements

Code of conduct Professional standards

– qualifications

– employment profile

– health experience

– informatics experience

Points scheme– trade-off (with strict minima)

Continuing Professional Continuing Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

A professional has to keep up to date A professional body needs to monitor this Each branch of the profession has different

needs UKCHIP has its own CPD scheme but if there

is a CPD scheme from another body which fits the requirements UKCHIP will recognise that

What Next?What Next?

Acceptance by employers

Detailed Core Competencies

Accreditation of training schemes and conferences

– education, supervised experience, mentoring etc

Career Pathway

– normal entry route

Statutory registration (2010?)

Wider IT professionalismWider IT professionalism

eGov Office for all public sector IT

BCS/IEE/eGov etc working together

To improve the quality of IT enabled change

To improve the reputation of IT

Why Register?Why Register?

As an individual

– demonstrate commitment to Code of Conduct

– sign up to professional standards

– recognise responsibility to the public

– Self esteem

In the interests of the profession

– establish HI as a recognised profession

– support UKCHIP as its representative body

What makes UKCHIP What makes UKCHIP registration attractive?registration attractive?

“The recognition that comes from professional standards and clear career pathways”

peer group support stimulus to mobility, requirement for jobs Registration shows employers that you are a

professional, with commitment to developing yourself and working to a high level

Registration sets you ahead of other candidates.

External SupportExternal Support

The following have already agreed with the principles of Ukchip and will support widespread registration– Information Centre/ CfH/DoH– NPSA/Healthcare Commission– The General Medical Council– Royal Pharmaceutical Society– Unison/Amicus

What’s in it for Employers?What’s in it for Employers?

Recruitment, job descriptions, person profiles Shows an employer’s commitment to developing

the professional status of HI staff and will attract candidates

Job grading (including Agenda for Change) Improved quality of service – ‘professionalise

your HI service’ Increased status by employing professionals A way of recording your staff CPD

What’s in it for Employers?What’s in it for Employers?

As a CEO/RID/CIO/Organisation Lead for IT you need to be assured that your IT and informatics staff are fit to practice. This is increasingly important to the Healthcare Commission and is figuring in performance indicators

It can help in gaining contracts

Useful ContactsUseful Contacts

www.ukchip.org