Data Task Force

New Ways of Defining and Measuring Waiting Times went live on 1 January 2008 and patients are now getting the benefit of the abolition of Availability Status Codes and clearer and more transparent arrangements from managing waiting and for defining and measuring waiting times.  This represents a great deal of hard work by staff across NHSScotland. 

It is important now to ensure that systematic, timely and accurate information on waiting times under the New Ways guidance is available for public performance reporting.  The first official statistics covering the first three months of 2008 are due for publication towards the end of May 2008, so ISD Scotland and NHS Boards are working together to ensure that data for publication is extracted successfully from patient administration systems and is of high quality in terms accuracy and timeliness. 

To help manage and mitigate risks associated with getting data for publication in place and on time, a short life Task Force was set up at the end of February 2008 to oversee preparatory work.  The Task Force is meeting regularly to receive reports, review progress, agree priorities and co-ordinate additional action across Boards and in ISD where necessary to ensure objectives are achieved.  This website page provides details of the Task Force?s work through action notes of its meetings and copies of key papers including risk assessments and progress reports.

Membership of the Task Force:
John Connaghan, Scottish Government Health Directorate; Ian Crichton, NHS National Services Scotland, Richard Copland, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; Susan Burney, ISD Scotland; Kate Harley, ISD Scotland; Jonathan Procter, NHS Forth Valley; Alistair Brown, Scottish Government Health Directorate

Support to the Task Force:
Robert Williams, Scottish Government Health Directorate; Lesley Brannan, Scottish Government Health Directorate; Philip Johnston, ISD Scotland

Key Papers

• Correspondence
  • Preparing to tabulate & publish data for first quarter 2008 ? Next steps & timetables: Letter from John Connaghan, Scottish Government Health Directorate (28 March 2008)
  • Data Extract and Reporting Issues - Milestones and Timetables: Letter from John Connaghan, Scottish Government Health Directorate (12 March 2008)
  • Data Extract and Reporting Issues: Letter from Alistair Brown, Scottish Government Health Directorate (21 February 2008) 
  • Data Extract and Reporting Issues: Letter from John Connaghan, Scottish Government Health Directorate (19 February 2008)
    
• Note of Meetings

  Data Task Force: Next meeting - 25 April 2008

  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 8 April 2008 [To be added]
  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 27 March 2008
  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 17 March 2008
  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 10 March 2008 
  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 3 March 2008
  • Data Task Force: Note of meeting - 26 February 2008