Following The Information Governance Review, maintaining optimal information governance throughout the health and social care landscape is set to remain a key priority for the government in years to come. As the UK moves into an increasingly digital age, and with the government committing to a paperless NHS by 2018, information governance must remain a key focus for health and social care organisations.

 

In April 2013, Dame Caldicott’s government commissioned review, Information: To share or not to share? The Information Governance Review was published. Known as Caldicott 2, the report outlines key recommendations for improving information governance within health and social care and ensuring that there is an appropriate balance between the protection of patient information and the use and sharing of information to improve patient care. 

 

Additionally, in June 2012, the government’s Open Data White Paper: Unleashing the Potential revealed the potential benefits to the health and social care sector of publishing and sharing data. Furthermore, in December 2012, the Department of Health became the first department to release their Digital strategy: Leading the culture change in health and care, which aimed to utilise information technology to improve the quality of care and achieve better health outcomes throughout health and social care services across the UK.