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Framework Agreement between the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)

The agreement sets out the relationship between the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Date Published:
16 April 2014

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Framework Agreement between the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)

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Purpose of this document

The purpose of this document is to define the critical elements of the relationship between the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). The document is focused on:

  • how the Department and the HSCIC will work in partnership to serve patients, the public and the taxpayer; and
  • how both the HSCIC and the Department discharge their accountability responsibilities effectively

The HSCIC’s purpose

The HSCIC is an executive non-departmental public body established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It is the focal point for the collection, analysis, linking, secure storage and publication of the core data resources for health and social care. It also delivers informatics systems providing the expertise necessary to support the continuation of existing national systems as well as 'delivery critical' services such as informatics standards delivery.

The HSCIC discharges its functions by:

  • maintaining the critical national infrastructure that supports care delivery which is managed by the HSCIC
  • providing key services that support commissioning and reimbursement
  • supporting the Department of Health and customer NHS Trusts in their use of Local Service Provider contracts
  • ensuring the proper management of HSCIC information assets, protecting individual privacy as required
  • making data available in formats that encourage its use
  • helping people understand the robustness of the information they are using
  • approving and accrediting local and national IT systems against technical and clinical safety standards and delivering a suite of in house systems and services
  • supporting the commissioning and use of information standards and supporting care services to apply consistent and robust practices locally

Last edited: 24 November 2021 1:34 pm

Chapters

  1. Framework Agreement between the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)
  2. Governance
  3. Accountability
  4. The HSCIC's Board
  5. Partnership working
  6. Transparency
  7. Audit
  8. Delegations and financial management
  9. Risk management
  10. Human resources
  11. Equalities
  12. Review
  13. Annex A - communications protocol
  14. Annex B
  15. Annex C
  16. Annex D