News
The latest news from NHS Digital.
October
Health Secretary: My tech vision will help build most advanced health and care system in the world
Outdated and obstructive NHS IT systems will become a thing of the past, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has said as he launches his technology vision today.
20.1 per cent of 10 to 11 year olds and 9.5 per cent of 4 to 5 year olds are obese
The prevalence of obesity has increased in Year 6 schoolchildren from 20.0 per cent in 2016/17 to 20.1 per cent in 2017/18, according to official statistics published by NHS Digital today. This equates to 116,000 children being obese in 2017/182.
Partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital for new technology innovation centre announced
A new technology innovation centre will open later today at Great Ormond Street Hospital, with backing from us and several technology companies, to transform the use of technology including artificial intelligence in healthcare and improve patient outcomes.
New interactive online data tool provides easier access to mental health statistics
National mental health statistics that shed new light on care and treatment for patients are now available at the click of a mouse thanks to the latest interactive data hub created by NHS Digital.
NHS Digital welcomes funding for joint project with MHRA on creating synthetic devices
NHS Digital’s deputy chief executive has welcomed news that the government has awarded funding for a project which will see us work with MHRA in developing synthetic datasets.
1.4 percentage point increase in people paying for some of their social care
The proportion of people receiving council funded or managed care, who report that they or their family pay for some of their care and support has risen from 35.3 per cent in 2016/17 to 36.7 per cent in 2017/18, according to figures released by NHS Digital.
September
Leeds is the first city to go live with GP Connect
GP practices and clinical staff can share and view authorised information and data between IT systems, quickly and efficiently, using GP Connect.
Sarah Wilkinson delivers keynote speech at UK Health Show
28 September 2018: NHS Digital CEO, Sarah Wilkinson, told clinicians and senior health leaders how a ‘new wave of data’ offers huge advantages to the health and care sector, in a keynote speech at the UK Health Show this week.
NHS Digital has today published national statistics about activity at sexual and reproductive health services in 2017-18
Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England 2017-18
New care and support guide released on the NHS website
27 September 2018: A new guide to social care and support has been released on the NHS website, to provide guidance to people who may need social care, their families and carers.
NHS Digital announces new Chief Information Security Officer
NHS Digital’s new Chief Information Security Officer will start with the organisation on 1 October 2018.
Eighteen local partnerships design adult social care services of the future with £1.4m funding
20 September 2018: New funding will demonstrate how predictive analytics and digital information sharing can improve care and support for people needing social care services.
Hospital admission statistics published
Statistics on NHS admissions into hospitals in England have been published today by NHS Digital.
Coverage declines in nine of the 12 routine child vaccinations and increases in one
Figures published today show that coverage declined for nine of the 12 routine vaccinations measured at age 12 months, 24 months or five years in 2017-18 in England compared to the previous year.
A&E attendances increase by 22 per cent in the last decade
There were 23.8 million attendances to Accident and Emergency departments in England during 2017-18, which is an increase of two per cent compared with 2016-17 and 22 per cent since 2008-09, according to official figures.
New professional information standard for digital maternity records published
A new standard has been published to support digital maternity records that will ensure that record information is consistent and can be shared more easily across healthcare services in England in the future.
Written complaints rise for GP and dental practices but fall for hospitals and community health services
The NHS in England reported receiving 208,626 written complaints during 2017-18 – 0.1 per cent more than the previous year, figures published today show
100 per cent of trusts switched over to e-Referral Service
All acute hospital trusts across England have successfully switched to electronic referrals for first outpatient appointments – almost a month ahead of schedule.
August
Call for secondary schools to take part in survey of young people’s smoking, drinking and drug use
Secondary schools across England are being asked to volunteer to take part in a statistical survey that will act as a barometer for young people’s alcohol, nicotine and drug use.
Survey findings released showing primary care dentists' morale, motivation and working patterns
Findings show that nearly two thirds of principal dentists and over half of associate dentists have said that they ‘often think about leaving general dental practice’, according to figures released today by NHS Digital.
NHS workforce increases by 1.6 percent in a year
The total number of Full Time Equivalents (FTE) employed by the NHS increased by nearly 19,800 between March 2017 and March 2018, new figures3 from NHS Digital show.
North leads the way in ditching paper for hospital appointments
All acute hospital trusts across the north of England have successfully switched to receiving 100% of referrals for first outpatient appointments through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS).
Widening Digital Participation Programme helps patients improve their health
Two pilot projects are proving that digital technology helps people to better manage their health.
Quality of healthcare premises is captured in latest patient-led assessments
16 August 2018: Annual patient-led assessments of non-clinical elements of care such as food and waiting areas have been published by NHS Digital today
Creating a new IT ecosystem for General Practice
13 August 2018: NHS Digital launches engagement opportunity for supplier community
Every GP practice across London successfully makes switch to Electronic Prescription Service
6 August: GP practices across London have successfully made the switch to using the Electronic Prescription Service – saving hours of GPs’, pharmacists’ and patients’ time every day.
July
NHS Digital Vacancy Statistics published
26 July: New statistics related to vacancies in the NHS have been published
Visits to NHS Choices for heat-related health advice rise by nearly 450%
Demand for online heat-related health advice from the NHS is soaring as most of England continues to bask in a heatwave.
NHS Digital welcomes three new, non-executive directors
John Noble, Deborah Oakley and Balram Veliath joined the Board at NHS Digital on 1 July 2018, bringing their expertise to the leadership of the organisation.
Statement in response to RCN press release: Digital transformation of health care will remain a pipe dream without involving nurses, RCN warns
STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO RCN PRESS RELEASE: Digital transformation of health care will remain a pipe dream without involving nurses, RCN warns
NHS Digital annual report and accounts published
The NHS Digital annual report and accounts for 2017-18 has been published.
NHS Apps Library reaches 70 apps in honour of the NHS birthday
Patients can access a range of new tools on the NHS Apps Library, offering personalised advice, self-care and signposts to health services.
NHS70 - Seven facts for seven decades
In celebration of the NHS’s 70th birthday this week, NHS Digital reveals seven statistics for seven decades.
Around 1.6 million fewer adult smokers in England in six years
The number of adult smokers in England has dropped by around 1.6m between 2011 and 2017, official figures released by NHS Digital, Public Health England and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
NHS Digital and TPP statement about type 2 objections error
NHS Digital’s statement about an error with recording type 2 objections and a message from TPP
June
NHS Digital leading the protection of patient data with new patient de-identification solution
NHS Digital has signed a contract to deliver a new software solution for the de-identification of patient information, which will help to improve the way that data is used across the NHS and social care.
Cyber security boost to the NHS as NHS Digital joins forces with IBM
NHS Digital has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with IBM to provide a range of new and improved services to health and care organisations.
Private healthcare data to be captured by NHS systems
An initiative has been launched to ensure private healthcare data is recorded in the same way as NHS data in England, with the aim of improving consistency across the system.
Twelve councils to share funding to explore social care digital innovation ideas
Twelve councils have been chosen by NHS Digital and the Local Government Association to explore how technology could help shape the future of social care.
Statistics on care of people with learning disabilities
Statistics on care of people with learning disabilities to mark learning disability week
GPs urged to make most of cancer screening dashboard
GPs and health organisations are being urged to help to improve rates of potentially lifesaving cervical screening by making the most of an innovative online data tool.
Figures published on surplus land in the NHS estate
Information on land and buildings which have been sold by the NHS, as well as land which has been retained but developed and used for housing, has been published by NHS Digital.
New funding to digitise information flow between adult social care and health settings
Local authorities, residential and domiciliary adult social care providers, researchers, academic organisations working in partnership with health organisations are being invited to apply for new funding to enable better sharing of social care and clinical information and data.
Over half of acute trusts now successfully switched over to the NHS e-Referral Service
More than 50 per cent of acute hospital trusts in England have switched off paper referrals and are now processing GP referrals for outpatient appointments digitally.
Implementing child protection system ‘must be priority’ for councils and NHS organisations – children’s minister
Children’s Minister Nadhim Zahawi MP has called on councils and NHS organisations yet to implement a child protection information sharing system to do so as a priority.
May
Historical workforce statistics in lead-up to NHS70
Historical workforce statistics in lead-up to NHS70 birthday milestone
National data opt-out introduced across England
The ‘National Data Opt-Out’ is introduced today, providing a facility for individuals to opt-out from the use of their data for research or planning purposes. This is provided in line with the recommendations of the National Data Guardian in her Review of Data Security, Consent and Opt-Outs. The service will initially be in beta, while we ensure the service design is optimal.
NHS Digital's response to Lord Carter's report
NHS Digital's Senior Clinical Lead Caron Swinscoe has welcomed Lord Carter's independent report into how improvements in technology could boost the productivity of mental health and community services around the country.
New Toolkit to help keep information safe
NHS Digital has launched the new Data Security and Protection Toolkit, replacing the previous Information Governance Toolkit, to help keep patient information safe.
New £1m funding for innovative digital adult social care pilots
Following the success of last year’s Local Investment Programme, NHS Digital and the Local Government Association have announced new funding for digital pilots that benefit people who access adult social care and improve services.
Cyber News Brief
The WannaCry cyber incident was a global attack on an unprecedented scale. While it was not directly targeted at the NHS it had a major impact on health and care.
A statement from NHS Digital on the Memorandum of Understanding with the Home Office
A statement from NHS Digital on the Memorandum of Understanding with the Home Office
Guide launched to improve access to digital healthcare for all
Guide launched to improve access to digital healthcare for all
High earners more likely to drink alcohol, new statistics show
High earners more likely to drink alcohol, new statistics show
April
Boost to NHS cyber security as new security measures announced
Unsupported Microsoft systems in the NHS will be a thing of the past under new plans announced today to strengthen resilience against cyber-attacks as part of a new multi-million deal with Microsoft.
Microsoft deal - background information
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced a new centralised Windows 10 agreement which offers local organisations Microsoft Windows operating system licences, including Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP).
Chief Nurse hails ‘great opportunity to use technology’ in new report
NHS Digital Chief Nurse Anne Cooper uses the foreword of a new Queen’s Nursing Institute report being published today to say that we are on the cusp of a great opportunity to use technology to accelerate the contribution community nurses make to patient care.
NHS Digital’s ‘Widening Digital Participation’ programme in the running for top award
The ‘Widening Digital Participation’ programme has been shortlisted for the Cross-Sector Collaboration award at this year’s Digital Leaders 100 event.
Clinical Informatics Fellows begin at NHS Digital
Four frontline clinicians have begun a year’s informatics fellowship at NHS Digital to use their experiences as clinicians to support the design of a new generation of digital tools and services for NHS staff and patients.
A statement from NHS Digital on the vaginal mesh report
NHS Digital's statistics are entirely independent from government, as specified by the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Statistics
NHS Digital publishes statistics on vaginal mesh procedures
NHS Digital has published experimental statistics on patients that have had a procedure for urogynaecological prolapse or stress urinary incontinence including those where mesh, tape or their equivalents have been used.
NHS Digital joins Open Data Institute in Leeds to promote innovation through data
NHS Digital is joining the Open Data Institute (ODI) Leeds as a sponsor to form a collaboration seeking to pursue innovation through data.
NHS Digital statement on Health Select Committee's report into patient data sharing
In relation to the Health Select Committee's report into the memorandum of understanding on data sharing between NHS Digital and the Home Office, NHS Digital's Chief Executive, Sarah Wilkinson, has issued the following statement.
Hospital admissions where obesity is a factor increased by 18 per cent
There were 617,000 admissions to NHS hospitals in 2016/17 where obesity was recorded as either a primary or secondary diagnosis, an increase of 18 per cent on 2015/16 (525,000).
March
Patients in urgent care settings to benefit from electronic prescriptions
Use of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in integrated urgent care settings is to be rolled out nationally following a successful pilot.
NHS Digital funding awarded to projects that help ease delayed transfers of care
NHS Digital have announced the local authority and NHS partnerships that have been successful in bidding for a share of £1.4m to help digitise their assessment, discharge and withdrawal (ADW) notices.
Electronic outpatient system set to save NHS at least £50 million
All first outpatients' referrals will have to be made electronically from later this year in a move that is set to save the NHS at least £50 million.
Prescription Cost Analysis report published
The cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community and the number of items dispensed during the 2017 calendar year has been published today by NHS Digital1.
Call for more data to be added to breast implant registry
Patients undergoing breast implant surgery are being urged to speak to their surgeon and ensure their details are recorded on a registry designed to safeguard their health.
Celebrating 70 years of the NHS
The NHS turns 70 on 5 July 2018. Help celebrate the achievements of one of the nation's most loved institutions.
Narrowing of NHS gender divide but men still the majority in senior roles
The proportion of NHS doctors who are women has grown every year since 2009, analysis of NHS workforce statistics by NHS Digital for International Women's Day shows.
Latest experimental statistics about female genital mutilation published
New official figures published today provide experimental statistics on female genital mutilation (FGM) in England, from October 2017 to December 2017.
A statement from NHS Digital on the Mail On Sunday's FGM article
A Mail On Sunday article (published Sunday March 4) wrongly suggested that NHS Digital is falsely inflating the number of British FGM victims by including newborn babies in its data.
NHS Digital Director of Data Science named in dataIQ 100
NHS Digital's Director of Data Science, Professor Daniel Ray, has been named in the 2018 dataIQ 100 list.
NHS Digital team wins public sector 'Boss of the SOC' award
A team from NHS Digital's Digital Delivery Centre (DDC) has won Splunk's public sector 'Boss of the SOC' awards in an event that saw eight teams from across government in England take part.
February
Statistics show change in NHS workforce over time
The number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff working in the NHS in England has increased by 1.5 per cent (17,900) since 2016, according to figures released by NHS Digital today.
Just under half of all referrals that completed psychological therapy in 2016-17 recovered, new report shows
Just under half (49.3 per cent) of those referrals finishing treatment for anxiety and depression in 2016-17 recovered, according to official statistics published today by NHS Digital.
NHS Digital and techUK look to next steps in their partnership
NHS Digital and techUK have outlined their view on the future challenges they need to tackle to take their partnership to the next level.
Developers invited to add to NHS Apps Library
Developers are being invited to submit applications as the NHS Apps Library continues to grow.
Systems integration to boost NHS communication
NHS staff will be able to communicate with each other through better integrated systems, thanks to new plans announced by NHS Digital.
NHS Digital apps and wearables team hosts Swedish delegation
Representatives from Sweden's key health organisations visited NHS Digital this week to share knowledge and experience of the apps and digital healthcare landscape.
Adult social care workforce statistics released by NHS Digital today
NHS Digital has today published the latest information on the number of adult social care staff who work for local authorities in England.
Hospital admissions for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders fall by 12 per cent in a year
New NHS Digital data show that the hospital admissions2 for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders dropped by 12 per cent in a year, from 8,621 in 2015/16 to 7,545 in 2016/17. Admissions are still 12 per cent higher than 2006/07 when they totalled 6,743.
NHS Digital project manager clinches top honour at Women in IT awards
NHS Digital Senior Project Manager Marta Raper has won the Editor's Choice category at the Women in IT Awards held in London.
January
Uptake for routine breast screening falls
The proportion of women aged 50-70 taking up routine breast screening invitations fell to 71.1 per cent in 2016-17 down from 72.1 per cent in 2015-16 and 73.6 per cent in 2006-07. It is at the lowest rate over the 10 year period.
Information sharing presents major barrier to social workers
98 per cent of social workers cited at least one difficulty with sharing information digitally, in research commissioned by NHS Digital.
NHS Digital deal bolsters protection against cyber security threats
NHS Digital has entered a new deal with Microsoft that supports health and care organisations in protecting their IT infrastructure against cyber threats.
A Statement from NHS Digital on the misrepresentation of our vacancy statistics in some media reports
A number of media reports on our vacancy statistics data published on 23 January have unintentionally misrepresented our data. It is not possible to use our data to draw any conclusions on the number of appointments as a proportion of advertisements raised. This is because our information is based on the secondary use of administrative data related to job advertisements within NHS Jobs. The appointments data is often not completed, as individual organisations will have alternative means of managing appointments information locally.
NHS Digital publishes guidance on data off-shoring and cloud computing for health and social care
National guidance has been published today, setting clear expectations for health and care organisations who want to use cloud services or data offshoring to store patient information.
NHS Digital comment on Reform report into Artificial Intelligence in health care
In light of the think-tank Reform's report into the use of Artificial Intelligence in health care, NHS Digital's Director of Data, Professor Daniel Ray, commented on the paper's recommendations about the need to get data right in order to progress the use of artificial intelligence in health care.
NHS Digital staff shortlisted for Women in IT Awards
NHS Digital staff have been shortlisted in for the Women in IT Awards 2018.
NHS Digital welcomes introduction of CQC's new rating system for digital GP tools
NHS Digital's Programme Director for Apps and Wearables has welcomed the announcement from the Department of Health that the CQC will be given the power to rate digital GP tools.