Partnering industry to develop clinical information systems

Over the past six months, the nursing team from the Department of Health's Informatics Directorate has been working with colleagues in industry to promote and share learning and understanding of issues surrounding the nursing profession. Team members were asked among other things to identify key questions senior nursing colleagues and suppliers should ask one another when considering the implementation of a new system for recording clinical information and extracting pertinent data. This article aims to encourage collaborative working and understanding of the importance of senior nurse involvement in choosing and delivering the right system for staff and patients.