The NHS and the British Computer Society are funding a new
professional body that aims to boost the standards of
professionalism among IT practitioners in the health
service.
Launched this month, the UK Council for Health Informatics
Professions (UKChip), aims to raise standards by developing
recognised qualifications and career paths for 30,000 IT
professionals working in health.
Glyn Hayes, president of UKChip, said the body would help to
improve standards of care for patients and improve the poor image
of IT in the health service.
Its creation follows concerns that patient care may have suffered
in the past when IT had been poorly implemented.
"There have been major incidents, such as one highlighted by the
London Ambulance Survey where an official report found that people
died because of poor IT. There have also been examples where people
have received the wrong radiotherapy doses," said Hayes.
Many IT practitioners in the health service have no formal
qualifications but have learned on the job. UKChip will initially
accredit them by assessing their academic qualifications,
employment history and length of service. In the longer term it
aims to work with universities and other professional bodies to
create qualifications and examinations.
"The intention is that if you want to work in the NHS, you will
have to become a member. NHS bodies are already including this in
their job specifications and by 2008 it will become a statutory
requirement," said Hayes.
Hayes believes that a professional body will improve the standing
of IT staff in the health service. A survey by the NHS Information
Authority two years ago found that the poor image of IT in the NHS
contributed to a job turnover rate among health IT staff of 40% a
year.
UKChip has the initial backing of the NHS Information Authority,
the BCS and the Association for ICT Professionals in Health and
Social Care, but will eventually become self-financing. During the
first 10 days since the body was created, 500 IT professionals have
signed up for membership, currently priced at £20 a year.
www.ukchip.org