Some recent developments in health service information in England: The Korner Review and Performance Indicators

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Rowntree, J.A.¹

Note: [1] J.A. Rowntree was a Chief Statistician in the Department of Health and Social Security, with responsibility for the statistical aspects of developing management information systems for the health service. He is a graduate in statistics and economics from London University and is a career Civil Servant. He has worked on demographic and census statistics and subsequently on manpower planning for the UK Civil Service before joining the Department of Health and Social Security in 1974. In DHSS he has held a number of posts in the health service statistics field. He has recently transferred to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

Abstract: The Korner Review of Health Service Statistical information in England aims at improving the basic data on the hospital and community health services. The development of a package of Performance Indicators for the National Health Service (NHS) is the second major project ensuring full contribution of information technology to an improved health service. The Korner Review started working in 1980 and the changes proposed are being implemented from 1 April 1987 in respect of hospital activity, patient transport, manpower and finance and from 1 April 1988 in respect of community health services, paramedical services and maternity. The current Performance Indicator package was first produced for 1983/84. The origins of the Korner Review are described from a central Government viewpoint, covering both the formal arrangements for implementation and the production of the supplementary material required e.g. on the specification of central requirements, the production of the relevant “User Guides” and the development of a data model. The development of the current set of Performance Indicators included some methodological and data problems. The approach to dissemination includes the use of micro-computers. The package is in a wider context.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1987-5102

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 13-41, 1987