CHI in Local Government Project brings together key partners to deliver better outcomes for citizens
A new project exploring the use of the Community Health Index (CHI) number in Scottish Local Government has been awarded £590,000 funding from the Scottish Government.
The ‘CHI in Local Government’ project, led by COSLA, the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, and Public Health Scotland, seeks to improve information sharing across health, social work, and social care services.
The Community Health Index (CHI) System, which has underpinned NHS Scotland’s digital infrastructure for over 40 years, provides a unique patient number used across the health service. It supports everything from immunisation and screening programmes to primary and secondary care delivery.
The CHI In Local Government project aims to use the CHI number to improve the quality of the data services hold, allow services across health, social work, and social care to better match data, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our citizens.
Accessing health, social work, and social care services all too often requires people to repeat their information. Using the CHI number as a common identifier across health, social work, and social care will reduce this duplication and improve integration of services. To deliver the highest standard of care, it is essential that our workforce have access to the right information at the right time.
The aims of the CHI in Local Government project align clearly with the ambitions set out in the joint COSLA and Scottish Government Digital strategy, Care in the Digital Age, and Data strategy, Greater Access, Better Insight, Improved Outcomes.
Both strategies emphasise the importance of robust information governance and seamless data sharing across health and social care.
Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “I am delighted that the CHI in Local Government project has received funding to progress to the Discovery phase.
“By using CHI more widely across our Councils we can improve data matching and, crucially, reduce the amount of times people accessing our services have to repeat their information.
“I look forward to continuing to champion this work as it progresses and ultimately delivers better outcomes for our citizens.”
Tom Arthur, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, said: “In line with the priorities recently set out in the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, I am pleased to support this project.
“Using CHI numbers in social care means people will get a better level of service. By allowing information to be shared safely and confidentially between professionals, we can reduce duplication of work, and the time staff have to spend on administrative tasks.
“It will further embed the integration of health and social care and help in preparations for the health and social care online app, launching in Lanarkshire later this year.”
Martyn Wallace, Chief Digital Officer, Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, said: “I am thrilled with this significant investment as we continue to work closely with our public sector partners to enhance our digital services for citizens.
“By utilising the Community Health Index (CHI), we will streamline access to services, reduce the need for individuals to repeat their information, and ensure timely delivery of care.
“This initiative will also promote better integration of health and social care services, support other collaborative digital projects like the new Health & Social Care App, and ultimately improve outcomes for our citizens.”
Scott Heald, Director of Data and Digital Innovation, Public Health Scotland said: “Our vision at Public Health Scotland (PHS) is focused on ensuring communities can flourish across Scotland.
“We bring together data and intelligence to shape decisions affecting health and care. This work to adopt the Community Health Index (CHI) in Scottish Local Government will make a huge contribution towards how we can work with partners to maximise the benefits of digital and data in ways that will empower individuals and communities.
“PHS already collects and analyses data from across the domains of health and social care, much of which Is sourced directly from Local Government systems.
“The opportunity to integrate the CHI into those underlying systems will lead to faster, more efficient, and accurate production of whole-system data on health and social care services and provide insights on outcomes for individuals across Scotland.”
