1. The IT strategy should enable the West Midlands CHCs to provide cost-effective and efficient services for the public using IT equipment to its best advantage.
2. The IT development needs of CHCs will be met including training, modern equipment and software.

The IT development of CHCs should help in the communication of information between CHCs across the region and nationally and with other NHS organisations.

The long term aim of this strategy is to ensure a consistent approach to the purchasing , maintenance and use of IT equipment whilst respecting the individuality of the CHCs.

• Providing information, advice and assistance on NHS matters to the public.
• Providing administrative support to CHC members and staff
• Research
• Reports and other documentation
• Complaints handling and monitoring
• Identifying and monitoring trends in local NHS health care provision
• Creating presentations and publications to the public
• Budget management.

• Increased efficiency
• Reduced costs
• Improved support services through access to health related information.

The Regional Office allocates an annual budget for IT development of West Midlands CHCs and for the general running of the West Midlands CHCs IT Support Group including the salary of our IT Support Officer, Garry Webb. 

CHCs should apply these standards to the best of their ability, finances permitting. If a CHC feels unable to meet these standards then it should contact the IT Support Group for advice and help and possible funding.

The IT Support Officer have established protocols to assist CHCs to make informed decisions on how best to develop their individual IT facilities. West Midlands CHCs are instructed to adhere to these protocols.

The adoption of standard specifications should deliver the following benefits:-

• Maintained IT support
• Improved information exchange
• Greater exchange of skills and expertise
• More cost-effective training
• More informed and effective purchasing of IT equipment.

The minimum hardware and software standards take into account:

1. The future viability of products
1. upgrade possibilities
2. year 2000 compliance
2. The stability of the product
3. The reputation of the software
1. previous records of use
2. comments from other users
3. reputation of software company
4. The integration of the product
1. compatibility with existing products
2. consequent training needs
5. Suitability of the product
1. ease of use
2. cost benefits for the CHC.
6. Support
1. back up from software company - upgrades , bug fixes etc.
2. training availability

• All staff should have access to a PC where required. This will normally mean one PC per full time staff member.
• Staff should have reasonable access to computer peripherals such as printers.
• Access should be made possible for people with disabilities whenever required.

• Hardware should be upgraded where practical and cost-effective. When it is not practical or cost effective new hardware will be purchased.
• All PCs, software and data are being tested for year 2000 compatibility. Computers, software that are not found to be compatible will need either be upgraded or replaced funds permitting. Data that is not compliant will be amended.
• An Audit of CHCs is to be undertaken annually by the IT Support Officer and copies sent to the Business Manager and Coventry Health Authority. A further copy will be kept by the IT Support Officer for reference.
• The disposal of obsolete or damaged computer hardware is to be looked into and a protocol put in place to ensure that equipment is disposed of safely, securely and in accordance with Coventry Health Authority and NHS Supplies' Guidelines and protocols. We will also ensure that equipment is disposed of in an environmentally sound manner and in accordance with Local Authority Guidelines and procedures. Any disposed of items will be checked off against the Audit inventory.

Each West Midlands CHC will be expected to apply the minimum specifications and should act upon the advice of the IT Support Officer unless it can provide an acceptable cost benefits analysis on how these are not appropriate.

We recommended that:

A Maintenance Agreement was arranged and paid for last year by the IT Support Group to cover the appropriate IT hardware such as PCs and maybe printers at some time. This will be reviewed annually and funding sources found. It may not be cost-effective to undertake maintenance agreements for old and out-of-date equipment.

Advice on additional maintenance contracts will be provided by the IT Support Group for local decision.

It is recommended that all CHCs have an on-site maintenance agreement for the regularly used and up-to-date equipment. When new computers are purchased we recommended that CHCs take up any offers of extended warranty, provided such a warranty offers on-site maintenance.

It will be necessary to ensure that all operating systems and software in use are year 2000 compliant with non-compliant software being replaced or put to secondary use by September 1999.

Microsoft Office Professional 97 is to be the standard package for CHCs. This consists of Word (word processor), Access (database), Excel (spreadsheet), PowerPoint (presentations and desktop publishing) and Outlook (a personal organiser and e-mail package). Any CHCs that do not currently use this package will be asked to phase out their existing packages and replace them within the next year especially if their current software is not Year 2000 compliant. Many PCs will require substantial upgrading or replacing to allow these replacements.

All software in current or destined future use shall be checked for year 2000 compliance and CHCs will be made aware of packages that are not compatible so that they can make informed decisions whether to discontinue using them.

Currently, West Midlands CHCs use several packages for storing complaint details and for data management including AMS, Microsoft Access and Pinpoint 3.1.

All packages that are used for complaints will be checked for year 2000 compatibility and those not compatible will be replaced by autumn 1999 if complaints data is date-sensitive.

CHCs may seek advice from the IT Support Officer on whether they should use computers for the recording of complaints and how this should be done. Advice is also available on the best software for that particular CHC based on finances and staff experience.

It would be of benefit to investigate the feasibility of all West Midlands CHCs to use the same package for complaints handling.

At present two CHCs have a LAN (Wolverhampton (partial) and Mid Staffordshire) with most others not considering a LAN in the near future.

The IT Support Officer will offer advice to any CHC who wishes to form a LAN so that they can make an informed local decision on its implementation.

 Electronic mail is used to send messages and documents via computers and modems.

At present all West Midlands CHCs have an e-mail address with an ISP (Internet Service Provider). This will be kept under revision to see if electronic mail is of benefit to CHCs. At the moment, the Internet is used for POP/SMTP e-mail. NHS.Net may be used in the future for e-mail.

All of the West Midlands CHCs including the Association of West Midlands CHCs have been provided with a computer, modem and dedicated telephone line for the specific use of electronic communication and it is on these computers that an e-mail system/Internet access is has been installed. Payment for Internet connections has been made centrally by the IT Support Group and this may continue to ensure that all CHCs use a standard platform for communications.

 The Internet is a global network of computer networks. It is usually accessed via an ISP such as U-Net or Pipex.

 The Internet can be used to:

• Send and receive e-mail
• Host CHCs' Web Sites
• Search for and access information world-wide
• Participate in topic based workgroups and conferencing.

CHCs will have been connected to the Internet for one year by January 1999 and are encouraged keep to a reliable and competitive Internet Service Provider (such as the one provided by the IT Support Group during 97/98) and to have their own Web Site. This site could either be designed by themselves or by a commercial Web Site designer. The IT Support Group will give advice to CHCs on these matters and will monitor sites to ensure that they do not contravene any copyright or data protection regulations.

 Training will be provided on the effective use of the Internet for research.

 The NHS.Net is a secure Intranet or closed computer network of NHS organisations and related agencies. Only certain organisations are allowed access to the NHS.Net, access within the network can be restricted to certain areas.

 As with the Internet, NHS.Net can be used to:

• Send and receive e-mail
• Host a CHC's Web Site via BT WebWorld
• Search for and access information across the NHS and world-wide via NHS.Net's Internet gateway

The development of the NHS.Net will be monitored and if the IT Support Group and West Midlands CHCs can see a benefit to joining the system then they may be connected to it.

One CHC or West Midlands CHCs Development Officer may be connected to NHS.Net to monitor its advantages and disadvantages. The cost-effectiveness of using NHS.Net will also be looked at annually.

 The training needs of CHC staff is to be assessed and training arranged accordingly.

 The main training needs of CHCs are:

• Basic IT and computer awareness including Health and Safety
• Word processing
• Databases
• Spreadsheets
• Electronic communications (e.g. Internet and e-mail)
• Desktop publishing

Training is and will be provided using:

• On-site and off-site training by proven quality training providers
• On-site and off-site training by the IT Support Officer

Training is and will be available as either group sessions and one-to-ones where appropriate.

 Funding for IT training for CHC staff may be provided in full or part by the West Midlands CHCs IT Support Group or by the West Midlands CHCs Training Group.

It is prudent to secure IT equipment. It is expensive to replace and data loss due to theft could not only prove time-consuming but also a potential risk of confidential data being read and used by unauthorised people.

Physical security can be provided in a number of ways including security marking and physically securing the equipment to a desk.

An audit is to be undertaken annually on all IT equipment including details such as equipment serial numbers. A record of this audit will be kept by each CHC for its own information and a central record will be kept by the IT Support Officer, the Business Manager and the Director of Finance at Coventry Health Authority.

We recommended that CHCs consider using securing methods to help prevent theft

Guidance regarding the options for security is provided by the IT Support Group.

Laptop computers are considered high risk. If a CHC uses a laptop then we strongly recommended that confidential data is not kept on the laptop's hard disk drive. Care should be taken not to leave laptops in the back of cars or on public transport.

Data is the information used by and stored on computers. Any information created by CHCs such as reports, letters and databases are data.

It is very important that CHCs data are looked after and that it is ensured that data are both kept secure and that it is backed up in case of data loss.

We recommended that:

• Confidential and important data files be saved to floppy disks. These disks should be kept in a fireproof safe.
• Data are backed up regularly and that back ups are checked for integrity.
• Where computers are in publicly accessible areas security systems should be installed onto these machines. This security can be provided by the IT Support Group.

Guidance on backing up procedures and other security issues is provided by the IT Support Officer.

CHCs are advised to put into place disaster recovery plans. Guidance on such plans is provided by the IT Support Officer. CHCs should consult the IT Support Officer immediately in the event of a disaster.

Section 5 of the Act requires all users of personal data on computers to register with the Office of Data Protection Registrar. CHC Chief Officers are responsible for ensuring that the CHC complies with the Data Protection Act. Any CHC holding information on computer about individuals (for example complainants) in a form in which users can be identified is required to register under the Act. It is an offence not to do so.

It is important that CHCs monitor the information kept on individuals and inform the Office of Data Protection Registrar of any changes in the way data is handled. The IT Support Group will also monitor the Data Protection Act 1998 implementation to help CHCs ensure that they comply with this new Act.

Computer viruses are a real and costly threat and it is therefore essential that CHCs install virus protection on all computers.

 We recommended that:

• A proven anti-virus package be installed on all machines. This software should be updated on a quarterly basis to ensure protection. Guard Dog Deluxe is already installed on all of CHCs' Internet PCs.
• Any PCs used by staff outside the CHC should also have a proven virus package.
• Any floppy disks and CD-ROMs brought into the CHC should be checked for viruses before use.

The IT Support Group will do all it can to help West Midlands CHCs minimise any potential disruption that the Year 2000 may cause. We will do this by:

Conducting a Year 2000 Audit on all West Midlands CHCs (underway and due for completion by April 99)

Producing a Year 2000 Strategy (already in place)

Producing a Year 2000 compliance list (done)

Producing a Chief Officer's Year 2000 Check List (done) and progress sheet (done)

The IT Support Officer is providing as much guidance and information as possible on the Year 2000 and the IT Support Group is liasing with external bodies for guidance and protocols.

The IT Support Group is keen to ensure that West Midlands CHCs are ready for the possible adoption of the Euro as the main currency of the United Kingdom.

Although we do not feel that the new currency will have too much impact, either directly or indirectly, on CHCs we feel that they should still be able to understand, handle and display the Euro with their computer systems.

To this end, the IT Support Group will be looking into how the Euro may affect CHCs and how we can prepare CHCs best for the new currency by:

1. Identifying potential problems with computers both at CHCs and organisations who they rely upon who may handle the new currency in documents etc.
2. Providing and installing fixes for computers and software
3. Proving training on the new currency for Budget Holders and managers
4. Producing a "Euro Adoption Plan" by March 1999 with a completion of Euro compliance by Autumn/Winter 1999 at the latest.

The delivery of this strategy is dependent on the goodwill and co-operation of all West Midlands CHCs as well as a determination to move forward at a reasonable pace.

To deliver the strategy:

It is important to recognise that CHC investment will always be dependant on available funding. The IT Support Group will try to ensure a reasonable level of funding for IT development with those CHCs in most need receiving the most financial assistance.

The IT Support Group review and update this strategy annually to ensure that it serves the CHCs best.

The IT Support Group meet regularly to discuss and plan IT development.

Individual IT profiles will be developed to allow Chief Officers to forward plan.

The IT Support Officer will continue to provide help and guidance wherever needed. The CHCs are advised access and utilise the support and advice from the IT Support Officer. He will continue issuing guidelines on IT issues and monitor IT in general.

 Informal exchange and support between CHCs will be further encouraged to exchange ideas, good practice and causes for concern.

West Midlands CHCs IT Support Group

C/o Wolverhampton CHC

45 Queen Street

Wolverhampton

WV1 3BJ

Tel: (01902) 828992 Fax: (01902) 569356