NHS Networks extends information sharing

NHS Networks has developed an online portal to enable commissioners to gain access to information and resources without having to waste time trawling the internet.

The Commissioning Zone was created as a result of research that showed that primary care trust (PCT) managers, GPs and practice managers were using more than 150 online sources between them on a daily basis.

"Commissioners are an increasingly diverse group, and they cover a huge range of disciplines," said Julian Patterson, development director for NHS Networks.

"In the past they had tended to look at fewer sources of information, but now, in true NHS style, this information is now scattered all over the place," he added.

"We wanted to bring it together and make it easy to access."

The online portal, which took six months to create, will link to documents and web pages from a variety of sites, including NHS Evidence, Information Centre, and NHS PCC.

This announcement is very much in line with Andrew Lansley's white paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS'. It outlined an ‘information revolution', where data sharing and transparency would become central to the development of the NHS.

"Although this idea did predate the existing government, it is very much in tune with Lansley's white paper," said Patterson.

The Commissioning Zone will also connect users to each other, and create a virtual networking platform.

"As well as fast access to published sources, our research told us that people want to reach unpublished sources and tap into the expertise of their colleagues," added Patterson.

"We want to find a way to hook all of these people together, and create an advanced social network for the NHS."