The organization collects, analyzes, and publishes national health and social care data and statistics to support better care. Their information is used by organizations to aid service commissioning and delivery, research, and to provide public information. They have a Data Access Request Service (DARS) that handles customer requests to access data and information through a three stage process: application, approval, and access.

1. Providing information
to support better care
We collect, analyse and publish national data and statistics. Our information services
and products are used by a range of organisations to support the commissioning
and delivery of services, for research and academic studies, and to provide targeted
information to patients, service users and the public.
Data Access Request Service
The Data Access Request Service (DARS) handles
customer requests to access our wide range of
health and social care information, products and
services. We recently simplified the request process
into three stages:
1. Application – this sets out the nature of the data
being requested and the purpose for which it is
needed.
2. Approval – this stage is in place to verify
that there is an appropriate legal basis for
accessing the requested data and that
safeguards are in place to ensure customers will
store and handle the data safely and securely.
All applications are evaluated independently by
the Data Access Advisory Group (DAAG) which
makes a recommendation to us about whether
or not to approve the release.
3. Access – once a Data Sharing Contract and
Data Sharing Agreement have been signed we
will prepare your data for you.
Find out more about the Data Access
Request Service at www.hscic.gov.uk/dars
and DAAG at www.hscic.gov.uk/daag
Case Study
Improvements for breast
cancer surgery patients
A national programme to improve the breast
care surgical pathway has reported significant
improvements to quality of care and large
reductions in the length of hospital stays for breast
cancer surgery patients after it used our Hospital
Episode Statistics (HES) data.
NHS Improving Quality requested the information,
which, along with other activities, was analysed
by the National Clinical Analysis and Specialised
Applications Team (NATCANSAT) to streamline
processes for the breast care surgical pathway.
Between 2007-08 and 2011-12, this contributed to:
• improved patient experience (quality of care)
• increased proportion of planned surgery done
as a day case from 27 per cent to 40 per cent.
• reduced average length of hospital stay by 50
per cent.
• reduced bed days by 49 per cent.
Read the full case-study at
www.hscic.gov.uk/breastcancercasestudy
www.hscic.gov.uk 0300 303 5678
@hscic enquiries@hscic.gov.uk
Copyright © 2014 Health and Social Care Information Centre 1

2. Providing information to support better care
In June 2014 we published our Focus on the Health
and Care of Older People report to provide a broad
picture of older peoples’ health and lifestyles. It pulls
together data on hospital activity, mental health,
social care, prescribing, NHS workforce, census data
and life expectancy.
The report also explores the use of health and social
care services among older people and gives insight on
the impact an ageing population has on these services
and how this compares to previous generations.
Download the report and supporting data
www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/opfocusjun14
Data Services for
Commissioners
Commissioners of healthcare services need to plan
and commission in their local area through the analysis
of actual and projected use of services, across all
parts of the care economy. This modelling requires
access to information about care provided to patients,
their hospitals stays and patient journeys but without
accessing personal confidential patient data.
Care commissioners do not provide direct patient
care, and therefore they have no automatic legal
basis on which to access personal confidential patient
information. For this reason commissioners require
an intermediary service that specialises in processing,
analysing and packaging patient information into a
format they can legally use. This is provided by Data
Services for Commissioners (DSfC).
DSfC has established regional processing centres,
known as Data Services for Commissioners Regional
Offices (DSCROs). These offices access appropriate
information, without compromising patient
confidentiality or statutory legal requirements around
the use of this data.
Find out more about Data Services for
Commissioners www.hscic.gov.uk/dsfc
Bringing indicators, their data
and methodologies together
The Francis Report highlighted the role indicators
and other comparative statistics play in measuring
performance and outcomes and underlined our role in
producing, assuring and publishing indicators. As the
national source of indicators we produce and publish
the NHS Outcomes Framework, Commissioning
Outcomes Framework and Adult Social Care Outcomes
Framework indicators. We also provide a service for
testing and assurance of indicators, to make sure that
the methods they use are robust.
Our Indicator Portal provides quick and easy access
to hundreds of indicators in one place and is a valuable
information resource for all health and social care
professionals, not just information specialists.
Find out more
www.hscic.gov.uk/indicatorportal
The data from the indicators in the Adult Social Care
Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) can be viewed and
explored in our website. You can view the data by Local
Authority and Outcome Measure in an interactive map.
View the ASCOF data
http://ascof.hscic.gov.uk/
09/14
Shedding new light on the
health and care of older people
Version 1.1
Published 26 June 2014
www.hscic.gov.uk 0300 303 5678
@hscic enquiries@hscic.gov.uk
Copyright © 2014 Health and Social Care Information Centre 2