Wales and Scotland sign health informatics agreement

Innovative health technology developments will be shared between NHS Scotland and NHS Wales after a new collaboration agreement was signed.

The new arrangement creates the Health Informatics Service Alliance and formalises existing collaboration between the two health services.

New digital solutions found for sharing patient information will be explored under the agreement.

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Martin Irving, Associate Director Architecture and Solutions Service, National Services Scotland said the agreement would allow both services to make the most of “limited financial resources” and “shared technical expertise”.

“I am looking forward to the mutual benefits to be realised through the creation of the Healthcare Informatics Alliance," he said.

NHS Wales already uses an electronic messaging system, developed in Scotland, to manage electronic referrals and discharges as well as cross-border exchange of patient information.

It is expected the NHS in Northern Ireland, which also uses the system for referrals, will join the collaboration.