Good Governance Handbook - HQIP

which set out a process for integration and alignment. It set out ten key elements
which were developed as maturity matrices and gave support to the use of such tools
as the board assurance framework, annual cycle of business, effective use of
dashboard information, annual board review and an overhaul of sub-committees of
the board. The original handbook is still available on the DH website been updated in
two HFMA volumes. 27,28
5.4 Information Governance
Information Governance is the way by which the NHS handles all organisational
information - in particular the personal and sensitive information of patients and
employees. It allows organisations and individuals to ensure that personal
information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively, in order to
deliver the best possible care.
It provides a framework to bringing together the requirements, standards and best
practice that apply to the handling of information. It has four fundamental aims:
• To support the provision of high quality care by promoting the effective and
appropriate use of information.
• To encourage responsible staff to work closely together, preventing
duplication of effort and enabling more efficient use of resources.
• To develop support arrangements and provide staff with appropriate tools
and support to enable them to discharge their responsibilities to consistently
high standards.
• To enable organisations to understand their own performance and manage
improvement in a systematic and effective way.
The Department of Health produces and regularly updates a performance tool ‘the
Information Governance Toolkit’ which draws together legal rules and central
guidance from sources such as The Data Protection Act 1998 and The Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
It presents them in one place as a set of information governance requirements.
Organisations are required to carry out self-assessments of their compliance against
the IG requirements. 29
5.5 Research Governance
Research Governance can be defined as the broad range of regulations, principles and
standards of good practice that exist to achieve, and continuously improve, research
quality across all aspects of healthcare in the UK and worldwide.
By healthcare research it is taken to mean any health-related research which involves
humans, their tissue and/or data.
27 HFMA, Integrated Governance: delivering reform on 2 ½ days a month, 2007
28 HFMA, Integrated Governance: A guide to risk and joining up the reforms, 2011
29 https://www.igt.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/
www.good-governance.org.uk 21