Facilitator Handbook 2005 - PRIMIS

Your Local PRIMIS Scheme
PRIMIS Facilitator Handbook
Your Local PRIMIS Scheme
A local project or scheme wishing to improve the use of primary care clinical systems may be
organised in various ways and at different organisational levels, such as a PCO or local Health
Informatics Service.
Before PRIMIS is able to begin training or data quality analysis work with a PCO, a project
plan must have been approved and a facilitator or team of facilitators employed.
The role of the facilitator
Depending on how much work has been already achieved by the scheme, facilitators may
need to be proactive in setting up or finalising the project plan. Alternatively, facilitators may be
recruited to an established scheme. Either way, training and support are provided by PRIMIS.
For new schemes, following initial
training by PRIMIS, facilitators will
begin to work directly with practices.
For each one, this involves getting to
know the practice team, evaluating
training and development needs, and
examining current use of the clinical
system. Data quality may be assessed
by running sets of MIQUEST queries
and feeding back the analysed results
with suitable interpretation. Action
plans can then be formulated and
agreed, which may include identifying
training needs, changes in the way the
system is used and indicators of
progress.
Once the initial quality improvement
work has been started, the local
scheme can consider incorporating
other PRIMIS activities, such as
joining the comparative analysis
service or using the CHART software.
By this stage, schemes tend to move
away from a standard pattern in order
to support local needs. The variety of
work carried out by PRIMIS facilitators
across England can be seen on the
Schemes Showcase pages of the
PRIMIS website.
Keys to Successful
Planning for Data Quality
Primary care organisations that have
successfully implemented PRIMIS projects
have capitalised on the following key factors:
• Clear vision and objectives
• Activity plan with targets
• Adequate resources
• Management commitment and support
• Clinical ownership
• Recruiting the right people
• Realistic expectations
• Control and risk management
• Linking in with other activities and
initiatives
• Clearly defined reporting structures
• Commitment to monitor progress
The role of the facilitator is discussed in detail during the Scheme Management training
module. Also, more information is available in the Introducing PRIMIS booklet available from
PRIMIS.
PRIMIS 7