For information.

Linda

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Linda Ferguson
Deputy Director of Health Libraries NW
Thelwall House, Warrington Hospital
Lovely Lane, Warrington, WA5 1QG
Tel: 01925 662947 (with answerphone)
Fax: 01925 662588 
Mobile: 0776 968 77 19 (with voice mail)
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-----Original Message-----
From: Glyn Hayes [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 10 June 2003 01:34
To: Ferguson, Linda
Subject: Update report on UK Council for Health Informatic Professions


Dear Mrs Linda Ferguson
UK Council for Health Informatics
Thank you for registering your interest in UKCHIP. The Council has now been
formed as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Co No:4771281. Application has
been made for charitable status. We have confirmed support from the NHSIA
for the Council. So far over 850 individuals have registered an interest.
These will be the first to be offered the opportunity for formal
Registration with the Council.

Work is progressing on developing the standards for voluntary registration
which we hope will start in October. We intend to publish the standards as
they develop. The first output is the Code of Conduct which in draft form is
appended to this email. Any comments welcome to [log in to unmask]

There will be two routes for Registration. For those who enter the
profession there will be a formal process which will involve meeting
detailed standards of qualifications and prescribed experience. For existing
HI professionals there will be a self assessment procedure which requires
the candidate to show that their mixture of qualifications, experience of
job roles, length of service and professional activities qualifies them to
Register, even if they do not have the formal qualifications and prescribed
experience needed by the more formal process. This "grandparent" entry will
only be available for a limited time. It has been agreed by the Council that
the fee for Registering under UKCHIP will be £20 for those who register
early. There will also be an annual re-registration fee - amount yet to be
decide.

Registrants will receive an annual Registration Certificate and be eligible
to vote in future Council Elections. Once we have a body of Registrants the
Council will then work, with other bodies, towards developing the status of
health informaticians as a profession, to improve working conditions and
career prospects.

Also appended to this email are the details we hold about you. I would be
grateful if you could check these and let me know of any amendments or
additions to your information. We particularly need information about the
area of health informatics in which you are involved so we can ensure your
needs are being met. As you know this will only be used for the purposes of
UKCHIP and nothing else.

After the next Council meeting in early July I will circulate more details
of the initial Registration process and the types of Registration available.
At the same time the new web site will be established.
Your details:
Title:                  Mrs
forename:               Linda
surname:                Ferguson
occupation:             Librarian
position:               Deputy Director of Health Libraries NW
organisation:           Deputy Director of Health Libraries NW
work_address:           Thelwall House, Warrington Hospital, Lovely Lane, Warrington
work_postcode:  WA5 1QG
work_tel:               01925 662947
work_email:             [log in to unmask]
home_address:
home_postcode:
home_tel:
home_email:
contact_type:           Work
(Where to contact you)
category:               Potential,Employer
(Potential Registrant, Employer, Other)
category_other:
highest_qual:           MA Library Management Studies
existing_qual:          BA Librarianship (Hons)
other_groups:           Chartered Institute of Library Information Professionals
years_in_hi:            13
constituency:           Libraries,Senior
(ICT, Health Records/Coding, Libraries & Knowledge Management, Senior
manager/Director/Head of Service, Clinical/medical Informatics)


UKCHIP Draft Code of Conduct
Purpose
This Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour which are expected
of health informatics professionals registered with the United Kingdom
Council for Health Informatics Professions (UKCHIP).
Adoption of the Code of Conduct is a prerequisite for registration with the
Council and a registered person who fails to comply with these standards may
be removed from the UKCHIP Register.
Fundamental Duties
The fundamental duties of a health informatics professional are to:
a) work to high professional standards;
b) respect the rights and interests of others;
c) protect the interests of patients and the public;
d) promote the standards and standing of the profession.
Detailed Code of Conduct
Working to high professional standards
All health informatics professionals should exercise their professional
skills and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge their duties
with integrity by:
1. Giving professional advice that is objective and reliable.
2. Ensuring that all health information systems for which they are
responsible are fit for their purpose.
3. Maintaining a high standard of professional and technical expertise
appropriate to their role and discipline, and continuously seeking to
develop their knowledge and competence.
4. Accepting personal responsibility for all work done or advice given by
themselves or under their supervision or direction.
5. Ensuring that they, and any persons under their supervision, have the
necessary knowledge and competence to undertake their duties, and that no
person works beyond their current competence except under supervision as
part of a recognised training and development programme.
Respecting the rights and interests of others
All health informatics professionals should work to high ethical standards,
respecting the legitimate rights and interests of employers, other
professionals, clients, and other relevant authorities by:
6. Promoting respect for the individual and their rights, and ensuring equal
opportunities in all aspects of professional activity, including staff
management and recruitment, education development and training, and
relationships with clients and colleagues.
7. Carrying out their duties with diligence and integrity for the benefit of
their employer and/or client, refusing any personal inducement in the
exercise of their professional judgement, and avoiding any real or apparent
conflict of interest.
8. Ensuring that they and their organisation are aware of, and comply with,
any relevant legislation or regulations, particularly as regards protecting
the security, confidentiality, accuracy and integrity of health information.
9. Keeping confidential any privileged information, obtained in the course
of their professional duties, regarding the activities of individuals or
organisations - except where there is an overriding ethical or legal duty to
disclose it.
10. Taking all reasonable steps to ensure that any undesirable consequences
which they believe may result from failure to accept their advice are
communicated clearly to any individual overruling or neglecting such advice.
Protecting patients, staff and the public
All health informatics professionals should, to the best of their ability,
protect the interests of patients and the public by:
11. Ensuring that all information systems and equipment for which they are
responsible are procured, installed, maintained and operated professionally,
efficiently and safely, and provide good value for the public money invested
in them.
12. Ensuring the security, confidentiality, accuracy and integrity of health
information, and protecting the safety of patients and the public, both
directly through their personal actions and indirectly through the design
and operation of any information systems for which they are responsible.
13. Reporting to the proper authorities any improper or misleading use of
health information, whether accidental or deliberate, or misconduct by any
person in connection with the procurement, operation or use of information
systems and equipment.
14. Taking all reasonable steps to avoid waste of natural resources, damage
to the environment, and wasteful damage or destruction of the products of
human skill and industry.
Promoting the standards and standing of the profession
All health informatics professionals should, to the best of their ability,
promote the standards and standing of the profession by:
15. Promoting professionalism in health informatics through all aspects of
their work, acting as an advocate for high standards in the management of
health information in their workplace, and setting an example of high
standards to staff and colleagues.
16. Sharing their knowledge and experience with their peers, participating
in professional activities and organisations appropriate to their role and
discipline, and encouraging others to do so.
17. Avoiding personal behaviour, public statements or actions likely to
bring the profession as a whole, or individual members of the profession,
into disrepute.
18. Notifying the Council promptly of any circumstance that might bring the
profession into disrepute or their registation into question.


UKCHIP Standards Working Group
April 2003