There are places still available at this conference and also places for people who would like to stay overnight, including those who might be thinking of joining us for the evening social event on July 22 at 52 Gower Street. If you would like to book, please get your booking form and money to Sarah Simpson at the RSS by Friday.


Health Statistics User Group

New Health Information Specialists Conference

This is a two day introduction to working with Health Information.  Formal sessions will cover

   Why we need health data

   Sources of data; how they are collected and held

   How information can be accessed and used

As well as this, there will be small group sessions, informal sessions to discuss career pathways, and an evening programme of music and dance that will provide opportunities to meet people from a range of health information based professions in more relaxed contexts.

When:       Tuesday 22nd  and Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Where:            Royal Statistical Society, Errol St., London

Cost:             £95 for HSUG members (free membership)
            £120 for non members
            £40 for overnight accommodation

Contact:    Return booking forms (http://www.rss.org.uk/main.asp?page=2736)
            to [log in to unmask]
            Contact [log in to unmask] for more information

This conference is aimed at all people who wish to broaden their knowledge of the basics of using health information, and of public health intelligence, and gain an overview of the different organizations involved.
If you have:

   just qualified and are looking for a career in health information,
      public health intelligence or health informatics

   recently started working in any of these fields

   worked in an analytical job for a while, but only recently moved to the
      health field

   learnt a lot about your own area of health information, but now want to
      gain a broader picture

Then this conference is aimed at you.

A wide range of organizations will be presenting information.  Topics
include:

   How Government health information strategies are decided and monitored,
      at national and local level, highlighting the different approaches
      between countries.

   How health data are collected and held by different organisations
      (including health activity data, births and deaths registrations
      data, surveys and registers)

   How users of health information can access the various sources of data,
      and what factors need to be taken into account when using the
      information

and many more - see the full programme for details.

If you want to 'fast track' your understanding of the different health organisations involved in producing and using health information, how these organizations fit together, and what information you can access from them, or if you want to understand more about areas of health information outside your own, then you will gain a lot from attending this conference. This is also an opportunity for you to meet others working in Health Information from across the UK, allowing you to build your own network of contacts.

This conference is an extended re-run of last November's New Health Information Specialists Conference.  While the core talks on using health information will remain, the new two-day format allows for more topics, greater networking opportunities, and an evening social event.

Conference timetable: HSUG New Health Information Specialists

RSS London, 22nd-23rd July 2008

Day 1

10.00-11.00       Registration, refreshments and ice-breaker sessions

11.00-12.30       Speaker session 1 - Why we need health information

11.00-11.10 Welcome, introduction to conference and session 1
            Deana Leadbeter (HSUG)

11.10-11.20 An introduction to UK health statistics
            John Fox

11.20-11.30 How government health information strategies help support and
            monitor health policies across the UK
            Arun Bhoopal (Dept. of Health)

11.30-11.40 How government health strategies are delivered and monitored at
            local level
            Neil Bendel (Manchester Joint Health Unit)

11.40-11.50 Health improvement strategies: The Public Health Observatory
            experience
            Speaker TBC - South East Public Health Observatory

11.50-12.15 Questions for speakers in Session 1

12:15-12.25       Introduction to Group session

12:25-13.00 Group session (part 1)

13.00-14.00       Lunch and posters

14.00-14.30 Group session (part 2)

14.30-15.30 Speaker session 2a - Sources of data, how they are collected
            and held:

14.30-14.50       How health data are collected and the products and
            services available: England
            Alyson Whitmarsh (Information Centre)

14.50-15.10 How health data are collected and held: Scotland, Northern
            Ireland and Wales
            Mary Sweetland (ISD Scotland)

15.10-15.20       Sources of ONS data and how to access them
            Speaker TBC - ONS

15.20-15.30 Questions for speakers in Session 2a

15.30-16.00 Refreshments

16.00-17.00 Speaker session 2b

16.00-16.10 Other sources of health information
            Alison Macfarlane (City University)

16.10-16.20 The Welsh Health Survey
            Speaker TBC - Welsh Assembly Government, Statistical
            Directorate

16.20-16.30 How health survey data can be accessed, and what factors need
            to be taken into account
            Anthony Rafferty (University of Manchester)

16.30-17.00 Questions for speakers in Session 2b

17.00-17.15 Arrangements for evening social events and introduction to
            programme for Day 2

17.15       End of Day 1

Evening social event at 52 Gower Street. Bar opens 6pm. Main dishes and snack meals on sale from 7pm-9pm. Music from 7pm-10pm

Day 2

09.00-09.15 Arrival and refreshments

09.15-11.00 Session 3 - How information can be accessed and used

09:15-09:20 Introduction to Day 2

09:20-10.00       Feedback and discussion from Group Sessions

10.00-10.15 Public Health Intelligence: What is it, and is the information
            fit for purpose?
            Margaret Eames-Petersen (The Acorns Public Health Research
            Unit)

10.15-10.30 Questions for speaker and general discussions

10.30-11.00 Refreshments and Registration for Session 4 attendees.

11.00-13.00 Speaker session 4 - Making use of health information

11.00-11.05 Introduction to session 4
            Deana Leadbeter (HSUG)

11.05-11.30 Using the results of health research
            John Appleby (The King's Fund)

11.30-11.55 What we get for what we spend: application of health and
            healthcare data
            Aileen Simkins (ONS)

11.55-12.20 The UK Statistics Authority's Publication Hub and Health
      Statistics
            Jon Simmons (ONS)

12.20-12.50       Questions for speakers in session 4

12.50-13.00       Summary and end of conference remarks

13.00-14.00 Lunch

14.00       End of main conference

14.00-16.00 Professional Development (optional informal session)

            Informal discussion groups with senior health information
            specialists on professional development and career pathways.

            Participants include Neil Bendel (Manchester Joint Health
            Unit), Alison Macfarlane (City University), Margaret Eames
            (Public Health Intelligence), Deana Leadbeter (HSUG Chair /
            International Health Information Specialist), and Aileen
            Simkins (ONS)