Lessons from the COVID-19 experience should shape a better system for rapid nationwide data reporting
The lessons learned from the COVID-19 experience around what it takes to provide high-value rapid information to the government, regions and hospitals across the country should not be lost as healthcare environments attempt to return to normal. Continuous data entry, integrated analysis and timely reporting are all essential to organise and provide optimal care to patients
The National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (NICOR) has worked with the cardiovascular Professional Societies and individual hospitals to ensure a continuous flow of data, to assess the impact of COVID on patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). A close collaboration between NHS Digital, NICOR and the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership with NHS England has also transformed the information governance landscape by creating a linked ‘cardiovascular data spine’. This has enabled data to be collated and analysed rapidly to inform Government and NHS policy.