Guidance

Child health information systems: information requirements and output specifications

Guidance for child health information system (CHIS) providers on information requirements, and suppliers on specifications for collecting and reporting data.

Documents

Output and information requirements specification for the child health information service and systems

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Details

This guidance is aimed at Child Health Information System (CHIS) providers, and suppliers of data collection software. It is practical guidance for CHIS providers outlining what information requirements are to be collected, and tells system suppliers what their systems should be capable of collecting and reporting.

It is an update of the ‘Information Requirements Specification (IRS)’ and the ‘Output Based Specification (OBS)’ for Child Health Information Systems that were published as 2 documents in 2012 by the Department of Health, and brings the documents together to:

  • improve the consistency of information in one source
  • avoid duplication

It has been updated to include developments in the screening, immunisation, health and development requirements of children and young people which are reflected in national policy or statutory requirements that have emerged since its original publication in 2012.

This revision has been led by Public Health England (PHE) with content and advice from organisations involved in child health programmes, including:

  • NHS England
  • Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)
  • United Kingdom National Screening Committee
  • experts from the national Child Health Information System (CHIS) Programme Board and working group
  • clinicians and managers of child health services
  • informatics leads
  • professional groups representing child health services

Updates to this page

Published 24 March 2015

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