Information for Mothers using Maternity Services
Why do you need to collect information about me?
The Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS) has been developed to help achieve better outcomes of care for mothers, babies and children. The data set will provide competitive, mother and child-centric data that will be used to improve clinical quality and service efficiency and to commission services in a way that improves health and reduces inequalities.
The Maternity Services Data Set collects information about you and the care you receive whilst using maternity services provided by your GP practice and your hospital.
How does information about me make a difference?
We want to offer you the best possible care. To do this, we have to assess our effectiveness so we can continually improve the care we offer. This means that we need to collect information about mothers using Maternity services, the care you are offered and its outcomes and then we need to analyse it so we can improve. This leaflet describes how the information you provide helps improve care for all mothers using Maternity services.
How is the information collected about me used?
The information collected is used to check that:
- Maternity services are available to all mothers
- Mothers are being provided with care that is compliant with standards set by the National Institute of Care and Health Excellence (NICE)
- Maternity care provided is mother and child-centric.
Who manages the information I provide?
The information collected about you is managed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), the national provider of information, data and IT systems for commissioners, analysis and clinicians in health and social care.
The role of the HSCIC is to ensure that high quality information is used appropriately to improve patient care. It publishes key statistics and shares information to support important research and commissioning.
What information do you collect about me?
We collect information about you and the care you receive, including the assessments, results of your tests and your answers to questionnaires. This enables your progress to be monitored and future Maternity services planned. This information may be shared with other health professionals involved in your care, so that you get the best possible care. If you would like to see the information collected about you or find out more about how the information is stored and used locally please speak with your Midwife.
What information is collected nationally?
Some of this information collected is reported nationally to give a picture of service delivered across the country, to check that quality standards are similar everywhere. No information that could reveal your identify is used in national reports. These reports only show summary numbers of, for instance, women receiving different types of care and it is impossible to identify any mother using Maternity services from them.
How do you use my information?
The Maternity services data offers the most benefit when it collects information from as many mothers as possible, because this creates the most accurate picture of services. If, however, you do not want your information included in national analyses, please tell the people providing your Maternity services and they will make sure your information is not used. This will not affect your treatment in any way.
How do I find out more about how you used my information?
You can find out more about what happens to your information on the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s website: www.hscic.gov.uk/patientconf
