Use of Management Information in the Health and Social Services Department – Operating Theatres: Follow-up

Background

Access to relevant and high quality management information allows organisations to make strategic and operational decisions, efficiently and effectively. 

In 2014, the C&AG reviewed how well the Health and Social Services Department (HSSD) identified, collected and used management information for planning and decision-making. This focussed on the utilisation of operating theatre capacity.

Scope

This review evaluates:

• the adequacy of the arrangements HSSD has put in place to manage and monitor the implementation of the recommendations made in the C&AG’s report and to evaluate the impact of implementation;
• the progress HSSD has made in implementing agreed recommendations; and
• how HSSD has used what it learned from the Use of Management Information in the Health and Social Services Department – Operating Theatres review in other areas of its business.

Conclusions

The Theatres and Anaesthesia (T&A) Division has actively embraced the recommendations contained in the C&AG’s previous report, including by appropriate adapting them to achieve their underlying objective. It has made good progress.

However, the C&AG’s recommendations were directed to HSSD more widely and there are key areas where HSSD needs to take action so that the full benefits of the recommendations can be secured.