The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Constitution and Functions) and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Functions) Regulations 2013

Interpretation

24.  In this Part—

“the Authority” means the Special Health Authority known as the Health and Social Care Information Centre(1);

“confidential information” has the same meaning as in section 263(2) of the Act;

“confidential patient information” means patient information where—

(a)

the identity of the individual in question is ascertainable—

(i)

from that information, or

(ii)

from that information and other information which is in the possession of, or likely to come into the possession of, the person processing that information, and

(b)

that information was obtained or generated by a person who, in the circumstances, owed an obligation of confidence to that individual(2).

“the 2005 Directions” means the Health and Social Care Information Centre Directions 2005(3);

“indicator specification” means an indicator specification prepared by the Information Centre in accordance with regulation 28;

“the Information Centre” means the Health and Social Care Information Centre established by section 252 of the Act;

“the library” means the library of quality indicators(4) described in regulation 25(2)(b);

“medical performers list” means a list of medical practitioners maintained by the Board in accordance with regulations made under section 91 of the 2006 Act;

“methodology” may include—

(a)

mathematical calculations or formulae to be applied to data,

(b)

rules to be applied to data to organise the data appropriately,

(c)

other statistical processes including risk adjustment to identify and adjust for variation in outcomes of interest that stem from differences in risk factors, or

(d)

details of any relevant information standard(5) that must be adhered to;

“the NHS Central Register” means the record of all persons—

(a)

who before the relevant date, were or had been registered with a provider of primary medical services in England for the purposes of receiving such services under the 2006 Act(6); and

(b)

who were not or had not been so registered, but who were at any time before 1st April 2004, registered with a provider of general medical services in England for the purposes of receiving such services(7);

“patient information” means—

(a)

information (however recorded) which relates to the physical or mental health or condition of an individual, to the diagnosis of the individual’s condition or to the care or treatment of the individual, and

(b)

information (however recorded) which is to any extent derived, directly or indirectly, from such information,

whether or not the identity of the individual in question is ascertainable from the information(8);

“prescribing number” means the individual number issued by the Information Centre in accordance with regulation 31 and used in connection with—

(a)

prescribing by a general medical practitioner,

(b)

the management and monitoring of such prescribing, and

(c)

other purposes connected with the health services in England;

“proposer” means a person referred to in regulation 26(2).

(1)

The Health and Social Care Information Centre was established by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Establishment and Constitution) Order 2005, S.I. 2005/499 and abolished by section 276 of the Act, which is to come into force on 1st April 2013 (see S.I. 2013/160 (C. 9)).

(2)

See section 251(11) of the 2006 Act.

(3)

The Health and Social Care Information Centre Directions 2005 (the 2005 Directions) were signed on 24th March 2005. The 2005 Directions have been amended by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Amendment) Directions 2008 (the 2008 Directions), signed on 31st March 2008. Copies of the 2005 Directions and the 2008 Directions can be obtained from External Relations, Department of Health, Zone 5B, Skipton House, London SE1 6LH.

(4)

“Quality indicator” is defined in section 268(3) of the Act.

(5)

See section 250 of the Act for the definition of, and other provision about, information standards.

(6)

See sections 83 and 276 of the 2006 Act for the meaning of “primary medical services” under that Act.

(7)

See section 84 of the 2006 Act.

(8)

See section 251(10) of the 2006 Act.