Recommendation 44

Lord O’Neill told us there is an underlying data problem in the health sphere, with many data systems not connecting properly.111 Better data in health would make it easier for clinicians making decisions on infection management and prescribing antimicrobials. The ability to link the results of diagnostic tests to prescription information could result in better antimicrobial stewardship, but a central repository of diagnostics data does not exist. Improved data sharing and collection could also improve information about infections acquired in community settings, such as social care.112 NHS England confirmed to us that it has not achieved what it wanted on data collection and sharing. It said that the NHS is on a journey to improve interoperability and that the federated data platform and extending electronic prescribing into all settings will help.113