DHCNI
objectives

How does DHCNI work?

The purpose of DHCNI will include:

• Creation of a new integrated and collaborative leadership team spanning the current silos of the Department of Health (DoH), the Public Health Agency (PHA), the Business Services Organisation (BSO) and the six HSC Trusts;
• Setting regional policy and developing best practice for HSC technology, digital and data – including data-sharing and transparency;
• Use of portfolio management tools and techniques to reduce administrative activities and focus more on strategic improvements;
• Building a comprehensive programme plan to map dependencies between the various programmes and activities;
• Developing a library of data and technology principles, policies and standards for Health and Care including cyber security so that HSC care systems have security designed in from the start;
• Helping to improve health and social care by delivering agile, user-focused projects in collaboration with Trusts and other service providers;
• Supporting the use of new technologies by the HSC, both by working with industry and via its own prototyping and development capability including SBRI;
• Ensuring that common technologies and services are designed so service providers do not have to reinvent the wheel each time – once for NI approach;
• Identifying how we can build a digital design capability for system-wide thinking and planning;
• Championing and developing digital training, skills and culture so our staff are digital-ready;
• Developing our digital eco-system, working across the service and with our research, academic and private sector partners through a new programme of engagement.

DHCNI governance

The Northern Ireland code of good practice for corporate governance in central government departments defines the way in which Public Sector organisations and their Arm’s Length Bodies (ALB) are directed, controlled and led. It defines relationships and the distribution of rights and responsibilities among those who work with and in the organisation, determines the rules and procedures through which the organisation’s objectives are set, and provides the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance.

DHCNI has undertaken a governance review and has established a new Governance Framework which addresses Digital Governance. DHCNI has focussed on improving the overall management of digital services within Health and Social Care (HSC) to ensure the public get the most value from investment

This framework will enable HSC to manage digital risks effectively and ensure that the activities associated with digital services are aligned with DHCNI’s overall strategic objectives. This is different to IT/Digital management which focuses on the planning, organising, directing and controlling of IT resources.

DHCNI is committed to:

• Ensuring that all decisions link to Departmental priorities and the Digital Strategy;
• Actively engaging with our stakeholders and ensuring that digital delivers what they need;
• Operating in an open and transparent manner and communicating all decisions promptly and working in accordance with agreed principles;
• Supporting programme and project owners and holding them accountable for the delivery of benefits, and quickly identifying the impact of any failure to deliver benefits on the wider system to facilitate mitigation.

There are seven main Boards within the new DHCNI Governance Structure – each Board and a description of its role, is set out below:

The DHCNI Board, Portfolio Board, Enterprise Architecture Board and the Strategic Information Board have all been established and work is ongoing to set up the remaining Boards in the near future.

If you have any questions about our Governance structure you can contact us at DHCNIContact@hscni.net