Clinical data standards and nursing.

This article has been subjected to peer review For almost all of us, computers have become com­ monplace. We not only use them when shopping, bank­ ing or making travel arrangements but, as all four UK countries have introduced national information and communications technology (ICT) programmes, they are now integral to our health care. Although the names and methods of introducing ICT programmes used by UK healthcare services may differ, their aims are consistent: to deliver integrated clinical information to help ensure high quality patient centred care. This article describes the benefits to nurses of ICT programmes, the challenges they offer, and the import­ ance to them of data standards. It also studies the work of the National Clinical Dataset Development Programme (NCDDP) in Scotland.