100. We accept this recommendation. We agree that these are important concepts,
and indeed a number of protocols were drawn up and widely communicated in
managing changes to the health system in 2012. The Department of Health issued
guidance to NHS bodies in transition in September 2011 setting out the effective
management of records during organisational change22 .
101. In its report of 10 July 2013, “Managing the transition to the reformed health
system”23 the National Audit Office noted the “considerable planning and preparatory
work” that was done ahead of the Health and Social Care Act being passed and
highlighted that the “Department’s programme management demonstrated many
elements of good practice”24 , including comprehensive governance structures,
ongoing monitoring arrangements for key aspects of the transition, and a variety of
mechanisms to assess and gain assurance about the new system’s state of
readiness.
102. The National Archives has oversight of records management within
Government departments, and publishes guidance on best practice. They have
recently revised the guidance on “Machinery of Government Changes”25 which the
Department follows when transferring information assets between owners. The
National Archives have considered the Department’s records management
compliance as part of their Information Management Assessment in October 2014,
the report of which will be published shortly.
Perinatal deaths and recording: 38-40