National Health Service in Scotland (NHS(S))

The Information Services Division (ISD) is responsible for the development, collection, governance and analysis of health and care data and the publishing of official health and care statistics for Scotland, covering all health topics. Core customers are the NHS Health Boards in Scotland, the Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities.

ISD's mission is to be a valued partner in improving health and well-being in Scotland, by providing a world class intelligence service.

Focus is primarily on statistics from administrative and clinical data sources. ISD is the lead organisation, along with Health Protection Scotland,  Health Scotland, General Register Office Scotland and NHS Health Scotland, in the virtual Scottish Public Health Observatory.

ISD is a Division of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), a NHS Board that provides a wide variety of national and specialist services such as Blood Transfusion, Health Protection, Procurement, Practitioner Payment as well as advice to the NHS in Scotland and to the Scottish Government. The NSS Board Chairman is appointed by the Scottish First Minister, and the Chief Executive of NSS is accountable to the Director-General Health in the Scottish Government (who is also the Chief Executive of NHS Scotland). ISD’s Director fills the role of Head of Profession.

ISD was originally part of the Government Statistical Service and has maintained professional statistical links although transferred from civil service to the NHS in 1974. It was the first non-civil service agency to be established as a supplier of National Statistics in 2001.  
 

Statistical products managed:
Total:46
National Statistics: 36                                              
Other Official Products: 10