Be Prepared!

Data collection should be an on-going process. You should dedicate time to gathering information on your service. Don't wait until you have to provide information before you start looking for it.

There are many sources of information that you can draw on. These might include:

• Your own records

• Information gathered from your team and from other teams who you work with
  

• Statistics provided by your local and regional public health departments

• National statistics

Some guidance on data collection, sources of information and how to draw these data together follows.

To collect your data you will need the co-operation of your entire team. Your team needs to know that the data has to be robust, consistent, accurate and on time so that you can give the correct information about your service to your audience in a business-like manner.

Ensure that all your team knows that although it may be a tedious job to record activity data their jobs and your service could depend on it.


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