BS 8401:2003

This British Standard gives guidance on the most important health informatics standards (and equivalent publications) in use in, or appropriate for use in, the UK. The scope of this guide is limited to those standards and publications approved by 9 July 2001. It deals only with standards (either approved or in course of development) developed specifically for use in healthcare. For example, even though lower-layer communications standards are widely used in health, their use is more or less exactly the same as in fields other than health, and they are therefore omitted. Conversely, where a standard has been developed specifically for use in healthcare – even though the standard is of more general applicability – it has been included.

This guide is intended to be of use to:

• procurers of systems incorporating health informatics standards
• implementers of such systems
• suppliers of such systems
• those responsible for selecting and approving health informatics standards, e.g. NHS Information Standards Boards.

It is also intended to be of use to:

• standards developers
• policy makers
• consultants
• those with an interest in the development of health informatics standards.