Value based health and care action plan: measurement framework

Action 10

NHS 24, NHS Education for Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Centre for Sustainable Delivery and Public Health Scotland will continue to ensure access to high quality evidence-based knowledge and information that supports delivery of the Realistic Medicine goals of safe, person-centred care; reducing unwarranted variation and inequality; reducing waste and harm; and empowering people to make informed choices about their care through shared decisions.

Progress to date and future priorities

NHS inform

Since NHS inform launched in August 2010, it has grown as Scotland’s online health information service offering quality-assured health and care information including symptom checkers, Scotland’s Service Directory and mental health advice and resources. It also incorporates information from A Local Information System for Scotland (ALLIS) to help people find and share health and wellbeing resources, services, groups and support in their local community.

The Scottish Government strategic review of NHS inform across 2025/26 will establish the long-term vision for the platform and ensure the public continue to have access to high quality, evidence-based knowledge and information. Linked to NHS 24’s digital transformation programme, there will be new opportunities for how information can be offered, accessed and used by the public, further empowering people to have meaningful discussions and make informed choices about their care and treatment with confidence.

Right Decision Service

The Right Decision Service (RDS), delivered by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) since 2023 as a digital innovation on an early adoption basis. Funding was confirmed in late 2025 for ongoing delivery as a permanent digital asset owned by NHS Scotland.

During 2025, RDS delivered 34 new decision support toolkits for professionals and public, implemented a major redesign of user interface and functionality in response to user feedback; rolled out safe prescribing decision support in primary care electronic health record systems across NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside; worked with stakeholders to co-design access to safe prescribing information on the RDS; prototyped a tool to automate conversion of SIGN guidelines into web and mobile decision support tools; and has begun to scope personalised pharmacogenomics decision support service with colleagues in the Scottish Government Effective Prescribing Division and NHS Tayside.

Examples of deliverables that directly support national service reform and renewal priorities and Value Based Health and Care objectives include:

• Worked with HIS research and information colleagues to produce evidence summaries and a decision support web and mobile app for the National Referral Protocol.
• Launched the updated ASSIGN 2.0 national cardiovascular risk calculator and delivering national decision support pathways for cardiovascular disease prevention.
• Delivered the Scottish referral guidelines for suspected cancer and Optimal cancer diagnostic pathways in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery.
• Enhanced the Being a partner in my care: Realistic Medicine together web and mobile app
• Progressed partnership with the Scottish Library and Information Council and the public library network across Scotland to support six early adopter public library to engage communities in Realistic Medicine.

Monitoring metrics

The monitoring metrics for Action 10 draw on a combination of survey data from health and care professionals and administrative usage data from national information and decision‑support platforms. Together, the metrics provide insight into the reach, reliability and utilisation of evidence‑based resources that support informed decision making and high‑quality care.

Metric 10.1: 65% of health and care professionals surveyed had used SIGN resources to support the care they provide.

Metric 10.2: 62% of health and care professionals surveyed had used NHS Inform to support the care they provide.

Metric 10.3: 41% of health and care professionals surveyed had used Right Decision Service tools for professionals to support the care they provide.

Metric 10.4: 38% of content reviewed on NHS inform in 2025, against target of 33%.^[13]

Metric 10.5: 87% of NHS Inform clinical content was governed by subject matter experts in 2025 (remainder governed internally by NHS 24).^[14]

Metric 10.6: NHS Inform webpages were viewed 29,849,995 times in 2025 resulting in 39,429,563 page views.

Metric 10.7: Right Decision Service webpages have been viewed 11,325,817 times in 2025.

Metric 10.8: Professional-facing Realistic Medicine website and mobile App have been viewed 15,395 times in 2025.

Metric 10.9: Citizen-facing Realistic Medicine (‘Being a partner in my care’) website and mobile App have been viewed 8,497 times in 2025.