Childrens Disability Network Teams Information Management System (CDNTIMS) Project.

The Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (PDSCYP) programme was established in 2010 to change the way children’s disability services are provided nationally. Under this programme, current services are being restructured so that support is provided to all children with complex needs through Children Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). Each CDNT typically will include administrative support, community paediatricians, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, pre-school liaison workers, psychologists, social workers, speech and language therapists, and other Health and Social Care Professionals. CDNTs are providing support based on needs, to all children with complex needs in their selected geographical area, thus promoting equitable access to service to all. Approximately half of the 91 CDNTs are managed via the HSE, with the other half being managed by section 38/39 funded disability service providers.

CDNTs are currently using a range of ICT solutions and/or paper records to store information records for their children. Following a consultation process with CDNT stakeholders, National Disability service teams in collaboration with ehealth teams and the system supplier, EBCS, have developed a single national Children’s Disability Network Team Information Management System (CDNTIMS). CDNTIMS will assist all 91 CDNTs by providing them with a single, uniform information system for the administration of disability services. The use of the CDNTIMS by all CDNTs will serve the vision of the PDSCYP programme, including standardisation and equity of service provision.

A CDNT team orientation exercise has been completed, whereby there was direct engagement with each team to understand their existing data systems and data structures currently in place, in order to facilitate a migration of their existing data from each team’s current system to a uniform structure within CDNTIMS. The CDNT orientation exercise also informed a CDNTIMS rollout plan based on an agreed set of criteria which forms the basis for the rollout schedule in 2023. 

  Significant ICT infrastructure has been deployed, in collaboration with the eHealth Technology, Infrastructure and Deployment, and DBA teams, to support the delivery of CDNTIMS.  The system will have a broad user base with approximately 2,500 users across 91 CDNTs. 

Software development of the CDNTIMS application is delivered across multiple phases with phase 1 software enhancements complete giving the required functionality for CDNTIMS to operate as a national system. Included in the development of the CDNTIMS is the replacement of an existing Assessment of Need Information system and a National Day Service Information system. Finally, CDNTIMS integration with IHI and the HSE data lake is on the CDNTIMS roadmap for delivery by Q3 2024.

The rollout of CDNTIMS is already underway and will bring 91 CDNTs live on an incremental basis in 2023. The first full calendar year of complete CDNTIMS information for all 91 teams for a full 12 months will remain 2024 as planned.