The Health Foundation has announced a new programme to explore the impact of data analytics and technology on health and care in the UK.
The plans aim to tackle real world problems that affect people’s health and will further develop understanding of the role that technology and data is increasingly playing in our daily lives.
Dr. Adam Steventon, Director of Data Analytics at the Health Foundation, said “Data is being used to drive innovation in ways that can revolutionise health care, including early disease detection, easier access to care services and encouraging health promoting behaviours. But such technological advances also carry the risk of harm to patients.”
“As a nation we need to advance our understanding of these fast moving changes. This new programme of work will help us to do that, enabling us to explore how analytics and data-driven technology can create better heath and care for people across the UK.”
The Health Foundation has set out to support policy makers, practitioners and the public to understand the changes taking place from the use of analytics, data-driven tech and AI.
The organisation said “A key part of the strategy is to establish major new partnerships and research initiatives, and to collaborate with innovative organisations to take this agenda forward.”
“The announcement follows the recent launch of the Foundation’s Networked Data Lab, a project which aims to build a network of data specialists across the country to work on shared challenges in health and care.”
“A key focus will also be to ensure that the health and social care system maximises the value that data holds to the health and care system, so it will continue to champion better analytics across the sector, offering funding and support for innovative work, and creating networks and communities of data analysts. It also aims to spread and share data analytics tools and methods through events, resources, publications, and collaborating with others.”
Dr. Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive at the Health Foundation, said “The field is moving very fast, with huge opportunities and risks for health and health care. As an independent charitable foundation, this new investment will help us work with others to help shape the agenda as objectively as possible. It builds on the major data analytics capability and insights we’ve developed over the last five years.”
