A blog post by Neil Taylor, senior intelligence manger at Derbyshire ICB, has shared insight around the “changing role” of analysts in health and social care, along with the vast opportunities for the use of tech and data in supporting the move from reactive to proactive care.
“For a long time, we have been working in the background on a range of dashboards evaluating key metrics against our system’s delivery,” he shared, adding: “But now there is a movement which recognises data-led decision making as the driving force behind all service commissioning.”
Highlighting the work of the business intelligence team at the ICB, which also leads a System Intelligence Group bringing together ICS analysts from the health sector, Neil shared some of the key tools end users could be encouraged to take up, including Power BI dashboards and national systems like NHS futures.
Neil also shared details of the ICB’s Periscope tool, set to be launched this month, which offers a dashboard aligning performance with key indicators such as 52 week waits and A&E turnaround; and RAIDR, which he says offers a “quick snapshot” of data from A&E, primary care, prescribing, performance, and a population health dashboard. “Commissioners and contractors can view this for a quick summary of information and primary care colleagues can identify individual patients who might benefit from enhanced care,” he said.
Looking ahead, Neil said the ICB is considering how these tools, along with the Federated Data Platform, can help address health inequalities. By developing a linked dataset, “the aim is to see a patient’s pathway” through the health system and identify key touchpoint on that journey, he added. To read Neil’s blog post in full, please click here.
Exploring the use of data in health and care
In a speech at the Royal College of General Practitioners last month, Wes Streeting emphasised the role of technology in rebuilding and reforming general practice, and pointed to data as “the future of the NHS”.
The CQC published its report on the state of health and adult social care in England for 2023/24, highlighting concerns including issues with data quality and reporting; whilst NHSE published a roadmap for the Organisation Data Service (ODS), sharing what has been delivered to date and planned changes to June of 2025; and HDR UK introduced a new version of its Health Data Research Gateway, with updated features including smart search and linked resources.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust published its operational plan for 2024/25 and quality improvement and innovation strategy for 2024 to 2028, outlining aims and ambitions around digital, innovation, and use of data. NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s three-year plan to improve mental health services also highlighted the role of data as a “key enabler” in realigning services so that inpatient provision better fits the needs of the population, following a self-assessment involving multiple stakeholders.
In a feature article on how data-driven rostering can help reduce burnout and turnover in social care, Log my Care CEO and co-founder Sam Hussain examined the challenges for the social care workforce, taking a closer look at how the use of data can help in workforce planning and management, ultimately helping to reduce burnout and staff turnover in the social care sector.
Don’t forget to tune in for HTN’s upcoming panel discussion on utilising data to transform primary care, which will see HTN joined by a panel of experts for a live discussion on how general practice, PCNs, ICBs can utilise data and leverage technology to support operational efficiencies and improvements across primary care.
The launch of the HTN AI and Data Awards will also offer a platform to share innovations and projects in this space, and highlight how they are being used to help shape future services and systems across health and care.
