NHS Wales has shared that its National Data Resource programme has achieved a milestone, with encounters data from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board linked into the care data repository.
This update brings data such as referrals, outpatient appointments, and inpatient admissions together in a structured and standardised way, said to create a more complete picture of patient journeys and support better care coordination.
Teams worked with Cardiff and Vale patient management system colleagues to ensure relevant data can be transferred “consistently and correctly” from source systems, using HL7v2 standards and secure processing through integration services to surface in the care data repository.
“Along the way, the data is carefully mapped and transformed into nationally agreed FHIR standards, the care data repository team working closely with all partners on not just consistent FHIR mapping in the CDR but supporting the work in consistency for HL7v2 message mappings too,” NHS Wales states. “This work ensured that the same information from different sources means the same thing wherever it is used, reducing the risk of misinterpretation and enabling safer, more reliable use of the data across digital services.”
A key part of the work, according to NHS Wales, has been aligning with national standards and target architecture to make sure that data can be reused safely in future, including the mapping of HL7v2 messages from PAS systems into FHIR R4, the use of Data Standards Wales FHIR profiles to promote consistency across organisations, and the application of national identifiers and linking approaches to connect referrals, appointments, and admissions into clear patient pathways.
“By taking this standards-based approach, the team has ensured that encounters data can support multiple uses, from patient-facing services to analytics via NDAP (National Data Analytics Platform), without requiring additional work,” NHS Wales notes.
Work has already been completed on enabling national referral, appointment, and ADT message flows from Welsh PAS systems, to support the availability of referral and appointment information in the NHS Wales App, with more organisations and pathways set to be onboarded.
Looking ahead, work is continuing on the development of national reference and terminology data, the onboarding of more datasets into the CDR, and the streaming of data into the National Data and Analytics Platform. National Analytics Learning Programmes are developing skills and capabilities in line with these changes.
“We will look to build the patient record in the care data repository with more national and local datasets going forward… watch this space,” NHS Wales finishes.
Wider trend: Health data
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has begun sharing four new data sources with the Yorkshire and Humber Care Record, covering appointments, encounters, location, and referral requests. The addition of these four items means that Leeds Teaching is now sharing eight of the ten resources listed on its minimum viable data set, with diagnostic reports and medications to be added. Sharing the news, Interweave highlighted the benefits of the expanded data for clinicians in accessing timely patient data, in supporting informed decision making, and in improving continuity of care.
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has published its latest digital, data and technology strategy to 2030, showing a “clear shift from traditional IT and information to a more aligned approach of digital health and data science”. From a data perspective, an intelligence-first approach will be taken to use statistical analysis to support decision-making, the trust shares. By 2030, MYTT also hopes to become a “fully data connected trusted system partner”, hosting data in the cloud and promoting seamless integration across care settings.
The board of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust has offered an update on its trust strategy, celebrating successes to date, responding to changes in the external environment, and exploring priorities around digital to 2027. The trust highlights enhanced data and reporting through the iFox Wait Times Dashboard, offering real-time visibility on the waits across services, and receiving 1,100 unique monthly visits. New metrics are to be introduced to cover individuals seen/discharged at first appointment. Also on data, preparations to meet new NHSE requirements on Autism and ADHD data collection are reportedly “well underway” to include system updates and revised reporting processes.
