data. Further remote access deliverables tbc (e.g. HDSI2) Data Management Specialist Service A structured model for environment management and database administration A transparent set of standards/ policies underpinning how we manage data. Oct 2016 Nov 2016 Q1 2017 Q2/3 2017 Project structure established Audit of current activities across teams Pilot migration Phased full migration Publications 9: Relevant: Add and are relevant to our customers 10: Creative presentation: Presented in an accessible and flexible way 11: Robust: Ensure that we have satisfied our statutory obligations Statement of need Our statistical publications are widely disseminated and are vital to understanding health and care, with a number designated as National Statistics demonstrating quality and trustworthiness. However, we know from our customers that our information can be difficult to access and to navigate. The rationale for many of the publications and their associated data collections can be unclear. There is also often a lack of coherence and sometimes duplication with publications produced by other producers of English health statistics. We should use technology to produce increasingly flexible and interactive output and some of the resource involved in manual production of publications should be deployed in developing this, along with a more flexible approach to determining the level of commentary in publications based on impact and user need. Strategic initiatives to deliver Project Description Milestones Deliverables Publications consultation Formal public consultation on rationalisation of existing statistical publications and to release resources from to provide more service. Sep 2016 Mar 2017 Sep 2016 – 2017 Response to consultation published Implementation to be reviewed at team level and overall Phased implementation of actions to improve data provision, reduce internal burden, focus product content and enhance overall delivery Publications and Indicator Replacing the publications portal to improve accessibility. Dec 2016 Mar 2017 Discovery started Alpha phase complete focused
portal replacement Apr 2017 Submission of case for Beta and live implementation English Health Statistics Merged publications, collaboration and joint publications across organisations, statistics that are coherent to the end user Nov 2016 Dec 2016 System wide-publication advisory board established, working with UKSA Topic networks established Further deliverables tbc Data engagement and visualisation Development of new, creative means of presenting and visualising data and information for customers, and to raise the bar of expectations from data intermediaries. Oct 2016 Leveraging of existing corporate licence for Power BI to identify opportunities in each analytical team Further deliverables tbc Future publications Long term shift to new publication formats 2017 Linked to Publications Consultation and data engagement and visualisation. Deliverables tbc Analysis 12: Value adding: Production of a range of indicators, outcomes analysis, intelligence and statistics that add value for customers 13: Rapid and robust: Robust analysis that is able to respond rapidly and that is proactively presented 14: Meaningful: Data and information that are meaningful for customers and Statement of need We have a wealth of expertise in analysis but the service we to customers is unclear. We offer a variety of different products that do not present a consistent approach to users. As an organisation, we provide ad hoc responses to questions from external partners through teams who have a broad set of responsibilities across the data process. Our responsibility for providing analysis to other organisations is unclear and has hampered our ability to create the clear and consistent service offer that is needed. Local analysis tailored to the hundreds of organisations across the health and care system needs to be done by those organisations. We draw the distinction between analytical services (interactive tools offered through data science and visualisation that will provide ready access to data and information) and analysis services (delivery of statistical work, publications and indicators to support the
relevant areas in the market. The service will add value and will provide vital insight into health and care performance and outcomes. We will develop an enhanced, interactive, web-based analytics service for the data we hold on behalf of the health and care system, which will be offered through tools as a standard way of presenting data. This will accelerate the ability of the system in its entirety to make better use of its analytical capabilities and will shift the focus more to the use of information to drive improvement in quality, efficiency and outcomes. Strategic initiatives to deliver Project Description Milestones Deliverables Data management & warehousing Implementation of new data management environment. Q1 2017 tbc Data Management Services uplift existing tools and systems Data Services Platform (DSP) data management solution Analytical tools upgrade Rapid review of analytical tools and consolidation to future best practice tools. Nov 2016 Dec 2016 Review of existing tools Rapid assessment of tools available in the market to identify the best value for money tool to uplift existing capability Data Science Centre of Excellence Development of a virtual data science Centre of Excellence across Arm’s Length Bodies. Oct 2016 ToR confirmed with ALBs, DH, DWP and Cabinet Office Further deliverables tbc Innovative uses of data Delivery of NIB programme 26 “Innovative uses of data” in line with agreed system ambitions. tbc Deliverables tbc Customer engagement 18: Responsive: Highly responsive to customer needs 19: Listening: Engaged in understanding customers and how we will work with them 20: Communicative: Letting the world know about our data and our services Statement of need We have worked hard to engage with customers but we have received feedback from them that they have not received services in a timely way or that the data and information products
Workforce 21: Delivery culture: flexible and engaged workforce with a positive culture of delivery 22: Highly skilled: Trained and transformed with the skills and capacity to do the job well Statement of need Our workforce is skilful, talented and has a deep understanding of the data and information that we use. However, the way in which teams operate is inconsistent. In the future, we will need to handle more data and use new tools and techniques that require a new mix of skills in our teams. Our capacity and capability will need to be fundamentally different. We need to drive a transformation through training, adjusting skill mix, new approaches in teams and the recruitment of new talent to ensure that we are fit for the future. Strategic initiatives to deliver Project Description Milestones Deliverables Tactical recruitment Recruitment of data management specialists and data scientists to address short term needs. Nov 2016 Apr 2017 Defined resource requirement (grade & job description) for recruitment campaign Staff in position Centralisation of specialist data functions Shift from large, generic analytical teams to specialisation in teams leading data processes. Feb 2017 Apr – Sep 2017 Pilot target operating model, concentrating data management activities into DM service. Phased roll-out across all teams External and internal staff rotation Development and delivery of a programme to team members in new environments to spread and adopt learning through professions. Oct 2016 tbc 8c staff rotation Further rotations tbc Skills mapping Understanding current skills against an agreed reference. tbc Reference skill list for each profession Mapping of current staff skills against the reference, for each profession. Capacity and capability review Review of capacity and capability across NHS Digital. Nov 2016 First draft report
Model Office Implementing model for improved efficiency within teams. Nov 2016 Feb 2017 Apr – Sep 2017 Pilot implementation of improvements (Primary Care) Implementation into 2 – 3 further teams Rollout across remainder of teams Target Operating Model New, flexible, workforce structure. Concentration of skills into specialist Investment in strategic skills and tools. Dec 2016 (Data management functions covered above) Identification of strategic and skills (initial) Skills and leadership training programme Commissioning of training programme for teams in line with future business needs relative to starting point. tbc Tool and process strategy and target operating model Skills gap for best practice and tool optimisation Training plan, and funding confirmation, to meet skills gap Strategic workforce plan Developing future skills forecast requirements and implementing plans. tbc Work pipeline Skills requirement to meet pipeline Infrastructure 23: Advanced techniques: Ensure that we have the most technically advanced and appropriate ways of processing data 24: Enabling transformation: Establish new infrastructure to support transformation through handling key data management processes: data linkage, handling large datasets, enabling remote access 25: Data security: Ensure a high level of security and governance linked to legal basis for processing and analysis Statement of need We are currently operating in multiple environments that duplicate effort and functions. We have standalone systems that have been set up to support to individual services. While reliability has improved we know that there is a need to build platforms and infrastructure that is able to handle future data needs. This will involve larger data sets and will require enhanced processing power to handle complex data processes across a wider range and combination of data. The development of the Data Services Platform as part of the National Data Services Development Programme is critical in this; as we develop and replace our data environments and tools this needs to be aligned to the future DSP model. We envisage that the DSP will be the single place where we land, process and manage data and that the managed incremental migration to this platform will include incorporation of existing data environments where applicable and the creation of new functionality and tools in line with the future service model outlined in this strategy.