NHS SCW supported Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) to replace their analytics platform and improve their data processing activities to make their data more accurate and accessible.
Challenge
A review of the ICB’s existing analytics platform demonstrated it was not widely used, and had inherent limitations that hampered system capability development, and added cost.
This prevented the ICB’s Data Warehouse from meeting its core strategic aims of:
- Combining data to provide insight into inequalities
- Enhancing productivity and value for money through effective operational management of data
- Supporting broader social and economic development through providing data for research and development
What we did
Following the review, NHS SCW worked to present an innovative solution to the ICB to streamline their data processing. This plan included retiring their existing system and replacing its functionalities whilst improving the accuracy and accessibility of the ICB’s data.
NHS SCW also supported Project Management Office (PMO) to complement ICB resources to oversee the implementation of this plan. Utilising a range of subject matter expertise, including Technical Architecture, Information Governance, and Business Intelligence consultancy, NHS SCW supported the ICB to achieve the following deliverables:
- Deploy a common identifier key across all datasets to provide critical linking functionality. This increased the number of datasets available to analyse at one time.
- Identify a solution that would allow frontline staff to re-identify pseudonymised data when data trends highlight health concerns for particular individuals.
- Move data providers to use a Data Landing Platform (DLP) that allows data to be transferred securely between organisations through a centrally managed system thus increasing data linkage.
- Move the Primary Care data feed to a new platform to allow for the continuation of performance reporting.
- Identify the requirements for a Data Quality solution.
- Build data models on key datasets to enable self-service for a wider cohort of staff and the publishing of more core system-wide dashboards through Power BI.
In addition to this operational PMO support, NHS SCW provided strategic oversight to ensure the alignment and efficiency of resources across other programmes of related work.
Activity
Productivity, analytics and finance
Improved accuracy and accessibility of data analytics whilst decreasing cost pressures in ICB.
System and organisational effectiveness
Delivered a bespoke solution to streamline ICB data processing activities that focused on data linkage on both a system and organisational level.
Digital transformation
Designed and delivered an innovative plan with data and digital strategic objectives at its core.
PMO implementation, operation and turnaround
Agile and flexible project management support that was both resourceful and accommodating regarding budget and resources.
Impact
- Year 1 of the plan has produced approximately £500,000 in total savings for the ICB with £170,000 net savings.
- ICB analysts have more capacity to develop advanced reporting capability.
- ICB staff have faster access to self-service reports.
- The burden on data providers has been reduced through simpler data-sharing mechanisms.
- The number of accessible data sets has increased due to increased data linkage capability.
- Duplicate functionality across the ICB’s data system has been removed.
- Transparency with patients on the secondary uses of their data has increased. This was due to an increase in the number of GP websites displaying up-to-date Privacy Notices.
