New data strategy for health and social care to be published

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid is expected to publish today the data strategy for health and social care, following the draft document published in the summer of last year.

The strategy focuses on seven principles aimed at harnessing the power of data-driven innovation, including:

• Improving trust in the health and care system’s use of data
• Improving data for adult social care
• Partnering to develop innovations that improve health and care
• Putting in place the right technical infrastructure.

The strategy also covers the £200m investment announced earlier this year to set up Trusted Research Environments (TREs), with the Secretary of State expected to say today at London Tech Week:

“We will make sure researchers and innovators are able to access data safely and efficiently. In this country we have some of the world’s best research institutes and universities, a powerhouse life sciences sector, and a thriving HealthTech industry.

“When this ingenuity meets the insight of health and care data, the opportunities are incredible.”

In addition, the strategy will reveal that the public will be consulted on a “data pact” setting out how the system will use patient data and what the public has the right to expect.

techUK’s response to the draft strategy, which can be seen here, recommended that the following areas be prioritised if we are to transform the delivery of health and care through the power of data:

• Having a broader conversation with the public about the use of their data
• Putting a bigger emphasis on addressing cultural and organisational challenges, not just technical, regulatory and legal, and knowledge sharing
• Putting a bigger emphasis on improving data quality
• Putting a bigger focus on solving high impact problems at pace
• Addressing the need for increased transparency not only with the public but also with industry.

The data strategy can now be accessed here. techUK members are encouraged to get in touch with the Health and Social Care team to discuss the document in more detail.