Care in the Digital Age: delivery plan 2022 to 2023

The national delivery plan describes activities supporting Health Boards, HSCPs, local authorities, primary care, social care, social work, and care providers to offer new or improved services, whether through improved systems and infrastructure, or access to digital services.


Data-Driven Services and Insights

Priority Six: Data is harnessed to the benefit of citizens, services and innovation.

It is essential that data is used to the benefit of people, services, and innovation but in a secure, transparent and ethical way that is built on trust and a shared understanding with the public.

We committed in the Strategy to developing a first-ever Data Strategy for Health and Social Care. The consultation for this closed on 12 August and we will publish the Data Strategy in the spring of 2023. We have established a new Data Board for Health and Social Care that will help co-ordinate and oversee all data requirements, and lead the changes required to support improvements to information governance.

What we will deliver

Commencement of a programme of work to improve how clinical information in our systems is recorded against common, internationally defined standards (these are called SNOMED-CT for clinical health terminology and ICD-11 for disease classification).

Why we are doing this

By setting preferred common data standards, we can begin to increase the quality of the data in our health and social care systems. Common standards will also help drive up interoperability, ultimately leading to greater insight being derived from data that can improve care outcomes.

Who is leading this work

Public Healthcare Scotland/NHS National Services

When it will be delivered by

Ongoing

What we will deliver

Continuing with planning for the digital and data requirements of the National Care Service, including consideration of what is required to deliver a nationally consistent integrated record.

Why we are doing this

Creating a nationally consistent integrated care record will help to further our ambition of giving citizens access to their health and care data in a way that is transparent and meaningful and support greater sharing of information between front-line professionals.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

Ongoing

What we will deliver

Developing our approach to the introduction of legally mandated standards for the safe and effective sharing of information across health and social care, under the powers proposed by the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.

Why we are doing this

By mandating common data standards we can increase data quality and interoperability. We can also make the Scottish health and care landscape easier to interact with for vendors, particularly when aligning standards with other partners in four nations.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

Ongoing

What we will deliver

An approach to improving the quality and consistency of protected characteristic demographic data (such as ethnicity).

Why we are doing this

We must have a more complete picture of protected characteristics data in order to ensure that we are providing equitable care for all citizens.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland

When it will be delivered by

March 2023

What we will deliver

A national approach to the ethical, transparent consideration of adoption and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based tools, products and services.

Why we are doing this

There is significant interest in, and activity exploring the potential for AI in healthcare, but currently no consistent way of assessing its value or measuring its impact. As part of developing options for an 'AI Hub' (or wider data hub), there is a recognised need to create a national policy framework for the use of AI as part of overall work on the Data Strategy.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

February 2023.

What we will deliver

Enhanced capability for statistical analysis, reporting and use of predictive analytics by shifting from a data warehouse to cloud hosted data storage and reporting system (SEER platform).

Why we are doing this

To strengthen and improve availability of critical data for statistical analysis and reporting by providing greater technical capability to deliver data-driven insights.

Who is leading this work

National Services Scotland

When it will be delivered by

December 2023

What we will deliver

Publication of the responses to and analysis of the consultation on the Data Strategy for health and care.

Why we are doing this

In line with our principle of being transparent in our approach to health and care data, we will publish the responses to the consultation and the associated analysis for stakeholders and the public to view.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

October 2022

Contact

Email: DHCPolicyHub@gov.scot

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