Digital Health and Care Data Strategy Working Group minutes: May 2022

Attendees and apologies

Working group members in attendance:

• Ryan Anderson (RA)
• Elena Beratarbide (EB)
• Alistair Hodgson (AH)
• Albert King (AK)
• Ruth Meyer (RM)
• Penni Rock (PR)
• Zoe Rohde (ZR)
• Carol Sinclair (CS)
• Gemma Wilson (GW)

Secretariat:

• Simon Crawley (SC)

Apologies:

• Doreen Grove (DG)
• Head of HSCA
• Imme Jones (IJ)
• Adam lang (AL)

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions and apologies observed

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

CB introduced Ruth Meyer (Unit Head, Social Care and National Care Services Development, Scottish Government) to the Working Group (replacing Guy Mcgivern).

Apologies were noted from Doreen Grove (DG), Head of HSCA, Imme Jones (IJ), Adam Lang (AL). 

Data Board update

RA provided an overview of the Health and Social Care Data Board meeting held on Tuesday 3rd May.

The group noted:

• the Data Board Terms of Reference has been signed off and will be published on the Data Board, Gov.scot page

• the SNOMED CT programme team provided a background to SNOMED CT and how it can be used for research, data analytics and sharing of information

• IJ presented an update on the progress of the Data Strategy, the upcoming consultation and future planned engagements with stakeholders and the public

• the formal consultation document has been signed off by members and will be launched on Citizen Space

• GW presented the outcome of her initial scoping of data standards within Health and Social Care in Scotland. The aim was to ensure a common understanding amongst Board members of what is meant by data standards and what the most notable standards currently in use are

• that Carol Sinclair (CS) will take over as the independent chair of the Data Board, from Jonathan Cameron (Director Digital Health and Care)

• that minutes from the Data Board meeting will be published on the Health and Social Care Data Board page on Gov.scot

The group agreed:

• the minutes from the Data Board should be cascaded directly to the Working Group

Update on the consultation for the Data Strategy

GW provided an update on the consultation for the Data Strategy.

The group noted:

• that the consultation is on track to go live on Monday 16th May 2022

• there will be an easy read and British Sign language (BSL) version of the consultation document available

• there will be an accompanying comms campaign regarding the launch of the consultation. Communications will go out internally and externally via a range of different methods such as emails, newsletters and social media to ensure the launch captures as large an audience as possible

• the consultation will be available on Citizen Space

Update on the analysis of consultation responses

GW provided an update on the approach that will be taken for analysing responses to the consultation. GW explained that analysis of consultation responses received via Citizen Space will be procured and that responses received from the engagement sessions with stakeholders will be analysed by the Digital Health and Care team and published as an annex to the published consultation responses.

The group noted:

• the Invitation to tender documents for the procurement of analysis of the consultation is going ahead as planned

• tenders received are expected to be evaluated in June. The tender evaluation panel will consists of a cross section of the Scottish Government

Update of the structure of the Data Strategy document

RA provided a presentation on the proposed structure of the Data Strategy.

The group noted: the key themes mapped out from the first two phases of stakeholder engagement session to date are

• data access
• technology and infrastructure
• skills talent and culture
• industry, innovation and research
• information governance and security
• data standards and interoperability
• ethical approaches to data

The group was asked:

• to consider whether ethical approaches to data should be integrated into the other key themes or whether ethical approaches to data should be a stand-alone theme

The group agreed:

• there should be a dedicated section within the Strategy for ethical approaches to data and that ethics should also be touched upon throughout the Strategy where relevant to do so

AOB

Next working group meeting: Wednesday 8th June 11:30 – 13:00.