Health and Social Care Data Board: August 2025

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Carol Sinclair (CS)

Board members

• Colin Birchenall (CB)
• Jonathan Cameron (JC)
• JD
• ED
• MG
• Roger Halliday (RG)
• Scott Heald (SH)
• LH
• CK
• AK
• MM
• Eilidh McLaughlin (EM)
• Nicola Steadman (NS)
• Heather Thomson (HT)

Programme team

• RA
• SC
• RG
• GW

In Attendance

• CBr
• DG
• HK
• GH
• EP
• ER
• LT
• JT
• SY

Apologies

• TG
• Karen Hedge (KH)
• FL
• MMu
• JT
• AW
• DW
• Angie Wood (AWo)

Items and actions

Welcome, Introductions and Apologies.

Carol Sinclair welcomed everyone to the seventeenth meeting of the Health and Social Care Data Board.

Carol Sinclair welcomed:

HK, Programme Portfolio Manager – Public Health Scotland, presenting item 4.

EP, Senior Data Analyst – Scottish Government presenting item 5.

GH, Solutions Architect, Digital and Security – National Services Scotland, presenting item 6.

Carol Sinclair welcomed LT deputising for DW, DG deputising for FL, CBr, SY and Scot Heald.

Carol Sinclair welcomed ER, COSLA’s new Information Governance lead for Local Government as an observer.

Apologies were noted from TG, Karen Hedge, FL, MMu, JT, AW and Angie Wood.

Minutes, Action Log and Policy update

The Board noted:

• Minutes from the meeting held on 27 May 2025 are published on our website

Outstanding actions:

• DHC DB 107 – CB to share the outcome of the Local Government data survey on data capabilities with Board members.

New action to replace DHC DB 093:

• DHC DB 131 – SH to provide an update at Novembers Data Board meeting in relation to the work that the Social Care Data and Intelligence Programme Boards Executive Group are doing on improving processes for the prioritisation of data.

All other action log items are complete.

Policy Updates and Sub-Board flash reports were shared with Board members prior to the meeting. Any feedback should be provided directly to RG and RA.

Data Strategy alignment with the Operational Improvement Plan, Service Renewal Framework and the Population Health Framework.

Carol Sinclair invited GW to provide an overview of how the Data Strategy aligns with the Operational Improvement Plan, Service Renewal Framework and the Population Health Framework

The overview covered:

• an overview of the digital and data priorities set out in the PHF, SRF and OIP, followed by an overview of the immediate priorities of the Data Strategy demonstrating alignment across all strategies

The board was asked:

• to note the digital and data priorities for reform of health and social care
• to provide a view on what members can do to help achieve the strategic priorities for reform
• to provide a view on whether the Data Strategy priorities feel right to support the vision for reform.

The board discussed:

• the need to continue to seek input from Data Board members, stakeholders and the public, to ensure a consistent approach to digital exclusion and understand who may still be excluded
• the importance of making better use of the data that is currently available and recognising existing challenges in relation to data gaps. It is key to address timeliness and quality of data as well as the underpinning infrastructure required to support use of digital. Improving staff understanding of data that is available at a local/national level is key for making greater use of data to support vision for reform
• the need for staff to have the right skills to use data to implement change – this was missing from the list of top priorities for Data Strategy and should be included going forward
• When using data, it is important that we remember that the insights needed at a local level can be different from those needed nationally. So, we need to make sure that data is not simplified so much that we lose important local details. To avoid repeating work and to keep things useful at both levels, our data and digital systems should stay flexible. The importance of continued public engagement to ensure alignment and transparency between the policy focus and the publics needs
• how the plan and frameworks challenges all in the health and social care sector to better understand how data is accessed, analysed and presented to improve services and patient experiences

Next steps:

SC to arrange a follow up conversation with HT, MM and IH to discuss the developments of the AI framework for Health and Social Care and how they can support the framework.

PHS Data and Digital Delivery Plan

Carol Sinclair invited HK to provide an overview of PHS’s plan for developing a Data and Digital Delivery Plan.

The overview covered:

• the ambitions for the plan to replace PHS’s Digital Strategy with a Data and Digital Delivery Plan, with timelines and activities to develop the plan
• a summary of the key context and considerations for the objectives of the plan including:
  • IT systems and infrastructure
  • Input data
  • Huma factors
  • Corporate support

The board was asked:

• to provide feedback on the objectives and key topics for the inclusion in the plan

The board discussed:

• the need to continue our international engagement with countries on a similar journey to have a sense of what tools they are using and what is working well
• ensuring PHS’s ambitions align with the Data Strategy and the three NHS renewal products and setting out how success will be measured
• the importance of smarter public discussions to understanding local data needs and not contribute to engagement fatigue

Next steps:

HK to further develop the plan with the feedback provided during the discussion and provide an update at a future Data Board meeting.

Data Standards Sub-Board Resourcing Update

Carol Sinclair invited EP to provide members with an update on the resourcing for Data Standards Sub-Board

The update covered:

• Scope, objectives, proposed resourcing structure, recommended standards for trial and project milestones

•  the options and recommendations for resourcing the pilot for Data Standards

The board was asked:

• to provide feedback and endorsement for the recommended resourcing option (Option 3: Multi-organisational Centre of Excellence)
• to provide feedback and endorsement to begin the Data Standards Project subject to funding availability

The board discussed:

• the importance of this work progressing in conjunction with Local Government, the Local Government Data Standards Board and stakeholders to enable a whole system approach for health, social care and social work
• further clarity is required around the assurance process and how this will move to implementation of standards, ensuring we continue to harmonise standards across the health and social care environment

The board agreed:

• there was broad support for option 3, subject to funding and further clarity on implementation and alignment with local government

Next steps:

EP to arrange a follow up meeting with CB to discuss recruitment and resourcing of the Data Standards Sub-Board going forward.

EP to arrange a follow up discussion with AK to discuss the resourcing of the Data Strategy Sub-Board, funding and next steps for DSSB.

SC to arrange a further discussion with RA, JC and NS around the resourcing of the Data Standards Sub-Board.

SNOMED-CT – Strategy for the removal of READ Codes

Carol Sinclair invited GH to present the plan for transitioning from READ Codes to SNOMED-CT.

The presentation covered:

• approach to developing a Strategy for the removal of READ codes outlining the current use of Read Codes in NHS Scotland
• details of how the application could transition to SNOMED-CT along with the target architecture and dependencies and the proposed workstreams that could be taken forward

The board was asked:

• to provide feedback on the findings and advise on the priorities and projects to be taken forward

The board discussed:

• the need to clearly identify clinical risk, clinical safety and benefit associated with this work
• the need for clear rationale for prioritisation of Diabetes Management and Out of Hours care as the initial focus of the workstreams

Next Steps:

GH and the SNOMED team to progress this work in Diabetes Management and Out of Hours care

Any Other Business

JT and RA provided members with an overview of England’s Data Use and Access Bill, including the implications for research consent in Scotland, information standards and digital identity.

ED provided members with an overview of the UK’s Health Data Research Service - a UK wide initiative to streamline access to NHS data for research and explained how Scotland will participate in this service.

Carol Sinclair provided members with an overview of England’s Making Data Count initiative, highlighting its relevance and where this could be of use in Scotland.

Next Data Board meeting:

Tuesday 18th November 2025, 13:00 – 16:00