Health and Social Care Data Board minutes: May 2026

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Carol Sinclair (CS)

Board members

• CA
• Colin Birchenall (CB)
• JD
• Roger Halliday (RH)
• Scott heald (SH) 
• CK
• AK
• Nicola Steadman (NS)
• LT

Programme team

• RA
• SC
• GW

In Attendance

• TB
• MEB
• SD
• PL
• KM
• DP
• ER
• JWR
• LR

Apologies

• Jonathan Cameron (JC)
• ED
• MG
• TG
• RG
• LH
• Karen Hedge (KH)
• FL
• MM
• EM
• David McColl
• JT
• AW
• AWo

Items and actions

Welcome, Introductions and Apologies.

Carol Sinclair welcomed everyone to the Health and Social Care Data Board, noting the assumption that pre-circulated papers had been read and the focus of this meeting is on key points and strategic advice.

Carol welcomed:

LR, Medical Director – Public Services Delivery Scotland, KM, GP Advisor & Clinical Informatician – Public Services Delivery Scotland and DP, Head of Digital Delivery & Assurance – Public Services Delivery Scotland (to present Item 3). Supported by SD, Chief Architect, Deloitte UK – Digital Healthcare Practice and PL, Engagement Director, Deloitte UK – Digital Healthcare Practice.

Apologies were noted from Jonathan Cameron (JC), (ED), (MG), (TG), (RG), (LH), Karen Hedge (KH), (FL), (MM), (EM), David McColl (DM), (JT), (AW) and AWo.

TB attended on behalf of ED, MEB attended on behalf of LH and JWR attended on behalf of David McColl

Minutes, Action Log and Policy update

The Board noted:

• Minutes from the meeting held on 24 February 2026 are published on our website

2 outstanding actions from February’s meeting included:

• DHC DB 144 - Scott Heald to share the results of the survey to capture user needs across the system for adults receiving social care
• DHC DB 150 - GW to consider further engagement with stakeholders in health and care including Integrated Joint Boards, Local Authorities, Health and Social Care Partnership’s Chief Officers and Chief Finance Officer’s as well as Scotland Excel for awareness and expectations of what EHDS could mean in practice to the whole health and social care eco-syste

Policy Updates and Sub-Board flash reports were shared with board members prior to the meeting.

RA provided a verbal update on progress regarding improving the use and collection of protected characteristics data, with a particular focus on race and ethnicity data.

It was noted that agreement has been reached on capturing race and ethnicity data within CHI. Further work is required in relation to:

• the sources of race and ethnicity data that will be used to feed CHI
• how the data will be used and shared

This work is complex and requires continued engagement with experts and stakeholders to ensure the data is both usable and trusted.

Next Steps:

RA to continue to work with colleagues to progress protected characteristics work and produce a paper outlining the current position and next steps.

Primary Care Data and Intelligence Platform (PCDIP)

Carol Sinclair invited Scott Heald and AK to provide an initial introduction and reflections on PCDIP before inviting LR, KM and DP to provide an overall update on the plans for the Primary Care Data Intelligence Platform.

The overview covered:

• the draft Full Business Case (FBC) has been reviewed by the Primary Care Data and Intelligence Programme Board and feedback was provided therefore the draft is subject to further amendments
• the importance of building on technical capability of Seer to deliver PCDIP and ensuring this data has parity with other strategic datasets across health and care
• the FBC and the platform’s aim to provide streamlined national access to coded GP data to support planning, research and service improvement
• the approach focuses on extracting codified data only, with free text excluded due to sensitivity and governance considerations
• an overview of stakeholders engaged to date

The board was asked:

• to provide views and endorsement of the draft Full Business Case for PCDIP
• to acknowledge the update

The board noted:

• the Programme refreshed its approach following delays since the Outline Business Case in 2023, which identified the SEER platform as the preferred technical solution

The board discussed:

• the importance of ensuring governance, stakeholder engagement and data quality are addressed alongside the technical delivery
• that the initial phase will focus on GP data, with a longer-term ambition to extend to wider primary care datasets including dental and optometry services. There was recognition that this phased approach needs to be more clearly articulated in the FBC
• That investment in data quality improvement and engagement with GP practices will be essential to ensure confidence in the data that is available
• concerns regarding data quality; there was agreement that both automated checks and local validation processes will be required
• governance and ethics, including the need to frame information governance as an enabler rather than a constraint, and to strengthen articulation of ethical considerations, public benefit and transparency within the FBC
• the need for further clarity and assurance of future funding, which remains under discussion with the Scottish Government

Next Steps:

LR and the team to provide further written responses to address outstanding questions raised during the meeting and via the chat.

LR to arrange a follow up with Roger Halliday to discuss how Research Data Scotland and National Safe Havens can support PCDIP, particularly around governance, engagement and solutions that can be applied in the research context  

LR to arrange follow up with MEB to discuss integrating the governance of PCDIP into the National Information Governance Framework and publishing legislative

requirements and professional standards on the Information Governance Platform

LR and team to amend the FBC based on feedback from Data board members with a particular focus on strengthening articulation of governance, ethics and stakeholder engagement before bringing back to Data Board for endorsement.

Increasing Adoption of Data Standards Across Local Government

Carol Sinclair invited Colin Birchenall to provide an overview of the adoption of data standards across LG

The overview covered:

• an update on the work underway across local government to increase adoption of data standards and how that supports health and care
• the current areas of focus for the Local Government Data Standards Board are:
  1. to provide clarity on the value that data standards deliver for the sector
  2. the development of a pipeline of data standards to prioritise data standards where there is clear cross-sector value i.e. CHI in Local Government, UPRN
  3. communicating and engaging (jointly with the Scottish Governments Digital Directorate) to ensure consistency in language used around the benefits and practicality and reaches the right audience
  4. develop a data standards catalogue in co-design with the Scottish Government

Ask of the board:

• to note the progress to date on benefits, pipeline and communications activity to increase adoption of data standards across local government
• to support continued partnership working between Scottish Government and Local Government Data Standards governance (including reciprocal participation and alignment of standards and messaging)
• advise on priority areas for cross-sector focus (e.g., health & social care information standards, identifiers and vocabularies) where consistent adoption would accelerate integration

The board discussed:

• the importance of streamlined governance, clear communication of benefits, and alignment with health and social care priorities to drive uptake
• consideration to be given to engaging with researchers as part of any stakeholder engagement plan

Next Steps:

Colin Birchenall to follow up with Roger Halliday to discuss including Research Data Scotland and the wider research community in this work

Data Standards Governance

Carol Sinclair invited Gemma Wilson to present a proposal for future governance of Data Standards for health and social care

The presentation covered:

• an overview of the work of the Data Standards Sub-Board (DSSB) to date and changing landscape
• an overview of all options considered
• the proposed model - establish a Health and Social Care Data Standards Governance Board (formal decision‑making authority sitting on par with Data Board, rather than reporting to it)
• DSSB repurposed to a Health and Social Care Data Standards Advisory Group 
• an overview of the roles of the advisory group and governance board
• the reporting relationships between the governance board, advisory group, data standards team and Scottish government
• Risks and next steps

The board was asked:

• to review and provide feedback on the proposed direction of travel for future data standards governance
• indicate support for the transition towards the establishment of:
  • Health and Social Care Data Standards Governance Board
  • Health and Social Care Data Standards Advisory Group
• to note that a fully developed governance model, including detailed Terms of Reference and operating arrangements, will be brought back for approval at a later stage

The board discussed:

• the importance of clearly defining ownership of standards and accountability for implementation across organisations
• the need for clarification of roles, responsibilities and reporting lines, and ensuring alignment with wider assurance and governance structures

Nest steps:

GW to consider the feedback and further refine the proposal.

Data Strategy Evaluation

Carol Sinclair invited SC to present a proposal for the evaluation of the Data Strategy for Health and Social Care.

The presentation covered:

An overview of the recommended evaluation process as per the Scottish Governments Evaluation guide for policy makers. Including:

• the role and benefits of an evaluation
• the role and benefits of completing an evaluability assessment to consider if an evaluation is viable
• the evaluation process, what data is required and how stakeholders would be required to participate
• the advantages and disadvantages of the evaluation types
• the strengths and weaknesses of who can do the evaluation i.e. In-house, contractor or stakeholder

Ask of the Board:

• to provide views and agree to the recommended approach for undertaking an evaluation of the Data Strategy
• to agree to conducting a formal evaluability assessment and provide views on who should be involved

The board discussed

• the need to ensure appropriate resourcing, expertise, and capability is in place, including potential use of external support with sufficient understanding of the health and social care system to ensure the evaluation is objective and robust

Next Steps:

SC to consider feedback provided and develop a plan for conducting an evaluability assessment and consider who should be part of the working group.

Covid Data System Improvements

Carol Sinclair invited RA to provide an overview of the recommendation for the UK Covid 19 Inquiry (Module 3) to gather the boards views on a potential Scottish Government response.

The overview covered:

Recommendation 4 which focuses on protecting vulnerable people through improved data and system capability and how this can be implemented on a four nations basis

Ask of the Board:

• what has changed in this topic since the end of 2021
• what work is currently underway that contributes to achieving the recommendation
• what is not underway that should happen to meet the recommendation

The board discussed:

• that risk appetite during the pandemic enabled rapid data use, and there is concern that this has since reduced
• the need to develop a more adaptive and responsive data infrastructure capable of supporting future unknown scenarios
• the role of improved data standards platforms such as SEER
• the opportunities emerging from new innovative technologies including AI to improve coding, data quality and system responsiveness

Next Steps:

RA to collate Miro board outputs and have further discussion with stakeholders and four nations partners to inform the Scottish Governments position on accepting or rejecting the recommendation.

Any Other Business

Next Data Board Meeting:

Tuesday 25 Aug 2026 – 13:00 to 16:00