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

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Colin Birchenall (CB)

Attendees

• Alan Aitken (AA)
• Ryan Anderson (RA)
• Francis Bain (FB) 
• Elena Beratarbide (EB)
• Doreen Grove (DG)
• Alistair Hodgson (AH)
• Imme Jones (IJ)
• Penni Rocks (PR)
• Carol Sinclair (CS)
• Nel Whiting (NW).

Secretariat

• Sean Doohan (SD)

Apologies

• Head of HSCA
• Albert King (AK)
• Adam Lang (AL)
• Zoe Rhode (ZR)
• Carol Sinclair (CS)

Items and actions

Welcome, apologies observed

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting including Frances Bain who was attending the meeting in place of Adam Lang. Apologies were noted from the Head of HSCA, Albert King, Adam Lang, Zoe Rhode and Carol Sinclair.

Updated project plan including risks

IJ provided an update on the progress made against the project plan noting over 50% of tasks now started or completed. Work will continue this week on finalising the Data Board Terms of Reference (ToR) and membership and consultation procurement. AH would be meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on the 26 January and part of that discussion will consider the Data Strategy including how best to engage other ministers with this work. Work has started on the Ethics Assessment and this would be shared with the group to comment and the work on the Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment and other impact assessments will begin shortly. In terms of next steps the team will be starting to consider milestone two and making a start on drafting the strategy.

IJ provided an update on the risks covered in the risk log and proposed to the group that a separate session be arranged with the group focused on consideration of the risks and mitigations.

During discussion the group:

• welcomed the work that had been completed on the risk log and made some minor comments on how the risks are represented

The group agreed:

• to consider the risk log in more detail at a separate session and in advance of that session the log would be circulated to the group to comment

Actions: IJ

Data board next steps

RA provided an update noting the ToR and membership was being finalised with the core membership organisation agreed and thanked the group for comments received during and since the last meeting. In terms of next steps, the Data Board membership would be considered further by Jonathan Cameron, Interim Director – Digital Health and Care and AH and an update will be provided at the next meeting.

During discussion the group noted:

• the meeting dates for 2022 that had been arranged to fit in with the wider DH&C Governance schedule
• further consideration was needed around the membership of the Data Board including how the Innovation Centres views are captured on the Board, the inclusion of the Scottish Government (SG) Senior Information Risk Owner and how we focus some organisations limited resources where they can have the biggest impact for example Local Government Digital Office
• the linkages with the DH&C Enabling Technology Board and the importance of these working well from the start and avoiding duplication

The group agreed:

• RA/IJ would consider the membership of the Board further taking account of the comments made by the group and report back at the next meeting

Actions: RA/IJ

Update on engagement plans

NW provided an update noting engagement had started with workshops undertaken with third sector equality and diversity groups, the Digital Health and Care Network, Inclusion Scotland’s People Led Policy Panel and CSO Stakeholders. It is too early in the engagement work to see what themes are occurring but expect to have an update on these at the next meeting. A positive meeting has also taken place with Public Health Scotland today to provide an update on the Data Strategy work and will continue to work with them. 

In terms of next steps in the coming weeks there are workshops set up with:

• Digital Identity Expert Group and additional civil liberties groups
• HSCPs
• NHS Digital-Health Leads
• NHS Information Leads
• the Alliance’s Digital Citizen Panel
• a group of carers 
• representatives from the children’s sector
• Scottish Government colleagues

Additionally, meetings are being set up with other colleagues in Scottish Government to gather views and begin engagement. 

Meetings are also set up with the Recovery Network and John Beaton Citizen Focus Panel, Innovation Centres to explore workshops with them. The NESTA/Liminal Space work is on course with workshops due to begin at the end of January. Engagement materials for the public engagement session, including a short video, are currently being discussed and signed off by the team

During discussion the group noted:

• a workshop is taking place on the 12 January on the National Information Governance work and will include representatives from this group where we will be able to test the format and consider whether would be helpful for future data strategy sessions
• consideration should be given to how we engage with stakeholders collectively in the best way including themed sessions where there are common interests e.g. standards
• the importance of using the existing relationships from the working group to engage with stakeholders
• the importance of engaging with the hard to reach groups including those who are digitally excluded
• the Glasgow Disability Alliance should be included as part of the engagement activity

The group agreed:

• NW/DG would discuss further how to reach those who are digitally excluded and report back at the next meeting 
• DG to introduce NW to the Glasgow Disability Alliance

Actions: NW/DG/DG

Data strategy content

IJ provided an update confirming that the structure had been agreed before Christmas and further work has been completed to update the vision. In terms of next steps the plan is to draft a section of the strategy for the group to consider at the next meeting. The group was invited to consider what detail should be included in the Data Strategy at a national and local level and what should sit in the accompanying delivery plan.

During discussion the group noted:

• consideration needed to be given to what the strategy will mean for citizens, industry and practitioners and it would be helpful to see how a full example might be set out noting the feedback from the engagement sessions helping with this 
• the importance of continuing conversations with stakeholders as we develop the final strategy including sharing drafts of the strategy at an early stage throughout

The group agreed:

• RA agreed to share the Data Strategy diagram with the group
• IJ would share a draft example of what a section of the strategy could look like for the group to consider as part of this IJ will consider the comments made by the group and how these could be reflected

Actions: RA/IJ

AOB

The group agreed the next meeting of the group on 25th January would be re-focused to focus on a dedicated risk discussion.

Actions: IJ/RA