Overview
Four national data feeds have been launched via the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP) to facilitate the sharing of health data across services in Wales.
Key Details
- The NDAP was established through a Welsh government-funded initiative aimed at improving health and social care accessibility, sharing, and analysis.
- Health boards in Wales can now transmit data directly to Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), minimizing the need for separate reports to various partners.
- The data feeds became operational on April 28, 2025, focusing on:
- Theatre optimisation
- Audiology
- Referral to treatment
- District nursing
Expert Insights
Alison Jenkins, the data warehouse and acquisition lead at DHCW, remarked on the team’s commitment to meeting tight deadlines, stating:
“The team demonstrated exceptional dedication and effort to meet tight deadlines, successfully developing four new data pipelines concurrently. This has been a particular achievement, given the team had to master new cloud technologies and create multiple submission pipelines to accommodate health boards at various stages of their Google Cloud journey.”
Current Status
All four data pipelines are technically operational, with DHCW currently receiving live data from two of these datasets. Efforts are ongoing to gather live data from the remaining feeds.
Future Implications
The Information Services Department (ISD) within DHCW is responsible for processing, analyzing, and publishing a wide array of NHS Wales data. Health boards and trusts routinely send aggregated data to the NHS Executive, which is utilized in reports to the Welsh government.
With appropriate governance, the NDAP could serve as the primary channel for collecting and sharing national data in Wales, enhancing data sharing and improving the quality and timeliness of performance reporting.
Collaboration and Learning
The ISD team, with assistance from the NHS Executive’s digital intelligence team, has worked diligently to develop, test, and implement these new national data collections. Jenkins noted:
“This endeavour has been a significant learning experience, with numerous lessons gained along the way. We are now looking forward to our collaboration with NHS Executive, NDR, standards, and health board colleagues on our Google Cloud platform journey together.”
Concerns Raised
Despite these advancements, the Welsh government has expressed serious concerns regarding DHCW’s capacity to deliver major programs. In March 2025, DHCW was moved to level three on the government’s intervention framework due to performance and outcome issues related to major program delivery.