At the NHSBSA we are committed to being ’open by default’ when it comes to our data. This includes making our data and reporting open, where it is legal, appropriate, and safe to do so; being open about the data we hold, if and how it can be accessed; and publishing analytics code enabling it to be reviewed, reused, and further developed. This aligns to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) principle of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency. It also builds trust, enables citizens and other stakeholders to make informed decisions and supports greater democratic accountability of the government and parliamentary scrutiny. For us, working in the open also means being transparent about how we work, and we do this through several routes such as publishing roadmaps and blogs.
By embracing open data principles and proactively publishing data, we recognise that we could realise efficiencies such as a reduction in administrative time and effort to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, parliamentary questions and other adhoc requests. Making data open also enables others to use the data for new purposes ultimately delivering greater value for taxpayers. The benefits are perhaps best demonstrated by our English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) which is now one of the key components underpinning ‘OpenPrescribing.net’ an openly available online browser of the EPD, with dashboards available for every GP practice in England with over 100 measures of prescribing quality and safety. The tool is widely used with 20,000 unique users every single month and thousands of subscribers to practice prescribing email alerts.
Although we are still early on in our journey to being open by default, in March 2020 we achieved a key milestone with the launch of our Open Data Portal (ODP). Since its launch, we have published 18 curated data sets on the ODP, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for more to follow.
This year alone the ODP has facilitated more than 7.5 million transactions. We have plans to unveil more open datasets focusing on the areas of dental and pharmacy as well as supporting our service teams to publish key performance data in the open.
Our mission extends beyond just provision of data; it’s about understanding, insight and growth. We produce Official Statistics; each release designed to enrich the understanding and provide valuable insight into our corner of the healthcare landscape. Seven publications have already been published, with others actively in development. Over the coming years we will continue to explore where publication of data from our Citizen and NHS Workforce Services directorates can contribute to the landscape of statistical publications produced by ourselves and colleagues across government, ensuring coherence.
Our Data Science and Official Statistics teams have embraced a culture of transparency, including open publication of insight articles and their code on GitHub. This repository of knowledge not only shows our commitment to information sharing, but empowers those who seek to use our invaluable data and build on our work.
Fully embracing the concept of being ‘open and transparent’ can be daunting and we recognise the need to support colleagues across the organisation in understanding what this means, the different opportunities they can leverage on this journey as well as addressing concerns around the implications of open data publication including increased inquiries and demand on service areas. We are committed to working with colleagues and stakeholders to ensure we progress on this journey together and collaborate to address challenges and realise the potential benefits.
Commitment
We will proactively embrace data openness and transparency by:
- working in the open, with more data and documentation being published to improve transparency
- launching a Data Hub to improve the user experience for people finding, understanding and unlocking value from NHSBSA data and insight
- increasing trust in the NHSBSA analytical work through greater adoption of the statistical code of practice and analytical standards