12th October 2021
An-Chan Phung, Chief Innovation Officer (MDM) at Civica examines how efforts to join up data to improve services in the Manchester city-region are providing lessons for others in the UK.
The Greater Manchester region is busy implementing processes and technology to overcome the challenges of sharing of data in public services; with the combined authority, local authorities, NHS bodies and emergency services working together on a series of initiatives to boost long term collaboration and further improve services.
These are providing lessons and new thinking that could influence data sharing at a regional level around the country, some of which emerged from a UKA Live discussion, which included lead enterprise architect for the combined authority, Jon Burt, chief intelligence and analytics officer for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership Matt Hennessey and Helen Olsen Bedford from UKAuthority.
The discussion reiterated the strong rationale for joining up data from different public authorities – that it leads to better services. It also highlighted the need for a balance between sharing data and protecting individuals’ privacy, something which is often difficult to obtain despite the huge amount of guidance available.
This was shown in an audience poll on the three main blockers to sharing across place and multiple agencies – the biggest blocker shown was that the governance had not been agreed.
An-Chan Phung, Chief Innovation Officer (MDM) at Civica examines how efforts to join up data to improve services in the Manchester city-region are providing lessons for others in the UK.
The Greater Manchester region is busy implementing processes and technology to overcome the challenges of sharing of data in public services; with the combined authority, local authorities, NHS bodies and emergency services working together on a series of initiatives to boost long term collaboration and further improve services.
These are providing lessons and new thinking that could influence data sharing at a regional level around the country, some of which emerged from a UKA Live discussion, which included lead enterprise architect for the combined authority, Jon Burt, chief intelligence and analytics officer for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership Matt Hennessey and Helen Olsen Bedford from UKAuthority.
The discussion reiterated the strong rationale for joining up data from different public authorities – that it leads to better services. It also highlighted the need for a balance between sharing data and protecting individuals’ privacy, something which is often difficult to obtain despite the huge amount of guidance available.
This was shown in an audience poll on the three main blockers to sharing across place and multiple agencies – the biggest blocker shown was that the governance had not been agreed.
- Intelligence factor
We need to recognise the difference between data and intelligence, the latter involving inferences from the former and a lot of information that will never sit neatly within a dataset. There are insights beyond the immediate ones in a dataset, especially when combined with real time data, and these could be used to take services to a new level. - Take charge of data issues
Someone has to take ownership of the data issues within the organisations involved. This shows the importance of a chief data officer, responsible for ensuring data is used for the benefit of people rather than organisations. - Find good examples
A first step to solving a problem is to search for appropriate models that have already been deployed and talk to peers in public services. As more regions become more ambitious with data sharing they will develop approaches that can be replicated and evolved for the good of authorities and benefits of the citizens around the country whilst treating data securely and respectfully. It’s all part of the same effort to make a big contribution to the future of public services – which are successfully joined up at a regional level.
Chan Phung is Chief Innovation Officer, Master Data Management, at Civica
You can catch up with the full UKA Live discussion here: