Reports showcase the potential of healthcare data in the UK
Healthcare data showed its potential in the UK when the National Health Service used it to help face the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Now the British healthcare system is exploring what can be done to bring out the full potential of healthcare data, as showcased in reports by the Boston Consulting Group and the NHS.
According to the BCG’s report, “Towards a Healthier, Wealthier UK,” the United Kingdom currently faces two major challenges – pressure on the national healthcare system and a poor economic outlook including a crisis in cost-of-living. However, the UK also has two significant assets that can help to deal with these challenges – a leading role in the development of artificial intelligence and a huge quantity of healthcare data1.
By making full use of this healthcare data for the first time, the UK has the opportunity to improve patient outcomes, provide healthcare in a more efficient way, and promote innovation and new investment that will make the UK healthier and wealthier simultaneously1.
The NHS report, “Data Saves Lives,” articulates a strategy for England to make the most effective use of healthcare data while retaining public trust and improving care2.
Healthcare data during the COVID crisis
Healthcare data was especially helpful in Britain’s battle with COVID-19, preventing an already difficult situation from becoming even more difficult. The NHS was able to use healthcare data to share care plans with ambulance staff, recruit patients for COVID treatment tests, and assign ventilators based on need2.
The experience illustrated the potential benefits of using healthcare data more extensively. The NHS now sees the use of healthcare data as crucial to ongoing efforts at healthcare reform in the UK, as well as the treatment of cancer, dementia, and mental health conditions2.
Building and retaining public trust
The goal of the NHS is to give the public confidence in the handling of their data2,3. People are generally supportive of the use of healthcare data if they know that their data will be used to improve care1.
According to the study conducted by the BCG, 90% of the British public is willing to share their healthcare data with the NHS, especially if the privacy of their data is protected, and the intended outcome has been clearly explained1.
To retain public trust, the NHS will have to demonstrate that it can be trusted as the custodian of public healthcare data. To achieve this goal, the plan is for the NHS to keep data secure, be open about how it is used, and give people improved access to their own healthcare data as well as more of a say in how that data will be used2,3.
Using healthcare data to improve care and promote innovation
According to Dr. Tim Ferris, the National Director of Transformation for NHS England, the future of the National Health Service depends on the use of data to improve the direct care of individuals, to target services in such a way as to improve the overall health of the population, to improve services overall, and to drive new treatments through research and innovation2.
The NHS will work to ensure that both the public and healthcare staff will have access to the data they need to make the right decisions about care2.
Goals from the Data Saves Lives report
The Data Saves Lives report includes the following list of NHS goals for healthcare data:
- Improving trust in the health and care system’s use of data
- Giving health and care professionals the information they need to provide the best possible care
- Improving data for adult social care
- Supporting local and national decision-makers with data
- Empowering researchers with the data they need to develop life-changing treatments, diagnostics, models of care and insights
- Working with partners to develop innovations that improve health and care
- Developing the right technical infrastructure2
The more complete use of healthcare data can bring major opportunities for improving the welfare of the general public, including quicker diagnoses, more personalized treatment options, and safer care overall. To achieve these goals, the NHS is working to make sure that everyone who needs a particular piece of information has access to that data at the right time2,3.
Sources:
1. Ruparel et al. (2023): Towards a Healthier, Wealthier UK: Unlocking the Value of Healthcare Data. https://www.bcg.com/united-kingdom/centre-for-growth/insights/towards-a-healthier-wealthier-uk-unlocking-the-value-of-healthcare-data
2. NHS (2022): Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-saves-lives-reshaping-health-and-social-care-with-data/data-saves-lives-reshaping-health-and-social-care-with-data
3. NHS England – Transformation Directorate: Data saves lives – Reshaping health and social care with data. https://transform.england.nhs.uk/key-tools-and-info/data-saves-lives/ Accessed 06.11.2023.
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