Morning, Friday, 20th June 2025
Online
This conference will discuss the way forward for use of patient data in England, and for creation of a single patient record.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to examine priorities in the context of the 10-Year Health Plan, and with the Prime Minister’s pledge to transition to a digital NHS, with Lord Darzi’s Independent investigation of the NHS in England suggested that it was still at the ‘foothills of digital transformation’.
Delegates will examine next steps for patient passports and how they can best be developed to support aims to empower service users by improving care pathways and allowing practitioners to access a more holistic medical history. Discussion is also expected on strategies to enable the collation of fragmented patient data and presentation of records in a user-friendly way, alongside moving forward digital inclusivity more widely, and latest thinking on the role of the NHS App.
With the Data Use and Access Bill proposing measures aiming to improve public services and boost the economy, delegates will examine priorities for achieving interoperability and effective sharing of health-related data amongst staff, and how to realise the potential for enhancing research and fostering innovation in areas such as clinical trials and population health strategies.
Stakeholder concerns surrounding patient privacy will also be discussed, including ways forward for preventing the inappropriate use of data internally, and mitigating risks of external data breaches. We also expect discussion on strategies for earning patient trust, including standards for public accountability and transparency in the collection and use of data, as well as options for patient control over personal data usage.
In light of the Health and Social Care Secretary’s call for all NHS trusts to adopt the Federated Data Platform by 2026, we also expect discussion on its rollout, as well as ethical and privacy concerns sparked by the partnership with Palantir. Delegates will assess opportunities for the system to support key NHS priorities, including maximising capacity, care coordination, and planning services which meet the needs of local populations. It will also be an opportunity to discuss practicalities, and what is needed for NHS trusts and ICBs to accelerate take-up, including next steps for staff training strategies, and addressing the challenges of legacy systems.
We expect further sessions to assess opportunities in light of the recent announcement of the new health data research service, a partnership between both the Government and Welcome, with the ambition of creating a single location for researchers to streamline access to patient data and reduce bureaucratic burden. Wider priorities for enabling research using large-scale patient data will be looked at, and how these findings can be translated back to the NHS to improve access to new innovations and better patient outcomes.
With the agenda currently in the drafting stage, overall areas for discussion include:
- next steps for the implementation of a single patient record:
- ways forward for informing patients and providing joined-up care - using data to improve productivity within the NHS
- examining data protection concerns - priorities for the protection of confidential information
- latest strategies for improving digital inclusivity:
- next steps for increasing accessibility of the NHS App - identifying those most at risk of digital exclusion and tailoring interventions
- priorities for providing a user-friendly experience
- assessing priorities following the proposed Data Use and Access Bill:
- approaches for the use of data to boost the economy and accelerate innovation
- strategies for using patient data whilst maintaining privacy and adhering to ethical frameworks
- streamlining rollout of the Federated Data Platform:
- assessing current and potential barriers to implementation - examining strategies for speeding up NHS trust take-up
- next steps for staff training for ensuring the effective use of the platform - strategies going forward to increase accuracy of inputted data
- discussing priorities for maintaining accountability and transparency where public-private partnerships are involved
- examining latest thinking on the use of data in enhancing research and innovation:
- ways forward for the use of data in clinical trials - translating data use back into innovations to improve patient care
