Data Standards
People entrusting us with sensitive data about their health and care experiences requires Healthwatch to be fully focused on data protection.
- We are introducing a new data sharing agreement so the public can be assured when their data is shared between local Healthwatch and Healthwatch England.
- Read our updated data protection guidance and check out our templates such as privacy notices to help you comply with the law.
Taxonomy
Having a common way of classifying information helps us to improve how we analyse it. It also helps us to provide valued insight back into the system on a local, ICS and national level. With the help of local Healthwatch, we have revised our data taxonomy to improve consistency.
It consists of two parts:
- the minimum viable taxonomy with key fields including the feedback itself, services involved, key themes, the sentiment of the feedback and key demographics
- the wider taxonomy, including a wider selection of demographics
What does this mean for you?
Our expectation is that all local Healthwatch will be able to align the way you categorise your data with our common taxonomy, so as a minimum, your data can map to the minimum viable taxonomy. This is essential to our new approach to allow all Healthwatch to share their data with us.
We understand that changing the taxonomy has big implications for local Healthwatch. We aim to minimise updates to the taxonomy and will consult with local Healthwatch if we feel that changes are absolutely necessary to better categorise our data.
Data collection
It’s important for Healthwatch to use the right methodology for research and engagement projects and analyse the findings consistently and thoroughly so you have robust evidence.
Our support to you:
- Take a look at our resources to help with planning projects, designing surveys and carry out qualitative and quantitative analysis.
- Check out our e-learning on designing a survey and how to use Microsoft Excel.
Data Sharing
We rely on local Healthwatch insight to understand trends in how people experience health and social care services. It is also a legal requirement for Healthwatch to share their data with Healthwatch England.
The system we provided – CiviCRM – was used by less than half of the network and couldn’t accommodate data collected using different systems.
A new way to share data
Our new data sharing platform will help you upload and share your data with us. It will enable you to map your data categories to the standard taxonomy and save your settings for future use. Your data will then be uploaded to the National Data Store which is used by our research team for national analysis.
What's next for you?
We are staggering the introduction of this platform so we can support local Healthwatch. We’ll be in touch to when it's time for your Healthwatch to start using the new platform.
Formalising data sharing
As part of our work to strengthen our data standards, all Healthwatch are required to sign a data sharing agreement.
This has been developed on the advice of data protection experts and in line with guidance from the Information Commissioners Office, for any system or process involving data sharing between Healthwatch and Healthwatch England. The agreement sets out our roles and standards of what is expected from the arrangement and each party, with a schedule for each system.
What's next for you?
We will be in touch to set up a data sharing agreement with your Healthwatch. If you'd like to see what this would look like you can see the template here.
Healthwatch National Data Store
Over the past few months, we’ve been building the Healthwatch National Data Store - a central place where data can be stored, and comparisons made across the network.
With the taxonomy being crucial to the success of this platform, we are focusing on making it a safe and secure place to store data. It’s first stage will allow Healthwatch England to carry out analysis for our national work. We intend on extending access to local Healthwatch so you can use the tools for analysis and comparison purposes.
We also intend to use the National Data Store to share queries from members of the public who use the Healthwatch England website ‘Have Your Say’ webform and select your Healthwatch.
