Conclusion

Conclusion #

Scope #

In order to carry out this work within a reasonable timeframe it was scoped to exclude any detailed work on career and competency frameworks (which are in any case forthcoming nationally).

(Are we going to add any more scope to this- see Appendix A?)

Outline #

The current piece of work is designed to carry out the following functions as presented in the introduction:

  • Consider the types of analyst teams within the ICS and their diverse functions
  • Identify a generic set of skills for healthcare analysts in the region
  • Identify extra skills necessary dependent on role and organisation
  • Identify individuals within the ICS who can provide training on these skillsets
  • Identify gaps where the system is not self sufficient for training and procure training (preferring free training)
  • Look at the range of external training available to the system
  • Identify areas of training need that cannot be met internally or externally

These areas will each now be considered in turn.

Consider the types of analyst teams within the ICS and their diverse functions #

The type and function of analytic teams across the ICS is clearly broad. They might be though of as falling roughly into one of four types:

  • Performance
  • Data analysis/ reporting
  • Data science
  • Public health/ population health

In turn those broad kinds of teams might work on different sorts of problems and with different approaches, the teams are therefore considerably more diverse in terms of skillset and function than might be concluded from looking at the four types. This is discussed further under skills.

Identify a generic set of skills for healthcare analysts in the region #

Due to the wide range of types of team and task in the region, generic skills are relatively few. It may be worthwhile, however, to define them very broadly and then to consider in more detail within particular contexts.

  • Data visualisation
    • Whether or not the visualisations are presented to the enduser, all individuals who process data should have basic data viz skills, to allow them to rapidly check a dataset for outliers, conduct exploratory analyses, etc.
  • Software skills
    • In its broadest possible sense, data analysts need to have software skills, whether they be those relating to Excel, R, Python, PowerBI, and developing those skills can make analysts more efficient and more effective
  • Communication
    • Analysts need to communicate effectively, whether that be through the written and spoken presentations of data or in conversations with other staff relating to problem definition, hypothesis generation, resource allocation, or other matters
  • Hypothesis testing
    • In its broadest possible sense, analysts need to test hypotheses. This does not have to be done formally or even with a technique such as SPC but analysts should consider the truth values of statements and attempt to derive them from data

Identify extra skills necessary dependent on role and organisation #

The skills that depend on role and organisation are by their nature quite diverse. We can usefully think about analytic work in terms of five types:

  • Demand and Capacity
  • Population Health Management
  • Health Inequalities
  • Transformation and Efficiency
  • Place based partnerships

These analytic tasks will be carried out within different domains:

  • Social care (subdivisions?)
  • Acute
  • Mental health
  • Community physical health care
  • Primary care

(see also Appendix A for another analytic taxonomy that might merit inclusion)

Identify individuals within the ICS who can provide training on these skillsets #

TODO

Identify gaps where the system is not self sufficient for training and procure training (preferring free training) #

TODO

Look at the range of external training available to the system #

TODO but see this summary of external training providers

Identify areas of training need that cannot be met internally or externally #

Appendix A: Decisions to be made #

Where is the focus?

  1. ICS Strategic Analytics team
  2. The strategic analytical needs of the ICS to be met by the above and contributions from partner organisation teams
  3. All analysts in an ICS meeting ICS and organisational needs

[I think largely 2 + 3, but for discussion]

What types of analysis are we considering?

  1. clinical decision-making to help busy clinicians diagnose and manage disease
  2. innovation and change in the NHS, and to evaluate the success of new models of care and whether changes deliver the expected benefits
  3. effective board-level oversight of complex organisations and care systems
  4. better everyday management of the monitoring and improvement of the quality and efficiency of care
  5. senior decision-makers to respond better to national incentives and regulation
  6. the allocation of finite resources
  7. better understanding of how patients flow through the system
  8. new data and digital tools
  9. patients and the public in using information

Method of data collection for analyst skills. I would propose that we carry out some sort of review of individuals (could be completed by line managers) which would summarise: