Research Fellow Chloe Ryder had the opportunity to present at the Health Data Research-UK (HDR-UK) Midlands annual conference in Loughborough this September.
Chloe (Research Fellow in Quantitative and Mixed-Methods), presented the work which she has been completing on the Coventry HDRC Data Catalogue, in a "Lightning Talk" at the conference. She talked about the development process of the data catalogue, the current progress of the work, and the next steps.
The HDRC Data catalogue aims to provide a central place for individuals to know what data is publicly accessible for research purposes and collaboration. It further aims to support evidence-based decision making within policy, to help support individuals living in Coventry.
The data catalogue has so far been drafted for the following topics: Children’s Services, Air Quality, Housing/Homelessness, Digital Inclusion and Employment and Skills. Each topic has its own section, which includes:
- Definition of topic being explored
- Data sources which are publicly accessible, including links (where possible)
- Guidance of how to use and interpret data sources
- A key contact from Coventry City Council for if any individuals have any questions for the specific topic area or about the data sources.
The conference also covered topics such as:
- Benefits of technology and data from a patient perspective
- The use of wearable technology for health data and patient care
- Challenges and barriers to data and data sharing
- Funding opportunities available for health data research.
Chloe recounts that it was great to hear so many different perspectives on data and health data from people working in various fields, as well as on topics such as data sharing. She can see lots of great groundwork being done, and it's clear that there's still much potential for data in digital health.
Chloe's key take away points / reflections are:
- How do we openly and positively communicate to the general population about digital health data & data sharing?
- Wearables for digital health monitoring is so data rich, but there are limitations surrounding data sharing from the person to their healthcare provider. How do we overcome barriers?
- Trust is essential for developing a system for data and data sharing.
- The future of data and digital health is in technology; so how do we ensure we reduce inequalities and keep in mind digital inclusion when focusing on work and looking to incorporate the new NHS 10-year plan.
It was an excellent day, with lots of learning, plenty of food for thought, and questions to encourage further exploration. Chloe made new connections and seized the opportunity to promote our approach to the Coventry HDRC data catalogue.