Wales Data Leaders Network meeting: 2 November 2021

Attendees

• Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA)
• Welsh Government - Head of Data Sharing & Ethics
• ADRW Wales/SAIL
• Transport for Wales (TfW)
• Welsh Government - Head of School Workforce Statistics
• Welsh Government - Chief Digital Officer (Chair)
• Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
• Public Health Wales (PHW)
• Welsh Government - Director of Technology, Digital & Transformation
• Welsh Government - Head of Data & Geography
• Social Care Wales
• Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
• Welsh Government - Head of Data Policy & Standards
• Data Cymru
• Cardiff University
• Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
• Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS)

Presenters/observers

• Welsh Government
• Gartner
• Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
• DCMS

Request for terms of reference to be updated to explicitly state that the group will focus on both the analytical and operational use of data.

With the exception of this amendment, the draft terms of reference were approved.

No additions or amendments to the membership were proposed during the meeting.

Data Cymru provided an update on plans to establish a network of data communities that will bring people together across the public sector in Wales to share ideas, challenges, issues and solutions. 

Suggestions for potential data communities from attendees included:

• common data technology
• data ethics
• data communication
• data inclusivity

The group agreed to forward any further suggestions, in addition to possible leads for specific communities, to Data Cymru.

Attendees were made aware of the following pieces of work currently being undertaken at a UK level, and encouraged to, where appropriate, respond:

• Data: a new direction (GOV.UK)
• National Data Strategy monitoring and evaluation framework (GOV.UK)
• Inclusive Data Taskforce report: Leaving no one behind – How can we be more inclusive in our data? (UK Statistics Authority)

Attendees were advised to contact DataReformConsultation@dcms.gov.uk regarding any queries they have regarding the consultation on UK’s data protection regime.

The importance of ensuring the inclusivity of our data was highlighted and there was discussion around approaches to some of the challenges faced when collecting data and that data linkage could provide a solution.

The next meeting will be arranged for January/February 2022.

A UK wide Senior Civil Service Data Masterclass aimed at senior leaders without a data background is currently being run, which Welsh Government is participating in. At present we have some limited spaces available that can be offered out to leaders from across other public sector bodies in Wales.