Harnessing the data explosion for public good

Our chairwoman, Jessica Figueras, welcomes all delegates, sponsors, and speakers to our conference and sets out the day’s agenda.

A senior representative from one of the larger central government departments will cover some of the opportunities and challenges facing public sector organisations over the coming months.

Public bodies all over the UK are committed to the principle of using data to improve public service delivery. But an enduring skills shortage in both technical and non-technical roles is the number one barrier, particularly in light of the ‘Great Resignation’ which has seen record levels of staff turnover in the UK. What can public bodies be doing to address this?

The UK’s National Data Strategy calls for the responsible use of data in driving innovation, whether for scientific discovery or public service delivery. Legal uncertainty can act as a barrier to innovation, but there are also genuine issues of ethics and public trust to consider in this fast-evolving space. What are the key principles that public service innovators should consider? Could the government’s recently launched Algorithmic Transparency Standard help?

In this sessions we hear insight from one of our commercial partners at Okta and Somerford Associates on their experiences of data projects and how they have been working with public sector organisations.

As well as the UK government’s ambitious policy agenda to reduce the UK’s regional inequality, individual nations, regions and cities are all looking to drive local economic development. What data sources might be useful for those wanting to understand the problems and identify new solutions? And what models of local collaboration and data sharing look promising?

The 2020 National Data Strategy aims to improve the use of data in government, focusing on how embracing and sharing data can create opportunities for innovation and more effectiveness in government. Tackling the challenges acknowledged on the 22-25 government roadmap for digital and data could be a way of approaching this and finding solutions for all.

Made Tech has been working with different data platforms in local governments, and we believe in the opportunities that building a blueprint Semantic Ontology, and by extension a data model, could bring if shared openly and leveraged continuously.

In this session, we would like to discuss the advantages and scope of an open and free data platform that could be shared across government. The discussion will focus on how you can align your projects to the National Data Strategy and drive innovation and collaboration between departments and local authorities.

Key takeaways

• What are the practical solutions to unlock data challenges

• How open data opportunities can improve innovation

• Data modes to support transformation

NHS England’s recently published health and social care data strategy is clear: “Data saves lives”. But there are many challenges to overcome, from public trust to technical infrastructure and skills. Just how long will we need to wait for the future to arrive? Are quick wins possible?

Roisin McCarthy, Founder of Women in Data talks with a public sector data leader about their career journey and the ups and down of working in data in government.

A recent review by Matthew Ryder QC warned of serious public concerns about the impact on rights and freedoms from the growing use of biometric data. Where and how is biometric data used in the public sector, what are the risks and benefits, and where might potential future regulation go?

Data and evidence-based information has been part of the toolkit for policymakers for some time. But the question of how data should be presented to those responsible for making decisions is not so straightforward. Is there more to evidence-based decision making than the humble dashboard?

This year inflation in the UK has reached its highest level in 40 years, leading to widespread and increasing hardship – particularly in relation to energy costs. How can government bodies use data to find solutions – whether by targeting help at the most vulnerable, or identifying opportunities for cost saving innovations?

Our chair, David Bicknell, summarises the of the sessions that you have heard today and closes the conference.