Health and care intelligence specialist (L7)

This occupation is found in a range of organisations throughout the health and social care sector. The sector includes organisations which study the health of populations, plan, commission, manage, deliver, monitor and evaluate health and social care policies and services. The organisational settings range from central government departments and arms-length bodies through to individual NHS organisations and local authorities. Community Interest Companies and Academic Health Science Networks may also employ people in this occupation.. The broad purpose of the occupation is to take data on individual or population health and use of services and other forms of evidence such as scientific publications and evidence reviews and turn it into health and care intelligence such that it has impact on decision makers across the health and care system and informs and influences their decisions, leading ultimately to improved population health and better patient outcomes and experiences. People in the occupation are involved in the planning, implementation and evaluation of health and care services. In order to do this, they have to collect specific health and care data or work with those that collect health and care data to ensure that they can be used for these purposes as well as for direct clinical care and service provision.

Health and Care Intelligence Specialists have an impact at both a strategic and operational level by building and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues at all levels. Their work leads to better health and care policy decisions, both at national and local level and improved implementation of services across health and social care.. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with Their team members, organisational managers, internal and external stakeholders. Much of their output will take the form of reports for publication or pieces of analysis that they will present to senior managers and decision makers such as Boards and elected Councillors. Depending on their setting, they may also provide information to central government, other organisations or members of the public.

The Health and Care Intelligence Specialist will also have regular contact with colleagues who manage IT systems or provide specific data; have responsibility for the governance and security of data sources; or use data and information for specific purposes (for example finance or human resources colleagues). There is often substantial interaction between Health and Care Intelligence Specialists in different organisations and at different geographical levels. The organisational structures within which Health and Care Intelligence Specialists are located vary (for example, their team might report to a director of finance, commissioning, IT or public health).

Depending on their setting the Health and Care Intelligence Specialist will work with clinicians and service providers to support the management of departments and projects, evaluate care and support research. They will also work with planners and policymakers, including those with responsibility for public health functions. At national level interaction may be required with government ministers and members of parliament, national organisations inside and outside the health sector (e.g. charities and patients’ groups) and the media. Locally, regular interaction is required with NHS and local authority managers, elected councillors, and representatives of local organisations.. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for leading the production of high-quality information and interpretation through tasks including defining information requirements and advising colleagues on appropriate data sources and analytical approaches; specifying or managing collection of data; analysing a wide range of data and producing informative reports and presentations. The exact nature of these responsibilities will vary depending on the organisational setting and specific role. Work to be delivered will often be a mixture of routine activities such as annual reports, special projects and ad hoc/responsive outputs.

The Health and Care Intelligence Specialist will obtain and work with existing health and care data and will also have responsibility for designing or carrying out bespoke data collections when required. Health and Care Intelligence Specialists will be responsible for negotiation and drawing up of health and care data sharing agreements and compliance with the relevant legislation, procedures and health service guidance for handling confidential patient information.

Health and Care Intelligence Specialists are usually responsible for interpreting research findings and including them along with their analyses in their advice and outputs to inform the implementation of evidence-based interventions. They may also have a role in obtaining and reviewing research findings. They are responsible for communicating their outputs to non-technical audiences in both written and verbal formats.

At a senior level Health and Care Intelligence Specialists provide leadership within their organisation, promoting and advocating the use of high-quality intelligence outputs to inform decision making and improve population health and health and care services. At almost all levels they will have management, supervisory or coaching and training responsibilities for less experienced staff and, sometimes, external stakeholders. They are responsible for managing complex intelligence projects.

Depending on the setting the Health and Care Intelligence Specialist may focus on the activities of NHS and other care providers; working primarily at local level, although they could work at national level in organisations with central data management, planning and oversight functions. Alternatively, they may focus on the health of the population as a whole; working at national, regional or local level in organisations that have overall responsibility for the health and wellbeing of the population and for the protection of public health. In some settings, they may undertake specific public health/epidemiological functions such as surveillance of infectious diseases..

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Public Health England, Coventry City Council, Derby City Council, Devon County Council, Dudley Council, Kent County Council, Southwark Council, Dave Whiting, Medway Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Norfolk City Council, Rochdale Council, Sandwell Council, Somerset County Council, Office for National Statistics, NHS England, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST), East Midlands Academic Health Science Network and AphA, NHS Improvement/ Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts (AphA), Health Statistics User Group, Local Government Association

K1: The application of advanced-level applied statistics, epidemiology, and analytical techniques.

K2: Statistical, epidemiological, social, and scientific concepts that underpin the interpretation of health data to generate intelligence and understand impacts on people and organisations.

K3: Strengths and limitations of statistical and epidemiological methods, analytical tools, and approaches.

K4: Principles of developing data-driven models to understand activity levels, financial impact, and outcomes.

K5: Economic forecasting, economic evaluation, and scenario modelling of population health needs, resources, and the rationale for long-term investment in health and care delivery.

K6: A wide range of health and care data sources, including demographic, health, social care, economic, financial, and local and national NHS datasets, and their respective strengths, limitations, and applications.

K7: Clinical terminologies commonly used across the health and care sector.

K8: Health and care data standards, data dictionaries, and data flows across NHS and social care systems, including recent developments.

K9: Design principles and technical aspects of systems for input, storage, analysis, and dissemination of health and care statistical and epidemiological information.

K10: Health and care systems and processes, including operational structures and patient pathways such as hospital activity systems.

K11: The context of NHS, central, and local government intelligence, including organisational structures, responsibilities, planning cycles, policy priorities, and the purpose of quantitative assessments, audits, and plans.

K12: Key factors influencing health needs and inequalities, including health behaviours and wider social determinants of health.

K13: Principles of effective written and oral communication to influence stakeholders and decision-makers.

K14: Information needs of decision-makers in the NHS and government, how information supports decision-making, and the impact of publishing health information on the wider population.

K15: Principles of partnership working, basic negotiation skills, and understanding different organisational cultures.

K16: Sources of evidence and examples of best practice and methods for accessing them.

K17: Key techniques for assessing evidence and best practice, including critical appraisal, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and economic evaluation.

K18: Requirements for responsible, legal, and ethical access to and use of health and care data, including data protection, confidentiality, and risks of statistical disclosure.

K19: Legal implications of data sharing and data linkage across organisations, including data sharing agreements and data mapping audits.

K20: The role of effective leadership within organisations and how leadership differs from management.

K21: The role of analytical functions within organisational structures and the strengths and limitations of different models for organising analytical teams.

K22: Organisational theory, behaviour, and theories of organisational change.

K23: Processes for effective resource management, including analysis and interpretation of budget reports, service costing, and preparation of basic financial statements.

K24: Principles of effective project management and commonly used project management methodologies.

K25: How adults learn and how to design effective training programmes in healthcare analysis and intelligence.

K26: Methods for identifying gaps in knowledge and skills required for analytical and intelligence roles within the health and care system.

K27: Coaching and mentoring techniques to support learning and professional development of others.

K28: The importance of continuing professional development and maintaining specialist knowledge in a rapidly evolving environment.

K29: Key considerations when balancing patient rights with public interest, including access to NHS data by public and private bodies and public discourse on these issues.

K30: Local child and adult safeguarding procedures and appropriate points of contact for advice and escalation.

S1: Collect data using a wide range of tools, including databases, software systems, APIs, and digital devices.

S2: Extract, import, clean, manipulate, and manage diverse quantitative and qualitative datasets.

S3: Undertake advanced statistical and epidemiological analysis to generate meaningful health and care intelligence.

S4: Interpret and present advanced statistical and epidemiological analyses, recognising and managing the risks associated with presenting and publishing health information.

S5: Undertake accurate linkage of health and care data in compliance with relevant information governance and data protection requirements.

S6: Design and specify data flows, collection, storage, and collation mechanisms for both qualitative and quantitative data.

S7: Develop data visualisations suitable for a range of audiences and contexts using analytical tools such as statistical programming software and industry-standard platforms (e.g. R, Tableau, PowerBI).

S8: Professionally interpret and present health and care intelligence analyses and recommendations within clear, structured reports.

S9: Formulate analytical questions and testable hypotheses that are answerable using the available data.

S10: Investigate patterns and variations in determinants, diseases, and other factors influencing health and care outcomes.

S11: Design and undertake surveys, audits, or research activities to investigate disease patterns or support service development.

S12: Review and critically appraise evidence and research, including survey design and analysis, and summarise and disseminate relevant literature.

S13: Work collaboratively with information users to clarify information needs, understand decision contexts, and tailor reports and presentations accordingly.

S14: Provide expert advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders at all organisational levels on data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

S15: Develop and deliver management- and Board-level presentations that effectively influence senior decision-makers, both technical and non-technical.

S16: Communicate sensitively, accurately, and appropriately with audiences from both technical and non-technical backgrounds.

S17: Comply with, implement, and advise on local and national data protection, confidentiality legislation, policies, procedures, and relevant legal frameworks.

S18: Demonstrate effective leadership and change management skills to influence the use of analysis within organisations, manage analytical teams, and apply principles of continuous improvement.

S19: Evaluate the role and significance of human factors in the effective development and implementation of organisational data collection, analysis, and use strategies.

S20: Develop and communicate a clear vision for how data, intelligence, and evidence can be used to improve organisational decision-making.

S21: Establish and maintain effective partnership working arrangements with colleagues across departments and organisations, including public, voluntary, and academic sectors.

S22: Manage analytical team resources, including workforce planning and budget management.

S23: Support the professional development and capability building of others within the health and care system.

S24: Design, deliver, and evaluate effective training programmes and assess their impact.

S25: Apply a range of coaching interventions and techniques relevant to the health and care system, selecting appropriate methods for individuals or groups.

S26: Determine when mentoring is appropriate, act as a mentor where suitable, or identify appropriate mentors for others within the health and care system.

S27: Develop, maintain, and refine activity, financial, and outcomes models; test scenarios; and advise on optimal options for future planning of activity, income, or expenditure.

S28: Apply project management techniques to lead and manage complex health and care intelligence projects.

S29: Protect and safeguard vulnerable individuals and promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

S30: Apply economic principles and tools to assess value for money by evaluating costs, benefits, and return on investment for interventions and services.

B1: Treat people with dignity and respect diversity, beliefs, and cultural differences.

B2: Act with integrity in line with ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks, ensuring the protection of personal data, safety, and security.

B3: Maintain a strong customer-focused approach within the organisation and when working with external stakeholders.

B4: Take a self-directed approach to learning and reflective practice in order to continuously improve and work towards evidence-based best practice.

B5: Be adaptable, reliable, and consistent, demonstrating discretion, resilience, self-awareness, and effective team working.

B6: Act as a role model to peers and demonstrate leadership through professional conduct and behaviour.

B7: Constructively challenge inappropriate behaviour and misuse of information when necessary.