Training healthcare analysts in the 21st century

Abstract

Goldacre et al.¹ set out very clearly the need for a 21st-century NHS analyst workforce supported by clear career trajectories and training opportunities. It must also be remembered that a significant part of this workforce sits within the public health system. Prior to the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the public health analytical workforce was employed within the NHS. However, since 2013 most public health analysts are employed by local government and national public health organisations such as Public Health England. While these analysts work closely with their counterparts in the NHS, they are often not considered as part of the NHS workforce.

Opportunities for career trajectories and training must include analysts within the public health and care system. This will enhance skill sharing, accelerate learning, align methodologies and will help reduce the silo working and duplication that Goldacre and colleagues refer to.

In response to this, Public Health England has led a cross-system collaboration to develop a new Health and Care Intelligence Specialist apprenticeship standard,² a level seven (master’s level) apprenticeship standard which has recently been approved for delivery. The development of this standard involved analytical colleagues from the NHS, local government, Office for National Statistics, Health Statistics User Group and the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts.³ The Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours covered by the standard address some of the key technical skills that are required to bring data analysis into the 21st century and will meet the requirements for registration with the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts.

In addition to the Health and Care Intelligence Specialist standard, there are standards available in data science (degree) and artificial intelligence (masters). Given that employers are already paying for this training through the apprenticeship levy, it is important that they maximise use of them and avoid duplication of effort in developing overlapping standards.

Footnotes

Declarations

References

Goldacre B, Bardsley M, Benson T, Cheema K, Chinn R, Coughlan E, et al. Bringing NHS data analysis into the 21st century. J R Soc Med 2020; 113: 383–388.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Health and Care Intelligence Specialist Apprenticeship Standard, 2020. See https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/health-and-care-intelligence-specialist/ (last checked 17 August 2020).

HM Government. Policy Paper: Apprenticeship Levy, 2016. See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy/apprenticeship-levy (last checked 17 August 2020).