Secondment information pack - Adult Social Care Statistics

Following a period of development, knowledge building and sharing within the Adult Social Care team at NHS Digital, we are seeking to continue the success of our secondment programme with a stream of secondments into the team from local authorities. 

Successful secondees will support the development and publication of national data flows, for the benefit of the adult social care sector. These are also an opportunity for individuals to work with us at a national central organisation and gain experience and knowledge of our national statistics and processes.

NHS Digital is the national information and technology provider for the health and care system. 

Our staff of around 2,700 information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals depend. 

We work in partnership with both national and local organisations. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to provide better health and care.

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To make health and care better by harnessing the power of information and technology.

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Constructive

We look for solutions, not problems. We challenge others courageously but sensitively in pursuit of a better outcome; ideas, processes, conventions. In turn, we give others permission to approach us and challenge us constructively.

Thank you for your interest in wanting to join the Adult Social Care Statistics team on secondment here at NHS Digital.

We are a team of around 12 individuals, most of the team are analysts but we also draw upon other professionals to help us meet the needs of our key stakeholders.

We work across the sector with partners from organisations and groups such as:

• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• Local Government Association (LGA)
• Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS)
• Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• local authorities

We collect and publish data on a variety of themes including activity, finance, safeguarding, workforce and survey both carers and users of services. We also publish the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) indicators and an overview of the ASC Sector report.

NHS Digital are currently seeking to recruit a number of secondees from local authorities. We wish to draw on their experience of working with a range of adult social care data, to improve our understanding of the uses and flows of data within the sector.

The purpose of these roles will be to:

• provide expert guidance and insight about the collection of mandatory data returns, including the development of appropriate data quality processes and guidance documentation
• take a relevant role in the development of specific aspects of national data collections, engaging with data providers across local authorities (as appropriate)
• provide expert advice and input into the preparation of Official and National Statistics and the development of solutions which best fit the needs of stakeholders and customers including local authorities, DHSC, ADASS, LGA, CQC
• support NHS Digital staff in jointly chairing the relevant collection user groups to ensure that sector level concerns are being communicated appropriately
• confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues
• participate in knowledge transfer to ensure the analytical team develops a wider knowledge of local government practices and areas of concern for the sector

About you

These secondment roles would be suitable for experienced performance/data or information analysts, finance professionals or individuals who are familiar with the data from one (or more) of the adult social care data returns, who would like the opportunity to:

• influence the development, content and analysis of national data collections and the way in which our official statistics are disseminated
• develop their communication skills through involvement with collection user groups and local authority networks
• increase their knowledge of national data and information standards, policies and procedures
• bring their experience to bear in developing the knowledge of the NHS Digital adult social care statistics team
• obtain insight into the production of national and official statistics

Secondees will be expected to cover Senior Information Analyst roles (NHS Agenda for Change band 7 - £41,659 to £47,672).

We would also be interested in talking to you about other options, for example, ‘acting up’ or whether we have other suitable work) if you are interested in a secondment but your substantive salary currently falls outside this range.

We are happy to be flexible on work patterns during any proposed secondment; ensuring that they meet the requirements of NHS Digital, yourself and those of your substantive employer.

We are especially interested in local authority colleague(s) with experience of any of the following:

Surveys

Questionnaire design, conducting social research (preferably in adult social care) and presenting findings. Experience of creating surveys and the use of online survey tools would also be beneficial.

Research

Data analysis within adult social care, to assist in the development of our insightful publications, to meet local and national user needs. Experience of performing and interpreting regression statistics is also desirable.

Activity

Adult social care commissioning and/or delivery, a working knowledge of data collections and reporting, Short and Long Term Support (SALT) and other statutory reports would also be desirable.

Knowledge of local authority responsibilities under the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act and assisting us in assessing new and existing data collections and reporting in these areas.

Finance

Local government finance and accounting to assist in developing subject matter knowledge and expertise for these areas, knowledge of ASC-FR and DPA would be beneficial

Our head office is in Leeds, at 7 and 8 Wellington Place.

Our hub locations are:

• Exeter
• London
• Southport

Secondees would be assigned to a ‘home’ office and would utilise the available technologies to stay in touch with the Adult Social Care Statistics team. There would be an expectation of regular visits to the main office in Leeds (as required and agreed).

Travel and subsistence expenses would be payable to cover any costs incurred.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the roles available and your suitability for them please contact [email protected]. The nature of your enquiry will determine which team member is best placed to answer your email.

For an informal chat then please email [email protected] and we will contact you to arrange a call with one of the team managers.

I thoroughly enjoyed my secondment to NHS Digital and found it to be greatly beneficial. On a personal level I was able to gain insight and experience into how data is gathered, processed and presented on a national level, and this in turn has been of benefit to my substantive employer.

In my substantive post at Durham County Council I have, for nearly 7 years now, overseen performance and data analysis, and local and national surveys, in Adult Care. This background set me well to take the lead on a project at NHS Digital which aimed to move the national surveys online. By combining the team at NHS Digital’s knowledge of national survey delivery with my own experiences and knowledge of running the surveys at a local level, we put in place a robust online pilot for the 2021 Survey of Adult Carers in England, with a view (pending pilot results!) to making online questionnaires a permanent option in the SACE, and then in turn the Adult Social Care Survey. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved, and I feel great professional satisfaction in knowing that, should the surveys progress to mixed mode delivery, I was part of the team that laid the groundwork to make it possible.

I was made to feel very much part of the team during my secondment and I was given some great development opportunities. I was given full access to NHS Digital’s training programme, through which I gained experience and knowledge of new programs and analysis techniques which have been beneficial to me in my substantive role at Durham. I was afforded the opportunity to attend the Government Statistical Service’s presentation and dissemination symposium on behalf of the team, through which I gained great insight into some fantastic data projects which were being commended at a national level. I was also able to lend my expertise to various other projects during my secondment, and I was made to feel that my local perspective was an asset to the team. 

I would highly recommend a secondment to anyone who is looking to broaden their knowledge of how data and statistics are processed and utilised on a national level, and to anyone who is keen on improving their skills in the data field. There is a wealth of knowledge in the Adult Social Care Statistics team, and there is a great culture of sharing knowledge and experience to the benefit of everyone involved. 

I am currently a Strategy and Performance Officer based within Health and Adult Services for North Yorkshire County Council. The secondment has enabled me to pass my knowledge and operational insights on to the NHS Digital team and, conversely, to broaden my own knowledge and understanding of not only the Adult Social Care collections, but also the wider work of NHS digital.

During my secondment, I worked alongside secondees from other local authorities to develop the Adult Social Care Data Dictionary. This was a large task, bringing together all data items from all of the social care collections into one place. Unfortunately, part way through this work COVID-19 hit and I had to take on the task myself. To begin with, the task was certainly outside my comfort zone but having the (virtual) support of the NHS Digital team, I was able to develop a full and consolidated data dictionary that covers all Adult Social Care Collections. It brings a real sense of accomplishment to be able to see my work available on the NHS digital website and to know it will help Local Authorities and other consumers of Adult Social Care data. I also contributed to updating the SALT Guidance, reviewing reports and contributing to the production of the Mid-Year Data collection.

As I have already touched on, during my secondment we were faced with a global pandemic. Unfortunately, this meant I could not travel to Leeds to spend physical time with the team in the office. However, technology enabled me to work quite comfortably from home, and NHS Digital were fantastic at allowing me to be flexible in my working patterns, recognising the strain and impact the pandemic was having in my Local Authority role. The home working and flexibility of hours and days enabled me to continue my secondment through to the end. 

I would highly recommend a secondment with NHS Digital as the knowledge sharing is extremely valuable. It provides the opportunity for personal development and challenges, and their flexibility around the secondments means they could be an opportunity for anyone involved in Adult Social Care Collections within a Local Authority.

I found the Adult Social Care Statistics Team welcoming and easy to work with, I felt like a true member of the team and I enjoyed my secondment, I was sad to see it come to an end. My secondment was split into 2 halves due to the start of the pandemic. During the second part of my secondment I was working from home however I still found communication with the team easy and the software to support online meetings was in place and worked well. 

The work I was involved with

I was heavily involved in supporting the team in designing a new data collection for Liberty Protection Safeguards, for which my prior knowledge of DoLS and LPS has been extremely valuable. I assisted with the National DoLS Leads workshop in Birmingham, I compiled and refined the potential data items for the collection and worked directly with the national Data Outcomes Workstream. Unfortunately the implementation of LPS has been further delayed and so I was unable to see that piece of work through to the end however I was really pleased to get the opportunity to work with the national experts and data leads, gaining insight from them and building enduring networks. 

I was also involved in several other pieces of work: 

• reviewed all DoLS collection materials and made suggestions for improvement
• drafted a Guardianship survey for consulting on discontinuing the data collection
• contributed to the data dictionary development
• collated the responses to a feedback survey into usable actions and suggestions for improvement
• supported the team with a new, rapid, one-off data collection and publication to assess the impact of Covid-19 on social care services

It was my responsibility to produce the full England DoLS data from individual LA returns and also to conduct some complex checking of data comparisons to previous years to highlight issues and corrections. 

What I have been able to take away

I have:

• new skills and knowledge, in Microsoft powerBI, and general data analysis / data checking techniques. 
• have more understanding of other areas of adult social care, including previously unfamiliar data returns 
• built strong links with the LPS development Data Workstream and it’s chair that will continue after my secondment ends

I have worked for East Riding of Yorkshire Council for 18 years, 10 years in adult social care and the last 4 in the Performance Team. In my role I undertake all the collections on a yearly basis and provide analysis on data to senior managers within Adult Services to inform our future business and existing performance indicators. My key areas are SALT, safeguarding adults, Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and carers.

During my time with NHS Digital as a secondee, I have supported the team through increasing their knowledge of safeguarding adults, DoLS, Guardianship and SALT, which included answering external queries from local authorities and external organisations. I have contributed to the annual national statistical reports and linked publications, and led the development of the Guardianship page for the Analytical Social Care Hub using PowerBI.

I have enjoyed working with the Social Care Collections team. Building networks, assisting in the development of publications and PowerBI and sharing knowledge with each other has improved our understanding and improves working methods and software, which I am able to bring back to my council.

The secondment has been extremely beneficial for me. It has helped me to develop my understanding of how NHS Digital work on their collections and analyse the data to showcase the work that all councils do. I've also been able to influence and contribute to NHS Digital from a local authority perspective to increase knowledge. I would wholeheartedly encourage local authority staff who have a good level of knowledge and understanding of adult social care to consider a secondment. The team are a fantastic bunch to work with, are very welcoming and appreciative of everyone’s skills.

During my time with the Adult Social Care (ASC) statistics team, I’ve worked with them to prepare for visits to local authorities and the recent workshops. I’ve contributed and provided subject matter expertise to the team in answering especially technical questions on SALT which have been received. I’ve provided guidance and support to the analytical section heads for SALT and surveys relating to the national publications, including the way in which data is made available through CSV files, the types of analyses that local authorities would find most helpful and some of the narrative within the published summary reports.

I’ve led on a review of the national data collections for Adult Social Care, which focused primarily on SALT (activity), Adult Social Care Finance Return (ASC-FR, finance) and Safeguarding Adults Collection (SAC, safeguarding). I’ve interviewed over 40 individuals and groups who collect and use the data, in order to understand their requirements and capture their suggestions, in order that the data collections nationally can continue to develop to meet the needs of key stakeholders. I’ve presented the findings and associated suggestions to the Data Delivery Action Group (DDAG). Following further discussion, the results of this report and its recommendations will be presented to the Data and Outcomes Board (DOB) that oversees all the national adult social care data collections for action.

I have enjoyed working with the analytical section heads and their teams, and was able and actively encouraged to bring my own perspective to enhance their understanding of how a local authority works and what we need in order to better run our departments. It was good to work with all members of the team and to have the opportunity of these free and open discussions.

I would encourage local authority officers who have a strong understanding of the data collections and experience in using data successfully to improve their own organisations to consider applying for a secondment. The opportunity to be able to influence and contribute as NHS Digital take the next important steps in how data is collected and made available (such as looking at record level data collection) is a valuable one. The opportunity to learn more about the challenges in producing national and official statistics and developing data collections has also been very useful.

I have worked for Kirklees Council for over 20 years, the last 8 years as the Deputy Manager for the Safeguarding Adults Partnership Team, supporting the work of Kirklees Safeguarding Adult Board. My key areas of work are safeguarding adults, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). My role is varied, managing the DoLS admin team, service development, providing expert advice and guidance, delivering training and briefings, leading projects, chairing meetings, development of policy and procedures, leading and supporting the Board’s workplan. I also lead on developing our partnership working and ensuring our systems capture the information for data collection to meet the needs of the local authority, the Board and our services users.

During my time with NHS Digital as a secondee, I have been involved in the development of the guidance for both the Safeguarding Adults and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) collections, and contributed to the annual national statistical reports and linked publications. I have supported the team through increasing their knowledge of safeguarding adults and DoLS, including answering external queries from other local authorities and external organisations. I have also contributed to the development the terms of reference for working groups and co-chaired these meetings.

The secondment has enabled the development of links between my colleagues in both Kirklees and NHS Digital, which has included reciprocal site visits. As I am part of regional local authorities groups, I have also been able to get wider views on issues and guidance from the region to NHS Digital and vice versa which has strengthened links.

The secondment has been really beneficial for me to be able to put an operational view forward on of how safeguarding and DoLS work in practice and how data collation is not the primary focus. I have also been able to use my understanding of how NHS Digital work on their collections to support the work that we do in Kirklees. The secondment has also been really useful to drive change for future guidance and publications as well as building networks. The team have been an excellent team to work with and I would encourage others to take the opportunity available.

Key points include:

• Local authorities will be reimbursed to cover substantive salary costs for the days the individual is seconded to NHS Digital
• Secondment work patterns will be negotiated to ensure they meet the requirements of the individual, their substantive employer and NHS Digital
• Travel and subsistence costs will be reimbursed to the individual, such as train travel to the Leeds office
• Home office location will be negotiated with the individual
• All applications at all levels will be considered and expectations will be tailored accordingly
• Contact us to discuss the secondments if you are interested

Complete and return the required information by 23 September 2022 via Senior Information Analyst in Leeds - NHS Digital.