Steering group minutes April 2026

Date: 28 April 2026

Time: 2pm to 3.30pm

Location: MS Teams

Chair: Dr Nicola Byrne, National Data Guardian

Dr Nicola Byrne welcomed members to the meeting. 

Members were asked to introduce their role, interest in the project and the organisation they represented. 

The chair drew attention to the Terms of Reference which had been sent by the secretariat.

Members were invited to raise any comments either in this meeting or over email, they would be signed off at the next meeting. 

No conflicts of interest were raised by members.

Ipsos UK facilitated this agenda item.

Ipsos set out the design of the current programme of engagement with GPs and Practice Managers. The design included:

• the high-level foundational engagement, including a webinar and survey to gather broad views and build excitement for the engagement programme
• core deliberation with a representative sample who would discuss the topics in-depth, trade-offs, priorities and concerns
• a sense-making summit to finalise the recommendations
• feedback events with all participants, to complete the programme

Feedback from Steering Group members included:

• queries regarding how a diverse group of participants would be recruited for the engagement, and how they would be incentivised to take part
• a concern that the suggested topics for the survey may not reflect the priorities of GPs and Practice Managers. The Steering Group were welcome to suggest other topics, but the survey would be tested with a small number of GPs before launch and an open text box would be added at the end of the survey so respondent could share any additional views
• a note that some surveys only get a small response rate, and a representative sample was not guaranteed. Ipsos had considered this in planning and would take steps to increase the chances of a larger response rate
• questions regarding what topics would be covered in the engagement, and how the findings would influence future policy, especially legislative reform 
• an ask that Steering Group members could review elements of the design as it progresses and be given the opportunity to provide feedback on the materials. Ipsos confirmed this would be the case, and flagged which materials would be sent to members, and when feedback would be required by

Kaleidoscope Health and Care facilitated this agenda item.

Steering Group members were presented with the recruitment strategy for the programme of engagement. Key elements included:

• a multi-channel approach (using representative bodies, ICBs and GP networks) to ensure a wide spread of participants
• 400 to 500 participants to take part in the foundational, light-touch engagement
• 110 participants to take part in the core deliberation
• 40 to take part in the sense making summit

Kaleidoscope explained that demographic questions would be included to ensure a variety of practice sizes, locations, deprivation levels, and length of time as a GP or practice manager.

Alongside, a specific target would be participants who work with underrepresented populations such as unhoused people, asylum seekers and sex workers. 

Feedback from Steering Group members included:

• a note that recruitment should ensure there isn’t overrepresentation from GPs that work with NHS England or DHSC, or those involved with representative bodies. Recruitment should also be clear we want GPs who aren’t data specialists. A question would be added to the survey to ensure participants with a breadth of views were recruited
• an offer to assist with recruitment by distributing the advert via a member’s channels
• a note to consider the ongoing talks between DHSC and BMA, as the recruitment materials should reflect these sensitivities

The independent evaluator facilitated this agenda item. 

The presentation set out the role of the independent evaluator as a 'critical friend' of the project. They would help the work achieve its objectives and desired impact through monitoring the quality and delivery of the work. The presentation also explained how the evaluator would be involved throughout design and delivery of the engagement, and how the Steering Group could ensure their views were heard.  

Feedback from Steering Group members included:

• a request for the engagement to acknowledge previous issues with health data and use the engagement to move forward
• a note to consider current concerns with health data, including mistakes from the private sector, as materials are developed

No other business was raised by members.

The chair thanked members for their contributions and closed the meeting.