The initial situation: data flooding

Well, let’s get straight to the point: the National Health Service (NHS) is inundated with data. Huge amounts are generated every day – but it’s not just about numbers. This data is the key to better patient care, smarter use of resources and a healthier population. Beyond the dashboard: How a human-centered data strategy is transforming NHS performance – this is what it’s all about. Because data can only reach its full potential if it is used in a meaningful and user-centric way.
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But here is the point that is all too often overlooked: All this data often just sits there.

Teams create reports, but are they really useful? Is the information clear, or is it a confusing mess? And that’s not the fault of the teams on the ground. Are decisions delayed because employees can’t get the information they need, or because it’s presented in a way that makes the brain hurt? Does this lead to wasted time, inefficient decisions or even harm because the right decision can’t be made?

Does that sound familiar? I thought so.

At 29FORWARD, we don’t just see data, we see people. We understand that a great data strategy is not just about the latest technology. It’s not just about dashboards, data warehouses or AI-powered this and that. It’s about understanding the people who need to use that data. Their daily work, their challenges, what makes their work easier or more difficult. It’s about providing them with the right information at the right time in a meaningful way so that they can actually do something with it.

Our work with Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire’s (BNSSG) Integrated Care System (ICS) demonstrates this in practice. We rolled up our sleeves, worked with the teams there (and not just for them) and helped them sort out their performance reports. The result? More efficient processes, better data and a real shift towards making decisions based on real evidence that deliver better quality of care to patients in their community.

The challenge: data, decisions and decoupling

When it comes to data, the NHS is a beast. It’s not just the sheer volume (although that’s a big problem). It’s the fact that it’s so complex. Data comes from everywhere – hospitals, GPs, community services, mental health teams and so on. It’s in different formats that are often incompatible with each other, and it’s stuck in systems that don’t communicate with each other.

The result? Interruption of the connection.

Try making strategic decisions when your data is scattered all over the place. Imagine trying to plan services without having an overview of what is actually needed. Or recognizing important trends when your data is locked in silos. That’s a nightmare.

This is a major headache for the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). They are responsible for planning and financing healthcare services. To do this well, they need to see how different things are connected. But they are often faced with thousands of metrics. How are they supposed to know what to focus on? How can they ensure and quantify that the decisions they make will have a positive impact on the care you receive when you enter their facilities?

And this is precisely where high costs arise. Studies such as the one by McKinsey show: Knowledge workers spend up to 20% of their time searching for internal data. This is often due to poorly designed systems and a lack of access to clearly prepared information. If reports and dashboards are not set up well, employees waste hours finding, cleaning and interpreting data. Instead of well-founded decisions, hypotheses are formed – or even wrong decisions are made because the problem has not been properly understood.

In many cases, like the one we found at BNSSG, the internal teams were working incredibly hard, but they were hampered by a number of factors. They often lacked clear, consistent requirements, were dealing with a constant stream of ad hoc requests and simply couldn’t find the time to make proactive improvements to the systems and processes they were using.

The impact on decision-making is enormous. There are delays, inconsistencies and decisions that are not as good as they could be, simply because they are not based on the whole picture.

But the problem is not just a technical problem. It is a human problem. It’s about the people who need this data to do their jobs. The people who are trying to improve things. It’s about giving them the tools to focus on what’s important, not drowning them in a sea of information.

To solve this problem, you have to put people at the center. You can’t just fight the problem with technology and hope it goes away. You have to develop systems and processes that actually work for the people who use them.

Our approach: A human-centered data strategy in the healthcare sector

At 29FORWARD, we have a simple philosophy: data transformation is about people, not just technology. We adhere to three core principles:

• Collaborative methodology: Change can only succeed together. That’s why we work closely with all stakeholders to understand their challenges and perspectives. Through active listening, workshops and open communication, we ensure that every voice counts. It is particularly important to involve technical experts at an early stage – their knowledge of processes often goes unused. Our approach makes this knowledge usable, strengthens acceptance and leads to practical, sustainable solutions.

• Focus on user needs: Data only adds value if it is understandable and usable. That’s why we develop user-friendly, role-based solutions that enable quick and reliable decisions. In the NHS, this means: less work with raw data, more focus on the essentials – by involving the right experts at the right time.
• Empowering teams: Sustainable change can only succeed with the right skills. Through training, clear structures and targeted support, we strengthen data skills and promote a culture of improvement. Models such as service delivery units help to effectively involve experts and focus on effective decisions.

By adhering to these principles, we help organizations bring about real, lasting change and get the best out of their people and their data.

The BNSSG case study: A transformation in action

Let’s look at a real-life example: our work with the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System (ICS) (BNSSG).

The BNSSG is a complex system in which councils, hospitals, GPs and community services work together to improve the health of around one million people. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for managing the NHS in the area, ensuring that services meet people’s needs and that the budget is managed. To do this effectively, they need to know that key performance indicators are being properly managed.

The challenge

Before we got into the game, performance reporting faced major hurdles. The main report consisted of a 70-page PowerPoint presentation that went through several committees in advance – including many feedback loops. Important data was available in separate reports, which were often contradictory. The existing dashboards offered little added value, which is why the company relied on SQL exports and Excel tables. Beyond the dashboard: How a human-centered data strategy is transforming NHS performance – this is where we come in to provide clarity, consistency and real usability.

Objectives and tasks

The aim was to support the BNSSG in creating a new reporting system with integrated reports that are easy to understand and use for decision making. We focused on reporting to the ICB Board and the Outcomes, Quality and Performance Committee (OQPC), with the idea of extending this to other boards and committees at a later stage.

The most important points we achieved were:

• The consent of the executive
• A new work report and a template that summarizes separate reports and makes the data easier to understand.
• A clear reporting process with automation to make it more efficient.
• The tools and processes needed to make it all work. A new source-independent data architecture that focuses on providing metrics. Metadata and measure catalog mechanisms for analysis and commentary stored alongside the KPIs.