OneLondon approves Data at Scale for Improvements projects

OneLondon Health Data Board has approved three new projects that will use data at scale to deliver improved health outcomes for Londoners.

The new projects will be using the new OneLondon Secure Data Environment (SDE), which is currently being developed to bring together London health and care data to support improved direct card, planning and research.

Each of the projects will be building on lessons that have already been learned from the Pathfinder Projects and will help inform how the OneLondon SDE is developed to support improved direct care for the benefit of London patients.

James Friend, director of digital strategy NHS London Region, said: “It is great that we are supporting three new important projects that will use data at scale to drive forward real improvements in health and care in the capital. Our trailblazing Pathfinder Projects were a huge success and made a real difference to improved care, as well as helping us learn lessons about joining up and using data in the capital.”

The OneLondon Data at Scale for Improvement Projects are:

Hard to diagnose cancer: Led by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, this project aims to better understand how to support earlier and quicker diagnosis of patients with non-specific but concerning symptoms.

Diabetes mellitus complication risk: This project will explore how to better predict the risk of individual Londoners with diabetes mellitus developing complications. Led by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and St George’s University of London, it will support preventative measures and better medical management.

London asthma decision support tool: This project aims to improve how the LADS tool identifies high-risk asthma patients and supports more appropriate local interventions to improve health outcomes – led by North West London ICB.

The projects will receive grant funding to support the delivery of their work, which will continue until March 2025. This opportunity follows major public engagement events held with Londoners who were supportive of using joined-up data to support individual care, proactive care, planning and research.

Dr Richard Lee, consultant physician in respiratory medicine at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and involved with the cancer project, said: “This project, which is also supported by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is a unique opportunity to collect and analyse vital data from RDC centres in London, where patients from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds are treated, to reduce health inequalities and speed up diagnosis of the disease.”

Dr Iain Roy, Consultant Vascular Surgeon & Hon. Senior Lecturer at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is involved with the diabetes mellitus project. He said: “By using healthcare records to develop a tool that can predict their future risk of a serious complication, patients and their healthcare professionals will be able to take steps to reduce the likelihood of that happening.”