Public Health Agency Digital Transformation

Strategic Support

SIB has provided a Chief Data Advisor to PHA for the past three years. This role has been central to driving PHA’s transformation into a data-driven organisation, with a focus on improving data maturity, building internal data and digital capabilities, and embedding a culture of evidence-based decision-making. The Chief Data Advisor has worked closely with PHA leadership to align the agency’s data strategy with broader health and social care priorities in Northern Ireland, ensuring that data and digital initiatives support public health objectives. Key areas of focus have included:

• Data Maturity Development: Designing and implementing a roadmap to improve data governance, integration, and analytics capabilities across PHA, helping to enhance the agency’s ability to respond to complex public health challenges.
• Capacity Building: Developing training and mentoring programmes to upskill PHA staff in data science, analytics, and digital tools, ensuring a sustainable approach to innovation.
• Strategic Partnership Building: Facilitating collaboration with other agencies, academic institutions, and external partners to maximise the value of data sharing and leverage cutting-edge technologies.
• Policy Alignment: Ensuring PHA’s data approach aligns with regional and national policies, including compliance with GDPR and other regulatory requirements.
• Advanced Analytics and Predictive Modelling: Enabling the use of data science to predict and plan for future public health needs, including resource allocation and intervention effectiveness.
• Digital Transformation Leadership: Supporting the integration of digital systems to improve operational efficiency and public health outcomes, including initiatives like the Vaccine Management System and population health modelling.

Operational Support

SIB’s Data Science and Systems Dynamics team have complemented this strategic role by supporting PHA’s pandemic response, transitioning pandemic-era services to business-as-usual operations, and delivering new capabilities to future-proof public health delivery.

Key operational contributions include:

• Development of a Population Health Model for Northern Ireland: Enabling the modelling of the impact of public health interventions to inform strategic planning and policy decisions.
• Creation of a Public Health Evidence Base: Centralising PHA’s data and knowledge to improve access, governance, and integration across teams and stakeholders.
• Support for Automation and Advanced Analysis of Infectious Disease Surveillance Data: Streamlining workflows and improving the timeliness and accuracy of disease monitoring and reporting.
• Data-Driven Approach to Vaccination Programme Delivery: Leveraging analytics to optimise vaccine distribution and ensure equitable access across populations.
• Systems Dynamics Modelling: Providing insights into complex public health challenges, such as resource allocation and the impact of interventions on health outcomes.
• Digital Project Management of NI’s Vaccine Management System: Ensuring the successful delivery of a critical digital infrastructure to support vaccination efforts.

This combination of strategic and operational support underscores SIB’s commitment to strengthening Northern Ireland’s public health system. By embedding robust data and digital capabilities within PHA, SIB is enabling the agency to become more agile, evidence-driven, and prepared for future public health challenges.