BLOG - Data with Impact with a focus on 'adult social care research' event

On Wednesday, 19 March 2025, ADR Scotland hosted its second Data with Impact event in Edinburgh. I was delighted to Chair the event.

A turning point for social care research in Scotland – and it matters

Let’s be clear: the need for robust evidence in social care isn’t just important—it’s urgent.

While Scotland has long been a leader in health research using administrative data, social care has lagged, largely due to limited access to research-ready datasets. This lack of data isn’t just a Scottish issue—it’s global. Without data analysis creating a solid evidence base, it would be incredibly difficult to make informed, impactful policy decisions.  

Fortunately, that is changing.

With an ageing population, shifting care needs, and increasing pressure on public services, Scotland is now harnessing innovations in data science to tackle these challenges head-on.

 

A closer look at the seminar

The seminar kicked off with a warm welcome and a quick overview of the data landscape being built by ADR Scotland. I touched on how access to data is so important and fortunately being improved. Together with a strong governance—guided by the “Five Safes” framework—they are ensuring data is safely stored and used both responsibly and effectively.

Next up was, Neil Grant from the Scottish Government’s Social Care Analytical Unit who set the stage with a clear-eyed view of the policy landscape, including key challenges and research priorities.

What followed, were three deep dives into Scotland’s core social care datasets:

  • Laura Fleming (Public Health Scotland) walked us through the Source Social Care dataset—a rich resource of individual-level data on services funded by local authorities.
  • Dr Jill Ireland (also from Public Health Scotland) presented insights from the Scottish Care Homes Census, which captured detailed information about adult care home residents across the country.
  • Gregor Boyd (Scottish Government) shared the Health and Care Experience Survey, which paints a national picture of people’s experiences with GPs, care support, and their own caring roles.

Together, these datasets represent a powerful foundation for meaningful, policy-driven research.

 

From data to discovery: real-world research

What made the day truly inspiring were the stories shared by researchers who had already used these datasets to generate game-changing insights:

  • Professor Susan Shenkin (University of Edinburgh) introduced her Scottish Care Home Data Sharing Partnership —a groundbreaking collaboration between researchers and policymakers.
  • Jan Savinc (Edinburgh Napier University) explored the spike in home deaths since the start of the pandemic, using early linkages with the SOURCE dataset to uncover key trends.
  • Dr Jenni Burton (University of Glasgow & NHS Lanarkshire) looked at care home pathways—revealing, among other things, that hospital costs in the year before a care home stay were nearly eight times higher than the year after. A finding with huge implications for both policy and budgeting.
  • Dr David Henderson (University of Edinburgh) presented on social dimensions of care use, showing how factors like deprivation continue to shape access and outcomes.

Each of these projects show just how far we've come—and how far we could still go. The future is certainly bright.

 

Building the future together

The afternoon saw us break into smaller groups to brainstorm the kinds of research and projects these datasets could power.

The ideas were as diverse as they were inspiring—from improving access for under-represented communities to rethinking how we define and measure care quality.

What conclusion was clear? This isn’t just about needing data for data’s sake. These insights could directly shape services for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people.

For more information, please read the organiser's Event Summary Report.

 

In summary: a moment of lift-off

This seminar didn’t feel like a beginning. It felt like igniting the flame.

We’re past the early groundwork. We have the momentum, the talent, and the infrastructure. We’re now ready - reaching a point where the true potential of Scotland’s social care data can soar.

It’s rare to be part of something that feels this full of promise—and even rarer to see so many disciplines aligned behind a shared goal.

It was an honour to witness it firsthand. Scotland’s making moves - with more data driven evidence ensuring public benefit.

Watch this space....

This article was published on 08 Apr 2025

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