Seer data platform in Scotland expands to utilise cloud tech – htn

The Scottish Government has announced the expansion of data and analytics platform Seer, with the next phase (Seer 2) to see cloud technology utilised in addition to providing the healthcare workforce with a more “advanced” version of the platform to increase opportunities and flexibility around accessing new tools and technologies.

Seer is designed to help healthcare teams in accessing and analysing data to support decision-making and is currently used in areas including cancer intelligence, blood stock monitoring and flu vaccinations.

The platform previously featured in the last health and social care data strategy from the Scottish Government, published a year ago, in which plans to develop and modernise the platform were set out to “bring together and manage national data assets in a secure and trustworthy computing environment, alongside the technologies required by analysts and innovators to generate new insights and ideas and improve outcomes.”

An update to the data strategy is said to be due this spring, alongside an updated delivery plan for Scotland’s digital health and care strategy.

Health secretary Neil Gray stated: “It’s great to see how world leading Seer 2 is enabling us to support collaboration and innovation across government and the NHS, providing near real time intelligence to support decision making, build new insights and enable better outcomes. This platform is just one of the ways we are embracing tech to help us as we face challenges ahead in funding pressures, inequalities and workforce.”

He added that “enhancing our use of technology” will enable Scotland to “unlock opportunities for collaboration across health boards and other organisations, and it is therefore vital that this includes maximisation of digital and far better, and far faster, use of data.”

Last month, we reported on insights from NHS Scotland’s chief data officer Albert King on the potential of data and artificial intelligence in healthcare.

We also covered the news that NHS National Services Scotland is planning a ‘once for Scotland’ digital heart failure system, with a prior information notice published for its development; and we shared the recently published Scottish dementia strategy, which highlights the role of digital and data in promoting inclusion, educating carers and creating “resilient communities”.