Collaboration, Culture, Celebration: Transforming Data Sharing in Wales
The Wales Accord on the Sharing of Personal Information (WASPI) marked its 20th anniversary with a landmark conference celebrating two decades of pioneering collaboration, innovation and public service transformation.
Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy and Planning, opened the event by calling the WASPI framework ‘a real success story,’ thanks to its ongoing adaptation to meet the evolving needs of public authorities, expectations of the public and advancing technology. By enabling the sharing of personal data at significant pace, WASPI was also vital for the Welsh Government to action their Nation of Sanctuary policy, helping to support Ukrainian refugees[1]. Rebecca Evans MS emphasised that the day’s event was about ‘collaboration, culture, and celebration,’ crediting WASPI’s longevity to the strong partnerships forged across public services in Wales.
While stating that ‘data has never been more important’ and acknowledging its growing importance in delivering sustainable, user-centred services, Rebecca Evans MS also stressed the need for robust ethical and security frameworks to maintain public trust.
John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, ICO, reinforced this message. He praised WASPI for changing the culture of data sharing in Wales and empowering staff at all levels to share data securely and responsibly. John Edwards was also on hand to answer questions on barriers to information sharing, key lessons from cyber-attacks and ICO’s role in helping organisations implement the new Data Use and Access Act.
Dave Parsons, WASPI Code Manager, celebrated WASPI’s journey so far, citing its pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic as a major success, where its framework enabled rapid and secure data sharing for the Test Trace Protect initiative. Key milestones over the past 20 years also include the establishment of five regional quality assurance groups across Wales, the introduction of GDPR-aligned protocols, and the publication of over 350 approved information sharing protocols published on WASPI website. Today, more than 950 organisations are signed up to the WASPI Accord.
Marcus Sandberg, WASPI Information Governance Assurance Manager, and Ben Tuckett, WASPI Information Governance Assurance Officer, then looked towards the future and what’s next for WASPI. With key objectives for the next few years including approval of the WASPI framework as a UK GDPR Code of Conduct and the rollout of updated templates based on user feedback.
Discussions with the audience tackled the challenges of balancing innovation -such as AI adoption - with responsible information governance, with Darren Lloyd, DHCW Associate Director of Information Governance & Patient Safety, reminding delegates to remain focused on safe, lawful and transparent data sharing when adopting innovation.
Ibrahim Hasan, Director of Act Now, echoed this. He said: “Effective information sharing saves lives, improves services and enables innovation, but it must be done lawfully and transparently to maintain public trust.”
The conference concluded with a presentation on the Information Sharing Gateway (ISG), a centralised online repository designed to streamline quality assurance, improve efficiency and enhance compliance and consistency. Helping to avoid duplication, the ISG will revolutionise how Information Governance colleagues work by providing a ‘single version of truth’ for users across Wales.
As WASPI enters its third decade, it stands as a model of collaborative, ethical, and effective data sharing - one that continues to shape the future of public service delivery in Wales and beyond.
Find out more about WASPI’s incredible journey over the past 20 years on the WASPI website.