The WASPI Journey – Dave Parsons, WASPI Code Manager

Imagine the good that happens when sharing information about patients and service users to deliver positive patient centred outcomes or improve services.  The right data about the right people being available at the right time is an expectation that we take for granted as a right.

Now, imagine a time when information about people couldn’t be shared by organisations easily because the perceived obstacles to sharing outweighed the benefits of doing so. Imagine that sharing information about people is too complex, too difficult and that agreeing a data sharing agreement between partner organisations was too difficult to get agreement on. 

It sounds bad, doesn’t it? Believe it or not, that’s what data sharing across public services and information governance looked like back in 2004.

That situation started to change in 2005 when the Wales Accord on the Sharing of Personal Information (WASPI) was developed.  The development of the WASPI Information Sharing Protocol template began to support organisations and provide confidence that information could be shared and documented between partners, providing a framework that enabled organisations to work collaboratively, shifting perceptions around information sharing for the good of the individuals.

One of the most notable outcomes of WASPI has been its role in changing the culture and perceptions around information sharing from one of considerable apprehension about sharing personal data to an acceptance that sharing information through the framework’s resources can be both safe, lawful, and beneficial. By ensuring that personal data is shared responsibly and securely, WASPI has supported more integrated and efficient service provision. This has no doubt led to significant improvements in service user and patient care, leading to better-informed decisions and better outcomes.

Currently, over 850 organisations have signed up to WASPI, the Information Sharing Protocols created are a commitment to share people’s data to provide individuals with better and more effective services. 

WASPI is not just about the health sector either, local authorities, police, fire and rescue services, housing, education, charities all use WASPI to facilitate sharing across Wales. If you live in Wales, the chances are that WASPI may have shaped the services you’ve encountered.

In 20 years, WASPI has changed people’s expectations about sharing personal information and stopped people thinking that data protection is a barrier to public services. At Digital Health and Care Wales, we’re building on 20 years of WASPI and planning for its future.