The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has today announced a package of nearly £500,000 to support small software developers.
The investment seeks to find new and innovative ways to use data to tackle health and social care problems through the Midata Programme.
Developers will experiment with newly available data and get help and advice on how to overcome barriers via two ‘Pit-Stops’ funded by the government.
The project aims to bring together the records about the health and social care that a person receives by creating a range of phone apps and online tools.
In order to get access and use the records to organise more efficient and co-ordinated services, developers will work on ways for individuals to give permission to others. The approach is believed to improve the care the individual receives and save the suppliers, such as local authorities and hospital trusts, money.
Digital Catapult and its partners are also contributing resources to the project.
Jo Swinson, Consumer Affairs Minister said: "It is important that consumers have more control over their personal data and the Midata Programme will give them access to the data companies hold about them in a portable, machine-readable format.
"This will provide more choice for consumers and benefit the economy by stimulating business innovation and competition. That is why, as part of the government’s Midata Programme, we have supported this important project."
Neil Crockett, CEO of the Digital Catapult said: "Data provides huge opportunities to consumers but they remain nervous about how organisations use data that is personal to them. Similarly, data-owning companies are reluctant to release closed data in case it is misused or leaked to competitors.
"We need to break down these barriers if the UK is going to realise the potential data liquidity in its economy. The Digital Catapult is focussed on breaking these barriers down and activities such as our Pit-Stops will help the participants find solutions to these dilemmas."
