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How adopting the standard helped save time and money

Nick Parker from Leeds City Digital Partnerships Team describes how and why they implemented the data standard.

Challenges

We had multiple directories and everyone had a different way of describing the same information – it was impossible to exchange data or collaboratively work with it.

We knew that in order to bring together many partners, it was vital to have a data standard we could all agree on. A single structure would allow us to align different databases. This would support inter-agency and cross-sector collaboration for managing information.

We became aware of the Open Referral UK data standard through our technical delivery partners. They had worked on a previous implementation and they put us in touch with the councils working on it.

Process

The process was fairly straightforward – I think this was because our developers had worked on this previously, and we were able to make strong links with the group already involved in the Open Community work (Local authorities, Local Government Association (LGA), Porism, Snook). If we had needed to do it without that support, it probably wouldn’t have happened.

And we could see the benefits so we were motivated to make it work to implement the standard.

Benefits

We could see the following benefits:

  • it would be easier to build directories, design new features, aggregate key data and reduce duplication. It would provide us with leverage and traction, while supporting productive conversations with suppliers of proprietary-built systems for other directories
  • adopting an internationally-supported mature standard meant there was no need to negotiate the alignment of many different data structures owned by different directories Without this, there could have been lengthy discussions about which one to use
  • greater collaboration among stakeholders when discussing the best ways to tag a record
  • being part of a broader community of practice, and the future potential to exchange interoperable technology
  • enabling Leeds Online Open Platform (LOOP) to show services in neighbouring regions such as Bradford, Wakefield and York and the potential for directories from surrounding areas to link back to us

What we learned

Highlight the benefits of adoption to each stakeholder group especially commissioners

The promotion of the standard is often undertaken with technical teams in IT departments, because they understand the value of standards. Whereas commissioners of directories in outward-facing operation settings may place less value on them. But the budget for these services doesn’t tend to sit with technical teams, it lies with the commissioners.

So in Leeds we promoted the standard by highlighting the benefits for each stakeholder group, with a firm focus for commissioners on the beneficial outcomes. We emphasised the benefits that can be achieved for users of the directories, and how these outcomes are enhanced through the LOOP model.

New ways of working and cultural change is critical to achieving results

We acknowledged that adoption of standards alone would not fully address the underlying need of maintaining high quality data. We knew that a progressive LOOP deployment required a system change in practice, business, approach and discipline. A coordinated investment was and is required to support collaborative approaches to data products. A change in culture and way of working is key to achieving the results we wanted.

As a result, the project set up a LOOP Curator Group. This group’s key purpose is to establish any new ways of working required to ensure that LOOP is firmly established. This group shares and implements good practice with their peers, agrees operational processes and ways of working, all recognising the joint value of data curators in maintaining community data.

The LOOP Curator Group is facilitated by a recently appointed role – the LOOP Community Builder. This role supports stakeholders across local authorities and the community sector

Strong focus on usefulness and usability of the data

LOOP is not a single directory. It operates on a premise of collecting information once, managing it centrally, and using it many times. It advocates for open data standards as a tool for social impact. We needed a strong focus on usefulness and usability of the data using ethical and ‘FAIR’ (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principles.

Impact

  • We no longer needed to negotiate the alignment of many different data structures owned by different directories. This saved us time and money.
  • There was greater collaboration among stakeholders when discussing the best ways to tag and update a record.
  • It has supported the ability for statutory organisations and a number of voluntary sector organisations in Leeds to build or rebuild their websites to include content from the Leeds Online Open Platform (LOOP). This is a platform for service directories to pull data from.

We have had initial discussions with the NHS and there is a move toward them adopting the standard for their associated directories. There is support and interest from Social Prescribers (NHS and third sector) and GPs, who would greatly benefit from having the means to access a comprehensive and accurate list of local services.

It has already supported conversations with other regions with a view of sharing best practice and linking of data.

Further information about this work:

Contact: jenny.bull@forumcentral.org.uk

Learn more: https://bit.ly/Loop-Knowledgebase

On this page

  1. Challenges
  2. Process
  3. Benefits
  4. What we learned
Updated:22/03/2025
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