Data standards notice of change for Waiting Well single point of contact (WHC/2025/031)

Status:

Compliance – must be complied with by the recipient.

Category:

Policy.

Title:

3Ps Waiting Well Single Point of Contact (SPOC) activity and outcomes data reporting.

Date of expiry or review:

No expiry date.

Action by:

All NHS health boards and trusts.

Required by:

Immediate.

Sender:

Lesley Law
Head of Planned Care
NHS Delivery and Performance
Health, Social Care and Early Years Group
Welsh Government.

Welsh Government contacts:

Lesley Law, Lesley.Law@gov.wales

Enclosures:

• Letter from Lesley Law.
• DSCN (Data Standard Change Notice) 2025/17.

Chief Executives NHS health boards and trusts
Chief Executive NHS Digital Health and Care Wales
3Ps NHS Executive Leads
3Ps NHS Clinical Leads

26 September 2025

Dear colleagues,

This Welsh Health Circular (WHC) is being issued to provide notice for the publication of the 3Ps Waiting Well Single Point of Contact (SPOC) activity and outcomes data standard change notice in line with phase 2 of the 3Ps policy data recording and reporting process and delivery plan. The WHC further provides notice of the requirement that NHS health boards and trusts should ensure that all system updates are completed in line with the DSCN requirements and expectations as outlined below.

Phases start and end dates

Phase 1: SPOC activity and outcomes aggregate pro forma

(1 September 2024 to 31 March 2026)

As part of phase 1, the SPOC activity and outcomes aggregate pro forma was developed in order to:

• provide an interim solution to the recording and reporting of SPOC activity and outcomes to enable Welsh Government planned care policy to monitor progress and impact in the implementation and roll-out of the model across Wales
• provide health boards with data to support development of their business cases to embed the model as 'business as usual' from April 2026

This aggregate pro forma will be withdrawn following submission of the March 2026 data.

Phase 2: SPOC activity and outcomes DSCN

01 April 2026 onwards (no end date)

Phase 2 will provide a sustainable solution to providing data to support operational delivery and monitor the value and impact of the SPOC.

To ensure that health boards commence reporting in line with the DSCN by April 2026, the following is expected:

All health boards and trusts:

• update local processes and systems to comply with the information specification outlined in the DSCNs
• collaborate with the DHCW data acquisition team to agree and establish processes for data submission in preparation for collection

Digital Health and Care Wales:

• ensure that all national systems have been updated to comply with the standard set out in the information specification within this DSCN
• that the Data Acquisition Team coordinate with each health board individually to discuss the details of data submission and offer any necessary support

A data protection impact assessment have been approved for phase 2 to enable the secure and efficient flow and management of patient identifiable information in line with governance requirements.

All members of the health boards and trusts’ executive teams have a responsibility for the submission of accurate and timely reporting in line with all DSCNs. Further instruction and guidance will be issued to support health boards to comply with the requirements set out in the DSCN. This will include submission dates and processes.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Yours sincerely,

Lesley Law
Head of Planned Care
Delivery and Performance
Health and Social Services Group
Welsh Government

CC (Carbon Copy):

• Judith Paget, Director General of Health and Social Services, and Chief Executive NHS Wales, Welsh Government
• Nick Wood, Deputy Chief Executive NHS Wales, Welsh Government
• Jeremy Griffiths, Director of Operations, Welsh Government
• Andrew Sallows, National Director - Planned Care, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Philip Barry, Director of Operational Improvement, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Marilize du Preez, National Professional Lead for the 3Ps Policy
• Liz Davies, Planned Care Policy Lead, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Helen Roberts, NHS Wales Performance, Welsh Government
• Alex Percival, Head of Planned Care Programmes, DHCW

Yr Grŵp Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol
Health, Social Care and Early Years Group

26 September 2025

Dear colleague

Health boards are currently submitting monthly data relating to the 3Ps Waiting Well single point of contact via an aggregate pro forma. As agreed with health board 3Ps leads, this is an interim measure whilst the Data Standard Change Notice (DSCN), coproduced with the NHS, is progressed through the relevant governance process.

The attached Welsh health circular provides health boards with notice of implementation of this DSCN 2025/17 from April 2026 when the aggregate pro forma will be withdrawn. I would ask that all health boards ensure that the necessary updates are carried out to their patient administration and information management systems to fully comply with the DSCN and timelines identified.

Yours sincerely

Lesley Law
Head of Planned Care Policy
Health, Social Care and Early Years
Welsh Government

CC:

• Judith Paget, Director General of Health and Social Services, and Chief Executive NHS Wales, Welsh Government
• Nick Wood, Deputy Chief Executive NHS Wales, Welsh Government
• Jeremy Griffiths, Director of Operations, Welsh Government
• Andrew Sallows, National Director - Planned Care, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Philip Barry, Director of Operational Improvement, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Marilize du Preez, National Professional Lead for the 3Ps Policy
• Liz Davies, Planned Care Policy Lead, NHS Performance and Improvement
• Helen Roberts, NHS Wales Performance, Welsh Government
• Alex Percival, Head of Planned Care Programmes, DHCW