Unlocking the Power of Geospatial Data

How Data Sharing Benefits Public Sector Organisations

By leveraging geospatial data, public sector organisations can identify patterns and trends in their operations that may not be apparent from other forms of data. For example, they can use geospatial data to identify areas with a high demand for certain services to allocate their resources more efficiently.

Sharing geospatial data among public sector groups enhances collaboration. When different internal departments and organisations share their geospatial data, they can better understand the physical world around them. This understanding helps them work together more efficiently to address complex challenges. If two organisations are working on different projects in the same place, geospatial data sharing can help them identify potential areas of overlap, thus reducing duplication of efforts.

Common identifiers, such as Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs), can be used in the public sector to link and share data from different sources accurately and securely. This promotes data quality, reduces duplication of effort, and enhances collaboration and innovation. Geospatial data sharing is a valuable tool for public sector groups, as it can lead to more effective collaboration, better use of resources, and a better understanding of the physical world around us. They are also crucial as an enabler of sharing clean data.

To help organisations manage these risks and challenges, the UK government has developed a Data Sharing Governance Framework. The framework guides how public sector organisations can securely and ethically share data while managing associated risks. It outlines best practices for data sharing, including obtaining consent, ensuring data quality, and protecting privacy.

Some of the benefits of data sharing include:

Improved Decision Making

One of the crucial advantages of data sharing is the ability to improve decision-making. By sharing data, public sector bodies can gain access to a broader range of information, enabling them to make more informed decisions.

Sharing geospatial data can be a game-changer for decision-making in the public sector. Geospatial data is location-based information that can be used to analyse and understand patterns and trends in a particular area. By sharing this data, organisations can gain insights into a region's environment, infrastructure, assets and population, which can help them make informed decisions.

The Environment Agency (EA) has used geospatial data to improve flood risk management. By analysing rainfall, river levels, and soil moisture data, the EA can predict where flooding is likely to occur and take preventative measures. Sharing this data online to the public and other organisations enables insightful decisions from all parties.

Sharing geospatial data has become increasingly important in the UK public sector, enabling collaboration and innovation in various fields. Sharing geospatial data can lead to better collaboration between different organisations. For example, the National Land Data Programme (NLDP) initiated by the Geospatial Commission explores key land-use challenges. It demonstrates where innovative data analysis and evidence can support better land use decisions.

The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust uses the OS Places API to quickly locate addresses during emergency calls. This efficient API provides the latest address information, grid references, and UPRN without downloading or storage. The API saves time and storage space compared to loading and managing the AddressBase Premium data.

North Somerset Council is using an online mapping tool to guide planning applicants. This tool uses highly detailed location data shared around the organisation and its citizens to reduce the number of invalid planning applications and save time and money. Applicants can easily understand their area, from listed buildings to flood zones and areas of natural beauty.

Enhanced Collaboration and Innovation

Data sharing also promotes collaboration and innovation. When different organisations or departments share their data, it creates opportunities for collaboration and exchanging ideas. This can lead to developing new solutions and innovations that would not have been possible otherwise.

Sharing geospatial data can also lead to innovation in various fields. For instance, governments use geospatial mapping technology in various scenarios. The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) is a government-led program creating a data-sharing platform on the location and condition of underground assets. The Geospatial Commission's digital map of underground pipes and cables improves the efficiency and safety of underground works, standardising access to secure data of enhanced quality.

At Queen Mary University of London, the Clinical Effectiveness Group has made significant strides in using UPRNs to link and analyse anonymised health data. This breakthrough development has opened exciting new avenues for understanding health inequalities and the effectiveness of policies to reduce them.

Increased Cost-Savings

Data sharing can lead to cost-savings for public sector bodies. By reducing duplication of effort and promoting a reduced silo mentality, organisations can avoid unnecessary expenses associated with collecting and maintaining redundant or multiple datasets.

Sharing geospatial data can lead to significant cost savings in the public sector. According to a report by the RAND Corporation, sharing geospatial data assets can lead to improved efficiency, better effectiveness, process changes, and other effects on missions. The report also highlights that the expected benefits of sharing geospatial data include time savings, cost savings, cost avoidance, improved situational awareness, more effective communications, and improved operations, planning, and decision-making.

The UK government has recognised the importance of sharing geospatial data. The Government Digital Service (GDS) has mandated that UPRN and Unique Street Reference Number (USRN) be the official standard for sharing property and street information. According to a report commissioned by the Geospatial Commission, sharing geospatial data can lead to significant cost savings in infrastructure, transport, and environmental management sectors.

One example of how sharing geospatial data has led to cost savings is the use of mapping technology by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). The NHS has used mapping technology to identify areas with high levels of air pollution. This information has been used to develop targeted interventions to reduce air pollution levels in these areas. By reducing air pollution levels, the NHS has reduced the number of hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses. This has led to significant cost savings for the NHS.

The Spatial Hub at spatialhub.scot is a reliable data source from Scottish local authorities. It saves local authorities time, money, and effort by eliminating the need to develop their portals. The platform also reduces resources required to respond to Freedom of Information requests efficiently. The Spatial Hub benefits society by providing access to consistent national datasets of local government data. This access has enormous potential for innovation and new business ideas that could ultimately improve public services and communities.

Improved Transparency and Accountability

Another advantage of data sharing is improved transparency and accountability. When public sector bodies share their data, it fosters transparency and allows citizens to hold their government accountable. By making geospatial data publicly available, citizens can access information about potholes, land use policies or environmental regulations, empowering them to participate in decision-making processes. Offering commonly asked-for Open data to the public reduces the need for time and effort spent on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

Sharing geospatial data can bring numerous benefits to the public sector in the UK. One of the most significant advantages is increased transparency and accountability. By sharing geospatial data, government agencies can provide citizens access to previously unavailable or difficult-to-obtain information. Data.gov.uk is a website that provides access to datasets published by agencies across the UK government. The website is intended to provide access to government open data to the public, achieve agency missions, drive innovation, fuel economic activity, and uphold the ideals of an open and transparent government.

An example of transparency and accountability is using geospatial data in research and statistics. According to the UK Statistics Authority, geospatial data provides a new means of integrating, analysing, and interpreting information for the public good. This can help improve decision-making processes and promote greater accountability in the public sector.

In addition to these examples, sharing geospatial data can help improve public services. Local and transport authorities can better plan road networks and improve traffic flow by sharing geospatial data on traffic patterns and congestion. This can reduce commuter travel times and improve air quality.

One of the biggest concerns associated with data sharing is privacy. Sharing personal information can be particularly sensitive and must be handled carefully to avoid any problems. Data breaches and cyber-attacks are also significant risks when data is shared. Organisations must ensure that data is secure and protected from unauthorised access, theft, and misuse.

Legal and regulatory barriers can also challenge data sharing. Organisations must comply with the relevant laws and regulations governing data sharing. This includes obtaining the necessary permissions, ensuring that data is used only for its intended purposes, and protecting the rights of individuals whose data is being shared.

1. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of regulations established by the EU to protect the personal data and privacy of EU citizens.

2. The ICO16 offers guidance on sharing personal information, including the law and best practices.

3. The UK government has published a Data Sharing Governance Framework to address non-technical barriers to sharing data in the public sector public data-sharing barriers.

4. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides public access to information held by public authorities.

Sharing geospatial data can provide significant insights into a region's environment, infrastructure, and population, enabling organisations to make informed decisions. The UK public sector has already experienced benefits like flood risk management, optimisation, and energy consumption reduction in ambulance services. Data sharing offers numerous advantages, such as collaboration, innovation, improved efficiency and effectiveness, and cost savings.

The UK government recognises the value of sharing geospatial data and has commissioned reports highlighting its importance in various sectors. By sharing geospatial data, transparency and accountability can be increased, public participation in decision-making processes promoted, and public services improved.

References

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