We publish statistics to a schedule of planned publication dates.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
All of our statistics are produced and published in accordance with a number of statements and protocols to enhance trustworthiness, quality and value
DHCW is named in The Official Statistics (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2021 as a body that produces official statistics in Wales. The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 defines what official statistics are.
We take part in UK statistical system committees and networks through the Welsh Government’s Chief Statistician and Head of Profession for Statistics.
Our code of practice
We follow the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice for Statistics.
The Lead Official is responsible for leading on official statistics matters. The Code of Practice for Statistics defines the Lead Official for Statistics as:
‘the senior statistician or analyst in an arm’s length body that has been given the responsibility to lead on professional matters by the organisation and liaises with the Head of Profession for Statistics in a sponsoring department.’
The Code provides producers of official statistics with the detailed practices they should commit to when producing and releasing official statements. DHCW liaises with the Welsh Government’s Chief Statistician where appropriate.
The responsibilities of the Lead Official for Statistics are defined by the UK Statistics Authority, an independent statutory body. It operates at arms-length from government as a non-ministerial department, directly accountable to Parliament.
It was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Services Act 2007.
The Authority has a statutory objective of promoting and safeguarding the production and publication of official statistics that ‘serve the public good’.
We announce the date of Official Statistics at least 4 weeks before publishing. Usually, this will be 3 months in advance.
Statistics can be requested from us for speeches, Senedd questions or press notices. We aim to publish these statistics before they are used publicly or very soon afterwards.
Our Lead Official for Statistics decides on the following aspects of our regular and ad-hoc official statistics:
methods
standards and procedures
content and timing
This includes, but is not limited to:
deciding the need for new official statistics
ceasing the release of official statistics
developing official statistics in development
We publish our statistical releases on the Digital Health and Care Wales website at 9:30am on the announced date in both English and Welsh where possible.
We plan to bring our publications in line with the developing GSS guidance on accessibility of statistics for disabled people.
Before publishing statistics, some people need access to the underlying statistical systems, reports, and data.
Our Lead Official for Statistics supervises sharing our statistics with our colleagues.
We minimise the number of people who have access to statistics before they’re published.
We deliver statistics in their final form to officials 24 hours before they’re published. This is where it is considered necessary for their role by the DHCW Lead Official for Statistics.
We continue engaging and collaborating with our stakeholders to improve our publications.
We welcome any users or potential users to get in touch with us: dhcw.info@wales.nhs.uk
Revisions are where a value is amended following its initial publication. Our DHCW statement on revisions, errors and postponements, explains the processes followed when statistical outputs are revised or postponed.