Richard Thomas Email & Phone Number

Prestatyn, Gb

Media Point - Unit 3 Mold Business Park Mold Ch7 1Xy

In this role, I lead the data and analytics function for NHS Wales’ commissioned services, delivering strategic insights that support essential healthcare operations. My work centres on developing a robust data strategy, implementing advanced analytics tools, and driving data governance to ensure reliable, actionable insights across key service areas.Strategic Data Leadership: Lead a national team delivering critical data and analytics support for NHS Wales, focused on areas such as Ambulance Services, NHS 111, and Mental Health. Developed a data strategy to enhance service delivery through data-driven insights, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and national standards.Analytics-Driven Decision Making: Oversee the development of analytics solutions using tools like Power BI, enabling senior leaders to make informed, evidence-based decisions. Designed and implemented dashboards and visualisations to simplify complex data and make insights accessible for decision-making across departments.Data Governance & Quality Assurance: As Certified Data Protection Officer, ensure data governance, privacy, and compliance across all data initiatives. Established data quality frameworks and implemented best practices to maintain high standards of data accuracy and reliability, enabling robust analytics.Innovation in Data Solutions: Spearheaded the transition to automated reporting systems, creating self-service analytics solutions that empower stakeholders with on-demand access to critical insights. This streamlined reporting processes, freeing up the team to focus on advanced analytics insights.Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration: Work closely with Welsh Government, Digital Health and Care Wales, and Local Health Boards, fostering strong relationships to embed a unified approach to data collection, monitoring, and reporting. Regularly engage with stakeholders to ensure analytics outputs meet evolving organisational needs and add strategic value.

Cardiff, United Kingdom

My work centred on aligning data and analytics with national policy goals, ensuring data-driven insights supported healthcare improvement, and maintaining high standards of data quality and governance throughout all cardiac information initiatives.Cardiac Informatics Strategy: Developed and executed national data strategies to enhance cardiac care, applying the "Once for Wales" methodology to ensure a unified approach across Health Boards. This strategy improved data integration, aligned with regulatory requirements, and delivered actionable insights to drive service improvement.Data-Driven Decision Support: Provided analytics and reporting solutions that enabled healthcare leaders and clinical teams to make informed decisions. Designed dashboards and reporting tools that offered real-time insights into cardiac service metrics, helping to identify areas for quality improvement and operational efficiency.Data Quality & Compliance: Established frameworks for data quality and compliance to meet Welsh Government mandates, ensuring data accuracy and reliability in all cardiac-related information. As part of this work, I co-authored the NHS Wales Cardiovascular Atlas of Variation, identifying service variations to target improvements.Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment: Built strong relationships with Wales Cardiac Networks, working closely with clinical leads, directorate managers, and policy groups to align data initiatives with national health objectives. Engaged regularly with the Heart Disease Implementation Group to ensure analytics outputs supported strategic policy goals.Advanced Reporting & National Audits: Led initiatives to support Health Boards’ participation in national cardiac audits, achieving 100% compliance with mandatory reporting standards. Oversaw the development of reporting tools and processes that streamlined audit participation and contributed to policy recommendations for cardiac care.

St Asaph, Wales, United Kingdom

As Team Leader for Information Reporting and Standards, I led data quality initiatives and reporting processes that supported operational decision-making across the Welsh Ambulance Services. My role focused on establishing data governance, ensuring compliance, and enhancing reporting capabilities to drive organisational improvements and meet regulatory standards.Data Quality & System Management: Managed data collection and reporting systems to ensure compliance with quality standards, providing comprehensive data analysis that supported performance benchmarking and decision-making.Compliance & Governance: Oversaw Freedom of Information (FOI) processes and worked closely with the Information Governance Team to ensure that all data releases adhered to data protection standards. Developed and enforced data quality practices to support compliance with national data standards.Performance Reporting & Insights: Led initiatives to develop regular reporting tools and processes that enabled departments to assess performance effectively. Designed monthly data quality reports that highlighted key performance metrics, allowing teams to identify areas for improvement and track progress.Stakeholder Collaboration & Training: Engaged with cross-functional teams to embed data quality standards across the organisation. Delivered training on data management processes to ensure consistency in data handling, empowering departments to adopt best practices.Continuous Improvement: Established a culture of continuous improvement within the reporting team, identifying process enhancements to streamline reporting and improve data accessibility. This resulted in more efficient reporting workflows and more reliable data insights across departments.

Coxheath, Maindstone, Kent

In this role, I was responsible for maintaining and enhancing critical telephony and communication systems, ensuring high availability and reliability across emergency response services. My work focused on systems integration, project management, and supporting data-driven decision-making within the Trust’s IT infrastructure.Telecommunications & Radio Systems Management: Managed and maintained critical telephony and radio infrastructure across control rooms, supporting over 3,000 users across 86 stations. Played a pivotal role in transitioning the organisation to VoIP, significantly improving communication efficiency and system reliability.Systems Integration & Project Management: Contributed to the Radio Replacement Project, implementing the Integrated Command and Control System (ICCS) and ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure. Supported the organisation-wide transition to digital communications, enhancing operational effectiveness.Data Quality & Reporting: Developed and maintained data capture and reporting systems for key operational metrics. Ensured that data gathered from telephony systems met quality standards, enabling accurate performance assessments and supporting data-driven improvements.Technical Support & Process Improvement: Provided comprehensive technical support for 999 systems, including Computer Aided Dispatch software, managing security, and overseeing user access. Developed process improvements to ensure system continuity and enhance response times in critical situations.Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration: Worked closely with cross-functional teams to support reliable communication channels for emergency response. Collaborated with the Information Governance Team to maintain data quality and ensure compliance with organisational standards.