Increasing interoperability and efficiency across NHS analytical teams

NHS England needed to transition its analytical teams from the legacy National Commissioning Data Repository (NCDR) to the more modern Unified Data Access Layer (UDAL), a secure cloud-based data platform designed for greater scalability, efficiency, and interoperability.

Adoption of UDAL was low, and NHS England required a structured migration approach to ensure a smooth transition of people, processes and data, while optimising the platform to meet evolving analytical needs.

Answer Digital played a key role in this transformation, leading the migration, improving UDAL’s functionality, and equipping NHS England’s teams with the knowledge and tools to ensure long-term sustainability.

✅ Seamless migration of key analytical teams

• Successfully migrated multiple NHS England teams, including Cancer Waiting Times, Maternity & Neonatal, Pharmacy, Regional Performance and Analysis teams, and many more.
• Reduced reliance on NCDR, enabling cost savings and increased operational efficiency.

✅ Platform optimisation & cost efficiency

• Enhanced UDAL’s security, data governance, and performance through optimised Azure-native tools.
• Piloted a Managed Instance approach, balancing costs and scalability.

✅ Standardised & scalable migration process

• Created a repeatable migration framework to streamline future transitions.
• Automated data pipelines and optimised SQL indexing for better performance.

✅ Training & self-sufficiency

• Delivered hands-on training to NHS analysts on Datamarts, Lakemarts, and Databricks, ensuring independent platform adoption.
• Established clear governance processes and documentation for ongoing use.

While NHS England has temporarily paused migrations to reassess UDAL’s future role alongside the ’FDP first’ initiative, Answer Digital’s structured migration framework and platform enhancements have positioned NHS England for long-term success. Our work has ensured that future transitions will be faster, more efficient, and scalable, supporting NHS England’s broader data modernisation strategy.

Unlock the full potential of your data infrastructure with Answer Digital. Whether you need a seamless migration strategy or expert support in optimising your analytics platform, we’re here to help.

Get in touch today to see how we can drive transformation for your organisation.