Better outcomes for vulnerable populations through linked data research
A series of Data Insights reports have been published by Public Health Wales (PHW) as part of the Better Outcomes Through Linked Data (BOLD) programme. The BOLD programme aimed to link administrative datasets to bring new insights to inform policy and transform services for vulnerable individuals and people with complex needs.
The BOLD programme was a collaboration between PHW, Welsh Government, and the UK Department for Health and Social Care, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, completing in March 2025.
The BOLD Wales research team, involving PHW, SAIL Databank and ADR Wales, developed an ambitious and cross-cutting substance misuse research programme, adopting a life course approach and covering four key areas for policy and service improvement:
Intergenerational substance use
Prevention and early engagement to reduce escalation
Reducing reoffending
Substance misuse treatment effectiveness
The research will be presented at the BOLD Wales Showcase in March and at conferences and workshops throughout the year, along with peer-review publications.
The reports can be found here:
BOLD Reports
Maternal substance misuse-related foetal anomalies: A data linkage study in Wales
Long-term outcomes of people treated for substance misuse in Wales - A data linkage study
Substance misuse, health service contact and risk of mortality: A data linkage study in Wales
Further information on the BOLD programme can be found here: Better Outcomes Through Linked Data (BOLD)
https://phw.nhs.wales/news/better-outcomes-for-vulnerable-populations-through-linked-data-research/