DHSC statistics: public involvement and engagement strategy
How the Department of Health and Social Care involves and engages users to ensure its official statistics are trustworthy, high-quality and genuinely meet public needs.
Overview
This document explains how the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) involves and engages users to ensure its official statistics are trustworthy, high‑quality and genuinely meet public needs.
Our aim is to put users at the centre of our statistical work by producing timely, relevant and accessible statistics that support public understanding and informed decision‑making.
Our approach is informed by the Code of Practice for Statistics and strengthened by:
- active user engagement
- transparent communication
- ongoing collaboration across government
Our commitment to users
At DHSC, we are dedicated to producing official statistics that serve the public good. Our commitment is to ensure that our statistics are trustworthy, high-quality and valuable to all users. We recognise that our users are diverse, ranging from health professionals and policymakers to researchers, journalists and members of the public. We are guided by the Code of Practice for Statistics, which places users at the centre of statistical production. This means:
- publishing statistics that are timely, relevant and accessible
- being transparent about our methods, sources and decision-making processes
- actively seeking and responding to feedback to improve our products
- ensuring our statistics support public understanding, scrutiny of government policies and informed decision-making
Meeting our commitment
To deliver on these promises, DHSC has embedded a user-focused culture across our statistical work. We:
- engage with internal and external users at every stage of the statistical production process, from identifying new topics to reviewing existing outputs and being open and adaptable to change
- consult widely when starting, stopping or changing statistics, ensuring that user needs and views shape our decisions
- use a variety of engagement methods, including consultations, surveys, webinars and user forums, to reach a broad audience
- publish the results of our engagement activities and explain how user feedback has influenced our work
- collaborate with partners across government, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to ensure coherence and maximise the value of our statistics
- continuously review and update our engagement practices, drawing on the latest guidance from the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) and Government Statistical Service (GSS)
Get involved
We encourage everyone with an interest in health and social care statistics to get involved. Your insights help us ensure our statistics remain relevant and useful. You can:
- take part in public consultations on proposed changes to our statistical products
- join webinars and user forums to share your views and learn more about our work
- provide feedback directly through our published contact details or our user engagement surveys
Contact and feedback
We welcome feedback on all our statistical outputs, policies and practices.
Contact: statistics@dhsc.gov.uk.
Alternatively, please contact the responsible statistician or team named on each publication for feedback or information specific to that statistical output.