Welcome to the Midlands Analyst Network

Thank you for being part of our growing community! If you are an analyst who works in health & care or the wider public sector, then join the Midlands Analyst Network!

The Network has almost 900 members from a range of health and care and other organisations and with analysts or people with an interest in analysis, from the Midlands and many other areas too.  Established in April 2020 the Network provides a space for analysts across the Midlands and beyond to share information, ideas and resources, as well as seek advice and guidance from one another.

I love how the huddles have grown into a space beyond simply sharing ideas and work, to a regular opportunity for analysts to come together as a community. They frequently lead to insightful and previously unconsidered questions and debates and also serve as a fantastic welcoming opportunity for those dipping their toes into the world of analytics and improved decision making. Andi Orlowski, Director of the Health Economics Unit

Your Network Lead: Rachel Caswell

Rachel is a Senior Healthcare Analyst in the Strategy Unit who is working to broaden the scope of the Network.  Rachel is also the Operational Lead for Training & Development.

Fortnightly Huddles

Rachel hosts a fortnightly online Huddle on MS Teams (see link below).  The Huddles cover a large range of topics and you are very welcome to join one at any time – for quick access to a Huddle, just follow the link below.  You don’t have to be a member of the Midlands Analyst Network to come to a Huddle but if you’d like to be kept up to date with all future Huddles and training opportunities then just contact Rachel and we’ll take it from there.

We try to keep them as informal but as informative as possible and welcome contributions from Network members as well from academia, subject specialists, national and occasionally international presenters.

If you have any queries about the Huddles, how to access them, if you want to find out what’s gone before, or you want to present then please do contact Rachel.

Next Huddle: 12th December, 2024 (11-12): COMPLEX-IT: Enabling Non-Experts to Leverage Advanced Computational Modelling for Policy Evaluation and Decision Making

Join us in this Huddle which is about making computational methods for decision support accessible to non-experts (most of us!). Extremely valuable tools that are relatively easy to use - find out more on the 12th December!

ABSTRACT: Over the past decade, computational methods for decision support—ranging from simulation and machine learning to network analysis and systems mapping—have advanced significantly. However, the challenge remains in making these tools accessible to non-experts, particularly those involved in healthcare research, strategy, and policy evaluation. This methods session addresses that need. We will introduce COMPLEX-IT, a free, intuitive R-platform designed to equip non-experts with cutting-edge tools in machine learning, data visualization, participatory systems mapping, network analysis, simulation, data forecasting, and cluster analysis. Through hands-on exploration of a real-world dataset, participants will gain a step-by-step understanding of how to use COMPLEX-IT to enhance decision making in healthcare. By the session’s conclusion, attendees will leave with a powerful, practical platform they can readily apply to their own research and policy evaluation efforts. For more, see https://www.complex-it-data.org/

This session will be for anyone keen to learn more about how to use computational methods (e.g., AI, networks, simulation, systems mapping and machine learning) in their healthcare work or research.

Same Teams link as usual and if you don't have this - it's here!

Click here to join the meeting Hop in at 11 am!