WalesHyder

WalesHyder is a Welsh civic technology concept designed to improve the interoperability of public sector information and service delivery across Wales. It coordinates data governance, secure data sharing, and joint analytics among local authorities, health boards, emergency services, and the Welsh Government.

The project originated in response to fragmentation among departmental systems and data silos. A consortium of universities and councils proposed WalesHyder in the early 2020s, with pilot activities in selected districts and plans for a nationwide rollout subject to funding and regulatory approvals. Ownership is envisioned as a non-profit consortium with representation from member bodies and community stakeholders.

Technically, WalesHyder would rely on standardized data schemas and an API gateway to enable cross-organizational data exchange while enforcing privacy and access controls. The platform emphasizes privacy by design, data minimization, and comprehensive audit trails. Analytics dashboards would support policy planning, public health monitoring, and resource allocation, while citizen-facing portals could offer service status information and transparency tools.

Governance is envisaged through a steering board comprising representatives from local authorities, health boards, and civil society groups. Funding would come from the Welsh Government, with potential support from national or regional funds and sustainability linked to member contributions and service-level agreements. Data sovereignty and governance would be central considerations in any implementation.

In assessment, WalesHyder serves as a model for evaluating the benefits and challenges of cross-agency data sharing in Wales, highlighting potential improvements in efficiency and coordination alongside concerns about privacy, consent, and public trust. See also: civic technology in Wales, data governance, open data initiatives.