BRIDGING DATA AND PEOPLE: TURNING INSIGHTS INTO COMMUNITY-DRIVEN INTEGRATED CARE

Background: The 2024 “Integrating Care, Strengthening Communities: The Data Connection” Conference—organised by the Flemish Department of Care under Belgian EU Presidency with the support of EUREGHA—explored how data connectivity and trust can drive people-centred, integrated care. Discussions identified four interlinked building blocks: Population Health & Wellbeing Management, Neighbourhood Analysis, Behavioural-Cultural Insights (BCI), Trust in Data.

At the 2025 EUREGHA General Assembly, members re-examined these topics through the lens of implementation, underlining the need for multi-stakeholder exchange to translate principles into local practice.

This workshop —co-organised by EUREGHA and Flemish Department of Care, in collaboration with other regional authorities including One Gloucestershire Integrated Care Systems, Central Denmark, Basque Country — extends that dialogue by focusing on how regions and communities use data and behavioural insights to build trust, empower citizens, and improve outcomes through community-based care. Technology/data are treated as enablers of human connections rather than as ends in themselves.

AUDIENCE: Regional/local health authorities, policy makers, researchers, patients/citizens representatives, practitioners engaged in integrated care implementation. It will appeal to those developing community health initiatives, cross-sector partnerships, or digital and behavioural interventions depending on trust and citizen engagement. The format encourages peer learning between regions, community actors, policy stakeholders.

Approach: 1. Opening and framing (10'): EUREGHA and the Flemish Department of Care introduce the Data Connection concept and the Cardiff follow-up, highlighting the importance of trust and community participation in data-driven care.

2. Regional practice snapshots (25'): 3-4 concise examples from different regions (incl. Flanders, NHS-One Gloucestershire, Basque Country) illustrate practical approaches to:

- engaging citizens and front-line actors in neighbourhood-level (integrated) data collection and planning;

- using behavioural and cultural insights to improve acceptance of digital tools/preventive programmes;

- building local trust through transparent communication and shared governance.

- Each case focuses on implementation and scalability rather than theoretical design.

3. Round-table discussions (40'): Assisted by expert moderators, participants work in groups around two questions: (a) What conditions enable/challenge community-based trust and data use to scale and sustain integrated care locally? (b) How can behavioural and cultural insights be embedded into daily practice to improve engagement and equity?

4.Plenary reflection & closing (15'): Groups share take-aways; facilitators synthesise them into a “Trust and Data Action Factsheet.”

EXPERTS/MODERATORS (confirmed)

- EUREGHA (Michele Calabrò, Director)

- Flanders (Solvejg Wallyn and Marie-Laure Robberechts Policy Officer International Policy Team – Department of Care)

- Basque Country (Ane Fullaondo Zabala, Director, Biosistemak)

- England (Mark Golledge, Programme Director, NHS-One Gloucestershire ICS)

- Central Denmark (Camilla Palmhøj Nielsen, Research Director, DEFACTUM-Central Denmark)

Outcomes:Participants will:

- Exchange real-world examples of how data and trust can strengthen community-based care.

- Identify practical conditions/challenges for scaling and sustaining local initiatives.

- Learn how behavioural and cultural insights can improve acceptance and equity in integrated care.

- Contribute to a collective “Trust and Data Action Sheet” highlighting replicable approaches for regions and communities.

- Expand inter-regional links for continued peer learning after the conference.

The workshop will demonstrate how trust-based collaboration and behavioural insights can translate vision into local practice.