Interview with a Data Scientist - Dimsum and Datascience
Welcome to another installment of our "Interview with a Data Scientist" series, where we explore the careers and work of the talented members of the NHS England Data Science team. We aim to showcase the fantastic individuals who contribute to the NHSE Data Science Profession and provide valuable insights for those considering a career in Data Science within the healthcare sector.
This week our interviewee is Adam Hollings a Principal Data Scientist in the Data Science Team who recently moved from the SDE Service Team to the Central Data Science Team.
This interview orginally was published in the May edition of the Data Science Community for Health and Care Newsletter. You can subscribe and join the community here.
How did you end up in data science at the NHS? What did you do before, and what really sparked your interest in this field?
Fig 1. What I imagined my career journey to be like and what it actually ended up being like.
My career journey has been quite a winding path, much like a plate of spaghetti, with significant detours between the UK and China. Along the way, I've held various roles, including a call centre agent, claims handler, NHS Analyst, University Teacher, school owner, house husband, NHS Higher Analyst, and now, an NHS Data Scientist.
It's been a rather circuitous route, but I'll do my best to capture the key details! I always enjoyed science at school and had a keen interest in anime, which led me to pursue Biology and Japanese at the University of Sheffield. After graduating, I spent a brief period working as an analyst in the NHS – a path my twin brother encouraged me to explore. However, most of my time was spent teaching in various educational institutions in rural China, with a year dedicated to learning Chinese in a cement factory and another as a house husband.
Living in China was an incredibly enriching experience. I gained invaluable skills in public speaking and learned how to explain complex concepts in English to non-experts and non-native speakers. Immersing myself in a completely different language and culture, and experiencing life as a minority in a vast country, taught me a great deal about resilience, adaptability, and cultural understanding – both the highs and the lows. I also developed a strong tolerance for very spicy food and hot weather!
After about seven years in China, I was ready for a new challenge. I'd been observing my brother's career at NHS Digital and found myself increasingly drawn to the work he was doing. This prompted me to spend about a year self-learning programming, which ultimately led to me securing a job at NHS Digital in 2020.
I thrive on challenges and naturally approach problems with a data-driven, analytical mindset. While my brother's introduction initially opened the door to the NHS, once I saw the potential and understood the impact I could have, I knew it was the right place for me.
Once you joined the NHS, what was that experience like? What different roles and teams have you been a part of, and how have they shaped your career?
I've now worked in the NHS for over five years. My initial roles were as a contingent labour data analyst within the publications teams, primarily focusing on maternity and IAPT (Talking Therapies) data. I then successfully secured a permanent position and subsequently applied for and completed the Data Science MRes programme through NHS Digital at Leeds University.
It was the MRes programme itself that truly ignited my passion for data science. The rapid pace of developments in machine learning, the critical questioning of established methods and techniques, and the constant exploration of how cutting-edge innovations could directly benefit patients – it was exhilarating. I knew I wanted to be at the forefront of this field.
Following the MRes, I took on a role as a Data Wrangler in the NHS England Secure Data Environment (SDE) Service Team. I spent several fulfilling years there, working alongside a fantastic team, enabling numerous analysts and researchers to conduct vital research on vast amounts of de-identified NHS data. This position provided me with invaluable experience collaborating with high-profile stakeholders like the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK). My previous teaching experience proved incredibly beneficial when it came to inducting and advising new users of the SDE. My time with the SDE service team also allowed me to build connections with members of the Central Data Science Team, which ultimately encouraged me to seek future opportunities within NHS England.
Eventually, I wanted to transition from enabling others' data science work to having a more direct, hands-on role myself. So, this year, I embarked on an exciting new chapter within the Central Data Science Team.
What are you currently working on? Are there any projects that you're particularly excited about, or that you feel are making a real difference? What impact are you having?
I've recently joined the A&E Forecasting project, which was recently nominated as an AI Exemplar. The ability to accurately forecast A&E attendances and admissions has the potential to significantly aid planning across almost every hospital in the country. Knowing that I'll be contributing to maintaining and improving this crucial model is incredibly exciting. My current focus is on enhancing how weather data is incorporated into the model. It's been fascinating to delve deeper into using the Unified Data Access Layer (UDAL) and learning the intricacies of the Federated Data Platform (FDP), as most of my recent years were spent working with the Data Access Environment (DAE) and the SDE. After learning Chinese and Japanese, I'm certainly not afraid of being thrown into new situations and having to acquire new skills!
Beyond this, I also have a keen interest in open-source large language models (LLMs) and have recently been appointed as the team's technical lead in this area. Additionally, I'm deeply invested in causal inference methodology, understanding the potentially disastrous consequences of improperly applied causal analysis.
I'm also committed to ensuring our projects achieve the greatest possible impact by actively supporting the Marketing and Communications function team. Given the current organisational landscape, I believe it's especially critical to ensure that our work and its significant benefits are well-understood across both NHS England and the DHSC. Recent Marketing and Comms initiatives I've contributed to include setting up the Data Science Team's SharePoint page, gathering and submitting entries for the Advanced Analytics Analytical Prospectus, and currently working on the Data Science Brochure.
If you're looking to enhance the reach and impact of your project, please don't hesitate to get in touch with myself, Amaia or Will!
If you could give someone just starting out in data science a few pieces of advice, what would they be? And what resources have you found particularly helpful along the way that you can share?
While I consider myself a dedicated team player, I would advise new members to be proactive, honest, and strategically self-aware. By "strategically self-aware," I mean that when you're asked about project preferences or which function team you'd like to join, choose what genuinely aligns with and benefits your career trajectory. Be transparent with your manager about any challenges or if a long-term project isn't personally contributing to your growth. Project allocations are based on both business need and individual preference; leadership can't account for your preferences if you're not open about them.
When I say "be proactive," I mean actively participate: ask questions in meetings, confidently present your work, and ensure people are aware of who you are, the impactful things you're working on, and your accomplishments. This could involve consistently marketing your work! It's perfectly fine to let your personality shine through – I always look forward to Warren's weekly meme post, and if even one person in the team gets a laugh from my regular Teams background rotations, it's worthwhile. These small personal touches help endear people to you, make you memorable, and significantly build team spirit.
We hope you found this interview with Adam Hollings inspiring. His journey shows the diverse paths you can take to become a Data Scientist in the NHS.
You can also view our previous ‘Interview with a Data Scientist’ with Sarah Culkin, Blowing the Trumpet for Data Science.