ℹ️ Introduction
This article explains how to enable data-sharing contracts and agreements in Ardens Manager to support secure data sharing between organisations such as GP practices, PCNs, Federations and ICBs. By the end of this article, you will be able to configure these settings for benchmarking, reporting and contract monitoring.
Background
Ardens Manager supports collaboration across multiple organisations by enabling secure sharing of activity and performance data.
Two mechanisms control how this information is shared:
Data Sharing Contracts: Defines how organisations participate in a contract and what data they can access.
Data Sharing Agreements: Defines how organisations within a group can view and compare data with one another.
These controls ensure that organisations can work together while maintaining clear governance around how data is accessed and used.
How Ardens Can Help
Ardens Manager allows organisations to safely share and benchmark data across groups such as PCNs, Federations and ICBs.
Using data sharing contracts and agreements enables organisations to:
Monitor performance against contracts
Compare activity across organisations
View aggregated or organisational-level data depending on permissions
Support system-wide reporting and collaboration
Access to data is controlled through configurable permissions, ensuring organisations only see the level of data they are authorised to view.
⚙️Data Sharing Contracts
Data Sharing Contracts define the roles and permissions of organisations participating in a contract managed within Ardens Manager.
Common roles include:
Authority Organisation (e.g., NHS England, ICBs): Defines contract requirements and can view aggregated reporting across participating organisations.
Provider Organisations (e.g., GP Practices): Deliver services within the contract. Can only be named on a contract once and can view their full dataset.
Managed on Ardens Manager: Some contracts are maintained by another organisation if the authority organisation does not manage it directly. These are marked as UNOFFICIAL.
Accepting a contract invitation confirms that the organisation agrees to participate and share data according to the contract terms.
Examples of Contracts
Examples of contract setups may include the below. Additionally data sharing capabilities can be configured within these contracts to allow for more granular data access.
Contract Name | Authority | Provider Organisations | Managed on Ardens Manager |
QOF | NHS England | GP Practices | Ardens |
Network Contract DES | NHS England | - | Ardens |
SMI Health Check | NHS England | GP Practices | Ardens |
Local Commissioned Services (LCS) | ICB | GP Practices | - |
🤝Data Sharing Agreements
Data Sharing Agreements enable benchmarking and aggregation of activity across multiple organisations. They specify the level of data access each organisation has within a group.
Access Levels
Can view entire data set: Organisation and its users can see all data for every member of the group.
Can view aggregated data only: Organisation can see overall group totals but not individual organisation data.
Cannot view data set: Organisation can only see its own data.
Groups can also be connected so that organisations can view aggregated data from multiple groups. For example, an ICB group may see aggregated performance across its connected PCN groups.
⚠️Please note: Connected groups can only view aggregated organisational data. Patient-level data is never shared through group agreements.
Setting Up Agreements
To enable a data sharing agreement:
Request Group Setup
Complete the group setup request form to initiate the creation of a group.
Invitation to Join Group
Once the group is created, member organisations will receive an invitation containing:
The lead organisation
Member organisations
Data access levels
The data sharing agreement.
Accept the Invitation
Each organisation must accept the invitation to join the group and agree to the data sharing terms specified in the agreement before data becomes visible. Invitations can be found in the Task pane on the home page.
🔗 Recommended Group Setup
Group Type | Organisation | Access | Member Organisations | Member Access
|
ICB
| ICB
| Can view group aggregate & connected PCN aggregates | GP Practices
| Can view group aggregate & connected PCN aggregates |
PCN | PCN
| Can view entire data set | GP Practices
| Can view entire data set |
Federation
| Federation
| Can view entire data set & connected PCN aggregates | GP Practices
| Can view group aggregate & connected PCN aggregates |
❓FAQs
Why do we need to accept data sharing agreements?
Data sharing agreements confirm that organisations agree to share data for reporting and benchmarking purposes within the group.
Who controls the data access levels?
Access levels are configured when the group is created and determine how much data each organisation can view.
Can another organisation see identifiable patient data through a data sharing agreement?
No. Data-sharing agreements between groups in Ardens Manager allow organisations to share and compare organisational-level information, including aggregated figures and, where permissions allow, individual organisations' data. They do not provide access to patient-level data across the group. Patient-level access is available within the individual GP practice, subject to the user's access permissions.
Can organisations leave a group?
Yes. Organisations can choose to leave a group if they no longer wish to participate in data sharing.
Who controls the data shared through a data-sharing agreement?
The GP practice remains the data controller for its data. Data is only shared with a group when the practice has joined that group and accepted the relevant data-sharing agreement.
The agreement determines what other organisations within the group can view. Depending on the agreed permissions, organisations may be able to see their own data, aggregated group data or data for individual member organisations. Access is controlled by the group's configured data-sharing arrangements.
Does accepting a data-sharing agreement mean our data is shared with NHS England or the ICB?
No, accepting a data-sharing agreement does not automatically make your data available to every organisation, including NHS England or the ICB.
Data is shared according to the group structure and access permissions specified in the agreement you accept. Check the organisations included in the group and the access levels before accepting the agreement.
Can I view a data-sharing agreement before accepting it?
Yes. When you select the invitation in the Task pane in Ardens Manager, the data-sharing agreement opens for you to review before you confirm acceptance. It is not accepted simply by opening the invitation.
If you have questions about the proposed arrangements, contact your lead organisation before accepting the agreement.
Where can I view data-sharing agreements that have already been accepted?
You can view previously accepted data-sharing agreements within your Ardens Manager settings. This allows you to review the arrangements that your organisation has agreed to.
🏫 Additional Support
To further your understanding of the Ardens Manager platform:
Book training for your GP Practice, PCN or ICB
Complete the Getting Started with Ardens Manager academy module
Contact our Support Team for support in real time