Guides & Documentation

Comprehensive guides to help you navigate, contribute to, and make the most of the NHS Wales Solutions Exchange.

Get involved with the GitHub GIG Cymru collaboration movement and start contributing to innovative healthcare solutions across Wales.

Who Can Join?
Access Notice: Only users who are part of NHS Wales can have access to internal repositories and be members of GitHub GIG Cymru. Access is not available to external users.
  • NHS Wales Staff: Employees of NHS Wales organizations and health boards (only these users can access internal repositories and join GitHub GIG Cymru)
What You'll Get Access To
  • Access to NHS Wales GitHub organizations and repositories
  • Collaboration opportunities with healthcare technology teams
  • Training and development resources
  • Community
  • Early access to new tools and platforms
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded professionals
Prerequisites
  • Valid NHS Wales email address
  • GitHub account (free account is sufficient)
  • Basic understanding of version control or willingness to learn
  • Commitment to collaboration and knowledge sharing
How to Join

Follow these steps to become part of the GitHub GIG Cymru collaboration movement:

Step 1: Prepare Your GitHub Account
  1. Create a GitHub account at github.com if you don't have one
  2. Add your NHS Wales email to your GitHub account
  3. Complete your GitHub profile with your name and professional information
  4. Enable two-factor authentication for security
Step 2: Request Access

To request access, raise a ticket with your local IT help desk. Your request will be escalated to the national IT service desk for triage and access setup. Please provide:

  • Your GitHub username
  • Your NHS Wales email address
  • Your organization within NHS Wales
Step 3: Wait for Action

Our team will review your application and:

  • Verify your NHS Wales affiliation
  • Send you an invitation to join relevant GitHub organizations
  • Provide access to community resources and documentation
What to Include in Your Email

When contacting us, please include:

  • Subject Line: "GitHub GIG Cymru Application - [Your Name]"
  • Full Name: Your professional name
  • GitHub Username: Your GitHub account username
  • Organisation: Your NHS Wales organization or health board
Resources for New Members
Ready to Join?

Start your journey with the NHS Wales developer community today.

Send Application Email
Visit Our GitHub

About GitHub GIG Cymru

GitHub GIG Cymru is a managed, version-controlled code collaboration platform for NHS Wales, supporting open-source and reusable code, and enabling cross-organizational collaboration for analytics and development projects.

Please see the GitHub GIG Cymru starter guide.

Access Notice: Only users who are part of NHS Wales can have access to internal repositories and be members of GitHub GIG Cymru. Access is not available to external users.
Frequently Asked Questions
  • Who can use it? Only users who are part of NHS Wales organizations can access internal repositories and join GitHub GIG Cymru.
  • How do I get access? Raise a ticket with your local IT help desk. Your request will be escalated to the national IT service desk for triage and access setup.
  • How do I get Codespaces or Co-Pilot? These require additional funding. Contact the service for a cost estimate and access process.
  • What training is available? Access GitHub Help Documentation, the GIG Cymru Documentation, and community forums.
  • How do I share code? Create a repository in your organization's GitHub space, set it to Internal, or invite collaborators directly.
  • How do I follow best practice? Use code reviews, pull requests, and follow your organization's coding standards. Document shared standards in your repos.
  • Where do I go for help? Use the GitHub Help Docs, contact the Advanced Analytics Team, or join community forums.
  • How do I suggest improvements? Raise issues in relevant repos, join forums, or contact the NDR Advanced Analytics Team.
  • What features are included? Private repos, team management, code review, project management, GitHub Actions, security, analytics, Co-Pilot, and Codespaces (some features may require extra cost).
  • How is security managed? GitHub Enterprise provides encryption, access controls, and monitoring. All users are synced with NHS Wales Active Directory. Follow NHS Wales data protection policies.
  • What are DHCW roles? The DHCW NDR Advanced Analytics Team manages the service, users, organizations, and provides support and guidance.
  • Strategic goals supported: Digital transformation, high-quality digital services, cross-organizational collaboration, innovation, and trusted IT service management.
  • What projects are supported? Cross-organization, open source, big data, research, proof of concept, hackathons, and infrastructure projects.
Resources & Support

Contact: For support, contact your local IT desk who will direct you to the DHCW NDR GitHub GIG Cymru Team.

Welcome to the NHS Wales Solutions Exchange! This guide will help you navigate and make the most of our platform.

What is the Solutions Exchange?

The Solutions Exchange is a central hub for discovering and sharing innovative healthcare solutions developed across NHS Wales organizations. It showcases open-source projects, tools, and collaborative initiatives that are improving patient care and operational efficiency across Wales.

How to Browse Solutions
  • Use the Browse Solutions page to explore all available projects
  • Filter by organization to see solutions from specific NHS Wales bodies
  • Filter by programming language to find projects using your preferred technology
  • Use topic tags to discover solutions in specific healthcare domains
  • Use the search function to find specific solutions by name or description
  • Sort by update date, stars, or name to find what you need quickly
Understanding Solution Information

Each solution card displays:

  • Name and Description: What the solution does
  • Organization: Which NHS Wales body developed it
  • Programming Language: Technical stack used
  • Status: Public (open source) or Internal (NHS Wales only)
  • Topics: Healthcare domains and technology categories
  • Community Metrics: Stars and forks from GitHub
  • Last Updated: How recently the project was maintained

Share your innovative healthcare solutions with the NHS Wales community and help others benefit from your work.

Step 1: Prepare Your Repository
  • Create a Repository: Within your local Github organisation: For a full list see here
  • Create a Clear README.md: Explain what your solution does, how to install it, and how to use it
  • Add Relevant Topic Tags: Help others discover your solution with appropriate healthcare and technology tags
  • Include Documentation: Provide installation instructions, API documentation, and user guides
  • Add a License File: Clarify usage rights (MIT, Apache 2.0, or GPL are common choices)
  • Include Screenshots/Demos: Show your solution in action when possible
Step 2: Get Your Solution Included

To get your solution included in the Solutions Exchange:

  1. Ensure your repository is hosted on GitHub under an NHS Wales organization
  2. Contact the DHCW NDR GitHub GIG Cymru Team to request inclusion
  3. Provide the repository URL and a brief description of your solution
  4. Our team will review your submission and add it to our automated collection system
  5. Update your repository status to "Internal" or "Public" (note that your local organisation may have policies in place that require admin access to do so. In this instance please contact your local GitHub organisation owner.)
  6. Your repository will be included in the Solutions Exchange.
Best Practices for Solutions
  • Descriptive Names: Use clear, descriptive repository names that explain the purpose
  • Comprehensive Descriptions: Write detailed descriptions explaining the healthcare problem you're solving
  • Active Maintenance: Respond to issues, update dependencies, and maintain your projects
  • Security First: Follow NHS Wales coding standards and security guidelines
  • Collaboration: Welcome contributions from other NHS Wales developers
  • Documentation: Keep documentation up-to-date as your solution evolves

Follow these guidelines to maintain high-quality, secure, and collaborative repositories within the NHS Wales ecosystem.

Repository Setup
  • Clear Repository Names: Use descriptive names that explain the project's purpose
  • Comprehensive README: Include purpose, installation, usage, and contribution guidelines
  • LICENSE File: Choose an appropriate open-source license (MIT or Apache 2.0 recommended)
  • CONTRIBUTING.md: Provide clear guidelines for how others can contribute
  • .gitignore: Exclude sensitive files and build artifacts
  • Issue Templates: Create templates for bug reports and feature requests
Security Considerations
  • No Sensitive Data: Never commit passwords, API keys, or patient data
  • Environment Variables: Use .env files for configuration (and include .env in .gitignore)
  • Security Alerts: Enable GitHub security alerts and dependency scanning
  • Information Governance: Follow NHS Wales information governance policies
  • Code Scanning: Use GitHub's built-in security scanning tools
  • Dependency Management: Keep dependencies up-to-date and review security advisories
Collaboration Workflows
  • Meaningful Commits: Write clear, descriptive commit messages
  • Feature Branches: Create separate branches for new developments
  • Pull Requests: Use pull requests for code reviews and collaboration
  • Code Reviews: Have team members review code before merging
  • Release Management: Tag releases with semantic versioning (v1.0.0, v1.1.0, etc.)
  • Continuous Integration: Set up automated testing and deployment where appropriate
Documentation Standards
  • API Documentation: Document all APIs with examples
  • User Guides: Provide step-by-step guides for end users
  • Developer Documentation: Include setup instructions for development environments
  • Changelog: Maintain a changelog documenting all significant changes
  • Architecture Documentation: Explain the technical architecture and design decisions

Essential GitHub repositories containing guides, best practices, and tools specifically designed for NHS Wales teams.

Getting Started Resources
Starter Guide

Complete beginner's guide to using GitHub within the NHS Wales environment. Perfect for new users getting started.

CodeSpaces Guide

Learn how to use GitHub CodeSpaces for cloud-based development within NHS Wales projects.

Data & File Management
File Backup Best Practices

Comprehensive guide on safely backing up and version controlling files using GitHub while maintaining data security.

Power BI Backup Guide

Specific instructions for backing up Power BI reports and datasets to GitHub for version control and collaboration.

Governance & Security
Information Governance

Essential information governance guidelines for using GitHub within NHS Wales, including data protection and compliance requirements.

SSMS Backup Guide

Best practices for backing up SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) scripts and database objects to GitHub safely and securely.

Access Requirements

These resources are available to NHS Wales staff with GitHub GIG Cymru access. Some repositories may require specific permissions. Contact your local IT support or the GitHub GIG Cymru team if you need access to any of these resources.

Additional Support

For questions about any of these resources or to request additional guides, please:

  • Check the repository's README and documentation
  • Review existing issues in the repository
  • Contact the GitHub GIG Cymru team for support
  • Join community discussions in repository issue sections

The Solutions Exchange uses an intelligent quality scoring system to help you identify well-maintained, reliable, and valuable healthcare solutions. This guide explains how quality scores are calculated and what they mean.

What is a Quality Score?

The quality score is a numerical value between 30-100 that reflects the overall quality and reliability of a repository. Higher scores indicate solutions that are:

  • Well-documented and described
  • Actively maintained and updated
  • Popular within the NHS Wales community
  • Built using modern technology stacks
  • Demonstrating good development practices
Quality Score Calculation

The algorithm evaluates multiple factors to calculate an objective quality score:

Base Score: 50 points

Every repository starts with a baseline score of 50 points, ensuring all solutions have a foundation score.

Community Engagement: +20 points

GitHub stars from the community indicate value and usefulness (up to 20 points based on star count).

Recent Activity: +10 points

Repositories with recent commits show active maintenance and ongoing development.

Good Documentation: +15 points

Repositories with comprehensive descriptions (over 20 characters) receive bonus points for clarity.

Technology Stack: +10 points

Repositories using identified programming languages demonstrate technical implementation.

Development Activity: +15 points

Repository size and activity indicators show substantial development effort (variable points based on size).

Quality Score Ranges

80-100

Excellent

High-quality solutions with excellent documentation, active maintenance, and community engagement. These solutions are automatically featured.

60-79

Good

Solid solutions with good practices. May be featured if they have additional qualifying factors like community stars or specific technology stacks.

30-59

Developing

Projects in development or with basic documentation. Still valuable but may benefit from additional documentation or maintenance.

Featured Solutions Criteria

Solutions are automatically marked as "Featured" when they meet specific quality thresholds:

  • Automatic Featured: Quality score ≥ 75 points
  • Community Featured: Quality score ≥ 65 points + GitHub stars from community
  • Technology Featured: Quality score ≥ 60 points + identified programming language
Improving Your Solution's Quality Score
Tips for Higher Scores
  • Write clear descriptions: Explain what your solution does and how it helps healthcare
  • Stay active: Regular commits and updates show ongoing maintenance
  • Engage the community: Encourage colleagues to star useful repositories
  • Use modern tech: Specify the programming language and technology stack
  • Document thoroughly: Include README files, API docs, and usage examples
  • Maintain regularly: Respond to issues and keep dependencies updated
Understanding the Algorithm

The quality scoring system is designed to be:

  • Objective: Based on measurable repository metrics
  • Fair: All repositories start with equal baseline scores
  • Transparent: Clear criteria that developers can influence
  • Dynamic: Scores update as repositories evolve and improve
  • Healthcare-focused: Optimized for NHS Wales development practices
Note on Scoring

Quality scores are calculated automatically when repository data is refreshed. The algorithm includes small randomization elements to account for factors that can't be measured directly from GitHub metrics. This ensures a fair distribution while maintaining objectivity in the core scoring criteria.

Featured Solutions

Automatically selected based on quality criteria