London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

On Monday 7 April, the UK Government announced the creation of a new system for the access and analysis of data collected through the National Health Service (NHS).

The system, currently known as the Health Data Research Service, will look to provide researchers with a single location and route to access health data, simplifying access to a range of datasets such as primary care, hospital and mortality data. 

The new service will be backed by initial funding of £500 million from the government plus £100 million from the Wellcome Trust.

Antonio Gasparrini, Professor of Biostatistics and co-Director of the Centre on Data & Statistical Science for Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said:

“This system can be a game-changer for health research. Currently, researchers face enormous obstacles and delays in accessing health data, with expensive and time-consuming applications, to be submitted separately for different datasets, and with restrictions due to data confidentiality.

“The implementation of a secure system that can streamline access to the whole set of NHS and other data will offer researchers unparalleled opportunities, leading to faster scientific discoveries and a more efficient health system. The new Health Data Research Service will be implemented through trusted research environments, allowing for de-identified data to be analysed without it being exported, and thus guaranteeing security and data confidentiality.

“The possibility of accessing and linking a whole range of data on health conditions, medications, as well as socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics, will revolutionise health research. Among the expected benefits, the new Health Data Research Service will facilitate the development of diagnostic tools and disease prediction models, or the design and completion of clinical trials.

“The new service will also open tremendous opportunities in other research areas, for instance, to study environmental risk factors and the health impacts of climate change, which is the focus of my current research.

“As a co-Director of LSHTM’s new Centre on Data & Statistical Science for Health, which is investing heavily in novel research opportunities in this research area, I believe that researchers at the School have a lot to contribute to the Health Data Research Service. I hope that we can help to make it a world-leading hub for scientific innovation.”