While much of this change has been the result of technological advancement and digital innovation, such as improved data security methods and emerging trends towards secure cloud platforms, the most notable shift occurred in response to the COVID pandemic. Driven by the need to rapidly access and analyse COVID related health data to fight the pandemic, it became clear that faster access to health data was not only possible, but highly beneficial in improving population health and driving health research and innovation.
Building on the gains made during the pandemic, the Government set out to 鈥渕ake the NHS the country鈥檚 most powerful driver of innovation鈥 () with a pledge to invest in a research infrastructure to harness UK health and social care data to improve population health, plan and deliver health services better, and to address widespread national health inequalities. Their policy puts data at the heart of transforming health services, improving patient outcomes and saving lives by using data-driven evidence to support decision-making, empowering researchers by enabling access to the data they need, working with partners from across the health and social care landscape to develop innovations, and developing a secure data infrastructure that puts patient privacy at the centre. The government commissioned outlined how this could be achieved, providing 158 recommendations for 鈥楾rusted Research Environments鈥 where data could be securely stored and accessed for research purposes.
The digital transformation of the NHS and subsequent decommissioning of NHS Digital, which delivered and maintained the NHS digital, data and technology systems, including data sharing services, has led to a fundamental change in how data can be used for research. Where previously NHS Digital would have 鈥榮hared鈥 health data, now approved researchers must access the data via the NHS 鈥樷 (based on Goldacre鈥檚 鈥楾rusted Research Environments鈥). In addition to this national 鈥楽ecure Data Environment鈥, the NHS and the Department for Health and Social Care are investing in a network of Sub-national Secure Data Environments.
The Yorkshire and Humber Sub-national Secure Data Environment will bring together NHS data from South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and North Yorkshire and Humber. The data infrastructure will be provided by Bradford Teaching Hospitals, and will be accessible via the three associated research institutes, the University of 91直播, Leeds University and the University of York. Data Connect will be the main point of access for researchers requesting access to South Yorkshire data and we are working closely with NHS partners across South Yorkshire to align with the region's data and governance requirements.