Secure Data Environment for the North East and North Cumbria
The North East and North Cumbria (NENC) is one of 11 regions to receive funds from NHS England to create a Secure Data Environment (SDE). The programme is funded until March 2025.
Challenges in accessing data for research and improvement
Accessing health and care data for research and analysis can be time-consuming and burdensome. The Goldacre Review and the Data Saves Lives strategy proposed the set-up of Secure Data Environments as a more secure and efficient way to access data. This has now become Department of Health and Social Care policy as we shift from a data sharing to data access model.
Improved data access and security
Secure Data Environments will become the default way to access health and care data for research and analysis purposes.
This is safer as instead of multiple copies of data being made available to researchers and analysts, they are given access to a secure place where they can access the data for their specific purpose.
Access to the data is tightly controlled and record level data cannot be removed.
Secure Data Environments provide better control and security by bringing researchers and analysts to the data, rather than distributing copies of that data.
Data Access Committee
A North East and North Cumbria Data Access Committee will oversee and approve requests to access the Secure Data Environment. The committee will include representatives from the public, data privacy officers, data controllers, research and ethics specialists. They will ensure any projects who wish to access data meet the strict requirements both legally and ethically.
Our Data Access Committee will also include a group of public members who will assess whether the application meets their public interest test.
Benefits of the Secure Data Environment
- Improved public confidence and transparency as we will publish and share who access data and for what purpose
- Faster time to turn around research and development projects
- Improved and shared analytical knowledge across the region
- Improved retention of highly sought-after technical and analytical staff
- Improved and shared analytical knowledge across the region
- Reduction in costs for resources (staff, technical infrastructure, software licences)
Possible benefits to the healthcare system from SDE projects:
- Improved patient outcomes
- Reduction in health inequalities
- Improved safety
- Earlier detection and treatment for patients
- Reduction in legal costs
- Reduction in litigation risk
- Reduction in data breaches
- Improved patient recruitment numbers for projects
- More relevant patient selection for research projects
- Reduced time to recruit patients for research projects
An Introduction to the Secure Data Environment webinar
We hosted two webinars which offered delegates an introduction to the Secure Data Environment and the progress we have made in the North East and North Cumbria. You can view a recording of the webinar, or catch up on the questions and answers raised.
Introduction to the North East and North Cumbria Secure Data Environment: Webinar recording
Find out more
Our Secure Data Environment is under development but we are happy to speak to any projects who may wish to access data. Come and speak to our team if you have a project in mind or are developing a research bid.