All requests to access UCLH patient data for research must be approved by a panel of patients and staff called the Data Trust Committee (DTC). The committee is part of UCLH’s new system for processing data access applications.

The system not only ensures patients and the public have a say in how data is used but it also enables researchers to access data more efficiently and quickly than before.

How the Data Trust Committee works

The Data Trust Committee (DTC) meets monthly to approve research applications to use UCLH data for data-only studies.

In effect, the DTC provides a form of ethical review of applications and ensures researchers clearly articulate how their work can lead to patient and public benefit.

The national body called the Health Research Authority (HRA has devolved the approval of these research applications to UCLH so that applications can be considered more quickly.

By the time applications reach the DTC for approval, they will have been reviewed by a research data access committee made up of information governance experts and scientists. The research data access committee will look at the feasibility, scientific justification and adherence to information governance principles of each application before passing it onto the DTC.

Vision and alignment with UCLH strategy

By providing a layer of ethics governance and a feedback mechanism to researchers, the DTC is helping UCLH become a world class research hospital. Our aim is to ensure that patient and public benefit is not only maintained, but constantly improved.

Membership

The DTC is made up of a chair, six staff members and six patient members. This diverse group of people come together to form a balanced and representative opinion when considering applications.