UCLH joins alliance for health data research

UCLH today joined the UK Health Data Research Alliance.

The alliance of health organisations, convened by Health Data Research UK, establishes best practice for the ethical use of UK health data for research at scale, with members working together to develop guidelines and standards in areas such as data security and how to involve patients and the public in research which involves data.

The aim is to accelerate development of new treatments by using health data in research.

Nine other health organisations including Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Great Ormond Street Hospital trusts have joined the alliance at the same time as UCLH, boosting alliance membership to a total of 28, with access to more than 400 datasets.

Professor Bryan Williams, Director of Research and Director of the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at UCLH, said: “As a Research Hospital we are already beginning to explore the enormous potential of health data to improve patient care and experience and the running of the hospital – and engaging our patients on how we do this. We look forward to working with alliance members to ensure the full benefits of data use are felt across the NHS as a whole, in a transparent way.”

Visit the alliance website.