The UK Secure eResearch Platform for public health research: a case study

Abstract

BackgroundThe current expansion of health-related big data and data linkage research presents exciting opportunities for public health research. However, within the UK, there is a lack of suitable data hosting and sharing infrastructure to enable datasets to be brought together and made safely accessible for beneficial uses. This study aimed to show how this gap can be addressed by building on the work of the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) system. MethodsSAIL is a national databank of anonymised, linkable, routinely collected data about the population of Wales, which researchers access within a secure infrastructure, subject to a robust and proportionate information governance framework. Using a case study approach, we assessed how the UK Secure eResearch Platform (UKSeRP), which is an independent technology and analysis platform modelled on SAIL, was developed, including conducting due diligence processes and gaining external accreditation, and we describe its infrastructure, principles, features, and operating model. We sought examples to illustrate the types of datasets that can be accommodated and accessed securely by multiple public health researchers. FindingsDue diligence processes with stakeholders provided independent advice to inform information governance models so that UKSeRP can be configured according to the specifications of data owners, subject to relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. UKSeRP enables multiple, complex datasets to be managed, analysed, and shared, such as general practice, hospital, screening services, health survey, national statistics, disease registries, environmental surveillance, study data, and emerging data types. InterpretationUKSeRP has been developed in response to the rising demand for a safe and accessible data platform for research. It is an example of how the challenges of making multiple health-related datasets accessible to increasing numbers of research users within a secure environment can be addressed. The configuration flexibility of this platform enables multiple separate projects to be accommodated simultaneously and it opens up new opportunities for creating rich cohorts for public health research. FundingThe development of UKSeRP was supported by the Farr Institute for Health Informatics Research (Medical Research Council MR/K006525/1).