Our aim

By making health data available to researchers and innovators we can better understand diseases and discover ways to prevent, treat and cure them.

Challenges to human health and health system sustainability are increasing globally. By making health data available to researchers, we can develop a better understanding of these diseases and ways to prevent, treat and cure them.

woman looking at meds

Why is the UK the best place to do this?

The UK has some of the richest health data in the world, making it possible to make national-scale improvements to health and care.

Combined with unique research expertise, outstanding talent in the NHS and universities, and a vibrant life sciences industry, the UK has an opportunity to use data at scale to drive innovation, grow the UK industry base, and improve public health.

Our approach

  • We are uniting health data assets across the UK to make health data research and innovation happen at scale. We work with people who share a common set of values:

    • We are transparent: we will share information, insights and innovations so that we learn faster together.
    • We are optimistic: we believe that we can make things better, that we can do things differently and that we can overcome challenges to create a new and thriving health data ecosystem that benefits patients and the public, the NHS, scientific discovery and industry.
    • We are respectful: we deliver better results when we work in a truly interdisciplinary way. We listen, share and respect a diversity of thought and opinion, perspective and experience. We are inclusive – leveraging and fairly attributing the expertise and capabilities of others, including patients, carers and members of the public.
    • We act with courage: we are leading the way and will be prepared to try new things, take risks, embrace ambiguity and challenge the status quo. We will contribute opinions to shape the future of health data research.
    • We act with humility: we have a lot to learn from others; and aim to be open-minded about the gaps in our knowledge. We work diligently to find partners who can help fill those gaps and value and respect their contribution.

  • Health Data Research UK does not control any health data.  We work with organisations that hold and manage datasets and we support connections between these datasets to support access for research and innovation.

    Our approach is guided by existing and developing recommendations and best practice for data research.  This includes the Medical Research Council’s Good Research Practice: Principles and Guidelines and the  Academy of Medical Sciences’ Patient Data and Data Driven Technologies in Healthcare. 

    Good data practice underpins the high-quality science, research and innovation undertaken across Health Data Research UK and supports the evidence base needed to drive improvements in health.  This will provide a foundation for capability building and will help increase public confidence and trust in the research process and outputs.

    The responsibility for promoting and delivering good data practice is shared by the whole research community and Health Data Research UK strives for the highest achievable standards in the planning, conduct and reporting of research.  Our partner research institutions foster a culture that supports and embeds good data practice and ensures that appropriate resources and skills are in place to deliver the research and maintain high standards of integrity.

    This will ensure the UK maximises the benefits and value of data to patients, the population, the NHS and society as a whole.