What we are doing

As the national institute for health data science, we are mobilising talent and partnerships across the UK to:

1. Co-ordinate and connect national data science driven research efforts related to COVID-19
2. Accelerate access to UK-wide priority data relevant to COVID-19 for research
3. Leverage the best of the UK’s health data science capability to address the wider impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting vulnerable groups that will be hardest hit

Our COVID-19 Strategy is updated on a weekly basis. To view the latest version (from 04 April 2020) click here.

To get involved, see our HDR UK COVID-19 Knowledge + Skills Matchmaker which is a sharing space for expertise and experience, as well as a forum to post queries which might need input.

Our community is actively championing the use of health data to address the COVID-19 challenge including work on risk factors, genomics, clinical trials, care pathways and surveillance. We are delighted to see our sites and hubs contributing to this global challenge by forging partnerships with government, NHS, industry and academia. These activities require access to and linkage of health data and we can build on our existing expertise and emerging capabilities to support this.

We are also aware that over this period many members of our community will be diverted to providing clinical care for patients and to help the healthcare system cope with increased pressure. There is also a risk that attention will be diverted from other diseases and conditions, and that the lives of people with these diseases and conditions could be worsened, for example the impact on people with chronic conditions from COVID-19 or from knock-on impact such as reduced access to care or from isolation.

Therefore, as well as supporting teams addressing COVID-19, we are maintaining our focus on the other areas of our strategy and encouraging and supporting teams to develop creative ways to have a greater positive impact in these other disease areas. For example, accelerating the important health data innovations in Better Care that will help clinicians and patients with more remote care.

Previous versions of our COVID-19 Strategy:

• 19 March 2020 
• 25 March 2020

Our availability

Our central team is based in the Wellcome building in central London; however, this building is closed until further notice. Despite this, Health Data Research UK remains very much open for business and our team will be working remotely via video conferencing.

Staying in touch

We will continue to use our regular communication channels (website, Twitter feed and monthly newsletter HIVE) to provide updates and information. You can also contact us by emailing a member of the team directly or to enquiries@hdruk.ac.uk