Data saves lives: how health data can be used to support research

Friday 2 August, from 2pm to 4:30pm, at Preston North End Football Club

Health leaders in Lancashire and South Cumbria are inviting the public to a session to discuss personal health data and how that data can be used safely and securely to support healthcare research.

Health data is collected every time an individual engages with health services, and it will help to improve patient care, speed up diagnosis and research new treatments. To keep information safe, Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) uses, among other options, a Secure Data Environment (SDE). Only approved researchers will have access to this and the research projects will be assessed to make sure they meet the criteria to access data within the SDE. 

The World Café format allows conversations on data-related topics to take place in a friendly and relaxed environment so that the public can provide their insights into the SDE and how it operates. Research clinicians will be on hand to facilitate the discussions, answer questions and hear thoughts that the public may have.

Professor Sarah O'Brien, chief nursing officer and senior research lead at the ICB, said: “Data plays an incredibly important role in how we plan, deliver and improve healthcare services, and ultimately helps to save lives. We can harness its power to carry out life-changing research helping us better understand diseases and their management.  

“We take many precautions to protect the privacy of individuals; however, we understand that the public will have many questions about how we keep their data safe and what we do to separate their identity from the data, how we keep their personal information safe, and what is the process of “de-identification”, and these sessions will help answer them.

“We are keen to shape the future of healthcare through meaningful conversations and insights with the public.”

The session will take place on Friday 2 August, from 2pm to 4:30pm, at Preston North End Football Club. Secure your free place before Wednesday 31 July.

For further information visit: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/secure-data-environment-service