HSCIC data lab to launch in March

The Health and Social Care Information Centre will launch a secure data lab for viewing sensitive patient data in March, allowing it to support the pathfinder stage of NHS England’s controversial care.data programme.

It is currently considering four separate but not exclusive options for secure data access, including a physical facility in Leeds.

The HSCIC started developing plans for a secure data facility to address public concerns about data privacy, after a review conducted by HSCIC board member Sir Nick Partridge found “lapses” in how its predecessor organisation, the NHS Information Centre, shared patient data.

In July, HSCIC chief executive Andy Williams said the organisation was working on plans for a secure data lab, in which organisations can view sensitive patient data in a sealed environment, rather than sending it out to them.

However, he said the HSCIC had not yet decided whether a data lab would become the only way to access the data or whether some organisations could still have data sent to them.

“It’s a really tricky one: some people say we really ought to only use a data lab service, and some people say that’s a bit inhibitive, but we know it needs to feature in some way. We’ll go through a consultation process to draw the line on, is it for all or is it for some?”

According to a progress report on the Partridge review, released recently by the HSCIC, the organisation developed four potential solutions for secure access to data after a consultation process that included researchers, charities, NHS bodies, data analysis companies and campaign groups. They are:

• A secure physical facility, based in Leeds, where authorised users will be able to access the data.

• A partnership across two or more organisations to provide a network of secure data facilities, in which data remains in the HSCIC but can be accessed from these secure settings.

• Secure remote access, enabling remote and secure virtual access to data with data remaining in the HSCIC.

• A public and open data system allowing the wide range of people who use data to “self-serve” and look at anonymised information, rather than requesting bespoke data.

An HSCIC spokesperson told EHI the solutions will be taken to an expert reference group, consisting of researchers, charities, state, patient representatives and commissioning bodies, to “further help the HSCIC flesh out which…should be developed further” by next spring.

The spokesperson said preparations are underway to make sure that a secure data facility is available in March 2015 to support care.data and the clinical commissioning groups acting as “pathfinders” to trial the programme.

They said the facility will allow access to a limited number of approved researchers on HSCIC premises, with approved applicants able to use and analyse the data, but not to take it away from the site.

“There will be tight regulations in place to ensure that any resulting analysis which is taken away is in anonymised form.”

The spokesperson said the HSCIC is also planning to implement a new remote secure access service by December 2015 for some data sets.

 “We are committed to taking the time necessary to ensure that we take all the feedback we have received into account so that any new data access arrangements can be properly used to achieve improvements in health and social care for all while protecting patient confidentiality,” the spokesperson said.