Goldacre Report

Improving research and analysis with NHS data

12/7/22

Better, broader, safer: using health data for research and analysis

The Goldacre review was tasked with finding ways to deliver better, broader, safer use of NHS data for analysis and research.

The recommendations are derived from extensive engagement with over 300 individuals, 8 focus groups, 100 written submissions, substantial desk research, and detailed discussion with our senior stakeholder group.

Report topic areas

  • Security
  • Modern methods
  • Data curation
  • Data analysts
  • Governance
  • Strategy

Security

  • All NHS policies should acknowledge the shortcomings of ‘pseudonymisation’ for managing patient privacy

  • Build a small number of secure analytics platforms (Trusted Research Environments)

  • Shut down all flows of psudonymised GP data as soon as TREs are built

Security

  • Create faster data access rules and processes for safe users

  • Use TREs for all analysis of NHS patient records by NHS staff, academics and innovators

  • Publish logs of all TRE activity

Modern methods

  • Reproducible Analytical Pathways should be the minimum standard for all NHS data analysis

  • All code for NHS data curation and analysis should be shared openly

  • Fund competitive, high status, standalone software projects and developers

Data curation

  • Stop doing data curation differently and duplicatively in every team and project

  • Recognise NHS data curation as a complex, high status technical challenge

  • Devote teams to systematic curation work, using shared practices, code, tools, and documentation

  • Create an open online library for NHS data curation code, validity tests, and technical documentation

Data analysts careers

  • Create an NHS Analyst Service modelled on the Government Economic Service and Statistical Service

  • NHS Analyst Service should have:

    • a head of profession
    • clear job descriptions tied to technical skills
    • progression opportunities to become a senior analyst
    • realistic salaries for expensive specific skills

Data analysis training

  • Create an Open College for NHS Analysts

  • The Open College should provide initial training and continuing professional development tied to job descriptions

  • All Open College content should be shared openly online

  • Train senior non-analysts and leaders to be good customers of data teams

Governance

  • End trusts and GPs all acting as separate data controllers

  • Create a single application for all ethics, governance, and access permissions

  • Publish access delays annually

Governance

  • Get appropriate financial return where marketable innovations are driven by NHS data

  • Avoid exclusive commercial arrangements

  • Disclose all funding for TREs including: source, amount, recipients, objectives, and outputs

Strategy

  • Rapidly create Data Pioneer Groups to develop open methods, code, and technical documentation

  • Data Pioneer Groups should initially be separate from ‘business as usual’, but should incrementally subsume it

Strategy

  • Create very senior strategic leadership roles for developers, data architects and data scientists

  • Develop a common TRE service run by civil servants

References

  • Report website

  • Executive summary

  • Jess Morley’s superb synthesis of all 9 UK strategic initiatives for health data