The South West Secure Data Environment (SDE) enables research that’s faster, fairer and safer.
The South West SDE is an innovative and efficient approach to conducting research with millions of people’s health and care records, while maximising privacy and security.
It’s a secure platform for research and data analysis, being developed to the highest security standards. It enables trusted researchers to safely access data, including routinely collected data from the NHS and local government, for approved projects.
Health and care records, when brought together at a regional level, can provide vital information for new research. However, there is a potential conflict between the need for research that benefits the public and the necessity of protecting privacy. Achieving this balance is not easy.
The South West SDE means we can all benefit from research using people’s health and care records while providing strong safeguards that protect data security and privacy. It has the potential to revolutionise health research in the South West of England.
It is being developed by a consortium of partners across the region, including NHS bodies, local authorities, universities and research groups. Our SDE will enable groundbreaking projects, improving the lives of the people in our region and further afield.
