How to apply top section
As well as service-management requests from the NHS, DataLoch also considers applications from researchers who wish to securely access health and social care data from the South-East Scotland region. Researchers can be from private- and third-sector organisations, as well as from academic or clinical settings. Applicants and applications need to meet a number of key governance criteria to ensure their purposes are legitimate and in the public interest.
The DataLoch team works with applicants to understand the purpose and technical requirements of the project. Researchers must undertake training on how to work safely with data. We recommend either the ONS Safe Researcher Training course or the Research, GDPR and Confidentiality modules and quiz from the Medical Research Council.
Each project goes through careful scrutiny by NHS employees trained in data privacy, to ensure the request is appropriate and proportionate. Depending on the specific purposes and data required to support the project, ethical approval may also be required. Public Value Assessments from our Public Reference Group ensure that each approved project is in the public interest. We help guide applicants through any additional exceptional approvals.
Approved researchers can then access and analyse the data extracts within our secure data environment, which is dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of data and meet the best practice national standards for access and information security.
