About SDE data
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Health data on the North West SDE comes from the three Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in Our region to provide a federated Secure Data Environment for research.
How does this work?
Data can be linked across different NHS data sets then de-identified (removing names, addresses, dates of birth and NHS numbers). More information is on the How data is protected page.
This de-identified data for each approved study will be taken from the data stores in the selected ICBs and placed into a secure workspace. Approved users are given access to analytical tools within this workspace to complete their research.
Users may bring their own data into the SDE.
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About SDE technology
What technology is used on the North West SDE?
Data on the North West SDE is stored in a Microsoft Azure Trusted Research Environment on the Microsoft Azure Cloud. All platforms are fully compliant with security and information governance standards for managing data within the NHS.
A tool is available to support aggregate exploration of the data to answer feasibility questions.
More information about the analytical tools available on the platform is on the Why use the SDE page.
Types of data available
The different types of data curated through the SDE are:
- Structured – for example, lab results, blood pressure readings
- Unstructured – for example, CT/MRI scans, digital pathology
- Semi-structured – for example, letters and assessment templates.
The North West SDE is initially focusing on onboarding structured assets however unstructured assets listed will be available in the future.
Analytical tools on the North West SDE
There are a host of industry-leading analytical tools available for users on the SDE, including but not limited to:
- DataBricks
- Azure ML & MLflow
- Cyclecloud (manages High Performance Computing (HPC) in Azure)
- Gitea (a Git mirror, so code can be shared)
- InnerEye (medical image analysis/deep learning)
- MySQL
The SDE is also designing Bring Your Own Technology Protocols to enables users to bring their own technology to the platform.
The tables below outline the different datasets that will be brought on to the North West SDE:
Roadmap – Phase 1
Phase 1: Datasets Content GP Data Demographics, conditions, events, medications, values and interventions recorded in primary care and conformed to OMOP standard. Secondary Users Service (SUS) Inpatient, outpatient and AED Activity Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMDS) Referrals, appointments, inpatient details, Care Programme Approach (CPA) Pathways, Care Plans Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS) – NHS England Digital Local Acute Clinical data flows Data Asset from local Acute providers that places data on acute care into a standard OMOP structure for analysts Local Mental Health Data Flows (Mental Health Innovation Centre) Local mental health data flow direct from Roadmap – Phase 2
Phase 2: Datasets Content Maternity Service Dataset Ante Natal, Post Natal and Birth Data Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS) – NHS England Digital Psychological Therapies Dataset (IAPT) Information on people receiving psychological therapies
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Data Set – NHS England DigitalCivil Registration Deaths Civil Registration Births Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DIDS) The Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DID) is a central collection of detailed information about diagnostic imaging tests carried out on NHS patients, extracted from local Radiology Information Systems (RISs) and submitted monthly Statistics » Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (england.nhs.uk) Community Services Dataset (CSDS) Diagnoses, Care Plans, Immunisations, Medications, Referrals
Community Services Data Set (CSDS) – NHS England DigitalFaster Data Flows (FDF) Patient Level Information Costing System (PLICS) Patient level data across secondary, primary and community care that enables understanding of costed activity Patient Level Information and Costing System (PLICS) Data Collections – NHS England Digital National Cancer Waiting Times Dataset Patients waiting for routine surgery or appointments for cancer National Child Measurement Programme Cancer Registry Data NCRAS builds a longitudinal, health-care event-based linked dataset on every cancer patient. The data contains Data on diagnosis, tests, cancer staging and treatment for cancer patients Cancer – NDRS (digital.nhs.uk) Adult social care Referrals, Events, Alerts, Classifications, Disabilities, Care Plans, Services, Practitioners. Adult Social Care Data – NHS England Digital National Waiting Lists Minimum Dataset Patients waiting for routine surgery or appointments Statistics » Waiting List Minimum Data Set (WLMDS) Information (england.nhs.uk) Vaccines Immunisations Management Service (NIVS) Immunisations records ePACT prescribing data Ambulance (NWAS/111)
Useful links
- More information on the data available on the North West SDE is available on the Metadata Catalogue page.
- A list of approved requests already using the North West SDE is in our Data Use Register.