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What technology is used on the North West SDE?
Data on the North West SDE is stored in a Microsoft Azure TRE (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 NWSDE 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
- OHDSI (Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics)
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 Digital |
| Civil 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 Digital |
| Faster 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) |