Prime Highlights:

• Baroness Nicola Blackwood has been appointed Chair of the Health Data Research Service (HDRS) to improve access to NHS data and accelerate medical research.
• The service will streamline data access for researchers while keeping patient information safe, enabling faster development of new treatments and therapies.

Key Facts:

• HDRS is backed by up to £600 million in funding from the Government and Wellcome.
• Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have agreed to the UK-wide approach, supporting a coordinated national strategy for health data research.

Background:

Patients across the UK are set to benefit from faster access to life-saving treatments, following the appointment of Baroness Nicola Blackwood as Chair of the Health Data Research Service (HDRS). The announcement, made by Health Innovation Minister Zubir Ahmed on 25 November at the Health Data User Conference in London, highlights the government’s commitment to harnessing health data to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

With up to £600 million in funding from the Government and Wellcome, HDRS will make it easier for approved researchers to access NHS health data. By cutting red tape and providing a single secure access point to national datasets, the service will help develop new medicines and treatments faster while keeping patient information safe.

Baroness Blackwood, an experienced leader in life sciences and innovation, will lead the service. She is Chair of Oxford University Innovation and Genomics England, sits on the boards of BioNTech and RTW Biotech Opportunities, and has a strong record of supporting research and healthcare advancements.

Minister Ahmed said the appointment will help create a modern NHS. Using NHS data safely will speed up research and allow patients to get new treatments more quickly.

HDRS is designed to provide “research-ready” data, available through a single, transparent front door. Researchers will only use the data they need for their studies in secure systems, and special methods will be used to keep patient information safe.

The plan is supported across the UK, with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland on board. It is part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Plan and will help the UK lead in medical research and innovation.

Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Medical Officer for Wales, said HDRS is an important step that will support research, improve patient care, and help grow the life sciences sector.