We are working within a highly regulated environment. All SDEs must comply with existing legal frameworks and NHS legislation to keep data safe and ensure it is used correctly.
The UK has high data protection standards to control how personal information is used. These include:
- NHS Constitution for England
- Health and Social Care Act 2012
- Data Protection Act 2018
- DHSC Data Access Policy
- The Data Ethics Framework 2020
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
- Caldicott Principles
- Freedom of Information Act
- Standards set by the National Data Guardian
The Wessex Secure Data Environment established a Programme Board to decide on, and oversee, the work of the SDE. They are overseen by an Executive Sponsor Group, from the the Integrated Care Boards of Dorset, and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The Wessex SDE also adopts the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust policies and operational procedures. While this is an interim measure it ensures that we maintain the highest standards as expected from an NHS body.
Throughout the design phase of the SDE, we will be working with people, patients, and professionals in Wessex to co-design the effective and independent governance. This is being developed in the context of national policy, to ensure that meets the needs and expectations of all partners in our region, and the wider NHS Research SDE Network.