Wessex Secure Data Environment - Home Part of the NHS Research Secure Data Environment Network NHS

Unlocking Real-World Impact Researcher Resources

Welcome to the Wessex Secure Data Environment (SDE) – your gateway to high-impact health research. As part of the NHS Research SDE Network, we provide approved researchers with secure, timely access to pseudonymised NHS patient health and care data, enabling innovations that directly benefit patients and communities.

How to Access the Wessex SDE
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Accelerating health innovation

Our mission is to accelerate health innovation for real-world impact.

We excel at transforming research into practical health solutions that directly improve lives and address today’s healthcare challenges. We provide researchers with secure access to comprehensive, near real-time NHS data, enabling faster translation of insights into impactful healthcare and service improvements.

We set the global standard for secure, responsible research. The Wessex SDE provides a highly secure computing environment that meets the ISO 27001 standard for information security, ensuring robust data protection and compliance with industry-leading best practice and review.

We are practical partners in high-impact research. Our team offers extensive expertise in NHS datasets, practical problem-solving capabilities, and clinical collaborations to translate research ambitions into reality. We support researchers through the process of securing necessary access approvals for their proposed research.

Deeply connected to our communities, the Wessex SDE ensures research reflects genuine local needs. We engage closely with our public and patient representatives, incorporating their values and priorities into every stage of research design and delivery, ensuring our work serves real community interests.

How to access the Wessex SDE 

The Wessex SDE is purpose-built for researchers aiming to deliver impactful healthcare solutions. Our streamlined processes enable rapid, secure, and responsible use of NHS data. With robust data protection measures in place – ensuring patient confidentiality is always maintained and all research demonstrates clear public or NHS benefits – you can confidently transform health data into meaningful insights and real-world outcomes.

A female researcher stands on a platform and looks through a large microscope, symbolising close examination and detailed analysis.

Start your research journey with us

1. Explore and Connect

Reach out to our team for advice, initial guidance, and rapid assessment of your research needs. Start the conversation at WessexSDE@uhs.nhs.uk.

2. Apply and Collaborate

Complete our straightforward Data Access Request Form, outlining your research aims and data requirements. We’ll provide an initial feasibility response within 2–5 working days and guide you through a comprehensive governance and technical review to ensure your project meets public benefit requirements before submission to the Wessex Data Access Committee for a decision.

3. Access and Accelerate

Once approved, you will gain secure access to cutting-edge analytical tools and our dedicated research support services, powered by the globally trusted EDGE platform. This enables you to manage your research efficiently and safely, delivering faster, impactful results.

Services and research tools available  

For all approved research projects, we provide a secure and fully supported workspace within the Wessex SDE.

To discuss how Wessex SDE can support your specific research requirements, please contact us at:  WessexSDE@uhs.nhs.uk 

Standard Secure Workspace

Includes:

  • User-friendly interfaces for essential data exploration, analytics, and cohort dashboarding.
  • Advanced analytical environments (Jupyter Notebook, Nextflow).
  • Base computing resources suitable for most clinical analytical needs.
  • Expanded infrastructure available on request (GPUs, additional storage for imaging or genomic data).
Expert Consultancy Services:

The Wessex SDE offers a suite of specialised consultancy services to strengthen and streamline your research project:

  • AI and Machine Learning solutions and strategic advice
  • Clinical expertise and support
  • Contracting, legal, and data governance assistance
  • Data access application guidance
  • Dedicated specialist support (Data Analysts, Data Scientists)
  • Epidemiological analyses
  • Detailed feasibility assessments
  • Health economics analyses
  • Project management and oversight
  • Real-World Data (RWD) monitoring aligned to FDA guidance
  • Retrospective studies (please enquire for prospective research needs)
Analytical Tools Available:

Included Tools (standard access):

  • Docker images for analytical software
  • Azure BLOB Storage and Azure Fileshare
  • Azure Virtual Desktop
  • Cohort Builder
  • Git connectivity (secured by Wessex SDE)
  • Jupyter Notebook
  • Python, R, and R Studio environments

Optional Tools (additional charges may apply):

  • Azure Data Factory (ADF)
  • Azure DevOps
  • Azure Machine Learning (ML)
  • MATLAB
  • MySQL
  • Office 365
  • Power BI
  • PyCharm Community Edition
  • SAS
  • SPSS
  • Spyder
  • Stata
  • Visual Studio (VS) Code extensions
Additional Platform Services:

“Bring Your Own Tool”: flexibility to securely integrate external analytical tools into your workspace.

  • “Bring Your Own Code”: securely import and run your own analytical code.
  • Custom computing power configurations available to suit project needs.
  • Secure workspace lifecycle management (setup, maintenance, decommissioning).
  • Long-term secure data storage to support regulatory submissions.

To discuss how Wessex SDE can support your specific research requirements, please contact us at: WessexSDE@uhs.nhs.uk

Data Use Register

As part of our transparency commitment, all research projects that use the Secure Data Environment (SDE) are listed on our Data Use Register.

We plan to publish additional information about the outcomes and impact of research projects that have used the Wessex SDE. This will include sharing links to research papers and presentation materials developed with our researcher partners to support future public and researcher engagement.

Two researchers in lab coats stand by a scientific presentation board, one explaining data visualisations including a DNA strand and molecule diagram.

Search

How to navigate the fields of the Data User Register of Wessex SDE

Project Title
The project title is the name of the research. It can sound technical or academic but gives a quick idea of what the study is about.
Lay Summary
The lay summary is a clear, simple explanation of the research, outlining its purpose, how researchers will do it, and expected outcomes for easy understanding.
Public Benefit Statement
Researchers must demonstrate a clear public benefit to access NHS patient data, saying how the study may improve healthcare, patient care, or deliver broader social value.
Health Category (HCRS Category)
The Health Category (HCRS Category) is used to classify diseases or conditions that the research focuses on, such as cancer, diabetes, or mental health. It ensures clear and consistent descriptions of health issues.
Sponsor Organisation
The sponsor is the individual, organisation or partnership that takes on overall responsibility for proportionate, effective arrangements being in place to set up, run and report a research project, ensuring that it meets agreed objectives and conditions. They might not conduct the research themselves, but instead use specialist or NHS researchers or teams to do the actual work.
Contracting Organisation
The contracting organisation is the team or organisation that is actively carrying out the research itself. This could be a university, an NHS hospital trust, a specialist research unit, or a charity with expertise in health research. Identifying the research organisation helps clarify who is directly responsible for conducting the study.
Unique ID
Each research project receives a short, unique identifier code to assist in easy tracking and referencing within NHS systems. This code helps administrators, researchers, and auditors clearly tell one project from another. For example, a Unique ID might look like SDE_YH_PROJ_DC40.
Date of Counter-signed DAA/DSA
The date of the signed Data Access Agreement (DAA) or Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) shows when researchers were officially allowed to use NHS data.
Period of DAA
The Period of DAA is the time allowed for researchers to access and use NHS data for research. It sets a clear start and end date for data access.