Leeds Institute for Data Analytics data now available through the SafePod Network

The Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA), University of Leeds, has joined the SafePod Network. Data stored and processed by LIDA, which was previously only available via LIDA’s physical safe rooms, can now be accessed by accredited researchers using SafePods across the UK. The SafePod Network is funded by ADR UK.

SafePods are standardised safe settings with the necessary security controls for researchers to securely access personal and other sensitive data for research. Members of the network include the Office for National Statistics, UK Data Service and Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank.

By joining the network, LIDA’s data is now available through 23 SafePods across the UK. LIDA also provides an important new contribution: its trusted research environment (known as LASER) will be the first on the network to accept data from external organisations, subject to application. This data will then be available remotely from SafePods. Organisations can therefore securely deposit and access sensitive and confidential data, and avoid the time- and resource-consuming process of setting up their own trusted research environments. This promises to make more data sources available for public good research.

Emma Gordon, Director of ADR UK, said: “Across ADR UK, we are working hard to improve equality of access to secure data across the UK. As such, it is fantastic that confidential data held in LASER will now become accessible to researchers across the UK – with the right permissions – through the SafePod Network. I am very pleased that the ADR UK programme has been able to facilitate this.”

To learn more about this story, read the original article on the SafePod Network website.