A survey to gauge public attitudes on health data sharing and how it is used for research will help the SDE communicate better to the public.
The SDE’s recent public attitudes survey received 73 responses, collected from individuals with a range of backgrounds, experiences to give a broad perspective on public attitudes toward health data use.
The findings will help identify gaps in understanding, track changes in public attitudes over time and ensure that views of a wider range of people are captured beyond those who attend engagement events and activities.
The insights will help inform future engagement activities, ensuring the SDE can focus on the topics that matter most to the public.
The survey revealed strong support for using health data in research, particularly when it helps improve healthcare, develop new treatments and deliver clear public benefit. The value of research was recognised, but the importance of privacy, anonymity, security and transparency were highlighted.
People said they were generally more comfortable with NHS organisations using health data, than with non-NHS organisations They wanted greater transparency about who can access data, how it is protected and how research benefits patients and communities.
Overall, the findings suggest that public confidence can be strengthened through clear communication, robust safeguards, meaningful public involvement and continued demonstration of the positive impact that health data research can have on healthcare and patient outcomes.
A summary of the survey can be found here.