In a significant move aimed at revolutionizing the landscape of health research in the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has pledged to establish a central research service dedicated to health data storage. This initiative, backed by approximately £600 million from the UK government, is designed to streamline access to valuable public medical information, thereby enhancing research capabilities and patient care.

During a compelling speech delivered on Monday, Starmer outlined the objectives of the newly proposed Health Data Research Service. He emphasized that the system would “unlock patient data in our NHS for the public good,” underscoring its potential to facilitate “cutting-edge medicine” that could ultimately save lives. This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the crucial role that data plays in modern healthcare, particularly in enhancing treatment options and improving patient outcomes.

Last year, a pivotal government-backed review conducted by Cathie Sudlow, a prominent professor of neurology and clinical epidemiology at Edinburgh University, called for the establishment of a centralized service to manage and store health information within the NHS. The recommendations from this review garnered substantial support across Whitehall, resonating with ministers’ dual aspirations to improve data flow both within and between government departments and to leverage the vast amounts of public data currently held by the health service.

In her discussions with the Financial Times, Sudlow indicated that there had been extensive deliberations among key stakeholders, including the Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS, and the Office for Life Sciences. They explored the development of “transparent cost models” that would regulate how researchers are charged for accessing health data. This aspect is critical as it balances the need for cost recovery with the overarching goal of maintaining public trust in the system.

The government has stated that the new service is expected to be operational by the end of next year, with plans for it to charge research organizations for access to the data. Sudlow cautioned in her report that placing too much emphasis on selling data could erode trust, advising that the most sensible pricing models should focus on recovering costs rather than allowing the government to profit from data sales.

Currently, many companies and researchers pay to access anonymized NHS data on a cost-recovery basis, but the existing process is often seen as disjointed and overly complicated. Officials are optimistic that a centralized system will simplify this arrangement and enhance the efficiency of cost recuperation.

The Health Data Research Service will be headquartered at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire. However, there remains uncertainty regarding whether it will operate as part of the Department of Health and Social Care or function as a separate arm’s-length body. Starmer has previously expressed a commitment to abolish or merge arm’s-length bodies, often referred to as quangos, to reduce waste and restore ministerial control over various policy areas.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting articulated his enthusiasm for this initiative, stating, “We will unblock the barriers preventing our greatest scientists from safely accessing what they need to save patients’ lives — while keeping data secure.” He further asserted that this venture is expected to drive vital investments into the UK, positioning the country at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs.

In his address, Starmer also highlighted plans to expedite the clinical trial process in the UK, an essential component of medical research. He committed to reducing the average time required to set up a clinical trial from 250 days to just 150 days by March next year. This ambitious timeline reflects the government’s determination to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of medical research.

Emma Walmsley, the chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), praised the government’s commitment, expressing that the pharmaceutical company welcomes “the ambition and urgency” demonstrated in the announcements regarding health data and clinical trials. She noted that the UK has a unique opportunity to integrate health data securely with an NHS system that values innovation, enabling the acceleration and delivery of the next generation of medicines and vaccines for patients.