It will use its expertise to securely link non identifiable patient data from primary care, such as from general practice, with secondary care data, such as from hospitals.

The service is expected to be up-and-running from September 2012 and be available for all users of health and social care information, in order to drive improvements in care, enterprise and innovation.

This will allow, for the first time, healthcare researchers to examine a joined-up journey of patient care from primary and secondary care; providing unequalled levels of information that will drive improvements in treatment and outcomes.

Potential customers would include NHS and public health organisations, research services (including CPRD), researchers and commercial companies; subject to each satisfying strict information governance requirements.

NHS Information Centre Chief Executive Tim Straughan said: “The service will unlock the huge potential that such information has to drive ground-breaking research and benefit patient care. We will draw on our expertise in providing high quality information in a safe and secure way, delivering this service as part of our programme of work as England's central and authoritative source of health and social care information.”

The NHS IC will work closely on this service with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), who will be developing a separate but complementary new secure data service – the Clinical Practice Research Data link (CPRD) – to service the specialised needs of the research and life sciences community.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, central, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk