Frequently Asked Questions

The Health Data Research Service has been set up to unite the UK’s fragmented health and care data, for research. By establishing a single front door for approved researchers access data to conduct approved research, HDRS will help speed up the discovery and development of new treatments and technologies.

HDRS is supported by up to £500m from Government, and £100m from Wellcome. This scale of investment demonstrates the huge potential of HDRS to improve research that can lead to better care for patients.

The research enabled by HDRS will drive medical innovations, breakthroughs and improved care for the population of the UK and beyond.

HDRS has been set up with the ability to move quickly, to establish a system which is clearer and easier to use.

The service will work with systems across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, building on and connecting what works best.

It means working across Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland to enable approved researchers to study data from across the UK, with consistent standards and safeguards.

HDRS will provide services that will support researchers to design, plan and deliver clinical trials.

HDRS is not disease specific. It will enable access to health and care data at scale for approved research into physical health, mental health and care. Dementia has been announced as one of our first priorities, as an early opportunity to show what better access to data can achieve.

Protecting patient data is our top priority. The service will be built with the highest safety and security measures, using the best technology. Data will remain in secure environments that follow established safeguards.

Access will always be limited to approved researchers working on approved projects.

Public and patient involvement will be central to how the service is designed and governed. Plans are being developed and further details will be shared on our Work with us page – or sign up to our newsletter below to keep up to date.

Using health data for research helps improve understanding, treatment and care. Each UK nation has its own approach to opting out. Please check with your local health authority for details.

Dementia remains one of the greatest health and social care challenges facing the country. Nearly one million people are living with the condition in the UK today, and around one in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime, either living with the condition, being a carer or both.

The condition places enormous pressure on families, carers, the NHS, and social care services. Dementia is estimated to cost the UK more than £42 billion a year, with the vast majority of costs falling on social care and unpaid care provided by family and friends, and the cost to the NHS at £7 billion.

The BARBARA Alliance, a UK-wide not-for-profit partnership bringing together government, industry, academia, charities and people with lived experience of dementia. Officially launched on 10 July 2026 it is part of the government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme.

The service complements the work of The BARBARA Alliance. The Alliance helps more people take part in trials, while the Health Data Research Service gives scientists the evidence and insight needed to design better studies and drive new discoveries which could bring treatments to patients faster. You can read more in our news story here