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NHS Digital’s research role in Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Find examples of how NHS Digital is supporting research and data sharing during COVID-19. For the latest information about this and our wider work take a look at our coronavirus programme updates. 

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Lancet study into cardiovascular hospital admission research

New data from NHS Digital has been used by the University of Oxford to look at the weekly cardiac-related hospital admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in The Lancet, documents a reduction in admissions of patients with heart attacks in England by comparing weekly rates in 2020 to those in 2019.

Oxford RECOVERY trial finds effective treatment for COVID-19

Data from NHS Digital’s Secondary Uses Service (SUS+) and other data sets was used by scientists at the University of Oxford in the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial to help assess the effectiveness of potential treatments for the virus.

GPES data for pandemic planning and research

To support the response to the coronavirus outbreak, NHS Digital has been working with the GP profession to collect and analyse healthcare information about patients, including from their GP record, for the duration of the coronavirus emergency period. Find out how this collection is supporting COVID-19 research in this blog from Dr Peter Short, Clinical Lead for GP Data. 

Further information

internal Data Access Request Service (DARS)

The Data Access Request Service (DARS) can offer clinicians, researchers and commissioners the data required to help improve NHS services. We handle applications, process data and provide access to specific sets of data when requests are approved.

Last edited: 16 December 2021 8:42 am