Greater Manchester Care Record Research Database
Research type
Research Database
IRAS ID
319067
Contact name
George Tilston
Contact email
Research summary
Greater Manchester Care Record Research Database
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EM/0260
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The research database includes all patients that are registered with a Greater Manchester (GM) GP or have interacted with other NHS services in GM, and haven’t opted out of data sharing. As the data is derived from electronic health records, there is no need for anyone to identify potential participants or collect any data.
Graphnet Health Limited already stores and manages the database of patients in GM. This data originates from various GP and hospital systems and is used by clinicians for direct care. A replica of this database has been created and de-identified for research, meaning it doesn’t contain any identifiable patient information (i.e. name, address, full date of birth).
The database includes information from a patient’s GP, including demographics, Covid-19 tests and vaccinations, diagnoses, symptoms, observations, and medication prescriptions. It also includes basic hospital information for inpatient, outpatient, and emergency episodes.
Research programme
The GMCR provides de-identified UK health data for research purposes. Previous research using this database has evaluated the Covid-19 vaccination rollout, investigated self-harm trends in primary care during the pandemic, and compared outcomes between patients with severe mental illness and matched controls. Only approved researchers can access the data and study proposals are subject to a review by a range of stakeholders, from data controllers to statistical experts and public representatives. The GMCR has only been in operation for a short time and has led to five peer-reviewed journal publications, with many more studies currently ongoing. More information on completed studies can be found at https://gmwearebettertogether.com/research-and-planning/.
Research database title
Greater Manchester Care Record Research Database
Establishment organisation
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care
Establishment organisation address
Floor 4
3 Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BN