UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration v.1
Research type
Research Database
IRAS ID
290946
Contact name
Andy Boyd
Contact email
Research summary
UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0446
Date of REC Opinion
13 Nov 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) is a new approach for linking together the data collected by 15 different longitudinal studies with the health and administrative records of the people taking part in these studies. Longitudinal studies are research studies which follow the health and wellbeing of defined groups of people/occupants of selected houses over time. The UK LLC will provide a secure computing setting where these data can be used in research. Data from each contributing study can be analysed with data from other studies. By doing this we will increase the accuracy of the research and enable researchers to study small population groups in more detail. All the data will be first processed by the original study and the NHS so that identifiers (e.g. name, address, NHS ID) are removed. The data will be stored and analysed in a specially designed secure research computer. No data can leave this system and researchers using the system are audited to make sure they are following the rules. There are governance processes in place to make sure that the data can only be used to help improve the public good and cannot be used for profit making purposes.
Research programme
This work is being conducted now in order to inform the UK’s COVID-19 research programme. Longitudinal studies are able to help in a unique way. They are collecting new data during COVID-19. This can help identify and possibly explain patterns in COVID-19 status and also the effects of lockdown on physical and mental health. It can also help understand the interaction between health and wellbeing relating to the home, work and personal finances, and the neighbourhoods and areas in which people live. The researchers using the resource will work to answer the priority questions set by government and from the NHS. The findings will be fed back to help guide policy and health care decisions.
Research database title
UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration
Establishment organisation
University of Bristol
Establishment organisation address
Beacon House
Queens Road
Bristol
BS8 1QU