A profile of the Grampian Data Safe Haven, a regional Scottish safe haven for health and population data research

There has been a recent emphasis to establish and codify large-scale or national Trusted Research Environments (TREs) in the United Kingdom, with a view to limit smaller, local TREs. The basis for this argument is that it avoids duplication of infrastructure, information governance, privacy risks, monopolies and will promote innovation, particularly with commercial partners. However, the work around establishing TREs in the UK largely ignores the long-established local TRE landscape in Scotland, and the way in which local TREs can actually improve data quality, solve technical architecture challenges, promote information governance and risk minimisation, and encourage innovation and collaboration (both academic and commercial). This data centre profile focuses on the Grampian Data Safe Haven (DaSH),a secure, virtual healthcare data analysis and storage centre located in Aberdeen, Scotland. DaSH was co-established by the NHS Grampian Health Board and University of Aberdeen to allow for the secure processing and linking of health data for the Grampian and Scottish population when it is not practicable to obtain consent from individual patients. As an established trusted research envi