Trusted Research Environment (TRE) application process
An outline of the procedures involved in applying to use the HIC TRE
Apply to use the TRE
We support responsible, secure use of NHS data for public benefit. To do this, all projects undergo clear governance checks based on the type of data involved. Your journey starts by getting in touch before applying for funding. We can assess the feasibility of your project and provide high-level data aggregates (e.g. estimated cohort size or sample counts) at no cost.
Once your project is funded, HIC will guide you through the appropriate approvals. Projects using data already held by HIC can often be initiated quickly. Projects requiring new data collection or involving multiple Safe Havens, may need additional approvals and take longer to start. A visual overview of the full project life cycle is available in the infographic below.
What you’ll need to access the TRE:
- A project protocol, including a plain language summary for our Project Registry)
- Evidence of completed information governance training
- A signed TRE User Agreement.
You can find more details about our governance services here.
Client journey
Cost
We do not own or sell data, but operate on a cost-recovery basis and cost for our team’s time and services provisioned. TRE projects vary in their costs, and the Principal Investigators’ affiliation – whether it is an academic, clinical or commercial project.
HIC TRE costs cover:
- Project discovery: Early project meetings will help us understand your requirements and objectives. Although we may not be collaborators, we will assist in developing the best possible project. During these meetings, we will discuss your research question, explore available datasets, and identify potential linkage opportunities. We can also provide aggregate data for feasibility calculations in grant applications, and offer detailed quotations for HIC services.
- Information Governance: We provide expert guidance to help you navigate the application process and secure the necessary approvals. Understanding and adhering to project-specific pathways can be complex, but our team is here to simplify the process. We also ensure compliance by retaining copies of all relevant documentation for auditing purposes, offering transparency and accountability.
- Infrastructure: Our flexible cloud infrastructure is designed to adapt to your project’s needs. We will discuss your requirements for computers, storage and software (including licencing), and provide a clear quotation. Our costing model includes shared TRE overheads (e.g. infrastructure maintenance and security) and project-specific costs (e.g. your TRE workspace costs).
- Data: Your project data extract will be curated by our expert Data team. They ensure the data is of high quality, securely stored, and uniquely linked (de-identified/minimised). The curated data is provided in your TRE workspace as ‘research ready’.
- Disclosure control: Before any data leaves the TRE, it undergoes thorough review to ensure compliance with our disclosure control processes. Our TRE Support Team will review all requested outputs, from draft summary results to graphs, to safeguard against unintended disclosure of individual-level data.