HDR UK selects new data partners for pilot RWE Network initiative

Seven data partners will join HDR UK's pilot RWE Network, which aims to establish a UK-wide research framework using interoperable health data across NHS settings.

Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) has announced the selection of seven data partners to join the pilot phase of its UK Real-World Evidence (RWE) Network, a national initiative aimed at streamlining cross-national research. This initiative aims to demonstrate the potential of the observational medical outcomes partnership (OMOP) common data model (CDM) in enabling efficient cross-nation research studies, with initial funding secured through June 2025.

The Network Co-ordination Centre is led by Daniel Prieto-Alhambra and colleagues at University of Oxford, in partnership with HDR UK. This pilot phase will serve as a proof of concept to establish a sustainable framework for federated research across the UK, enhancing the use of health data across diverse healthcare contexts.

HDR UK launched a funding call for data partners in July 2024, with proposals reviewed by a panel of representatives from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), HDR UK, and a public representative. After a thorough evaluation, the following institutions were selected for the pilot:

• Barts Health – Led by Jennifer Lane
• Clinical Practice Research Datalink (MHRA) – Led by Darren Lunn
• DataLoch (University of Edinburgh) – Led by Peter Hall
• Great Ormond Street Hospital – Led by Neil Sebire
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals – Led by Vishnu Chandrabalan
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals – Led by Geoff Hall
• University College London Hospital – Led by Andy South and Steve Harris

Each data partner will receive milestone-based funding to support the onboarding process, with additional payments provided for each successfully completed study. HDR UK highlighted that this pilot is specifically designed to test the operational capabilities of a UK-wide RWE network and explore its potential to facilitate robust research across the NHS.

Following onboarding, each partner will begin characterizing its health data assets. During the pilot phase, the network will conduct two ‘exemplar’ studies: the first will assess antibiotic use across primary and hospital care settings, while the second will examine the use of novel and high-cost medicines in various NHS contexts. Both studies are intended to generate evidence with direct relevance to health policy, while also identifying areas for future network development.

The OMOP CDM framework is integral to this network, facilitating data interoperability across institutions and supporting streamlined, cross-institutional studies. HDR UK has emphasized the model’s importance to the network’s success in establishing a foundation for collaborative research and enabling comprehensive, data-driven insights within the NHS.