BRIDE: Improving access to NHS data to support research and care

Health services generate large amounts of data that could be used to improve patient care and support research. However, at present it is difficult to use this data effectively.

Information is held in different systems that don’t work well together. Data pipelines are fragmented and governance processes for sharing data are often unclear or slow. Handling large and complex datasets can also be inefficient.

The Bristol Research and Innovation Data Engineering (BRIDE) hub will address these challenges. It’s a partnership between the Bristol BRC, University of Bristol, University of the West of England, North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.

Public engagement work shows that people support the use of NHS data for public benefit when privacy is protected and how it’s used is transparent.

Project aims

The aim of BRIDE is to create a strong, shared data engineering team. This will make it easier, faster and safer to use NHS data for research and service improvement.

The project will develop new tools and automated data pipelines to help researchers find data, define patient groups and assess data quality. It will also put in place clear governance frameworks so data can be accessed securely and responsibly.

BRIDE will test and develop AI and machine-learning tools using real NHS research use cases.

What we hope to achieve

BRIDE will enable high-quality research that improves patient outcomes and supports better NHS decision-making. It will attract further funding, support industry partnerships and lead to new studies.

By training NHS and academic staff, BRIDE will also build long-term local expertise, positioning Bristol as a leader in data-driven healthcare research.