Better use of health information will save lives in the West Midlands
Every time you visit your local doctor or hospital, you could be helping save someone’s life.
It might be a family member or friend. At some point, their care might even save you.
That’s because every x-ray, blood test and treatment we have leads to information doctors and researchers can learn from. It’s how we get new life-saving medicines and treatments.
Our health data has been used to help others as well as ourselves for many years. It’s led to the better care and longer lives we have today.
Now the NHS is creating a new way for this to happen. It’s called the West Midlands Secure Data Environment (West Midlands SDE).
The West Midlands Secure Data Environment will bring together people’s health and care information from across the West Midlands region. Having such a large amount of useful data to study will make it easier for doctors and researchers to find the answers to important health questions.
They’ll learn more about the health conditions that affect lots of us – and the less common ones suffered by just a few.
They’ll also discover ways to help people living in areas of the West Midlands where health is poorer and lives are shorter.
Having a much better picture of the health of people in our region will mean they’ll be able to find new medicines and treatments, while reducing the side effects of those we already have.
We’ll also see new ways of working in health services that will be better for our care. People who plan our health and care services might also use the SDE to learn if those services are still right for people living in our local communities. Having that understanding will show them what might need to change, and how.
The West Midlands Secure Data Environment belongs to and is managed by the NHS. The areas involved are:
- Birmingham and Solihull
- Black Country
- Coventry and Warwickshire
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire
- Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
- Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
The West Midlands Secure Data Environment uses strict levels of privacy and security to protect people’s data and keep their personal details private. Local people are widely involved with the SDE to make sure this happens.
You can find out more about the West Midlands Secure Data Environment by visiting the West Midlands SDE website.
Or view one of these leaflets:
Saving lives in the West Midlands. Why we’re all part of a bigger health story.