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Welcome to the network for Safe Data Access Professionals (SDAP).

The SDAP network facilitates the sharing of expertise, good practice and knowledge between organisations providing, or intending to provide, secure access to confidential data from the health, economics, and social science research sectors.

The network holds regular meetings and produces guides and resources for those working within the data landscape.  Across 2021-2024 ESRC funding is supporting the network to plan strategically how to meet the needs of a rapidly developing landscape and community of secure data access professionals.

The network was first established in 2011 by Tanvi Desai (formally of the London School of Economics and Administrative Data Service) as an informal group of specialists working with secure data access issues in Trusted Research Environments. From 2021-2024, UKDS (UK Data Service) has been responsible for developing and delivering the SDAP membership service, bringing a fresh and dynamic approach to working with the SDAP Steering Group on strategic development and core operations.

Find out more about what we do.

To date, the network is made up of over 60 representatives from over 20 organisations:

• Cancer Research UK
• Central Statistics Office, Ireland
• ESRC
• Genomics England
• German Cancer Research Centre
• GESIS – Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences
• HMRC Data Lab
• NatCen Social Research
• NDORMS – University of Oxford
• NHS Digital – Trusted Research Environment
• Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service
• Public Health Scotland
• Research Data Scotland
• The Evidence Quarter (What Works Network)
• The Health Foundation
• The Alan Turing Institute
• UCL
• UK Data Service
• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Leeds
• University of Liverpool
• University of Manchester
• University of Sheffield
• Swansea University

If you are working in a secure data facility, or have been tasked with setting one up, then check out our free guidance and resources, plus, join our network to attend our events to confer directly with experienced specialists. To join, please review our membership joining details and then contact us