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Impact and Disseminating Results

The DARF collects information about how the results and impact of the proposed work will be shared. This helps us understand how findings will be made accessible beyond academic publications or specialist conferences, including to patients, members of the public, communities, services and decision makers.

The questions ask applicants to describe how results, learning and impact may be shared with relevant audiences. This could include press releases, social media, updates on public-facing websites, progress reports, feedback to patient groups, newsletters, community events, policy briefings, publications or conference presentations.

It is good practice for patients, public contributors and communities involved in the work, including through PPIE activities, to be told about the results and impact in a format they can access and understand.

If a request is approved, the SDE requires a yearly written update on project progress. When the work has been completed, or has otherwise ended, an impact statement will also be requested. These updates and the impact statement will be published on the SDE website as part of the Data Use Register.

The impact statement may ask for information such as:

  • project details: project name, organisations and individuals involved, contact details, and the data accessed;
  • outcomes: intended outcomes and what happened in practice;
  • impact: impact on patients, carers and families; the general population or specific communities; the health and care system; health and care staff; wider society; and economic indicators; and
  • dissemination: publications, conferences, further research, policy development, public communications or other routes used to share results.

Further guidance is available from the following HRA resources: