News

TVS SDE Programme Director Kerrie Woods recognised with international Women Leading IT Award

We are delighted to share that Kerrie Woods, Director of Research & Development Clinical Informatics at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), has been recognised with a 2026 Info-Tech Women Leading IT Award. The international award celebrates women whose leadership is driving innovation and transformation in…

Work experience placement: welcoming a new perspective

Earlier this year, the TVS SDE team supported A-level student, Megan Worroll-Wood, through a work experience placement, giving her an opportunity to learn more about the programme and contribute a young person’s perspective to our work. Megan reflected on her experience:   “I am an A-Level student who is…

Improving the access process

Over the past 18 months, we have been reviewing how our access process works in practice and using feedback from users, partners and colleagues to make it clearer, more proportionate and easier to navigate. This has included looking at how we can improve the experience for applicants, while also making…

First-of-type multi-SDE approval

TVS SDE is the first Secure Data Environment in the network to secure approval for routine multi-SDE working. Building on the legal and ethical approvals already in place for the TVS SDE, the new approval allows SDEs to securely share and receive de-identified data between NHS SDEs for approved projects,…

National research framework reinforces the value of SDEs

NHS England has published a new Framework for NHS Boards: Monitoring Research Activity, setting out expectations for NHS Boards to take a more active role in monitoring, supporting and embedding research across their organisations. While the framework is wider than Secure Data Environments, it includes some important messages for…

TVS SDE leads national blueprint for regional SDEs

The Health Data Research Service (HDRS) continues to move from planning into delivery, with major investment in new Data Driver Projects and Technical Transformation Projects designed to improve how researchers discover, access and use health data across the UK. These projects will help develop new services, tools…

New videos showcase the impact of TVS Secure Data Environment

Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE) has launched a new series of case study videos, developed with Telefónica Tech and Starlight, highlighting how secure access to health and care data is transforming research and improving outcomes for patients. The videos were designed to tell…

New report shares public views on linking health and non-health data

On 2 July 2026, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care published a new report exploring public views on linking health data with information held by other public services. The findings are based on a national public engagement programme involving more than 2,000 people, alongside workshops…

Kerrie Woods nominated for Excellence Award

Members of the TVS SDE attended the Staff Recognition Awards on Thursday 18 June at the John Radcliffe Hospital to celebrate excellence at the Oxford University Hospitals (OUH). Alex Kingston hosted the awards evening– you can read more about her experiences as a patient at OUH in our…

Opportunity to join our committees as a public member

We’re looking for new public members for our committees  Can you help make sure that our health and care data is used in a trustworthy and transparent way?  Both the TVS Care Records Partnership and the TVS Secure Data Environment (SDE) are committed to including patients and…

We’re looking for new health and care committee members

Can you help make sure that our health and care data is used for research and analysis in a trustworthy and transparent way?  We’re looking for a number of new health and care member roles for the Thames Valley & Surrey Secure Data Environment Services and data Access Review Committee…

Thames Valley and Surrey SDE – Highly Commended at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2026

  The Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE) has been Highly Commended in the Data Integration Project of the Year category at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2026, which celebrate outstanding collaboration between NHS organisations and industry partners. Being Highly Commended places…

SDE Network Lunch & Learn: Attitudes to Healthcare Data for Planning and Research

  On 26th Feb 2026, the Thames Valley & Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE) hosted an SDE Network Lunch & Learn session focused on attitudes to healthcare data for planning and research, with a particular emphasis on engaging seldom‑heard communities. The session was presented by Sian and brought together…

Food, Safety, then Data: Attitudes to Healthcare Data for Planning & Research

As part of it’s worked with TVS SDE, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley (HIOTV) have worked with Groundswell, launching ‘Food, Safety, then Data: Attitudes to Healthcare Data for Planning & Research’, presenting views on health and care data from people with lived experience of homelessness. This work explores…

We’re Recruiting!

We’re delighted to launch a series of exciting new roles and opportunities across the Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE), hosted by the R&D Clinical Informatics Team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) Currently advertised roles: Access Process Manager (Band 7): We…

TVS SDE shortlisted for national HSJ award

Thames Valley and Surrey health data research programme shortlisted for national award The Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE) is shortlisted in the Data Integration Project of the Year category at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2026, which celebrate outstanding collaboration between NHS organisations and industry…

TVS SDE event

On 5 December, the Thames Valley & Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE) hosted an event in Oxford, chaired by Dr Ben Attwood (SRO, TVS SDE) that brought together the TVS SDE team and committee members. This event provided an opportunity for participants to connect, share updates, and acknowledge the…

National PPIE Event

On Tuesday November 4th, Hilary Fanning, SRO for the NHS England Data for R&D held a national event in London that brought together patients and public members who support the work of Secure Data Environments across England. Public members attended from Thames Valley and Surrey and the national SDE…

Insights from Public Engagement on NHS Data Preferences

Earlier this year, Thinks Insight & Strategy was commissioned by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care to lead a national public engagement programme focused on public trust in health and social care data use. The latest phase of the programme explored the current opt-out landscape, and…

Gypsy, Roma & Travellers: Attitudes to Healthcare Data for Planning & Research – Report availible

As part of it’s work with the TVS SDE,  Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley recently collaborated with Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) on a vital qualitative engagement project: “Gypsy, Roma & Travellers: Attitudes to Healthcare Data for Planning & Research”. This work highlights crucial insights into how healthcare data…

Health Research Showcase in Oxford 29th May 2025

The TVS SDE joined the Health Research Showcase on 29 May 2025. Researchers from Oxford’s two NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRC) took over the city’s Westgate Centre. We joined the…

TVS SDE Featured on Radio 4 Broadcasting House

The Thames Valley & Surrey SDE was proud to be featured on BBC R4’s Broadcasting House programme, transmitted on Sunday 11th May. The report included interviews with Ben Attwood, Fergus Gleeson and patient representative Non Hill, and was followed by an interview with Sir…

NHS Hospitals Interoperability Summit

The Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment is hosted by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH). The TVS SDE Team are working with Starlight Consulting, as a healthcare strategy partner, and Telefonica Tech for technical expertise and experience in data…

NIHR RRDN Primary Care Research Symposium

Members of the Thames Valley & Surrey Secure Data Environment Team attended the NIHR South Central Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) Primary Care Research Symposium which was held this year on 6th May 2025 in Reading. This event, attended by over 150 delegates, brought together research interested GPs and…

TVS SDE – New National Data Service

The Prime Minister made an announcement on Monday 7th April regarding UK Governments commitment to delivering a Health Data Research Service.  As I am sure you will agree, this is a very exciting initiative which will deliver significant health benefits to UK public and patients.   We are working closely…

Oxford Joint Research Office Seminar – The Thames Valley and Surrey Secure Data Environment: What does it mean for me?

The TVS SDE joined the Oxford Joint Research Office Seminar on Tuesday 11 February 2025.  The seminar featured talks from Kerrie Woods (OUH) and Professor Jim Davies (TVS SDE Chief Technology Officer) about progress, data architecture, and work to enable access to data. It was followed by a panel discussion…

Closed: Health and Care Members needed

Can you help make sure that our health and care data is used for research and analysis in a trustworthy and transparent way?  Health & Care Members needed for the Thames Valley & Surrey (TVS) Secure Data Environment (SDE) Services and data Access Review Committee (SARC). If you’re interested…

Closed: Public Members Needed

Can you help make sure that our health and care data is used for research and analysis in a trustworthy and transparent way?  Public Members needed for the Thames Valley & Surrey (TVS) Secure Data Environment (SDE) Services and data Access Review Committee (SARC). If you’re interested in applying,…

Understanding Patient Data (UPD)

Understanding Patient Data (UPD) have shared an animation created as a result of their What Words To Use project. The project focused on exploring the best language to use when explaining Secure Data Environments and Trusted Research Environments to the public. Watch the full video here, further…