The UK Data Archive at the University of Essex have
co-authored a new guide to maintaining confidentiality when using secure data
for research. The Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) Handbook is published by
the Working Group for Safe Data Access Professionals and is available now online
and in print.
The handbook is designed to help people working in safe
settings who are responsible for SDC and researchers who want to publish
findings based on data held in a safe setting. It was written by eight leading
SDC experts – seven of whom are staff or former staff at the UK
Data Archive.
James Scott, User Services Senior Officer at the UK Data
Archive, says, “Statistical Disclosure Control is the process we use to make
sure published findings don’t contain any confidential information about a data
subject or reveal their identity. More and more researchers are asking for
access to data about individuals and organisations now, because more detailed
data allows for more robust analyses and innovative research. So, there’s more
need for guidance for researchers and people who work in SDC.”
Christine Woods, Senior Data Officer at the UK Data Archive,
adds, “The handbook introduces the principles of SDC and looks at the major
challenges and best practices in the UK. It also helps organisations and staff
with how to apply the guidance in the real world. All eight of us pooled our
knowledge of SDC and explained how we do our work. We released a beta version
of the handbook in March 2019, and are really pleased to hear that people are
using it and finding it useful.”
There was a very positive reaction to the new handbook at a
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Statistical
Confidentiality Workshop in The Hague in October.
The handbook was written by:
- Emily
Griffiths, University of Manchester - Carlotta
Greci, The Health Foundation - Yannis
Kotrotsios, Cancer Research UK - Simon
Parker, Cancer Research UK - James
Scott, UK Data Archive - Richard
Welpton, The Health Foundation - Arne
Wolters, The Health Foundation - Christine
Woods, UK Data Archive
Find out more about the Working Group for Safe Data Access
Professionals
The UK Data Archive has worked with secure data since 2009,
when we established the ESRC-funded Secure Data Service. In 2010, we
became the first ever academic department of a UK university to earn the
internationally recognised independent security standard, ISO27001
certification for our secure data handling procedures. This covers our systems,
technology, processes, people and IT and is an intrinsic part of the
department. Pioneering technology, licensing, legal frameworks, and
strict security policies and penalties mean our Secure Lab is a trusted partner
that provides research access to the Office for National Statistics controlled
data, among other secure data collections.