Administrative Data Liaison Service
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Geography and Sustainable Development
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Kulik MC
(2013)
Smoking and the potential for reduction of inequalities in mortality in Europe.
in European journal of epidemiology
Lightfoot, D
(2011)
Review of safe settings across the UK
Lightfoot, D
(2013)
Approaches to linking administrative records to studies and surveys - a review
Gowans, H
(2012)
Accessing and sharing data and the need for data security
| Description | For the first time in the UK, the ADLS brought together the dispersed sets of information required to know what administrative datasets are available for research and how to make applications to use them. The service also promoted the potential use of administrative data for research within the academic community. The ADLS worked closely with government departments to help them understand the importance of the sharing and use of their administrative data for research. The service provided researcher training, conferences, metadata catalogues, disclosure risk analysis and produced a wide variety of administrative data related guidance and publications. Moving forward the ADLS played a key role in the Administrative Data Taskforce, formed in December 2011 by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Wellcome Trust, and chaired by Sir Alan Langlands, which recommended the formation of a Administrative Data Research Network. The ADLS provided the ADT with working papers, surveys, adhoc information and a set of potential infrastructure designs. |
| Exploitation Route | Much of the work of the Administrative Data Liaison Service will now be incorporated into the ESRC's Administrative Data Research Network. This includes training course materials, administrative data catalogues / metadata and legal guidance. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Description | The ESRC Administrative Data Liaison Service (ADLS) was a UK wide service for the delivery of knowledge, resources and support for administrative data based research. The ADLS worked closely with government departments, the Information Commissioner's Office and academic researchers. The ADLS produced a number of key resources and services to help meet its objectives including: 1. A dedicated website providing comprehensive information on administrative data across the UK (www.adls.ac.uk). 2. Produced a series of guides and publications on the laws as it applies to administrative data based research. 3. Produced and delivered a Safe Researcher training course providing researchers with the basic skills to use administrative data in a responsible manner. The course was endorsed by a wide variety of government departments and accredited for access to NHS Scotland and Scottish Government administrative data. Over 400 researchers were trained. 4. Provided a helpdesk to respond to queries from both the academic community and data controllers. 5. Developed a user database of over 5000 people interested in the use of administrative data in the UK. 6. Produced libraries for UK administrative data publications and methods, models and codes used in administrative data research. Much of the work of the Administrative Data Liaison Service will now be incorporated into the ESRC's Administrative Data Research Network. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Title | ADLS contact database |
| Description | This database holds details for over 5000 people interested in the use of administrative data across the UK. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The database has allowed the ADLS to disseminate administrative data news and helped gather information for relevant consultations for stakeholders such as government departments and the ESRC. |
| Title | ADLS website |
| Description | The ADLS website holds a comprehensive library of information on the major research useful administrative datasets and their metadata in the UK. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The ADLS website has helped raise awareness of the use of administrative data for research amongst researchers and administrative data holding organisations in the UK. |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Title | Library for administrative data methods, models and codes (P-ADLS) |
| Description | P-ADLS is an online archive of models, methods and codes developed by researchers to construct indicators and measures using administrative data for research. The aim of P-ADLS is to improve the consistency, quality and quantity of administrative data research by allowing researchers to view, replicate and develop existing methods. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This searchable database brought together methods, models and codes used in administrative data research for the first time. |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk/padls/ |
| Title | Library for administrative data publications |
| Description | This database holds all administrative data related publications from 2000 onwards. The database is available on the ADLS website. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | For the first time in the UK, researchers can search for administrative data related publications from one single library of resources. |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Title | Library for linked administrative datasets |
| Description | This library provides summary tables of administrative data linkages as well as detailed information about administrative data that has been linked to the major studies and surveys in the UK. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | For the first time in the UK, this library provided researchers with an easy to view summary of the main administrative data linkages. |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Title | Library for official statements of administrative data sources |
| Description | This library provides the documents for government departments official statements of administrative data sources. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This library brings together all the official statements of government departments administrative data for the first time in the UK. |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Description | ADLS Advisory Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The ADLS Advisory Group consisted of senior members of government departments. The role was to help steer the long term objectives of the ADLS and report on progress of making their administrative data more widely available for research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |
| Description | ADLS website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The ADLS website was set up to provide information and resources on administrative data in the UK for both researchers and data providers. The site features comprehensive information on the major research useful administrative datasets in the UK, libraries for administrative data related publications, published data, code, studies and surveys that have linked to administrative data and also the safe settings that can be used for administrative data research. The website also provides comprehensive guidance for the use of administrative data in the UK and related downloadable publications and guidance documents. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |
| URL | http://www.adls.ac.uk |
| Description | Major innovations in the field of administrative data linkage and analysis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The conference highlighted new and innovative methods in record linkage and analysis. The conference covered privacy preserving record linkage, statistical modelling for record linked data, and an introduction to DataSHIELD (which is a method to analyse data without sharing data). The conference had a number of impacts. i. It brought together academics, government officials and other professionals to highlight that the different methods that can be undertaken to link identifiable records. ii. It provided a platform for academics engaged in record linkage work an opportunity to demonstrate the utility and power of their work. iii. It provided a platform to discuss and receive feedback on the Administrative Data taskforce work. iv. It further raised the profile and awareness of the Administrative Data Liaison Service. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Safe Researcher training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Safe Researcher training courses provided researchers with the skills to use administrative data for research in a safe and responsible manner. The course was approved by a wide variety of government departments and the ICO and accredited for access to NHS Scotland health data and some Scottish Government data. Over 400 researchers were trained on this course. The material developed in this course will be used as a basis for the new Administrative Data Research Network training course. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | Seminar with Chinese Government |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This seminar provided senior members of the Chinese Government with information on administrative data practices in the UK. The seminar provided debate on how such practice in the UK could be utilised in China for greater research use of their administrative data. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Showcasing UK administrative data: innovative research, methods and modes of access |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The conference highlighted through examples of current or completed research, the power of administrative data and the strengths and limitations of such data for research. The event also provided an opportunity to explore the future for administrative data as a research resource, including new and developing mechanisms for accessing data. i. It brought together academics, government officials and professionals from all over the world to network and discuss the importance of administrative data for research. ii. It provided a platform for academics currently engaged in administrative data research to demonstrate its utility and power. iii. It raised the profile and awareness of the Administrative Data Liaison Service |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |