Infrastructure and Services - Capacity Building

To make the best use of the rich UK health-related data that is available needs a skilled workforce, ranging from those responsible for managing data, to expertise in governance and privacy and security and working witht he public and patients, to those who make the data available where allowed in ways that is useful , through to the researchers, doctors and policy makerswho will use that data to make new discoveries that can improve lifelong health and wellbeing. This programme will work to understand what the UK workforce needs are and create a variety of different training resources to ensure those needs are met and the UK public can benefit from the opportunities to improve lives through working with health related data at scale.

This work is funded by the UKRI Medical Research Council, UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care, National Institute for Health Research (England), Chief Scientist Office (Scottish Government), Health and Care Research Wales, Public Health Agency HSC (Northern Ireland), British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK

This programme builds on HDR UK’s successful training programmes established during the first five years of the Institute, such as the HDR UK Futures learning platform. By 2028, the Capacity Building vision is that HDR UK will have made transformational impacts in health data science training content, research practice, training delivery approaches and outreach and connections to different communities. These all contribute to the ultimate objective of accelerating the acquisition of skills, knowledge and insight to discover and use health data.
By 2028, HDR UK will have:
1. Provided the critical training support that ensured the rapid dissemination of skills to support the success of the HDR UK’s Driver programmes and Infrastructure Services
2. Created a world-leading health data science training programme, with content and learning pathways tailored to meet the needs of a range of users. HDR UK's training programme will be globally accessible through the HDR UK Futures platform and The Global Health Network and so democratise access to the latest scientific and technological advances
3. Expanded the career pathways available to the UK’s Health Data Science workforce. HDR UK will use its unique country-wide platform to raise awareness and develop multiple pathways into Health Data Science research careers, with particular support for non-traditional routes. The growth of a diverse, inclusive and internationally competitive Health Data Science workforce will be critical in reducing the skills shortage gap.
HDR UK will achieve these objectives by working closely with partners, including those in academia, industry, the NHS and international training partners to ensure the Futures platform is unique and recognised as the leading place from which to scope and build a health data science career.