What is the Data Trust Committee (DTC)?

The committee is made up of members of the public from across the West Midlands who review applications from research teams to use health data stored in the West Midlands Secure Data Environment.

Why do we have a Data Trust Committee?

To make sure that, whenever researchers are given access to data, it is to support research that is in the public’s interest.

DTC members will:

• assess researchers’ applications and provide recommendations on whether they should be approved
• ensure data is used only by the right people, in the right way and for the right reasons
• check that applications follow the Five Safes framework
• give a patient and public view about:
  • the appropriateness of what researchers are hoping to achieve and how they plan to do it
  • how well researchers intend to involve and engage with patients and members of the public.