A report summarising how Secure Data Environments (SDEs) can be optimised to support AI health technology development has been published.

Aim of the project

Led by University Hospitals Birmingham and the University of Birmingham, the aim of the project was to explore how SDEs can be enhanced to support responsible, efficient, and innovation-friendly development of AI health technologies across the product lifecycle, while safeguarding patient privacy and public trust.

By aligning SDE design with industry and regulatory needs, the project supports the safe and effective development of AI health technologies within the UK.

Project outputs

The project delivered two national workshops to capture industry needs and public/governance perspectives, targeted interviews, and broad engagement across industry, academia, regulation, and the NHS.

Practical solutions and governance frameworks that enable innovation without compromising privacy, security, or public confidence have been identified.

Key outputs include:

• The report sets out the current challenges and opportunities for enabling AI health technologies within SDEs.
• Practical recommendations are outlined to strengthen technical capability, streamline processes, and support consistent governance across the SDE network.
• Evidence-informed analysis of model egress and disclosure risk highlights the need for clearer frameworks and further research.
• Insights from patients and the public emphasise the need for transparency, proportionality, and clear articulation of public benefit.

The report delivers a foundation for the next phase of SDE development ensuring AI technologies can be developed in ways that are safe, efficient, and trusted.

This work was funded by the NHSE Data for Research and Development programme.

Read the full report.