Visionary leader appointed for Health Data Research Service

• Baroness Nicola Blackwood appointed as Chair of the Health Data Research Service (HDRS) to accelerate medical breakthroughs
• Red tape slashed as service streamlines NHS data access for approved researchers
• HDRS will draw on the individual strengths of all four nations across the UK

Patients across the UK will benefit from lifesaving treatments faster, thanks to turbocharged access to NHS data for researchers to develop new medicines and therapies.

Minister Ahmed announced today (Tuesday 25 November) that Baroness Nicola Blackwood has been appointed by the government as Chair of the Health Data Research Service (HDRS) - backed by up to £600 million in funding from the Government and Wellcome - during a speech at the Health Data User Conference in London.

Baroness Nicola Blackwood is a recognised leader in life sciences and innovation. She is Chair of Oxford University Innovation and Genomics England, and also serves on the boards of biotechnology company BioNTech and investment fund RTW Biotech Opportunities.

The HDRS will transform how researchers and innovators access health and care data across the UK by slashing red tape and providing a secure single access point to national-scale datasets.

Currently, obtaining health data can be slow, complex, and fragmented. The service will streamline these processes while upholding rigorous safeguards for data security, privacy and ethical oversight, enabling approved researchers to accelerate the discovery of new treatments that will improve patient care.

The appointment is a key component of the government's Plan for Change, which is committed to building a future-ready NHS using data and technology to overcome challenges and improve healthcare for all.

Health Innovation Minister Zubir Ahmed said:

As a practising surgeon, I know how important it is for patients to receive the latest treatment quickly and safely. I am delighted to announce Baroness Blackwood's appointment, who will play an important role in helping us build an NHS fit for the future.

By unlocking the power of NHS data safely and securely, we will accelerate lifesaving research that will deliver better treatments for patients faster. This is about harnessing the incredible potential of our health service's data to drive medical breakthroughs, while maintaining gold-standard protections for patient privacy.

Baroness Blackwood's proven leadership in life sciences and innovation will be instrumental in making Britain the best place in the world for medical research.

This appointment comes at a critical juncture as HDRS moves from planning to implementation. Significant progress is already being made as HDRS has been approved as a Government Company, with incorporation work now in progress, and recruitment is underway for a Chief Executive Officer.

It links directly to the government's 10 Year Health Plan and forms part of its modern industrial strategy and Life Sciences Sector Plan, with life sciences identified as a key growth-driving sector that will create high-quality jobs and boost the economy.

Extensive stakeholder engagement has taken place between June and October 2025 with patients, health practitioners and researchers across the UK to shape the strategic ambition for HDRS.

This engagement revealed that users need data that is “research ready”, available through a single front door, with transparent and timely access.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

Baroness Blackwood has significant experience in life sciences and health innovation. Her leadership will be crucial as the Health Data Research Service gets underway.

For too long, researchers and the healthcare system itself have faced unnecessary delays and difficulties accessing the health data they need to develop new treatments or help improve services for patients. This groundbreaking service will change this - streamlining access whilst maintaining rigorous safeguards for patient data. This means faster development of new medicines and therapies and better care for patients.

Protecting patient privacy is paramount in the design and operation of HDRS. The service will use high security standards with multiple layers of protection – from minimising what researchers can access to using special encryption that makes data unreadable without specific keys.

Researchers will only analyse data in controlled environments where every action is monitored, and the data does not need to leave secure systems. They will only have access to the specific data they need to answer their research question.

HDRS will use innovative techniques like creating “synthetic data” that researchers can work with that mirrors real patterns but does not contain any individual patient information. Strict governance frameworks will ensure that only approved researchers with legitimate purposes can access data.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have agreed in principle to the UK-wide ambition, and work will continue collaboratively to ensure HDRS brings benefits across all four nations. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are jointly involved in HDRS, demonstrating how the service will support both health improvements and economic growth.

Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Medical Officer for Wales, said:

Unlocking the potential of health and care data is critical to improve health and wellbeing which is why the UK Health Data Research Service is such an exciting development.

A UK joined-up vision and approach for the Health Data Research Service will ensure that we capitalise on the expertise and data assets across all four nations, presenting a service that can empower research and innovation to benefit patients, tackle inequalities, and grow our life sciences sector. I look forward to working with Baroness Blackwood to develop the vision for the Service and how it can benefit the people of Wales and the rest of the UK.

Scotland's Chief Scientist for Health, Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak said:

We welcome this important step in establishing the Health Data Research Service, and look forward to working with Baroness Blackwood, along with the HDRS Chief Executive once appointed.

Beth Thompson, executive director for policy and partnerships at Wellcome, said:

I'm thrilled that Nicola has agreed to take on this truly pivotal role for research in the UK. She has deep knowledge of government and innovation in the public sector, expertise in research and data, and hands-on experience of supporting life sciences enterprises. She is also a real advocate for the importance of public trust and confidence in the use of health data.

At its heart, HDRS is all about improving health and saving lives. It combines the best of what the UK is so great at – cutting-edge research and public-spirited healthcare. It's great to have consensus across the UK's governments on the benefits it will bring and we look forward to working with Nicola to bring it to life as quickly as we can.