Health data research service (HDRS) digital ecosystem analysis
Think tank: Nesta
Author(s): Nesta
May 19, 2026
This report from UK think tank Nesta provides an evidence-based assessment of the technical and clinical digital infrastructure underpinning the UK’s health data assets.
The new Health Data Research Service (HDRS) can create the technical infrastructure, operational capacity and governance processes to join these capabilities into a coherent national system.
As a once-in-a-generation opportunity to harness data for the health and wealth of the nations of the UK, the HDRS can enable the UK to compete globally in health research and life sciences.
Commissioned by Wellcome, this independent analysis provides a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the technical and clinical digital infrastructure underpinning the UK’s health data assets; mapping what exists, what works, and the critical gaps between what exists today and what is needed for a successful HDRS.
