DaSH is a collaborative initiative between NHS Grampian Health Board and the University of Aberdeen. This means that DaSH only holds permission to extract and securely link health and social care datasets from both institutions for approved research purposes. DaSH acts as a facilitator and we have no ownership or right to sell this data.
Our services are priced based on the resources used associated with running our service. This means we charge for the time our team spends working on your project and the secure computing environment and storage resources you utilise. The pricing structure varies depending on whether you are a student, an academic institution, a clinical research group, a commercial organisation, the datasets requested, the length of your study, and the type of your project (i.e., hosting or linkage). Our prices are valid for one year (12 months), starting in August and ending in July.
Note. A complete Project Initiation Document (PID) and initial meeting are required for DaSH to provide a quote.
DaSH incurs the following costs:
Research, governance and administrative support
- Project initiation: Through a project initiation meeting, we can work together to understand your needs and develop the best possible project. We will discuss the research problem, explore available datasets and potential data linkage requirements, and offer our expertise on data aggregation and feasibility assessment. This collaborative approach will ensure the project aligns with your goals.
- Permission Guidance: Our Research Coordinator team will guide you through the permission application process and advise on approvals.
- Documentation: We will assist you by developing the Data Specification, Data Management, and Linkage Plan. These are key documents needed for your permission application, and we will ensure they meet approval standards or are tailored for your own reference.
Data management and technical input
- Within our Safe Haven environment, approved users get access to research-ready data prepared by our Data Analysts. This data goes through a multi-step process including transfer, extraction, linkage, unique identifier (UIDs) assignment, and quality checks and assurance that you receive data ready for immediate research use.
DaSH Facility Use
- Disclosure Check: Using our Safe Haven service includes coverage for disclosure checks. You can request the release of analysis results (drafts or finals, summaries, reports, or graphs) from your project's dedicated folder within Safe Haven. Our Research Coordinator team will then review everything according to our disclosure control and risk management procedures before releasing the outputs.
- Technical aspects: To best understand your needs and provide a tailored quote, we will discuss your requirements for computing resources, storage solutions, software, access to analytics platforms, IT support, and data storage/archiving.
Note. If your project scope changes after the initial quote is provided, such as requiring additional data (e.g., new cohorts, data updates, extended date range), extended access to Safe Haven, or additional storage (e.g., archive extension) or software needs (depending on type and processing needs), this may result in additional costs.