The Health Improvement Network (THIN)
Research type
Research Database
IRAS ID
354188
Contact name
Dionisio Acosta-Mena
Contact email
Research summary
The Health Improvement Network (THIN)
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0042
Date of REC Opinion
5 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The THIN® UK database is a primary care research database containing de identified health information and provides structured health information to the medical research community for research to benefit future patients. This includes information about people's health such as their diagnoses, test results and medication, without including personal identifiers such as name or address or other information that could directly identify them.
Patients who do not wish for their data to be used for research will have the opportunity to opt out. Data will be stored securely, and will only be available to researchers carrying out approved medical research. A committee with patient, clinical and academic representatives will oversee the database and ensure that the data are used in an appropriate way that maximises patient benefit and protects patient privacy.
Research programme
THIN® UK database is a primary care research database containing de identified health information collected, from around 400 active UK general practices (GPs). The THIN® UK database will be monitored by an Advisory Committee co-led by patient and academic representatives, with general practitioners and other clinicians included on the panel. The committee will provide advice to THIN Ltd. on the operations of the database, to ensure that it is used in a way that maximises its research value to be in the best interests of the public, and protects the rights of the data subjects. Another committee, the Scientific Review Committee, will assess the appropriateness of proposals to use THIN® datasets to carry out research to ensure that they are scientifically appropriate. THIN® UK database have contributed to over 2000 publications to date, in areas such as disease epidemiology, risk prediction, medication safety, healthcare utilisation and health economics.
Research database title
The Health Improvement Network (THIN)
Establishment organisation
The Health Improvement Network Ltd
Establishment organisation address
Building 2, Buckshaw Station Approach
Buckshaw Village
Chorley
PR7 7NR