What is DataLoch?

The aim of the DataLoch project is to develop a secure repository of health and social care data for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland region to help find solutions to current health and social care challenges.

The Edinburgh and South East Scotland region is facing a number of health and social care challenges: an ageing population; increasing numbers of people living with long term conditions; delays in hospital discharge; and ever increasing drug costs. Meeting these challenges requires new innovative solutions.

This project aims to develop a repository of health and social care data for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland region to help find these solutions. This will require the development of an efficient and safe approach to store, link and access data from across the region to create a comprehensive and integrated health and social care data ecosystem. 

This repository will be called DataLoch.

DataLoch will be created jointly by NHS Lothian, Borders and Fife, Health and Social Care Partnerships, the University of Edinburgh, patients and the public to ensure inclusive growth, and other benefits, are shared across the region. It will facilitate a data-driven approach to prevention, treatment, and health and care service provision, enabling high quality and efficient care within a world-leading learning healthcare system.

The DataLoch team will engage with private, public and third sector health and social care organisations to drive research and innovation through the use of data. This will result in improved outcomes for people, and reduce health inequalities, across the Edinburgh and South East Scotland region.

Support from the City Region Deal and DDI programme will enable us to create a unique platform and service that aligns the needs of both our research community and our health and social care providers. DataLoch will encourage new partnerships to help us achieve a common goal of improving the health and care of the citizens of our region and beyond.