About

About

about the spn

The SafePod Network provides standardised safe setting services (known as SafePod, SafePoint and SafePack) across the UK to provide researchers with secure access to Data Centres administrative and sensitive data for research.  This includes data from the Office for National Statistics, UK Data Service, SAIL Databank and Scottish Government.


spn objectives

The major objectives of the SPN are to:

  • Provide, maintain and develop standardised SPN Services for secure access to administrative and sensitive data for public benefit research.
  • Significantly improve the quantity and diversity of public benefit research by providing researchers with equitable and local secure access to data across the UK.
  • Improve and widen the sharing of data held by Data Centres for public benefit research.

You can read about our principles for secure data access here.


SPN major BENEFITS

The SPN provides the following benefits for research:

  • Security controls ready: SPN Services meets the necessary security control requirements required by Data Centres for secure access to their data.
  • Improved research opportunities: SPN Services can be installed into research organisations, enabling Researchers greater opportunities to apply for and use data for research.
  • Multi-access data platform: SPN Services provide Researchers with access to data from different Data Centres Trusted Research Environments.
  • Simplicity: SPN Services offers organisations a simple plug in safe setting solution for secure data access.
  • Scale and speed: SafePoint can be set up quickly, enabling any approved research organisation to have a ready-made standardised safe setting.
  • Collaborative research: SafePoint can enable up to four researchers to work collaboratively on their research.
  • Widens data access: SPN Services provide Data Centres with a standardised, secure and flexible solution to share their data more widely for research.
  • Future proofed: SPN Services are future proofed to enable secure data access using a variety of hardware and connection solutions.
  • Flexibility: An organisation can use SPN Services for their own confidential research projects (subject to approval).


SPN structure

The SPN comprises of the following:

  • A network of SPN Services based primarily within higher education institutions across the UK to provide researchers with secure access to data for research.
  • The SPN website to provide information about the SPN and bookings for SPN Services.
  • Standardised policies and procedures for the operation and management of the SafePod Network and SPN Services.
  • Local teams of Coordinators that manage SPN Services in line with policies and procedures.
  • A secure IT system housed within SPN Services to provide Researchers with remote access to their project data from Data Centres.
  • A network of SPN Services based primarily within higher education institutions across the UK to provide researchers with secure access to data for research.
  • A CCTV service to enable Data Centres to view and monitor activity from SPN Services.
  • A Support Service to assist with SPN enquiries.
  • An Advisory Board to plan and make decisions on the long-term objectives of the SPN.


management AND FUNDING

The SPN is run by the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research and both are part of the Administrative Data Research UK programme. The SPN is a key resource for providing secure access to data made available through the programme. 

The SPN is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, which is part of UK Research and Innovation. 


SPN people

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Lightfoot is a project manager at the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research.  His main responsibility is for the management and development of the SPN.  He is based at the University of St Andrews.

Professor Chris Dibben is the Director of the SafePod Network and the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research.  He is also the director for the Longitudinal Studies Centre Scotland and is based at the University of Edinburgh.

 

  

 


Professor Matthew Woollard is part of the Senior Leadership Group at the UK Data Service and provides expertise in Data Policy and Governance.  Matthew provides strategic guidance to the SPN and is a member of their Advisory Board.  He is based at the University of Essex.

 

 

    Professor David Ford is Co-Director of the SAIL     Databank. David also provides strategic guidance to
    the SPN and is a member of their Advisory Board. He is     based at Swansea University.