Keep an eye out for more SecureLab at 10 information and stories in the new year – the UK Data Service will be marking the anniversary with the launch of a January newsletter to provide more guidance and training specifically for SecureLab researchers, and further Data Impact blog posts exploring developments in SecureLab and the wider world of data access!
Afterword
I began my career working in the Virtual Data germany rcs data Microdata Laboratory at the ONS as a Support Officer. In 2010, I moved to the UK Data Archive to help set up the Secure Data Service (now UKDS SecureLab), so I’ve been involved in the development of secure remote data access in the UK from the very start.
In this blog, I’ve therefore tried to illustrate how data access evolves. It’s not always easy for data owners: little credit for enabling access but often take most of the risk should anything go wrong. And generally, as a rule of thumb, some access is better than no access (although for some researchers, some access will continue to mean no access). As technology, legal frameworks and trust has developed, so more detailed data have become available for researchers to use, and more easily. The journey will continue.