KMS SDE is working collaboratively with Pfizer Limited and Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (Health Innovation KSS) to establish a prototype innovation sandbox where tailored medicines information can be tested in a trusted environment, using de-identified healthcare record data. As part of this work, Health Innovation KSS commissioned Unity Insights to research innovation sandboxes and to propose recommendations for the creation of an SDE innovation sandbox. The activities conducted are presented in the figure below.
The NHS Research Secure Data Environments (SDE) Network is a secure data storage and access platform which enables approved researchers to access and analyse de-identified NHS data. As part of the establishment of the NHS Kent, Medway and Sussex (KMS) SDE, there is an opportunity to develop an innovation sandbox, with the aim to create a trusted, competitive and sustainable commercial model for the SDE. An innovation sandbox is a digital environment which enables stakeholders to collectively build innovative concepts and solutions in real time.
The rapid review report centred around the five following case studies:
- The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulatory sandbox, which allows firms to test innovative propositions in the market with real consumers.
- The UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform (RAP), which enables researchers to securely access and analyse the complete UK Biobank database from any location worldwide.
- The Mayo Clinic Platform, a controlled environment in which de-identified clinical data can be share with collaborators to link to it or supplement it with their own data for advanced analytics, including the development and training of artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
- Truveta, a platform that gathers large amount of clinical data, helping to provide insights on treatment effectiveness, disease progression and other patient outcomes by using advanced analytics and AI.
- The Health Data Research Innovation Gateway, a centralised platform, consolidating information on available datasets, their purposes, and structures, while also providing tooling, training modules and a publication database
Published and grey literature, as well as stakeholder engagement, were utilised to document the innovation sandboxes’ entry process, their operating model (including objectives, governance, data infrastructure, performance indicators), their impact and learnings.
The rapid review report was reviewed and received positively by the NHS KMS SDE team, it will inform the operation model proposed for the SDE innovation sandbox.
“For life sciences and innovators, secure and ethical engagement with health data isn’t optional—it’s foundational. Success depends on more than just access; companies need high-quality, well-curated data, a responsive service, clear governance, and fast, reliable turnaround times. Health Innovation KSS’s work with Unity Insights on the sandbox rapid review is actively shaping KMS Secure Data Environment model, ensuring it meets the real-world needs of researchers and industry partners. By integrating insights from the innovation sandbox approach and the Pfizer project, KMS SDE is building a framework that supports safe, scalable, and impactful collaboration.”
Melissa Ream, Specialist Senior Advisor at Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex