Research database

The Research Database is called CRIS, which stands for Clinical Record Interactive Search. The Research Database supports population-based research in psychiatry and mental health within the Trust and its partner research organisation, University College London (UCL). The Research Database provides direct clinical benefit to patients because it enables better clinical audit and NHS service development.

How does it work? 

Information from NHS clinical records is fed into the Research Database using a system that removes information which could identify an individual. 

This database of anonymised data is accessible only to approved researchers within the Trust and its partner research organisations. It is used for population-based research projects such as looking for links between family history and particular illnesses. The researchers won't know who any service user is, so people will not be approached for their permission. 

All records in the Research Database are identified only by a research ID number. There are no names, exact dates of birth, hospital numbers, or NHS numbers. The database holds details of sex, age (month and year of birth), diagnoses, medication, and so on, including searchable free text.

Opting Out

We will in principle include everyone's clinical records in the Research Database.

You can opt out of your anonymised records being in the Research Database by:

• emailing us at: nlft.researchdatabase@nhs.net
• writing to us at: CRIS Database Administrator c/o Noclor Research Office, 1st Floor, JML House, Regis Road, London, NW5 3EG
• or you can ask your clinician to email us if you prefer, but you will need to give them your permission

Opting out will not affect the care that you receive.

Background

The national CRIS programme is now more than ten years old. The system has been used by researchers with great success. For example, this method revealed the high mortality and lowered average life expectancy in people with serious mental health problems.

Other Trusts which participate in CRIS include South London and Maudlsey NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.