The ‘Five Safes’ framework for data access management Felix Ritchie University of the West of England, Bristol Administrative Data Service Presentation by Felix Ritchie Professor of Applied Economics Bristol Centre for Economics and Finance 6th September 2017

What is the most important factor in data access? Overlapping problems: ‘Five Safes’: framework for structuring decision-making anonymisation IT users allowed use publication model

‘Five safes’ approach The Five Safes = safe use Five components: safe projects safe people safe settings safe data safe outputs = safe use Five components: Is this an appropriate use of the data? How trustworthy are the researchers? Does the environment prevent misuse? Is the data detail appropriate? Is there any confidentiality risk from publication? Consider jointly and severally

Joint but several Example: safe projects Several: Joint: “can this data be used for research, assuming the users and environment can be certified to any standard we like?” Joint: “does our strategy for accrediting researchers meet the standard we assumed when looking at projects?”

Scales, not targets Balance is the key: Similarities to multi-criteria decision analysis

Types of use Description and evaluation Design Training Statistical authorities, data archives, HMRC, Cancer Research UK, Health Foundation, NIST, Scottish Health Informatics Project, American Academy of Sciences, RCUK, OECD, Eurostat… Design ADRN, Australian Bureau of Social Services, Greek Statistical Authority… Training consistent with DEA, GDPR, other modern laws

Use in design/evaluation Where do you start? No necessary priority for any component Emerging best practice: focus on managerial choices Project People Setting Managerial controls Data Output Statistical controls

Use in design/evaluation Identify user needs Identify broad shape projects, people, setting system view Identify specific structures projects, people, setting managerial controls residual statistical control evidence-based relevant to context Address statistical risks data, outputs

Summary Around for 15 years Well established, esp in UK, Australia, NZ Part of a suite of evidence-based data access work Framework for making decisions, not the decisions attitudes assessment of benefits ethics etc next set of presentations