Groundbreaking research combines road crash data with health records to gain new insights into traffic collisions, with the aim of reducing injuries and fatalities in Wessex
The Data Sustains Life project, delivered by the Pre-hospital Research and Audit Network (PRANA) and enabled by the Wessex Secure Data Environment (SDE), has been awarded £500,000 from the government and Road Safey Trust.
PRANA is one of the first projects to use the Wessex Secure Data Environment (SDE), a new NHS platform which aims to unlock the power of patient data to develop new treatments, improve NHS efficiency, effectiveness and safety, and move from treatment to prevention.
Led by University Hospital Southampton and Transport Research Laboratory, the project analyses data from ambulances, hospitals, coroners, police, and government agencies across Thames Valley, Hampshire, and Dorset.
The PRANA programme received seed-funding from Wessex Health Partners and is supported by partners across the region.
By linking this previously siloed data, researchers can uncover patterns, identify risk factors, and propose interventions that could save lives. The project also highlights the human stories behind the data, such as that of Tamsyn Berry, whose journey of recovery underscores the vital importance of this work.
You can read the BBC’s article here.
Road traffic collisions cause 30,000 deaths and serious injuries annually. Researchers will explore the relationship between road crashes and the resulting health outcomes, offering an unprecedented approach to improving road safety and coordinating the efforts of both the healthcare and transport sectors.
Dr Hyde is a paediatric intensive care consultant at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) and a pre-hospital critical care consultant with Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
He said: “The concept of linking these different data sources was thought to be impossible, but every idea has its time. Enabled by the Wessex Secure Data Environment, this project will allow UK researchers to identify patterns, risk factors, and critical points for intervention. The ultimate goal is to use these new data to inform better policies and strategies to bring down the number of fatalities and serious injuries.”
Christine McGrath, Managing Director of WHP, said: “The physical and mental impact of road traffic accidents can be devastating with a huge ripple effect on families and friends. Now researchers will be able to examine a road traffic patient’s entire journey through the healthcare system – from first aid through to long term rehabilitation - giving valuable new insights.
“Such a groundbreaking project will enable a vital shift from treatment to prevention, delivering better outcomes for our local population and wider society and more effectively using NHS resources, a key part of the government’s NHS plan.”
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