Project Planning and Support

Researchers who are considering undertaking a data linkage or hosting study should complete the Project Initiation Document (PID) and forward it DaSH. A project reference number (e.g. DaSHXXX) will be assigned. Please use this project number in all communications with DaSH.

DaSH will then review your PID and confirm if it is feasible to be undertaken by DaSH.

Once the feasibility of your project has been confirmed, an initial meeting will be scheduled with the DaSH team which is designed to gather further information on your proposed project.

DaSH offers support in:

Funding Applications

• We will provide a clear breakdown of the costs associated with using DaSH for your research (including facilities, data management, and administrative support). You can find more information about our costing process here.

Datasets and Data Requirements

• We will support you plan and design your study, find the right datasets, and develop a data plan to extract, link, and format your research data. For more on available datasets and data requirements, visit our Available datasets page.

Project permissions

• Advice and input for funding and permissions applications will be provided. A Permissions Pathway guide explaining the approvals process can be found here.
   
• DaSH will also assist you in the preparation of a Data Management Plan (DMP) and Data Linkage Plan (DLP) for your project. These documents illustrate the data flow, access conditions and researchers. The DMP and DLP are useful for funders and permissions providers.

Approved Researcher requirements

• Guidance will be provided on criteria for Approved Researchers accessing DaSH. This includes:

1. Employment by an approved institution (e.g. NHS, Scottish Government, university, or local authority).
2. For commercial projects, there will be a requirement for a contractual partnership with an approved research organisation. DaSH can provide advice on this.
3. Researchers outside the UK interested in working with DaSH should submit the "Application for researcher access to DaSH from outside the UK". We can provide the form and application support. It is important to note that you cannot access DaSH until after the international access form has been approved. Contact us for the application form.
4. A valid certificate for an approved information governance training course will be required for the duration of the research project. Please see below for a link to approved courses:
    
   • MRC Research, GDPR and Confidentiality Module (free e-learning)
   • ONS Safe Researcher Training course (ONS-SRT) (free e-learning)
      
5. To proceed with your study using DaSH, you will need to sign our investigator declaration. This is typically completed by the study's Principal Investigator (PI) or equivalent and may also involve a student researcher.
   
   Note. External researchers, affiliated with institutions other than the University of Aberdeen or NHS Grampian, will require additional sign-off from someone will require additional institutional sign-off from someone with research governance responsibilities at their within their institution or collaborating company.

Project progress

• DaSH is here to support you at every step of your project, from getting started (project initiation) to finalising and archiving your work. Learn more about the different project stages here.