Approval to Use SILC
SILC Partners
Data Linkage Safeguards
eDRIS
Joined Up Data for Better Decisions
Welcome to the website of the Scottish Informatics and Linkage Collaboration (SILC). This site aims to explain the purpose and structure of SILC, as well as highlighting the safeguards that exist around controlled use of data for research and statistical purposes.
Safe. Secure. Transparent.
The safe, secure and transparent use of publicly-held data for research and statistics has the potential to improve the quality of life for the people of Scotland through better informed policy and public service delivery. Innovative approaches to using data also allow for powerful statistical research to be undertaken, supporting scientific advancements and economic growth.
How we safeguard data
Scottish Informatics and Linkage Collaboration
Continual improvements in legal and ethical governance arrangements around data and analytics activity across Scotland, in-line with increases in the technical capacity to securely and efficiently link statistical and administrative data, has led to the development of the Scottish Informatics and Linkage Collaboration (SILC).
SILC is the term for a number of supporting services and facilities, used by data linkage programmes such as the Farr Institute, Scotland and the Administrative Data Research Centre – Scotland (ADRC-S). SILC does not carry out its own research; rather external researchers access the facilities provided by SILC through one of the partners comprising the broader collaboration.
The services we offer to partners are:
shared office space at the BioQuarter (leased by Dundee & Edinburgh Universities)
shared computing resources at the University of Edinburgh
eDRIS research and co-ordination advice (provided by NHS National Services Scotland)
shared indexing service (provided by National Records of Scotland)
The partners within SILC are committed to ensuring that citizens' privacy is maintained at all times whilst simultaneously ensuring that research which is in the public interest is supported.
The Farr Institute, Scotland
Administrative Data Research Centres
The Urban Big Data Centre
Copyright Scottish Informatics Linkage Collaboration 2014 – 2020