DHSC statistics: data management and confidentiality statement
This statement explains how DHSC manages the data used in producing our statistical outputs, and how we ensure the confidentiality of individuals and other data providers.
Introduction
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is committed to producing high‑quality statistics that serve the public good. This statement explains how we manage the data used in producing our statistical outputs, and how we ensure the confidentiality of individuals, households, organisations and other data providers.
Our practices follow the Code of Practice for Statistics, relevant data protection legislation, and the principles set out in the:
- DHSC Personal information charter, which describes how we collect, use and protect personal data
- DHSC privacy notice, which outlines the purposes and legal bases for DHSC’s processing of personal information
Our principles for data ethics are set out in the government Data and AI Ethics Framework. We also align with the UK Statistics Authority’s ethical principles.
Our commitment to protecting confidentiality
We recognise our responsibility to protect sensitive information and maintain public trust. We ensure that no published statistics reveal information about any identifiable individual or organisation.
We meet this responsibility by:
- removing or anonymising personal identifiers as early as possible
- applying statistical disclosure control methods such as suppression, rounding or perturbation
- conducting proportionate and robust assessments of disclosure risk before publication
- ensuring all staff handling data receive appropriate training on data protection
These commitments ensure that individuals and organisations can be confident their data is handled safely and used only for legitimate statistical purposes.
Lawful and responsible data management
DHSC manages data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and all relevant government standards.
Data collection
We collect only the minimum information necessary for statistical and research purposes. Wherever possible, we use:
- aggregated or de‑identified data
- established administrative data sources
- securely shared data provided under formal agreements
We do not collect personal data for statistics unless it is essential and justified.
Secure handling and storage
Data is stored and accessed securely, following DHSC’s organisational policies for information management and security. We apply:
- access controls so that only authorised staff can see sensitive data
- secure transfer methods compliant with government security standards
- monitoring and auditing to ensure systems remain secure
Data quality, integrity and retention
We ensure data is:
- accurate and fit for purpose through quality assurance
- stored in ways that promote consistency, transparency and reusability
- retained only for as long as necessary, based on statutory requirements and DHSC retention policies
- disposed of securely when no longer required
Use of data for statistical purposes
We use data only for the purpose of producing insight, evidence and statistics that serve the public good.
Our statistical work:
- is conducted impartially and free from political interference
- uses methods that are robust, transparent and open to scrutiny
- includes quality assurance procedures proportionate to the data and methods used
- is published openly, with clear explanations of sources, methods and limitations
We do not use confidential data for operational, enforcement or regulatory decision‑making.
Sharing data responsibly
We may share data with accredited partners or other government bodies where this is necessary, lawful and safe. Any sharing is governed by:
- data sharing agreements
- privacy and confidentiality assessments
- ethical and legal considerations
- secure transfer procedures
We do not share identifying data with third parties for commercial or marketing purposes.
Access to microdata for research
Under strict governance processes, we may provide approved researchers with access to de‑identified microdata in secure environments. This is done only when:
- the research serves the public interest
- disclosure risks are assessed and appropriately mitigated
- secure access conditions are in place
- access is monitored and audited
- researchers can comply with all confidentiality conditions
Transparency and public confidence
We are committed to being transparent about how we use and protect data. We provide:
- clear explanations of data sources, quality and limitations in publications
- contact details for feedback or queries
Members of the public can find further information in the:
- DHSC Personal information charter
- DHSC privacy notice
These documents describe the rights individuals have over their own information and how DHSC ensures those rights are upheld.
Professional analysts oversee the production of our statistics. They ensure our statistics are accurate and our methods are reproducible, explainable and quality assured. Generative artificial intelligence may be used to improve production pipelines but are not used in calculations.
Contact and feedback
We welcome feedback on all our statistical outputs, policies and practices.
Contact: statistics@dhsc.gov.uk.
Alternatively, please contact the responsible statistician or team named on each publication for feedback or information specific to that statistical output.