For data request that are approved there are two options for accessing the data:
The EPIC-Norfolk study coordinator can facilitate setting up either of these options.
In-reach
What is In-reach?
In-reach is a closed-box system, meaning that you remotely access a virtual system within our unit to work on the data. You cannot copy the data onto your own hard disk.
Why do we use In-reach?
Ordinarily to access personal/sensitive data we would be required to complete a Data Sharing Agreement for us to be able to give you a copy of the data to process on your own systems. This is in order to comply with Data Protection laws as well as to comply with the funder conditions under which the data was acquired, which we are obliged to pass on to onward users of the data. Getting this agreement in place takes some time (several months), and an alternate method of getting you access quicker is to use ‘In-reach’, which effectively treats you as if you were a member of our department.
What can be done with In-reach?
You can work with the data in the same way as you would on your own computer but the data remains on our systems. You will be limited to using the software that is available on the In-reach system. Please note that no data can leave the folder without our approval, not even summary statistics, STATA or R scripts or text documents.
What software packages can I use in In-reach?
We have R and STATA available on the system. SPSS is available on request.
How do you set up In-reach?
We would first need you to sign a visiting worker agreement, which effectively treats you as if you are a member of our department and can allow you access to the unit drives. Once the visitor’s agreement has been set up an IT account will be created and your data will be saved into a secure folder that you are able to access.
Summary
- In-reach is quicker to set up than a data sharing agreement.
- You are limited to using the software available on the In-reach system.
- You are not able to save a copy of the data on your own computer, only the summary statistics (once approval is given).
In-reach agreement (pdf)
In-reach agreement (docx)
DTA
What is a DTA?
A data transfer agreement (DTA) is an agreement between the University of Cambridge and the institution of the person requesting the data. The EPIC-Norfolk study has a standardised, non-negotiable DTA template, which has been drafted by the Research Operation office at the University of Cambridge.
This DTA template can be used provided the conditions shown below apply, otherwise the agreement will need to be referred to the University of Cambridge contracts office.
- The data use has been agreed by the EPIC-Norfolk Management Committee.
- The data requestor is based at a non-commercial organisation.
- The data requestor is based within the European Economic Area (EEA).
What can be done with a DTA in place?
The DTA allows the transfer of approved data to the requester so that they can work on the data within their own systems as long as this is carried out under the terms of the DTA. The data can remain with the requester while the DTA is in place but must be deleted at the end of the project.
Summary
- A DTA allows you to have a copy of the data on your own computer.
- You are not limited to using the software available on the In-reach system.
- The EPIC-Norfolk study has a standardised DTA template. This DTA template is fixed and non-negotiable.
DTA template (pdf)
DTA template (docx)