Privacy & Ethics

Preserving privacy and maintaining robust data governance are of critical importance to the CHeReL.  All studies using linked data must have an appropriate legal basis and in most cases require ethical approval.  The CHeReL also complies with best practice principles by separating the linkage of personally identifying information from the analysis of de-identified linked health records. 

This approach to preserving privacy and data governance has been strongly supported by organisations that are custodians of health records, human research ethics organisations, researchers and the community.  By providing a mechanism for researchers to access de-identified linked data, the CHeReL enables ethically approved research in the public interest to be carried out without consent, minimising bias and allowing researchers to access data on whole populations.