About us

This work is driven by the Universities of Bristol and Edinburgh, in collaboration with SeRP UK, Swansea University, University of Leicester and UCL. The National Core Studies Programme is enabling the UK to use health data and research to inform both our near and long-term responses to COVID-19 as well as accelerating progress to establish a world-leading health data infrastructure for the future.

Longitudinal studies look at groups of individuals or factors and follow them up over time, regularly collecting data on them. The value of longitudinal research lies in collecting a broad range of information then repeating collection at regular intervals. The information allows researchers to investigate the relationship between different things that occur in individuals’ lives and how this can lead to changes in their health and wellbeing or personal circumstances.

Information from each collaborating study will be analysed with information from other studies and linked to whole population health and social records. This will provide greater breadth and depth of information that was previously possible through a single application. Researchers using the secure UK LLC research database will work to answer priority questions set by the government and from the NHS. The findings will be fed back to help guide policy and health care decisions.