Our strategy and business plan
Our vision is to advance health and social wellbeing in Scotland by simplifying access to public sector data. Our strategy and business plan outline how we're improving Scotland's data for research systems.
About RDS
Research Data Scotland (RDS) is making it faster and simpler for researchers to access public sector data for research.
Who we are
Research Data Scotland (RDS) is an independent charity established in 2021 by the Scottish Government. We work in partnership with other organisations in Scotland and the UK to build on and transform key aspects of the data research system.
We are working to improve lives by enabling research and, through that, better evidence-based decisions. There are social and economic benefits to data research, and we want to enable more of it by helping to make the processes faster and simpler.
What we do
We help researchers find and make use of health, social care and administrative data, making it easier and quicker to understand causes of significant societal challenges. This research generates evidence to help create policies that improve the lives of people in Scotland.
We are developing and expanding our Researcher Access Service (a streamlined end-to-end platform for researchers accessing secure data), transforming approvals processes, and helping to deliver the ADR Scotland programme. We have a leadership role in the data research system in Scotland: setting strategic direction and delivering key projects, like research elements of the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Data Strategy. We're also convening thinking and establishing best practice on things like synthetic data, public engagement and communications.
Discover our people, partners and the ways we work towards our vision collaboratively through the sections below.
How we work
Our work is underpinned by a commitment to public good and care for safety and security. Integrity, transparency, courage, collaboration and humility are the values that drive our activities and define how we engage with our partners, stakeholders and the public.
Our partners
RDS is a partnership between the Scottish Government, Scotland’s leading universities and public bodies. We're working together to simplify policies, approaches and for better alignment of research systems to make it quicker and simpler to access public sector data for research.
Our people
People are central to both our mission and our culture. Our team combines expertise in data, digital delivery, communications and operations with a passion for serving the public good.
Governance
Our Board is responsible for the effective governance and development of RDS, supports the directors in delivering our strategy, monitors key risks, and ensures resources are managed effectively.