The Data Provision Notice (DPN) for OpenSAFELY now permits expansion beyond COVID-19-related analyses.

The opt-in functionality for EMIS was rolled out this week.  SystmOne already has this functionality in place.

How to Opt In – SystmOne (TPP)

Practices can opt in to the OpenSAFELY service by navigating to: Organisation Preferences > OpenSAFELY

Enabling this preference (ticking the box) will act as your instruction to SystmOne (TPP) to comply with the May 2025 DPN, allowing pseudonymised data to be made available to the OpenSAFELY service.

About OpenSAFELY

OpenSAFELY has the full support of the BMA and RCGP.  Originally developed during the pandemic, it is a Trusted Research Environment that allows secure analysis of health data.  GP data remains within the system suppliers’ infrastructure, with the GP continuing to act as the data controller.  Under the legal framework of the Data Direction/DPN, this data can be queried by NHS England, with resulting outputs under NHS England’s controllership.

The platform offers a level of transparency and data security that is unmatched, which is why it enjoys such widespread professional support.

Legal Obligations

Practices are legally required to comply with the DPN.  However, data cannot be accessed until the data controller (the practice) has explicitly given approval via the opt-in process.