Methods in Action: Data linkage

Katie is an Associate Professor in Quantitative Methods at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. Her methodological research focuses on the development of statistical methods for data linkage, and particularly for evaluating the quality of linkage. She aims to develop methods to maximise the rich data that are collected about populations as we interact with services throughout our lives. Katie’s applied research focuses on exploiting existing data sources to improve services for mothers and families; particularly vulnerable families. She aims to improve our understanding of the health of individuals from birth to young adulthood.

James has been juggling linked data for the last 9 years, first as a researcher establishing population-level studies of linked administrative data in Australia and the UK, then as a data linker at Public Health England and the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC), and through advisory roles with ONS and NHS Digital. James spent much of his postdoctoral years in the Administrative Data Research Centre for England at UCL thinking about how to address the problem of linkage error. In his new role at ICNARC, James is now focusing on the design of efficient clinical trials and observational studies that maximise the use of routinely collected health data.

Max is a third year PhD student at UCL GOS ICH. In her PhD she aims to make the most of existing clinical trial data. Specifically, she is interested in linking old infant formula trials to administrative school records to assess the long-term cognitive effects of various infant formula compositions. Her supervisors are Professors Ruth Gilbert (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health), Mary Fewtrell (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health) and John Jerrim (IoE).