CPFT Research Database
What is the CPFT Research Database?
It is a database of anonymised medical records. CPFT’s electronic clinical records are put through a software tool called CRATE (Clinical Record Anonymisation and Text Extraction), which removes information that might identify a patient. The database will be invaluable as researchers carry out their work into what causes conditions such as dementia, and which treatments are best for dementia and other mental health conditions.
The database allows research using this anonymous information. For example, researchers might use the database to see which treatments help the most in schizophrenia, or how often patients get side effects such as weight gain from a particular medicine, or how well different kinds of psychological therapy work for different conditions. In this kind of research, the researchers do not know the identity of any patient.
The database speeds up research, and makes research possible that would otherwise be impossible. It also allows research to be conducted anonymously when in years gone by the same research would have needed research clinicians to see paper case notes.
The CPFT Research Database enables service users (patients) to:
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Decide who can access their medical records for research
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Decide whether they can be contacted directly about research (or not) and in what way
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Be offered the choice if they want their anonymised data to be used for research, service development and clinical purposes.
Have you been a Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) service user and want to sign up?
Not sure if you are signed up?
For more information about the research database, who to contact and where you can sign up go to the CPFT Research Database website.
(Please note, at present only those using CPFT services can sign up to join the research database)