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UK Data Linkage Community

A DARE UK funded initiative

A UK-wide, cross-sector, open community.
Data linkage methodologies, applications and best practice principles.

Workshops

Courses

Resources

Knowledge Exchange

The UK Data Linkage Community focuses on improving the practice of data linkage and entity resolution, bringing together linkage practitioners, linked data users, researchers, and data owners.
The community creates an open, supportive space where members can connect, exchange knowledge, and learn from one another’s experiences.

UK Data Linkage Community

By fostering collaboration across organisations and disciplines, we seek to strengthen the technical, theoretical, and practical aspects of data linkage work. A core purpose of the community is to surface and share expertise that is often distributed across teams and institutions. We collate, synthesise, and generalise existing knowledge and materials so they can inform wider practice beyond individual institutions, reducing duplication of effort and supporting collective progress.

A community shaped by practitioners

We are committed to understanding and responding to the real-world needs of our members. Through workshops, discussions, and collaborative activities, we provide opportunities to identify common challenges and co-develop practical solutions. The community is shaped by those who participate in it, ensuring that its priorities remain relevant, inclusive, and grounded in practice. Ultimately, our goal is to build sustainable collaboration within the data linkage space, including shared resources, open materials, and coordinated activities that support ongoing learning and alignment across the field. By connecting people, knowledge, and opportunities, we aim to enhance the quality, transparency, and impact of data linkage research and practice.

Workshops

The community is in the process of developing three workshops, aimed at identifying the needs of particular interest groups and guiding development of resources. The three interest group workshops are as follows:

In partnership with
funded by
Dare_UK_LOGO_POSITIVE_RGB (1) (1)

Workshop 1: Data linkage practitioners

For those working “at the coalface” of data linkage, exploring methodologies and best practices for entity resolution.

Workshop 2: Linked data users

For those working with linked datasets, exploring how data linkage practitioners can support them to better understand the linkages they produce and how it affects their use.

Workshop 3: Focused themes within data linkage

an exploration of sub-topics within data linkage, working with established groups to highlight developments within the field.

This landing page will serve as a home for courses developed in response to needs identified by the community. As priorities emerge through workshops and discussion, we will curate and develop practical learning resources to support skills development across different levels of experience, helping to build shared understanding, strengthen capability, and support consistent, high-quality practice in data linkage.

The UK Data Linkage Community is a Community Group funded by DARE UK. For further information please visit https://dareuk.org.uk/community-groups-listing/uk-data-linkage-community/

Co-chairs

Michael Edwards

Secure eResearch Platform (SeRP) UK

Sam Lindsay

Data First and Ministry of Justice

Simon Thompson

Secure eResearch Platform (SeRP) UK

Josie Plachta

Office for National Statistics

Professor Adam Chee

Education Lead & Co-Director | Honorary Professor of Health Systems Transformation at Swansea University

A convergence scientist familiar with Health(Care), Informatics, Innovation, Technologies and (equally important,) the Business aspects of the ecosystem, Adam serves as a coach & conduit between diverse key opinion leaders & stakeholders, engaging at operational, strategic and governmental levels as well as developing commercial relationships with global firms and local start-ups in the utilization of Data, Technology & Design as enablers for transformation, addressing the challenges of existing and new models of health(care). 

Bringing years of experience and expertise in strategy & operational consulting, technology & workflow advisory, design, spearheading implementation & adoption of solutions across Asia Pacific and Middle East, Adam had a successful career in the Tech industry before venturing into Health Informatics in 2002. His unique background also includes working in business, market development and product management with established MNCs and innovative Startups. Adam also ‘earned his stripes’ as an industry pioneer, implementing and managing clinical information solutions during his tenure with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) and have since worked across the healthcare ecosystem, including the primary care sector, private & public tertiary hospitals, research institutes, government health agencies and NGOs across the globe. 

Dr Stephanie Lee

Chief Growth Officer and Co-Director

An elected Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) and awarded CIM Chartered Marketer (CMKtr) status, Stephanie brings more than 30 years of experience and knowledge in marketing and internationalisation to her role as Chief Growth Officer for the world-renowned Population Data Science at Swansea University Medical School. 

Stephanie is co-leading the development of the Training and Capacity Building (TCB) programme for ADR Wales, and she is responsible for the strategic growth of the full-spectrum training courses for data-intensive scientists in the UK and internationally. 

Chris Roberts

Head of Communications & Engagement

Chris is responsible for all impact and engagement activities at Datacise Open Learning. Through marketing courses, delivering events, producing impactful case studies, blogs and news articles, Chris aspires to showcase the world-leading data science learning opportunities available with Datacise Open Learning. A graduate of Swansea University, Chris holds an MSc in Health Informatics. Chris comes from a background of marketing, communications & engagement roles in health and medical research organisations such as Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie and Wales Air Ambulance.