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Our Future Health case study

Enabling the discovery and testing of more effective approaches to disease prevention, detection and treatment.

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Partners

Facilitating large scale recruitment

Currently, healthy life expectancy is falling, with 54% of people aged 65 or older living with 2 or more serious conditions. Additionally, increasing numbers of under 65s are unable to work due to ill health. These significant public health challenges impact the population, the NHS, and the economy, requiring new approaches to help people live healthier lives for longer.

NHS DigiTrials' recruitment service is helping Our Future Health recruit 5 million volunteers from diverse backgrounds to create the UK’s largest health research programme. This study will create a detailed picture of the UK population to enable more effective disease prevention, earlier detection, and treatment.

Our Future Health is an amazing opportunity for us to change the way that healthcare is delivered in the UK, from the current model of late-stage treatment to a new model where we can detect diseases earlier and prevent them. With support from NHS DigiTrials, we have had an amazing response with about 1.9 million joining since our launch in October 2022.

Data integration and patient benefit

NHS DigiTrials' recruitment service is helping Our Future Health reach previously under-represented groups across England. By using NHS Data and targeted communications, NHS DigiTrials personalises Our Future Health communications to improve participation. This ensures the study reflects the true diversity of the UK population.

Once volunteers consent to participate, Our Future Health invites them to:

  1. Complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire.
  2. Donate a blood sample.
  3. Have basic measurements taken.
  4. Share their healthcare records.

This data is securely stored and managed, adhering to the highest industry and professional standards in compliance with data protection laws.

The comprehensive dataset, stored in a Secure Environment, will represent the UK population. Researchers are already using this data to develop new methods for disease prevention, detection, and treatment. Current live studies using Our Future Health data include:

  • study Investigating the Risks of E-Cigarettes in Never Smokers (SIREN) - University of East Anglia
  • exploration of genetic risk factors for cardiometabolic disease in the Our Future Health cohort - Novo Nordisk
  • analysis of linked demographic and genetic data with respect to immune dysfunction towards defining relationships between genotype, phenotype and environment - Randox

Project timeline and funding

Our Future Health launched in autumn 2022 with £130 million in government funding through UK Research and Innovation, and more than £180 million from leading life sciences companies and charities.

Conclusion

The partnership between Our Future Health and NHS DigiTrials demonstrates how data-driven recruitment can help accelerate clinical research. By enabling access to a truly representative population sample, this collaboration is creating a world-leading resource for health research.

Last edited: 5 March 2025 1:22 pm