OpenSAFELY publication approval process update

Dear OpenSAFELY users,

If you have submitted work for publication approval, we appreciate your patience with our delay in providing a response. We look forward to sending you a response as soon as this is possible.

A rapid review of the publication approval process was recently prompted by a number of factors:

• OpenSAFELY user feedback on the previous approach;
• the need to ensure we continue to meet the requirements of the GP data controllers;
• the need to ensure resources are appropriately allocated to the publication approval process;
• and to review how this publication approval process will work alongside ongoing plans to extend OpenSAFELY’s legal basis to studies beyond COVID-19 (which has strong support of NHS England, the GP profession and many other stakeholders).

As a result of this review, the overall publication approval service will have a new function established - the Clinical DATAPAST.

It is important that you read the information on the Clinical DATAPAST which describes this new function, how it will work, and your responsibilities as researchers when submitting work for publication approval.

Here is the final paper on this topic which was presented to the OpenSAFELY Steering Board and the Joint GP IT Committee in December 2024; the preferred option in section 6 was supported by both groups.