Standardised Architecture for Trusted Research Environments (SATRE)

The Health Informatics Centre (HIC)’s Trusted Research Environment (TRE) is a secure computing environment is specifically designed for handling sensitive data in a way that protects privacy and enables research. In the UK there are many TREs designed to suit local needs resulting in inconsistencies and complexities. The Standardised Architecture for Trusted Research Environments (SATRE) was developed in 2023 with the aim of creating a standardised framework for safe, well-governed data use within TREs, including best practice on how to design, operate and use a TRE. 

HIC’s Role

As a leading Trusted Research Environment and a core member of the Scottish Safe Haven Network, HIC’s Academic Co-Director and Reader in Health Informatics Dr Christian Cole, led the collaborative project funded by DARE UK. With input from over 60 organisations across the UK, SATRE identifies the capabilities required of TREs, making it easier for users, operators and developers to work with sensitive data, and making the operation of TREs more transparent to data owners and the general public. 

The HIC team, including Dr Simon Li as researcher Co-I, played a central role in defining and developing the SATRE specification as an open, transparent and inclusive framework around the Four Principles; Usability, Maintaining public trust, Observability and Standardisation. HIC’s Operational Team led and coordinated the development of a control alignment table that mapped SATRE’s specifications against accreditation frameworks including ISO 27001; NHS England’s Data Security and Protection Toolkit; Digital Economy Act; and Cyber Essentials. This will support future TRE’s with alignment to SATRE.

The DARE UK-funded SATRE Community Group has been set up as an oversight of the SATRE specification and to guide its long-term future

The UK TRE Community group was established in 2002 as a satellite session of RSEcon by Dr Simon Li attended by 20-30 individuals. The aim was to bring like-minded individuals together to discuss TREs. Now, the community is c. 400 strong and has over 100 attendees at its annual conference.

Impact

• SATRE provides a unified approach to TRE design and delivery, improving security, efficiency, and trust in data use accepted by operators and the public.
• SATRE helps operators to self-assess their TRE provision against UK best practice in an open and transparent manner.
• SATRE is a de facto standard for TREs in academia, the NHS and industry as highlighted in the 2024 Sudlow Review and 2025 update to the Scottish Safe Have Charter.
• SATRE is a baseline for establishing a UK TRE accreditation for the first time.

What’s next

• DARE UK – the £6.2m TREvolution programme will deliver:
  • Standardisation of TRE capabilities in the UK
    • A common ecosystem for TREs
      • Tooling to support statistical disclosure control.
        • Improved data governance principles.
      • K8TRE - Open-source reference implementation of a SATRE-compliant TRE.
      • Federation – supports shared governance standards, ensuring secure, consistent, and collaborative use across settings.