Research IT

Planning to Use REDCap?

REDCap is an essential part of the University’s Highly Restricted Data Service (HRDS) allowing researchers to build and manage online databases and surveys containing restricted data. From the 1st Jan 2025 there will be changes to the way that this service is charged for.

The Highly Restricted Data Service (HRDS) is an essential part of many researchers toolkit allowing them to work safely and securely with confidential and sensitive data. The HRDS consists of four parts –

  • Data Safe Haven - secure storage and compute for processing restricted and highly restricted data
  • SafePod - a secure physical room for working with data provided via the SafePod network
  • Secure Web Platforms - hosting and custom support for project-specific, secure data platforms
  • REDCap - securce web application for hosting online surveys and databases

REDCap

REDCap’s streamlined process for rapidly creating and designing projects offers a vast array of tools that can be tailored to virtually any data collection strategy.

REDCap provides automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to Excel and common statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R), as well as a built-in project calendar, a scheduling module, ad hoc reporting tools, and advanced features, such as branching logic, file uploading, and calculated fields.

Changes to the Charging Model

The University REDCap instances, administered and supported by Research IT, are enabling many research studies, with more projects coming online every month.

There is no baseline funding for the specialist team members who provide the support, and the existing charging model is recovering only a fraction of the funds required to cover their time. This is no longer sustainable due to growing demand, increased complexity of some projects, and the governance expectations for systems approved to host highly restricted data.

To ensure long-term sustainability and development of the REDCap service, a new charging model has been agreed with the Research IT Strategy and Change Management Board (RITSCMB).

This model detailed below will be introduced from 01 January 2025 to allow for grant applications currently pending to work their way through the system. There will also be an "amnesty" for any project costed before the 14th October which come into production after 01 January.

The new model:

  1. Single UoM user, no external users (e.g. PGR projects): no charge.
  2. More than one UoM user, no external users: £2k, one-time charge.
  3. Projects with external users: £4k, one-time charge.
  4. Projects for which development effort required: by negotiation (usually a small fraction of an FTE for the lifetime of the project).

If you have any questions about the HRDS, REDCap or the new charging model please get in touch.