Consensus Statement

The focus of the SACRO project has been to create a semi-automated system for checking research outputs. In addition to this and the training documents for output checkers in TREs, the SACRO project has created a consensus statement.

This consensus statement is a series of principles created with input from stakeholders and members of the public. These principles are designed to be guidelines for how TREs should implement semi-automated output checking safely and securely in the future.

The core principles outlined are:

• Any outputs produced by organisation on the basis of confidential information they hold, which may be made available beyond that organisation, should undergo a form of output disclosure control checking
• There are benefits to semi-automated output checking in making TREs more efficient and less labour intensive. This will allow resources to be concentrated on complex cases, allowing more research to be carried out quickly and securely.
• In addition to supporting output checkers there is potential for the system to be used to train TRE staff.
• It is important to allow TREs to choose their risk appetite and balancing within the Five Safes. This applies to all stages of the process including the number of output checkers used alongside the semi-automated system as well as the automatic suppression or rounding used.
• TREs should monitor error rate in human and machine output checking, to inform future plans for automation. This could include monitoring of incidents or how often outputs are stopped at the first output checker.
• Any semi-automated system requires robust testing of the system in TREs across the UK using different data.
• Guidance for staff is key. Semi-automation will help reduce bottleneck but output checkers need additional support in the form of a clear guidance document
• Training for TRE staff in using the semi-automated system as well as output checking more broadly is required.
• As semi-automated systems develop future versions may utilise artificial intelligence. Considerations should be given to public concern of artificial intelligence and how to communicate this work as well as careful consideration of biased data sets.

We are currently open to feedback on the statement and looking for organisations to sign up to it. You can either feedback via email or attend a stakeholder session.

We are running a stakeholder session on Monday 11 September. To register for the event, please complete the form here prior to the event you will receive a copy of the consensus statement via email. During the event a short intro will be given to the project and there will be time for group discussion and for you to ask questions and give feedback. After the event we will follow up via email asking for individuals or institutions to sign up to the statement, if they haven’t already.

If you are unable to attend to the event but would like to see the consensus statement and provide feedback please still register and provide feedback via email to katie.oldfield@researchdata.scot . For all other queries please contact elizabeth7.green@uwe.ac.uk