NHS England has published Board papers noting new directions from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care covering the DigiTrials Recruitment Service and vaccination and screening data.

The papers were included in NHS England’s public Board pack for the meeting held on 4 June 2026.

Key Developments

NHS England published a paper on the DigiTrials Recruitment Service Directions 2026.

The directions require NHS England to provide the DigiTrials Recruitment Service following the conclusion of its pilot phase.

The service is intended to support identification and contact of people who may be eligible to participate in clinical trials, using data already collected by NHS England.

The paper states that the directions were made under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the National Health Service Act 2006.

NHS England also published a paper on the NHS Vaccination and Screening Directions 2026.

These directions provide a framework for NHS England to collect, analyse and disseminate information in support of vaccination and screening services.

The initial use case covers secondary uses of data for breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programmes.

The paper states that the directions support areas including national statistics, inequalities analysis, capacity planning, programme evaluation, policy development and approved research.

Both papers note the need for appropriate data protection, information governance and statutory guidance compliance.

Why It Matters

The directions are important governance developments for NHS data use, research participation, screening and population health.

The DigiTrials directions move the recruitment service from pilot activity into a directed service. This is relevant to NHS research infrastructure because it supports more systematic identification of potentially eligible clinical trial participants.

The vaccination and screening directions are relevant to public health and cancer screening programmes because they create a framework for secondary uses of data to support service planning, evaluation, inequalities monitoring and approved research.

The papers also show the increasing importance of data governance in NHS delivery. As the NHS expands use of data for research, screening, prevention and service improvement, public trust, lawful processing, transparency and information governance remain central.

For providers, commissioners, researchers and system leaders, the directions indicate continued national emphasis on data-enabled healthcare, while also reinforcing the need for robust governance around patient information.

Source References

• NHS England: DigiTrials Recruitment Service Directions 2026, 4 June 2026.
• NHS England: Vaccination and Screening Directions 2026, 4 June 2026.