Dr Nicola Byrne is the National Data Guardian for health and adult social care in England, having been appointed to the role in March 2021 by Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Dr Byrne has a 20 year background working in mental health, and retains her clinical role as a consultant psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to becoming National Data Guardian, she held positions as the trust’s Deputy Medical Director, Caldicott Guardian and Chief Clinical Information Officer.

The National Data Guardian for health and social care helps to ensure that personal confidential data is held and used to support better outcomes from health and care services, at the same time providing confidence that there are thorough safeguards in place to protect personal confidential data.