NHS care.data scheme

Following the Government’s decision to run a pilot scheme with 500 GP practices this Autumn, the Chair of the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) announced that a pilot study involving the extraction of patients’ medical records from 100 GP practices will start in the autumn. GPs continue to express their concern about the lack of of patient awareness of the care.data project. GPs involved the pilot study have therefore decided to send out ‘opt-out’ letters to their patients in order to ensure that they can make an informed decision about whether or not they wish to have their medical records made available for possible purchase by academics and commercial enterprises.

To follow the progress on care.data, please view the previous blogs on this page and also the Government survey article on the ‘Have your say’ webpage. Closing date August 8th.