Tag Archives: medical records

Are you concerned about who has access to your confidential information?

hand holding a stethoscope over computer keyboard with a securitNHS Digital are introducing a new tool that people can use to opt out of their confidential patient information being used for reasons other than their individual care and treatment.This is part of a vision to improve patients’ trust and confidence in how data is looked after by the health and social care system, following the failure of the Care.data project two years ago. Further information is available on our Have Your Say page.

The national data opt-out will be available for the public online from 25th  May at https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out-programme

For those who do not want to or cannot access the service digitally there will be also be a national telephone service available on 0300 303 5678.

NHS – Alert! Update on the care.data project

NHS – Alert!
NHS care.data scheme

NHS care.data scheme

The government has announced that the implementation of its care.data project has been postponed until the Autumn, following concerns expressed by the Royal Colleges, charities, private companies, patients and the British Medical Association that there has been inadequate public notification and that many people do not understand the implications of the scheme. There are concerns that NHS England has failed to inform patients about how the data collected will be used, and by whom, which could undermine patients’ confidence in the NHS. Nor has the right to opt-out of the scheme been publicised adequately. Continue reading →

GPs to send care.data ‘opt-out’ letters

NHS care.data scheme

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.

Is the NHS really going to sell our medical records!

NHS care.data scheme

NHS care.data scheme

Members of the the Forum, and visitors, packed the meeting room today to attend a presentation on the Government’s care.data scheme, given by Professor Justin Keen from Leeds University. He described the progress of the scheme to date, its aims, proposed benefits and some of the controversies surrounding it. Forum members were keen to hear about what would be happening to their medical records and this controversial topic certainly stimulated a lot of questions both during and after the presentation. A very informative and worthwhile meeting.

Please see the next post for further details about the care.data project, or click here for detailed information. If you wish to opt-out of the project click  caredata_opt-out form for a form to print or alternatively click here for further advice.

Crisis talks postpone Government’s medical records data project

 

NHS care.data scheme

NHS care.data scheme

The government has announced that the implementation of its care.data project has been postponed until the Autumn, following concerns expressed by the Royal Colleges, charities, private companies, patients and the British Medical Association that there has been inadequate public notification and that many people do not understand the implications of the scheme. There are concerns that NHS England has failed to inform patients about how the data collected will be used, and by whom. Nor has the right to opt-out of the scheme been publicised adequately.

On June 27th the British Medical Association voted in favour of an opt-in policy. 

Continue reading →