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NHS Personal Records Third Party Access.

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stevef
(@stevef)
Posts: 746
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You might be interested in the planned patient data grab that the British government is about to implement. You'll notice it's not been widely-published, I wonder why? And as for governmental past records of security breaches... There's not much time left to opt out of it if you're concerned.  

More details in these two links:

https://medconfidential.org/how-to-opt-out/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/04/tories-nhs-data-grab-pandemic

 

 

 
Posted : June 4, 2021 4:29 pm
Guaj
 Guaj
(@guaj)
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My rather outdated experience of the NHS data was a brown envelope that had all you health info written on cards inside it and if you moved, the envelope was sent to your new doctor. I assume this is digitalised now and it's mailed to a new doctor? 

I'm not at all happy about how secret the NHS is about so called patient confidentiality. This caused my brother and I so much trouble and worry when our 90 year old mum was ill. We had no idea why they gave her the medicine prescribed, we felt helpless and cut out of the loop. It was impossible to discuss our mother's health and treatment with the doctors we were just told to follow their advice. They insisted it was due to NHS patient confidentiality rules. (BS I thought)

So if this new system means people can get better info about the treatment of loved ones I'm all for it. However, using it commercially is immoral IMO.  Ironic since the NHS is so secretive about patient treatment info and patients MUST use the same (designated) health practice. Changing to another practice in your area is a real palaver to say the least and getting a second opinion seems almost impossible.

Fortunately for me, I don't have this problem, not living in the UK, but if my brother or daughter or their kids got sick I'd probably run into the same road block if I was worried about them.

Hmm maybe in future I could buy info about their treatment from Google. (Talk about "sick")  {blue}:nonoise:  

 
Posted : June 5, 2021 8:30 am
stevef
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Posts: 746
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I agree that centralisation could be beneficial but at what price...

I don't have any confidence in government statements that the information would be secure, there have been too many examples of breaches, either intentional or unintentional. There's even the following rider:  NHS Digital will be able to use the software to convert the unique codes back to data that could directly identify you in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason. What valid reason?

About 15 years ago the incumbent Labour government were pushing for biometric national identity cards to prevent terrorism, fraud and illegal immigration. Their claims of it being fool-proof were ridiculed when a national newspaper IT expert hacked the system in half an hour. Google searches will throw up plenty of 'un-hackable' systems being accessed, it was only a few years ago that a British schoolkid got into the American defence and missile systems on a standard home computer.

I don't trust any organisation claiming that the data they hold is safe. And even if it is, I want to know exactly what information they're holding on me. I've got nothing to be afraid of but it's the principle I don't like. OK, it's not exactly the Stasi but oaks grow from acorns.

 
Posted : June 5, 2021 12:56 pm
stevef
(@stevef)
Posts: 746
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A bit more here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57400902

and here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57383992

 
Posted : June 8, 2021 1:35 pm
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