Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Launch of controversial system to collect GP patient data delayed amid privacy concerns

Launch of controversial system to collect GP patient data delayed amid privacy concerns

The programme has been delayed to ensure "data is accessed securely."

The launch of a new digital GP data sharing system has been pushed back amid concerns about privacy.

The NHS system, which will be able to extract patient data from doctor's surgeries in England - including people's treatments, referrals and appointments over the past 10 years - was due to start in July but has been delayed.

Health minister Jo Churchill told MPs the programme will now begin on 1 September to allow for work to be done to "ensure that data is accessed securely."

Some patients have already been able to opt out of the scheme using a form from their GP


It comes after Labour called for the scheme to be paused until people are told what precise data will be made available and for an information campaign to take place to allay privacy fears among medical professionals.

The government has sought to reassure the public, saying collected data is coded by NHS Digital to protect patient identities and that the system will not collect entire GP records.

But information commissioner Elizabeth Denham is among those to welcome the delay, saying there remained "considerable confusion regarding the scope and nature" of the programme.

Ms Churchill told the House of Commons that despite the delay, the government remained committed to the plan.

"Data saves lives, it's as simple as that," she said.

"We've seen that in the pandemic, it's one of the lessons of the vaccine rollout. The GP data programme will strengthen this system and save lives and patient data is of course owned by the patient."

Labour's shadow minister for public health and primary care, Alex Norris, said: "This is a welcome decision, but it was only achieved after overwhelming pressure from patients, and health professionals alike."

He added that there must be a "full public consultation" about the issue before the data collection is resumed.

Others have been invited to opt out via a text message like this


Simon Bolton, chief executive of NHS Digital, said: "We are absolutely determined to take people with us on this mission. We take our responsibility to safeguard the data we hold incredibly seriously."

The British Medical Association and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) had raised concerns over the plans being introduced too quickly, without enough patient consultation.

Chairman of the RCGP, Professor Martin Marshall, welcomed the delay and said it is "essential" the time is used to "properly communicate with the public and with clinicians so that patients and GPs have trust in the programme".

Patients will be able to opt-out of having their data shared ahead of the system's launch, with some having been contacted via text message with instructions as to how to do it.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×