Private companies set for access to patient data for just ?1

[Northerner]

Private companies and researchers will be able to access data from GP records for ?1, under plans revealed by NHS England to radically reduce the cost and boost the availability of information about patients available outside the NHS.

The body?s chief data officer has revealed he wants to reduce the costs for companies to access NHS datasets, from around ?20,000 to ?30,000 currently, to just ?1.

NHS England said the data would be used to identify where improvements and efficiencies could be made in the NHS and that only approved companies would have access to the data.

But the GPC has raised concerns that private companies would have access to NHS patient data ?on the cheap?.

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-pr...data-for-just-1/20003879.article#.UgSumZK2aSo

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[trophywench]

Have to say, although it sounds terrible - would it really be?

If you look at the NHS data we can see about diabetes, I can drill down and find my exact GP surgery, which reveals they have X number of Ds, Y% of whom have an A1c below Z. I happen to be one of the X.

Even if you looked at my surgery, you would have absolutely no idea one of them is me.

But also you can conject completely wrong conclusions by only looking at the statistics, especially only selected statistics.

eg T2s shouldn't test because it makes them depressed - remember that one?

I rest my case ......

 

[AlisonM]

Thank god I live in Scotland. I hear rumours of a class action if this goes ahead on the grounds that people's privacy is being invaded. Wouldn't that give Westmonster a red face?

 

[trophywench]

Other than revenue, what's the prob?

They couldn't get individual records without them being properly anonymised, nobody can even within the NHS for research purposes! And it's restricted to the exact bit of info you need for whatever 'really really good' purpose you will use it and for which ethical permission has been granted - and it couldn't possibly be done by GP surgeries, they'd need extra, properly qualified and accredited staff. That costs a great deal more than ?1.

 

[AlisonM]

Other than revenue, what's the prob?

They couldn't get individual records without them being properly anonymised, nobody can even within the NHS for research purposes! And it's restricted to the exact bit of info you need for whatever 'really really good' purpose you will use it and for which ethical permission has been granted - and it couldn't possibly be done by GP surgeries, they'd need extra, properly qualified and accredited staff. That costs a great deal more than ?1.

In my last job I had to use similar NHS software to record details of clients we had and the course of their treatment. It was supposed to be anonymised, but wasn't really. It was still possible to find a degree of detail that might lead to identifying the patients... If you knew how. It still required things like gender, DOB and postcode. The problem is the databases used are very poorly designed and buggy as can be, designed by the lowest bidder probably. There is anonymising software available, but the one I saw used doesn't do a very good job. If it were me, I'd be writing to my CCG, PCT, whoever to make it clear I objected strenuously to any of my data being used in such a fashion.