Information Commissioner to investigate MTAS leak
The Information Commissioner has told the Liberal Democrat’s health spokesperson, Norman Lamb that he will be launching an immediate investigation into the leak of applicant’s details on the Medical Training and Application Service website, E-Health Insider has learned. Two weeks ago, Channel 4 News reported that they were able to log onto the MTAS website […]
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Junior doctors’ confidential details openly displayed
The Medical Training Application Service website will be the subject of a Department of Health investigation after an undercover reporter found that the private details of over 1,000 junior doctor applicants were available to view on the website. Channel 4 News said that it logged onto a website provided to them by a doctor and […]
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DH, GMC and IC issue joint guidance on patient data
The Department of Health, the General Medical Council and the Information Commissioner have issued joint guidance on the use of IT equipment and access to data. The three bodies say the joint statement is intended to ensure that all those who have access to patient information are clear about what is expected of them. The guidance […]
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Lessons already being learned from early adopters
Dr Gillian Braunold explains how pragmatism and common sense are the touchstone of the summary care record early adopters, which are already shaping policy for future roll-out.
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FOI victory on report that led to axing of NHSu
Nurse educator and health informatician, Rod Ward, has won the right under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to see a report on the NHSu, the health service’s short-lived, online university that was dissolved in 2005. The Department of Health (DH) has withdrawn an appeal against the release of the report which was due to […]
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Data from half a million patients to aid research
UK Biobank, a medical research initiative charity, is to start using patient data to provide reliable assessment of different causes of diseases, from 15 April. Andy Harris, a systems architect for the charity told an Oracle press briefing at the World Health Care Congress in Barcelona that the charity would have access to patient lists […]
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Privacy GP calls records opt out pledge a ‘decoy’
A GP who has campaigned for patients to secure an opt-out from the NHS Care Records Service (NCRS) is claiming that current plans will still put confidential patient information at risk. Dr Paul Thornton has written a 12 page report which claims the government’s pledge of an opt out right from the Summary Care Record […]
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Information Commissioner backs electronic care records
The UK’s Information Commissioner has issued new guidance to members of the public on the government’s plans to develop a national system of electronic care records, based on enquiries that have been received. Overall the Commissioner backs plans for a national system of summary records but says he plans to keep a close eye on how […]
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Plans for children’s databases criticised
Government plans for children’s databases could end up putting children at increased risk by diverting resources away from frontline services and are already breaking data protection and privacy laws according to a report ordered by the Information Commissioner. The report, Children’s Databases – Safety and Privacy, written by the Foundation for Information Policy and Research […]
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Warning on good practice in data sharing
The Information Commissioner (IC) has issued a warning to the government and other public bodies to share data properly or risk losing public confidence. In his annual report Richard Thomas highlights the renewed focus on projects to share information among public sector bodies and acknowledges the potential benefits of such projects. However he claims that there […]
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