Call for tougher penalties for information crime
A case in which an abusive husband was able to track down his ex-partner’s whereabouts through her parents’ medical records is cited by the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, in a new report on the illegal trade in personal information. Thomas calls for tougher penalties for people convicted of buying and selling personal information illegally, including […]
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Academics call for NPfIT technical assessment
A group of 23 computer science academics from around the UK have written an open letter calling for an “independent technical assessment” of the National Programme for IT. They say in their letter to the House of Commons health select committee: "Concrete, objective information about NPfIT’s [National Programme for IT] progress is not available to external […]
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GP calls for judicial review of NCRS consent
A GP is calling for a judicial review of the government’s consent plans for the NHS Care Records Service (NCRS). Dr Paul Thornton, a GP in Warwickshire with a special interest in patient privacy and confidentiality law, has prepared a nine-page document setting out why he believes the government’s proposals for the NCRS are unlawful […]
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Loophole could force release of deceased’s records
A loophole in the Data Protection Act means GPs could be forced to disclose the records of deceased patients, GP representatives are warning. The British Medical Association’s General Practitioner Committee reported after its monthly meeting last week that there are problems with how the Data Protection Act applies to deceased patients which means their records […]
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ID cards database could store medical records
Details of patients’ medical records could potentially appear on the ID card database if an amendment to the ID Cards Bill is passed, according to an international law firm specialising in IT. Pinsent Masons says on its website that the government has tabled an amendment which could be used to allow the ID card database to […]
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QoF data to be published online
Practices will no longer have to release Quality and Outcome Framework data if asked to do so under the Freedom of Information Act as data will be in the public domain from tomorrow (August 31), GPs have been told. Revised guidance on the Freedom of Information Act from the British Medical Association’s GP committee advises GPs […]
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Information Commissioner will look at opt-out rights
Clarification on patients’ rights to opt out of having personal information recorded under the NHS Care Records Service (NCRS) will be sought by the Information Commissioner (IC) in the very near future, according to a letter from the commissioner’s office. The letter, sent to Dr Paul Thornton, a Warwickshire GP with a special interest in […]
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FOI challenge on QoF data
The owner of an online information service is challenging a decision to hold back publication of Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) data until August. Gordon Blackwell, owner of the National Health Intelligence Service told EHI Primary Care: “I don’t think they have any right to deny me access to that information. Section 22 of the […]
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Electronic Social Care Record To Be Phased
The December 2004 target for implementing full electronic social care records (ESCR) is not achievable and the roll-out is now due to take place between 2008-2010, at the same time as the English NHS integrated care record service (ICRS), a conference heard this week. Roger Staton, head of the Social Care Information Policy Unit at […]
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Health Data Protection Group Formed
The first meeting of the new Health Records and Data Protection Review Group, set up to advise the Government on helping people to gain access to their health records, took place on Friday, 24 May. The group, whose members represent patient groups, health and social care professionals and regulatory bodies, will advise the Government on […]
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