Tom’s digital disruptors: testing times for apps
The NHS Apps Library has closed after concerns were raised about the effectiveness and security of the apps it endorsed. Thomas Meek wonders what this means for a new app endorsement process.
Feature

NHS-backed apps put patient data at risk
Dozens of apps that feature in the NHS Health Apps Library put the privacy of patient data at risk, according to a paper published in the open access journal BMC Medicine.
Digital Patient

Care.data delayed by two years
Final approval for the ‘pathfinder’ stage of the controversial care.data programme to go ahead will not be given until early next year.
AI and Analytics

Care.data re-launched this month
One of the four care.data pathfinders will start contacting patients about the re-launch of the controversial scheme later this month.
News

Care.data stuck in the last chance saloon
Critics of care.data say it is sitting in the “last chance saloon”. Sam Sachdeva looks at its prospects in the second of EHI News’ features looking back over the major healthcare IT initiatives of the coalition government.
AI and Analytics

Lords to examine NHS identity bill
A bill proposing to mandate the use of a common patient identifier across the health and social care system will be discussed in the House of Lords tomorrow.
News

Single opt-out “needed” for patient data
Health authorities should implement a single Spine-based opt-out for identifiable patient data, covering all care settings, to respect patients’ rights, a privacy watchdog says.
News

Care.data review raises questions
An independent review on the first stage of NHS England’s controversial care.data programme says a wide range of “unresolved” questions must be answered before it can proceed.
News

HSCIC admits to four HES data breaches
The Health and Social Care Information centre has admitted to repeated data breaches involving the Hospital Episode Statistics.
News

Care.data should be opt-in – Jarman
The care.data programme should be opt-in not opt-out, well-known health data expert Professor Brian Jarman has said.
News