A Cause For Concern?

[sandyRoe]

Fellow ABers,

I've just found out the government is trying to sell our medical records to anyone that wants them.

Companies will be able to buy information on all of us from the NHS’s new patient database — including everything from mental health conditions, sexually transmitted infections and diseases like cancer linked to your postcode, gender and ethnicity.

We’ve all been opted in to the scheme by the government without our knowledge. The government has said they will upload the data in a matter of just a few weeks. If we’re going to stop this, we have to act now.

Tell Jeremy Hunt and the Department of Health not to sell our medical records.

http://action.sumofus.org/a/nhs-patient-corporations/2/3/?sub=taf

[NoMercy]

Signed

[ladybirder]

Surely it won't identify us?

[Caribeing]

Sandy, pity we couldn't sell them personally maybe make a bit of money some records would make interesting reading and maybe be good research! Mine not too interesting thank goodness!

[Prudie]

And signed, is this not what some ABers were saying would not be happening on another thread the other day?

[boxtops]

Every household is getting a leaflet Sandy, ours came a couple of days ago, explaining all of it . If you want to opt out, you have to notify your GP practice.

As discussed in a thread the other day, the advantage of a central database is that if I come and visit you and have to go to hospital, they'll have my records at the press of a button. The disadvantages are yet to be revealed....

[TWR]

Done, thks Sandy.

[sandyRoe]

I didn't know there was already another thread on this subject. I'd rather there was absolutely no chance of my medical records, not that they reveal much, being sold to anyone.

[Mamyalynne]

The other thread just for reference.

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1311236.html

[granny grump]

I've signed and I have also opted out. I did check at the surgery that hospitals would still be able to get information as would doctors in other parts of the country if I was on holiday

[pusskin]

Signed.

[slaney]

And this one...
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Health-and-Fitness/Question1308674.html

[boxtops]

I know it's the DM, but I spotted this headline in Morrisons earlier on - it seems many GPs are voting against the plan, too http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2552651/GPs-revolt-patient-records-Growing-anger-NHS-plan-harvest-private-data.html

[Hopkirk]

I really don't care.

[SIRandyraven]

When I did some IT work for a company called Epic in Kings Cross back in 2001 , they used to get the medical record data for free.
They then stripped on any identifying data and sold the data to medical research companies , mainly in the USA. The company was of course owned by a small team of doctors. Very useful data for research. ie ...Questions like , how many patients over the age of X, with condition Y, lived 5 years longer taking drug Z.

Happy days that job was .... me and another chap and 30 female staff :-)

[Baldric]

Everyone has/will be getting a leaflet delivered which includes clear info on how to opt-out if you want to. there are too many of these nannying petitions about imo.

[Dee Sa]

I signed and put it on Facebook for others to sign if they want to

[pixie373]

It doesn't worry me.

[EDDIE51]

It will not be possible to identify individual patients though.