[News] NHS records to be sold to third-parties

[Sheebo]

So the fake news bullshit people swallow up on shitty Facebook now dilutes down to NSC? Ffs

Or is it actually true?!

 

[WATFORD zero]

...And there doesn't seem to be a deadline for opt out according to the NHS website - see

https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/

I don't think they have done a very good job in publicising the issue and I am veering toward the "let them have it if can help the NHS"

I suspect that is the Government's hope

 

[Acker79]

Don't know if it's relevant, but the info pages on NHS that are being quoted above note they were last updated July 2019, and refer to a September deadline, so it isn't entirely up to date.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Don't know if it's relevant, but the info pages on NHS that are being quoted above note they were last updated July 2019, and refer to a September deadline, so it isn't entirely up to date.

I'd say that's pretty relevant

 

[WATFORD zero]

So the fake news bullshit people swallow up on shitty Facebook now dilutes down to NSC? Ffs

If only it were, from the NHS website

We are not going to sell your data

NHS Digital does not sell data. It does however charge those who want to access its data for the costs of making the data available to them. This is because we are not funded centrally to do this. Charges only cover the cost of running the service and means that those organisations who need access to the data bear the costs of this, rather than NHS Digital.

The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes by organisations who have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data. We do not allow data to be used solely for commercial purposes.

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/advice-for-the-public

 

[rippleman]

I just tried opting out through the online link. Put in my NHS number to be told "we can't find you - you need to fill in the form and take it to your GP surgery"!!

Quelle surprise!

 

[studio150]

What could possibly go wrong with Hancock in charge?

 

[Sheebo]

If only it were, from the NHS website

We are not going to sell your data

NHS Digital does not sell data. It does however charge those who want to access its data for the costs of making the data available to them. This is because we are not funded centrally to do this. Charges only cover the cost of running the service and means that those organisations who need access to the data bear the costs of this, rather than NHS Digital.

The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes by organisations who have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data. We do not allow data to be used solely for commercial purposes.

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/advice-for-the-public

Not quite the ‘anyone can buy your data’ line the social media scaremongers are spreading though is it...

 

[Sheebo]

What could possibly go wrong with Hancock in charge?

Maybe his mates from uni (toffs) will each get given 1 million records as a gift to use / sell how they wish to?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I am really not worried about this at all. GP records for the majority of people may as well be written in crayon for all the value tied up in them. If nothing else it will highlight just how reactive and judgement based our primary healthcare function is.

Good quality long term health measurements, would push us all beyond the one size fits all mantra of smoke too much, drink too much, exercise too little, eat too much = die earlier

It will come from personal devices and people having the courage to opt into schemes where their data can be shared and analysed for the greater good. We are a long way from that at the moment.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Not quite the ‘anyone can buy your data’ line the social media scaremongers are spreading though is it...

I don't know as I haven't looked into it in any detail, but would it surprise you to know I don't always believe everything that this Government claims and I could imagine their friends in the medical insurance/private medical industry could be quite persuasive

 

[Pevenseagull]

If only it were, from the NHS website

We are not going to sell your data

NHS Digital does not sell data. It does however charge those who want to access its data for the costs of making the data available to them. This is because we are not funded centrally to do this. Charges only cover the cost of running the service and means that those organisations who need access to the data bear the costs of this, rather than NHS Digital.

The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes by organisations who have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data. We do not allow data to be used solely for commercial purposes.

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/advice-for-the-public

partially then?

and who is running the service and what are they getting paid to run it?

would anyone be surprised if it's Dido Harding on £500K pa?

 

[Hampster Gull]

...And there doesn't seem to be a deadline for opt out according to the NHS website - see

https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/

I don't think they have done a very good job in publicising the issue and I am veering toward the "let them have it if can help the NHS"

If you opt out before 23 June then no records are transferred. If you opt out after then only subsequent records are not transferred, the historical ones will remain on the database. Sauce, FT

 

[WATFORD zero]

partially then?

Well my first thought was that the Private medical industry and Medical Insurance industry probably undertake a whole lot of research so that wouldn't be 'solely for commercial purposes' would it ? And that's just off the top of my head.

 

[Swansman]

The people with the "I've got nothing to hide so I dont care" mentality will win out in the end. As usual when it comes to these sorts of things.

 

[Lethargic]

So what was the point of GDPR, where data sharing is by opt-in not opt-out and this seems to breach that basic rule could be a field day for the lawyers/ambulance chasers.

Also I would be too worried they cant find my data when they need access to it for legit reasons so how the hell will they find it to share, maybe financial incentive.

 

[borat]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/04/campaign-launched-to-get-palantir-out-of-nhs.html

This recent article is relevant

 

[FatSuperman]

Not quite the ‘anyone can buy your data’ line the social media scaremongers are spreading though is it...

I'm not trying to scaremonger, and I don't use Facebook etc. I was sent this by by cousin, who is a surgeon and thinks it is a terrible idea to allow access to commercial entities.

My NSC duty is simply saying 'if you are not happy with your medical records being included and potentially shared with third-parties, you might want to opt out'. For those of us that aren't bothered, then we can simply ignore it.

 

[FatSuperman]

Also I would be too worried they cant find my data when they need access to it for legit reasons so how the hell will they find it to share, maybe financial incentive.

I wouldn't worry about that so much, since the systems and processes for use at the operational level aren't changing due to this. This is a central data store of those records so they can be used for planning etc (and as discussed, possibly 'sold' to other companies).

 

[beorhthelm]

My internal monologue read the thread title in a surprised tone.


TBH the only surprise in this is that they haven't been sold already.

they are sold already. the change here is NHS will collect centrally and bypass the gp. they are probably upset they wont get the fees.