Letter: Your medical information will be shared

I would like to add my concerns to those of Dennis Miller, Gomersal, about parts of the NHS being moved to private operators.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, GP practices have NO choice but to allow the Health and Social Care information Centre (HSCIC) to extract information about YOU and YOUR medical diagnoses for their care.data programme using software and services provided by a private sector company (ATOS).The data will be stored on HSCIC national services and NOT on GPs systems.

Medical staff treating you in GP surgeries, hospitals, A&E and out of hour centres will not use, or be unable to use, this data.

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However, this data could be made available to organisations OUTSIDE the NHS. Initially,i n “Release 1” of care.data this information will be released in an unidentifiable form.

In “Release2” of care.data it will be identifiable as YOUR information and you WILL NOT be asked for your permission before your data is distributed. The HSCIC will be the data controller for your uploaded information and will have TOTAL control over it.

GP practices can NOT object to your information leaving their practices. However, YOU, as an individual, have the option to OPT-OUT. Opting out will have no effect on your GP’s surgery and the way it provides services.

More information and opt-out forms should be available in GPs’ surgeries. I understand Information about care.data is available on the internet.

Janet Leeson

Monk Ings

Birstall