Exercise individual rights that the BMA feels you ought to have by default!

[Tao81]

Apologies if you are already aware of this campaign or it is posted somewhere else on the site, I couldn't find it via a search of the forums :confused:
BOARD GUIDES PLEASE MOVE IF THERE IS A MORE APPROPRIATE BOARD - THANKS.

If you wish to protect your entire medical records from being sent through BT......Yes that's right! British Telecom!!!! and subsequently uploaded onto a national database without your consent.Then please take a look at this site and get involved in the opt out campaign supported by many GPs. http://www.nhsconfidentiality.org/?page_id=3

The BMA feels that you should have this opt-out right by default.
The government is trying to keep the details and extent of their plan as quiet as possible, as they do not want to be challenged!! :mad:

There is a letter on the site drafted by Doctors for you to download and use to inform your GP of your position, if you disagree with your records being automatically included on this centrally held database without your consent.

I'm not too sure if it is too late for people in some areas as there were initially nine pilot areas chosen to initiate the project.
It may be on the campaign site, take a look as I haven't had too much time yet to read it all.
I do know however that ONCE ON THE DATABASE, NO RECORD WILL BE ABLE TO BE DELETED?!!!! :eek: :mad:

[frivolous_fay]

Is the main bone of contention phone numbers, etc.? I got a bit distracted by the British Telecom!!! furore.

If you opt out... exactly what do you opt out of? I've looked at the site, and it's not amazingly clear.

[Nile]

Is this the same topic that was discussed in this thread from November 2007?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=605174&highlight=database

[Tao81]

Is this the same topic that was discussed in this thread from November 2007?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=605174&highlight=database

Yes Nile - Thanks for pointing it out, I searched through the forums but it didn't bring this thread up :confused: Sorry!

As graham_devon points out it has all been kept hush hush for the last few years....Obviously so! As, shockingly for me, I only became aware of it this week and had to ask someone to email me the link as I knew nothing about the implications of this database and that my medical records would be forwarded without my knowledge or consent?!!

I agree Frivilous_Fay the site is far from clear enough! There needs to be more background information and an objective discussion on the potential benefits and dangers.
The reference to BT is because before records reach the centralised national NHS database they will first be forwarded to BT who will handle all this sensitive and very private data before forwarding it onto the NHS computers system, so who knows the potential for what could happen to it before it actually reaches it's final destination?!!:eek:

Apparently even many professional healthworkers i.e. Nurses etc. are unaware of the planned implementation of such a large national centralised NHS database it's been purposely kept that quiet by our government?!!!

What shocks me most is that, until now I have been reliably informed, directly by my GP, that no-one is able to view my medical records without her permission which, she would not allow without first informing me and gaining my consent. Hence, I have always felt a secure in the knowledge that my private medical records remain just that private, safely and securely stored within my GP's practice for their eyes only unless I consent to them being shared outside of their walls.

The really scarey aspect of this IMHO, is that the implementation of such a large centrally held database would massively controvene such safeguards and if the government has their way mine and everyone elses records will be included on the database without our consent unless we exercise our right to opt-out by informing our GP that we do not wish to be included on the database and request that they do not pass on our information.
Once a record is placed on the database it cannot at any time be deleted :eek:

Articles:

Excerpt "The NHS Care Records System – which will form a huge national database of patient records, including personal details and private telephone numbers and will be accessible to potentially thousands of NHS workers and government officials – is already being rolled out with no opt-out mechanism for patients on the grounds of infringements of civil liberties."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2006/12/11/hjunior11.xml

KEY DATABASES
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/16/ngov216.xml

NHS database will damage patient privacy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/14/uprivacy.xml

Security risk to NHS patients' records
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/11/nhs11.xml

Revolt as 200,000 people demand to opt out of new NHS database scheme

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=505419&in_page_id=1774

Patients NHS database 'a security risk'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=395540&in_page_id=1774

Anger over plan to put patient medical history on national database
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=413997&in_page_id=1770

These are just a few, I'm sure there are many more.

HTH :D

[LittleTinker]

Gosh yes!! I can see how terrible it would be if anyone, Heavens Above, were ever to find out that I had been treated for depression, had a D&C many moons ago and have been admitted to hospital for aching legs!!............Devastating!!

[zztopgirl]

Its about time Joe Public started realising that there are people out there who will be abusing this system. Thats the reason why its being kept so quiet. Big brother is watching (yes i probably sound daft but my personal data has been misused and freely given out to third parties without my knowledge, i have good reason to shout about this subject!).

Please dont ever think that you tell your doctor things in confidence either. A doctor cannot allow anyone to view your medical records as Tao81 stated, but anybody (professional within nhs/social services/etc) can phone your doctor and get any information that they want, the doctor doesnt have to note this call, nor notify you or write notes of what information has been passed on. I discovered this in december and i dont think i could trust anybody ever again.

[medicman]

Thankfully the public are starting to take some notice of this. The government have done an absolutely fantastic job recently of diverting the publics attention towards GP opening hours and GP pay. They have spent a total of £12 billion on this IT system and given their current record on looking after confidential information - would you trust them with your confidential medical records? Do you think Gordon Brown's file will be on their? Make up your own mind. Doctors have been screaming from thr rooftops trying to make this an opt-in system rather than opt-out but guess what - the government dont want to know about it.

(P.S. I am a GP and am very bitter towards this current government over the recent spin in newspapers over GP pay and hours)

[Ted_Hutchinson]

Interesting to see that Google are creating a health records database to do a similar job in the USA (http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/02/regular-readers-know-that-race-for-our.html)

I wonder how long it will be before the NHS is buying in Google's services rather than proceeding further with their own effort?

World Privacy Forum (http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/) sets out some arguments against Personal Health Records being more easily accessible.

[Ted_Hutchinson]

Google Health update — A new Google World (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/newreply.html?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=8876571)

I appreciate this article is discussing the issue from the USA point of view but so many of our practices end up following the American lead that it's only a matter of time.