The debate over whether confidential medical records should be extracted from GP surgeries and held by a new organisation that can pass them on to ‘others, such as researchers and those planning health services’. Some of those ‘others’ will pay a fee to access records which will have names removed but not postcodes, NHS numbers and dates of birth.
An informal survey of GP practices in the Marlborough Area reveals that they all carry some information about the new care.data regime – and include plenty of links to other sites and FAQ pages.
For example the Marlborough Medical Practice has a page that can be reached here. And the Ramsbury and Wanborough Surgeries have a similar page.
It has been pointed out that the leaflet about the scheme that has gone to every household in England makes no mention of the deadline by which patients can opt out. (It is said that you have one month from receipt of the – un-postmarked – leaflet. Best to check with your surgery.)
It has also become clear that opting out will not prevent your surgery passing your records on to the new central organisation, but should prevent that organisation using them.
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