Health: Patient Records

House of Lords written question – answered at on 25 February 2014.

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Photo of Lord Maginnis of Drumglass Lord Maginnis of Drumglass Independent Ulster Unionist

To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what legal basis general medical practitioners can provide patients’ personal and confidential medical records to a central authority without specific consent from each patient.

Photo of Earl Howe Earl Howe The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (section 259) creates a statutory obligation for health service bodies including GP practices to disclose information to the Health and Social Care Information Centre where they are directed to do so. Routine data collections do not require specific consent, although patients may request for their information not to be disclosed under an “opt out” system. Any data collected without patient consent will be anonymised.

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