British Medical Association criticises the "breakneck speed" at which NHS patient database of Summary Care Records is being set up.

BBC News reports unease among doctors at this fast-developing IT project, amid security fears and other concerns.

Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA, has said: "Patients' right to opt out is crucial, and it is extremely alarming that records are apparently being created without them being aware of it.

"If the process continues to be rushed, not only will the rights of patients be damaged, but the limited confidence of the public and the medical profession in NHS IT will be further eroded."

I expressed my own concerns about this in an earlier post on this blog. Government databases have a notorious record of insecurity.

"Orwellian" Ofsted survey on pupils

Row over 'intrusive' Ofsted survey of pupils - Telegraph

Extract:

"Pupils as young as 10 are being asked if they smoke and whether their mothers are in paid work as part of a Government-backed survey branded "Orwellian" by parents' groups.

About 120,000 pupils have already completed the survey by Ofsted, the education watchdog, which is compiling a database on children's lifestyle, health and happiness.

Children, who do not need to ask parents' permission before taking part, are asked: "Does the mum or step mum that you live with have a paid job?"

They are also asked to rate how "safe or unsafe" they feel at school and home, how many times they have drunk alcohol in the last month, the number of cigarettes smoked, and whether they receive free school meals.

Although pupils do not have to give their name, they are asked to provide postcodes, sparking fears the information could be used by police or social services.

Some schools are refusing to take part amid fears that it is too intrusive. Mick Brookes, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the survey smacked of "Big Brother".

Margaret Morrissey, a spokesman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, also attacked the "Orwellian" scheme. "It is absolutely inappropriate to be asking these kind of questions and it is totally out of order to ask for their postcode," she said."


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Trials of NHS medical records central electronic database - Bolton

First test launched of NHS's controversial 'Spine' database Guardian report

Extract:

"The government's plan to put the medical records of every NHS patient in England on a central electronic database will begin first trials tomorrow at two carefully selected GP practices in the north-west.

About 14,500 patients in Bolton will be told their confidential medical details will be uploaded to a national data warehouse known as the Spine, unless they object.

Their reaction will be the first test of whether patients accept the government's argument that a national electronic record can save lives - or agree with campaigners for personal privacy who see the scheme as a lurch towards a Big Brother state."

Britain - New Public Services super database 'will improve efficiency'

New Public Services super database 'will improve efficiency'

Quick! - Just look out of the window! - There's a herd of pigs flying past...(o:

Here is more about Helen Wilkinson and about the Big Opt Out

There is more about Helen Wilkinson and about the Big Opt Out from the national database of personal medical records on this page:

NHS Confidentiality

and on this page: Opt out letter is a template opt out letter to send to your GP.

ID database to NHS records & The woman falsely labelled alcoholic by the NHS - Helen Wilkinson

The Government's intended ID database to NHS records stikes me as sinister with its potential for intrusive health-surveillance. And the potential for error and abuse is great. There is no opt-out mechanism for patients on the grounds of concerns about civil liberties.

Woman falsely labelled alcoholic by the NHS - Helen Wilkinson

Extract from the article:

"...millions of patients will inevitably have mistakes in their computerised records which will in the future be read by more people than in the past. The government has not yet delivered on a promise that patients will be able to check their records on the internet for mistakes."

See also Warning over privacy of 50m patient files

and What can patients do? - Extract from this article:

"Ross Anderson, professor of security engineering at Cambridge University, believes that patients do have legal rights over their medical records: "Write and insist that you are not put on the NHS data spine," Prof Anderson says. "If enough people boycott having centralised NHS records, with a bit of luck the service will be abandoned.""

And there follows a model letter to send - copy each to the Secretary of state for Health and to your GP - if you wish to register your objection to having your medical details on this intended database.

Our Government has an abysmal record with regard to grand IT schemes...)o: - They tend not to work, they tend not to be secure and they tend to contain many errors. - Apart from which considerations, they are monumentally expensive!