Confidentiality is issue over transfer of records
WITH reference to "Transfer of records abroad set to go ahead" (Derby Telegraph, September 2), I always thought any information relating to medical health records was private.
We are informed that the NHS is to transfer to India patient records relating to names, addresses, and identification numbers.
In no way can health records be private if the information is to be placed in computers on the other side of the world and the access to this information is accessible by non-British nationals who would possibly be out of British jurisdiction if found to be using this information unlawfully.
Surely what the NHS is in the process of doing is illegal?
Here we have the NHS making it possible for the information of thousands of patients to be vulnerable to misuse, using the excuse that they are saving money.
An alternative way to save the £9 million should be found.
E G Redfern
The Green
Allestree
2 Comments
by Christopher, Derby
Friday, September 10 2010, 12:48AM
“Outsourcing the work is not illegal and should be safe as long as the outsourcing companies handling private data are covered by British Data Protection legislation (as is the case with all UK based data management companies).
India does not offer the security provided by the Data Protection Act so British law does not apply and security relies more on trust and responsible management.
However the NHS should take note of what happened in the private medical sector when patient record handling was outsourced to India.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221186/Private-medical-records-sale-Harley-Street-clinic-patients-files-outsourced-input--end-black-market.html
"The confidential medical records of patients treated at one of Britain¿s top private hospitals have been illegally sold to undercover investigators.
Hundreds of files containing intimate details of patients¿ conditions, home addresses and dates of birth are being offered for as little as £4 each.
The files were sold by two men who claimed to have gained access to the information from IT companies in India, where thousands of British medical records are sent every year to be computerised".
There is always security a risk with ANY network based computer data distribution system, breaking Data protection laws in the UK will lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment.”
by Norman, Derby
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 6:29PM
“There are questions on the legality of this, as it means that town hall officials and suchlike may be able to access your medical records. This could have the detrimental effect of causing people to refuse to have serious conditions attended to ie: those of a sexual nature or mental health issues. There are some interesting sites on the internet. I wrote to Derbys Primary Care Services to ask them to clarify. Six months have passed and there has been no reply ...”