Dame Fiona to lead review of NHS data sharing

In the new NHS commissioning environment, greater emphasis is being placed on the gathering of patient data in an effort to better target health services where they are most needed.

This drive has led to an increased dependence on IT solutions that can analyse and store this data and, in turn, to fears over the security of patients’ details.

Now, in an effort to ensure information is shared only when it is in the public interest to do so, the Government has announced a review, which will be led by Dame Fiona Caldicott.

Dame Fiona is known across the NHS as the originator of the ‘Caldicott Guardians’; individuals within every NHS and local authority organisation who are responsible for making decisions about sharable identifiable information.

It will be her task to review the balance between protecting patient information and when it should be shared to improve patient care.

Over the coming months she will be calling on an expert panel made up of clinical, social care, research and other professionals, as well as patients and service users. They will determine the detailed scope and priorities for the review and publish their findings later this year.

We need to examine when, and how, to seek and record consent, to support the flow of information to enhance patient and citizen care

Dame Fiona said: “It is timely to reconsider the principles of information protection and sharing. Since the original working group’s report on the security of patients’ information in 1997, it has become clear that there is sometimes a lack of understanding about the rules and this can act as a barrier to exchanging information that would benefit the patient.

“On other occasions, this has resulted in too much information being disclosed. These are issues of importance to everyone who uses health or social care services and our review will look across both sectors. We need to examine when, and how, to seek and record consent, to support the flow of information to enhance patient and citizen care.”

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, added: “Ensuring information is shared for best care and to promote excellent research is central to the Government’s vision for the new health and care system, as is protecting confidential information. This is a complex issue and I am most grateful that Dame Fiona has accepted the challenge – I can think of no better person to complete the review.”