(Fwd) R.I.P. and NHSNet

[Charles Lindsey]

	On Mon, 31 Jul 2000 17:24:47 +0100
	M.Wells@leeds.ac.uk said...

> Date sent:      	Mon, 31 Jul 2000 08:13:39 +0100
	On 
	          	Mary Hawking <maryhawking@tigers.demon.co.uk> said...

> 
> Thinking about the RIP Act, confidentiality of medical records if
> transfered electronically and NHSNet, could someone enlighten me?
> 
> Does the Act refer only to the Internet or does it apply also to
> intranets?
> 
> Is NHSNet an internet service provider? or is it an intranet?

It looks like a Private Telecommunication System to me.

But an interception warrant (or rather a copy of it) may be served on
the operator of such a system (assuming it is wholly or partly in the
UK).

OTOH the Secretary of Stare cannot require the operator of a Private
Telecommunication System to install any equipment or facilities for
the purpose of carrying out interceptions (i.e. no black boxes) so in
practice it would be hard for an operator of such a system to comply
(except perhaps by giving access to conventional mail boxes). Certainly
it would be doine, if at all, by ad hoc arrangements mad for each
particular case.

........ Unless, of course, the Department of Health tries to instigate
such black boxes of its own volition. You people need to be on the watch
out for that.

But that apart, I think NHS communications are safe, relatively
speaking.

My guess is that the same would apply to Janet.

Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
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