BMJ - PKI and signinng slight confusion

[Dr Alan Hassey]

Always difficult to get these things inside the word length limit for
articles. We should applaud the principles because this is a HUGE advance on
what happens to most NHS data....
I have just heard of an example where a large practice (10 GPs) is going to
arrange with NHS Direct to do all their telephone triage. This means giving
NHS Direct access to the GP clinical system via NHSnet (a well known
"secure" network...). The local ethical committee will pass it because there
are lots of advantages (& research dosh) riding on this. Patients won't be
asked & there will be no encryption. I suggested that patients should be
told what was proposed and explicit consent requested on a case by case
basis for external access.... "er - is that really necessary - we don't want
to put patients off"

===
Dr Alan Hassey (mailto:alan.hassey@btinternet.com)
RCGP Health Informatics Group
Joint Computing Group (GPC - RCGP)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk
[mailto:owner-ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk]On Behalf Of Adrian Midgley
Sent: 09 September 2000 23:41
To: ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk
Subject: BMJ - PKI and signinng slight confusion


http://bmj.com/cgi/content/short/321/7261/612

There are one or two things in there, apart form the trusted thiurd
parties, that make me think the authors don't quite understand the
crypto they are describing.

--
Midgley
GP, Exeter