Silicon.com: Lords lash out at government plans for medical files

[Owen Blacker]

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> HEADLINE: Lords lash out at government plans for medical files
> PUBLISHED: 5:55pm on Tuesday 27th February 2001
> CHANNEL: Power brokers
> AUTHOR: Joey Gardiner
> SERVICE: http://www.silicon.com
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> TEXT OF STORY FOLLOWS:
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> Government plans to change the way the NHS can use patient=20
> data were branded "deeply worrying" yesterday by peers in the=20
> House of Lords.
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> Earl Howe said the provisions of the new Health and Social=20
> Care Bill drove a coach and horses through one of the=20
> fundamental principles of patient ethics.
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> The Conservative peer said: "The Secretary of State is to be=20
> given sweeping powers to collect confidential data on named=20
> patients without consent. No proper explanation has been=20
> forthcoming as to how those powers would be used. We believe=20
> the proposal is profoundly contrary to the public interest."
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> Lords are reacting to intense lobbying from both the=20
> healthcare and patient information industries which are=20
> profoundly opposed to the moves.=20
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> The proposals are contained in Clause 67 of the Health and=20
> Social Care Bill, and give the Secretary of State powers to=20
> prevent anonymous patient data being used to monitor the=20
> NHS's performance.=20
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> The clause yesterday faced stiff opposition as it underwent=20
> its second reading in the House of Lords with peers from both=20
> sides expressing doubts. Labour Lord Turnberg said the Bill=20
> could affect the ability of independent bodies to conduct=20
> research into health issues.
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> While the government denies the powers would be used in that=20
> way, bodies as diverse as the British Medical Association,=20
> the British Computing Society, the Foundation for Information=20
> Policy Research and Patient Concern are calling for the=20
> controversial part of the Bill to be removed.
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> Many see the clause, along with other provisions of the Bill,=20
> as in direct conflict with government pledges to make the=20
> health service more open in the wake of the Alder Hey organ=20
> donation scandal.
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> As revealed by silicon.com in January, the clause also gives=20
> Alan Milburn theoretical power to disclose confidential=20
> patient data without the patient's knowledge or consent.
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> For related news, see:
> Government sparks healthcare data row
> http://www.silicon.com/a42382=20
> 'Scandalous' Health Bill will trash privacy
> http://www.silicon.com/a42278=20
> Your data in their hands - DoH!
> http://www.silicon.com/a42777=20
> NHS gets =A3500m technology booster
> http://www.silicon.com/a42030=20
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> STORY ENDS
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> For more information on silicon.com go to http://www.silicon.com.
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> silicon.com - the who, what, when, where and why of ebusiness

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