California SSN and Encryption

[Jeremy Barker]

Mary Hawking wrote:

> In article <0207131533070M.04320@osborne>, Adrian Midgley
> <akm@92tr.freeserve.co.uk> writes
> >On Saturday 13 July 2002 08:12, you wrote:
> >
> >> It's a suggestion that using an NI number at all, apart from its core
> >> use, is either a breach of the third principle, or of Crown Copyright,
> >> or both.
> >
> >Perhaps applicable to NHS Numbers.
>
> I'm sure they'll get round this, as far as NHS numbers goes. (which
> shouldn't be revealed to patients.. or so we were told.. because they
> are Crown Copyright and confidential)

The confidentiality point is patently nonsense because your NHS number is
printed on your NHS medical card.  As far as copyright is concerned there
must be legal doubt as to whether there can be copyright in the number -
unless the number is generated in a special way that involves skill and
judgment.


> Why go to the expense of developing yet another identifier when everyone
> has been allotted an NHS number - and to make life even easier, every
> time you register with a GP, your address is updated?

Not everyone that the proposed "entitlement" card would be forced on to will
necessarily have an NHS number.  I would also hope that it has its own
independent numbering system simply to make cross-referenceing more
difficult.  The point about address is interesting.  Setting aside that my GP
seems incapable (despite several requests) of having my correct address on my
records there are situations where one may wish to use different addresses
for different purposes (something the "entitlement" card proposal does not
seem to take account of).


> The old NHS numbers were recycled wartime identity card numbers.. here
> we go again!

Indeed they were - for those who were included in the old ID card system.
For anyone aged under 50 (which I think is a majority of the population) that
is not the case.

jb