California SSN and Encryption

[Adrian Midgley]

On Friday 26 July 2002 20:32, you wrote:

> I for one would be
> interested to know what is happening to the new NHS numbers, we
> certainly don't seem to have them locally.  This is, I think, actually
> on topic.

It probably is, and has been discussed here before.

The NHS number is intended to be the single identifier for everyone - wha=
t=20
way that differs from a citizen ID number is an interesting hair to split=
 -=20
in the NHS.

Naturally privacy will be preserved by only using that and the date of bi=
rth=20
on messages, and looking the pateint's address up on the NHS central=20
registry<g>

They are in use in all GP computer systems - this change having been push=
ed=20
thorugh some years ago, and they are in use in some laboratory and hospit=
al=20
information systems.

They are in general ignored, as are unique ID fields in most database=20
systems, but clearly have some use in the background - our local hosptial=
=20
trusts would be dealing with an &E identifier number, of whcih many peopl=
e=20
have a selection, an inpatient number, a community trust number, their gp=
=20
number of course, and an underlying hidden ID number for those systems th=
at=20
deal with sevral other serial numbers.

When they arrive somewhere they get to give name address dob in order to=20
identify themselves to the people actually working there.

--=20
=46rom one of the Linux desktops of Dr Adrian Midgley=20
http://www.defoam.net/            =20