News has today been released that the NHS will from the 1st November 2022 allow patients to access their medical records via an APP.
In respects to privacy details, the response is :
''Safeguarding concerns and patient record access
While enabling patients to view their medical records through the NHS App will be beneficial to the majority of patients, there may be challenges for a minority. This is especially true in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults, as the record may contain information that is confidential and sensitive, which the patient must not see, or could be harmful if the patient is unable to keep their record secure, such as in cases of coercion. The importance of safeguarding patients from harm is paramount. It may be appropriate to redact specific information entered into the GP medical record or prevent the patient from having access.
In response to these concerns, the Royal College of General Practitioners is updating its GP Online Services toolkit, in collaboration with safeguarding experts. This will cover situations where safeguarding concerns may arise, and the steps clinicians could take to mitigate these risks.''
What has not been disclosed is who WILL have access to these records, what imput (if any) is being allowed and what records are going to be withheld from the patients. Added to these concerns, is the matter of data mining, the app being open to being hacked and who is imputting this data.
This new system has been approved to be rolled out without any details being published or concerns opened for public scrutiny.
We need to be vigilant to the fact that these records are YOURS and you should be having a say about it and know exactly how your private information is being handled.
Please continue to share and raise the matter with those you know.
Thank you all again for your support for this pettition.