Will your health records be safe?

The Government’s plans to put everyone’s health records into a new single electronic system have come under fire in the British Medical Journal:

It is envisaged that the system will be used to select and book hospital appointments, store and chart health indicators such as blood pressure readings, generate e-mail reminders about calendar appointments and include a database of NHS contacts…

But Dr Pagliari, a senior lecturer in primary care, told the BMJ that challenges still existed over security and standardising different systems.

“Electronic personal health records may improve the quality, safety and efficiency of care and empower patients, but further research is required to demonstrate the benefits and risks.

“Evidence of the impact of electronic personal health records on clinical, safety, economic and psychosocial outcomes is urgently required.”

For example, she said, some patients may not wish sensitive information, such as mental and sexual health data, recorded centrally.

The BBC has more.