London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Labour asks NHS and Matt Hancock to pause plans for sharing patient data

Labour asks NHS and Matt Hancock to pause plans for sharing patient data

Shadow health minister Alex Norris and doctors’ groups believe proposals risk undermining trust in GPs

Labour has urged the NHS and Matt Hancock to pause their plan to share medical records from GPs to allow time for greater consultation on how the idea would work, saying that maintaining patients’ trust must be paramount.

In a letter to the head of NHS Digital and the health secretary, the shadow public health minister, Alex Norris, said Labour backed the principle of improved data collaboration but shared the concerns of some doctors’ groups.

The Royal College of General Practitioners warned NHS Digital a week ago that plans to pool medical pseudonymised records on to a database and share them with academic and commercial third parties risked affecting the doctor-patient relationship.

NHS Digital needed to explain the plans better to the public, the group said, as well as outlining how people could opt out.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has also called for a pause to the General Practice Data for Planning and Research scheme. Another group, the Doctors’ Association, said it was worried it would “erode the doctor/patient relationship, leaving patients reluctant to share their problems due to fears of where their data will be shared”.

In a letter to Sarah Wilkinson, chief executive of NHS Digital, copied to Hancock, Norris said the coronavirus pandemic had demonstrated the benefits of sharing knowledge between various health sectors.

He wrote: “However, for data sharing to work, it must be built on trust. I share the concerns that have been voiced by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Doctor’s Association UK about the lack of communication with patients on this issue, and on the lack of consultation. Without consultation and clear communication with patients, trust in this process is undermined.

“For these plans to be effective, and confidence in their doctors and the wider NHS to be maintained, it is vital that patients whose data will be shared have a clear understanding of this process.”

Norris said there was a need in particular for greater public information on what data would be made available and who would be able to access it, as well as limits and safeguards for its use, and how people could opt out.

This must be a central effort, rather than just being left to individual GPs, to ensure a consistent message, he said, and given the current “confusion and lack of transparency”, the scheme would be paused ahead of both a public information campaign and a consultation.

Under the system, data from GP surgeries from England from up to 10 years ago would be extracted to a central, anonymised database, with new information added as it comes in to doctors.

While the NHS says data will be used for planning and research purposes, some private sector organisations will be able to see it, with approval from advisory groups. Patients can opt out if they do so before 23 June.

A government spokesperson said: “Patient data saves lives, and we could not have delivered the Covid-19 vaccine rollout if we had not used data to ensure we reach the whole population.

“The new programme for collecting data has been developed in collaboration with doctors, patients and data, privacy and ethics experts to improve systems for data collection.

“We continue to engage with the BMA and RCGP, and remain committed to being transparent with patients and the public about the collection and use of data.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
×