London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Launch of controversial system to collect GP patient data delayed amid privacy concerns

Launch of controversial system to collect GP patient data delayed amid privacy concerns

The programme has been delayed to ensure "data is accessed securely."

The launch of a new digital GP data sharing system has been pushed back amid concerns about privacy.

The NHS system, which will be able to extract patient data from doctor's surgeries in England - including people's treatments, referrals and appointments over the past 10 years - was due to start in July but has been delayed.

Health minister Jo Churchill told MPs the programme will now begin on 1 September to allow for work to be done to "ensure that data is accessed securely."

Some patients have already been able to opt out of the scheme using a form from their GP


It comes after Labour called for the scheme to be paused until people are told what precise data will be made available and for an information campaign to take place to allay privacy fears among medical professionals.

The government has sought to reassure the public, saying collected data is coded by NHS Digital to protect patient identities and that the system will not collect entire GP records.

But information commissioner Elizabeth Denham is among those to welcome the delay, saying there remained "considerable confusion regarding the scope and nature" of the programme.

Ms Churchill told the House of Commons that despite the delay, the government remained committed to the plan.

"Data saves lives, it's as simple as that," she said.

"We've seen that in the pandemic, it's one of the lessons of the vaccine rollout. The GP data programme will strengthen this system and save lives and patient data is of course owned by the patient."

Labour's shadow minister for public health and primary care, Alex Norris, said: "This is a welcome decision, but it was only achieved after overwhelming pressure from patients, and health professionals alike."

He added that there must be a "full public consultation" about the issue before the data collection is resumed.

Others have been invited to opt out via a text message like this


Simon Bolton, chief executive of NHS Digital, said: "We are absolutely determined to take people with us on this mission. We take our responsibility to safeguard the data we hold incredibly seriously."

The British Medical Association and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) had raised concerns over the plans being introduced too quickly, without enough patient consultation.

Chairman of the RCGP, Professor Martin Marshall, welcomed the delay and said it is "essential" the time is used to "properly communicate with the public and with clinicians so that patients and GPs have trust in the programme".

Patients will be able to opt-out of having their data shared ahead of the system's launch, with some having been contacted via text message with instructions as to how to do it.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×