'Biggest data grab' in NHS history - links to opt out.

No national data opt out = identifiable data traded to third parties.

That's not true.
Type1 opt out: NHS digital doesn't collect your data from GP practice for their own use.
Type2 opt out: NHS digital doesn't share your anonymised data with third parties.
 
The page explicitly states that identifiable data will be traded with third parties. The identifiable data must be identifiable in order to be identifiable. The exact details of how it's identifiable are irrelevant to the question of whether or not it's identifiable. Which it is clearly stated as being.

You're saying that there isn't any identifiable data on the database. So why do you think there's an opt out for the identifiable data on the database being traded with third parties?

I don't believe there is any directly identifiable data. What identifiable data is included (such as NHS Number, date of birth, full postcode) is replaced by codes which can only be converted back to data that could directly identify patients in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason.
 

What kind of a genius tells the company that's had a leak that he's personally keeping a copy of the leaked data. Ultimately he realises he's got zero legs to stand on and is going to get dragged to court so deletes it.

As the article says:

Telling an organization that has screwed up its security, especially its lawyers, that you will retain a copy of the leaked data will rarely trigger a positive reaction.
 
That's not true.
Type1 opt out: NHS digital doesn't collect your data from GP practice for their own use.
Type2 opt out: NHS digital doesn't share your anonymised data with third parties.

That's not what the NHS page about data collection and trading says. If you have evidence that the official page for the data collection and trading is wrong, please provide it.

I don't believe there is any directly identifiable data. [..]

So why do you think there's an opt out for the identifiable data on the database being traded with third parties? If there is no identifiable data, there's no need for an opt out from having your identifiable data traded with third parties. It wouldn't make any sense to have an opt out for something that can't happen.
 
So why do you think there's an opt out for the identifiable data on the database being traded with third parties? If there is no identifiable data, there's no need for an opt out from having your identifiable data traded with third parties. It wouldn't make any sense to have an opt out for something that can't happen.

I said there's no directly identifiable data.

Identifiable data (such as such as NHS Number, date of birth and full postcode) is included but it's coded and can only be decoded in certain circumstances and where there is a valid legal reason. The data can't be used "as is" to identify an individual.
 
That's not what the NHS page about data collection and trading says. If you have evidence that the official page for the data collection and trading is wrong, please provide it.
Yes it is. That's exactly what it says. Read it again.
Type 1 Opt-out (opting out of NHS Digital collecting your data)

National Data Opt-out (opting out of NHS Digital sharing your data)

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-inf...ice-data-for-planning-and-research#opting-out
 
The NHS doesn't currently have a coherent data strategy, a mass of independent, inconsistent, incoherent, and incompatible computer systems and archaic paper records isn't a strategy. It's a throwback several decades that fails patients and staff alike.
This. I have experienced it first hand through my wife and myself. Don't even bother trying to get care at multiple different hospitals in different trusts. You'll spend ages trying to get one trust to fax records over to another... if they can find them
 
So why do you think there's an opt out for the identifiable data on the database being traded with third parties? If there is no identifiable data, there's no need for an opt out from having your identifiable data traded with third parties. It wouldn't make any sense to have an opt out for something that can't happen.

The data isn't PII, however it is still your data, and GDPR stipulates that you have control over it, hence the option to opt out.
 
I wonder if identifiable is being used in the context that it could be traced back if required.

My clinical study has data which contains no personal information within the database, but there is a separate link file to allow you to identify patients if needed. (Accessible by only myself and the principal investigator). The database otherwise will just have data against a random identifier so would be meaningless outside of comparing the data collected in the trial.
 
Yes it is. That's exactly what it says. Read it again.

Here's the link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-inf...neral-practice-data-for-planning-and-research

Here's the most relevant section of text from that page:

The National Data Opt-out applies to identifiable patient data about your health, which is called confidential patient information.

I suggest that you read it. I won't say "read it again", as you did to me, because I think you haven't read it at all. It's so clear that nobody who has read it could think that it means the opposite of what it says.
 
It's so clear that nobody who has read it could think that it means the opposite of what it says.

So is the "identifiable patient data" you're talking about only identifiable to NHS Digital and not the third party because it's anonymised (like I said in my original post)? Or is this part wrong: (or am I reading it wrong?)

Any other data that could directly identify patients (such as NHS Number, date of birth, full postcode) is replaced with unique codes which are produced by de-identification software before the data is shared with NHS Digital.
 
So is the "identifiable patient data" you're talking about only identifiable to NHS Digital and not the third party because it's anonymised (like I said in my original post)? Or is this part wrong: (or am I reading it wrong?)

The section you quoted refers to something done "before the data is shared with NHS Digital". Therefore if it did actually anonymise the data then it wouldn't be identifiable to NHS Digital either. Therefore it can't be the case that the process described in the section you quoted renders the the data identifiable to NHS Digital but not to the third parties they trade it to.

But it's a moot point anyway because it's explicitly stated that identifiable patient data will be traded with third parties. Whatever is done before trading it to third parties can't be anonymising the data because the data being traded is explicitly described as being identifiable patient data, i.e. not anonymised.

Then there's the fact that anonymised data is only anonymous in isolation. Combining data sets will render it identifiable. But that isn't necessary when the data itself is identifiable, as it is stated to be in this case.

I wonder if identifiable is being used in the context that it could be traced back if required.

My clinical study has data which contains no personal information within the database, but there is a separate link file to allow you to identify patients if needed. (Accessible by only myself and the principal investigator). The database otherwise will just have data against a random identifier so would be meaningless outside of comparing the data collected in the trial.

That's a possibility if the official description of the scheme is using the words so incorrectly that it's meaningless or deliberately deceptive.

Your clinical study is a very simple example of anonymous data being de-anonymised by combining data sets. But the data in the database you refer to is not identifiable because with that data alone it would not be possible to identify patients. The data being traded to third parties in this scheme is explicitly described as being identifiable, which means that data alone is enough to identify patients.

If "identifiable" means "not identifiable by itself but identifiable if combined with other data", then all data is identifiable and it's meaningless or deliberately deceptive to make any distinction between identifiable and anonymous data.
 
Just heard about this for first time on the radio !!

Was advertised on a blog and in flyers at doctors surgeries ???!! What the doctors surgeries where virtually no-one has visited recently ??!!
 
is the only way to opt out to contact your GP surgery? I don't think you can even walk in to mine without an appointment yet and I can imagine the tone of voice if I ring for an opt out
 
is the only way to opt out to contact your GP surgery? I don't think you can even walk in to mine without an appointment yet and I can imagine the tone of voice if I ring for an opt out

There are two different opt-outs for different things. One can be done online, the other only at your GP surgery. You have to do both to actually opt out and then only as long as they don't choose to invoke the exemption clause which overrules any choice you make.

It might be done that way through poor organisation, but my money is on it being deliberately inconvenient in order to discourage people from opting out. Someone will profit from selling the data on all patients in the country - it's valued at billions of pounds.
 
I just printed out the opt out form, signed it and handed it in to reception at my doctors surgery no need to book, as well as doing the online version
 
Pretty sad when you look at the other Medical database breaches around the world how vulnerable unwell people have been traumatised with blackmail...
 
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