Helen Salisbury: Continuing disquiet on the data front

People talk to their doctors in confidence, expecting the details they share about their weight, alcohol use, terminations of pregnancy, or thoughts of suicide to remain in the consulting room. They also assume that if they need emergency care in another part of the health system the details of their past operations, current medicines, and allergies will be available to the doctors treating them. Although many patients are happy for their medical information to be used for a wide variety of purposes, other people wish it to be used only for their personal direct care, even if it’s anonymised.Researchers working on new treatments for old diseases—or perhaps repurposing old treatments for new diseases, as happened with covid-19—need access to datasets that are as rich and comprehensive as possible. Planners tasked with predicting future needs and providing for them in the NHS also require data. A contract is currently being advertised…
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