Engaging the public in digital health

Salisbury outlines the problems around data sharing in the NHS.1 When I was a Caldicott guardian many years ago and a data protection office about six years ago, we held public meetings for both the public and professionals to raise awareness of the need for data sharing across the NHS and for continuing public dialogue. This dialogue still does not occur and is the consequence of the traditional data holders—doctors—not stepping up to create the dialogue of responsibility.This year’s World Health Organization World Patient Safety Conference focused on “engaging patients for patient safety.” It aimed to raise awareness on the need to engage patients; provide a platform for patients, families, and patient organisations; share best practices in patient engagement; and call all stakeholders to reduce avoidable harm.Doctors and patients are human, fallible, and self-interested, so it is easy to fall into practices of “us and them.” The conference sought to…
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