NHS England is introducing a modern information service on behalf of the NHS called care.data.

The service will use information from a patients’ medical record to improve the way that healthcare is delivered for all.

The service will only use the minimum amount of information needed to help improve patient care and the health services provided to the local community. A thorough process must be followed before any information can be shared and strict rules about how information is stored and used are followed.

Materials and guidance have been developed in collaboration with the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), to support practices to raise awareness. Patients who are not happy for their data to be used in this way can ask their GP practice to make a note of this in their medical record and this will prevent their information leaving the practice.

Further information for patients and healthcare staff is available from www.england.nhs.uk/caredata/