HC Deb 09 June 1978 vol 951 c280W
Mr. Patrick Jenkin

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the principles of confidentiality which have been agreed between his Department and the medical profession with regard to the pre-school child health system will be published; and if it is planned to extend them to cover all applications of computers to medical records.

Mr. Ennals

I refer the right hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall) and the hon. Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) on 26th May.—[Vol. 950, c.808–9.] The principles set out in that reply have not yet been formally agreed with the central ethical committee of the British Medical Association with whose Secretary my Department is still in correspondence. I would be ready to commend them to all health authorities using computers for medical record purposes.