§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what provision is made for the disposal of the confidential records of National Health Service patients when such records are no longer required;
(2) whether additional steps have been taken to ensure the protection of patients' records following the discovery of records on a local authority waste tip in Leicestershire.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:The destruction of confidential records no longer required must be in a manner which safeguards their confidentiality and is the responsibility of the individual health authorities and general practitioners who hold them. Following recent discoveries on public land of patients' records intended for destruction, the Department has written to all health authorities asking them to review urgently their procedures for the 64W destruction of all confidential material, and reminding them of the need to use methods which ensure that confidentiality is fully maintained. The Department has also drawn the matter to the attention of representatives of the medical profession.