§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what arrangements he has made for the protection of patient anonymity in the collection of data from medical records for statistical purposes under the proposed new management arrangements for the Welsh Health Common Services Authority;
(2) what consultations he has had with the Data Protection Registrar concerning the protection of patient anonymity in the collection of data from medical records for statistical purposes in the area of (a) mental health, (b) cancer and (c) other categories.
§ Mr. RedwoodInformation given by patients concerning their health and treatment is protected by the common law, the Data Protection Act 1984 and the ethical responsibilities of health professionals. This applies even when it is anonymised and aggregated.
We have recently consulted on draft guidance for the NHS, "Confidentiality, Use and Disclosure of Personal Health Information", which includes advice on the use of anonymised/aggregated information. Comments have been received from the Data Protection Registrar which are being considered by health Departments.
The management arrangements for the Welsh Health Common Services Authority are still under review.