HC Deb 18 March 1996 vol 274 c76W
Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what safeguards will be put in place to prevent identifiable personal health data held on the NHS-wide clearing system which are provided by patients and health professionals for the purpose of medical treatment and care from being marketed outside the NHS; [20211]

(2) which company has become the operator of the NHS-wide clearing system and what rights the contract gives that company to market identifiable personal health data, provided by patients and health professionals for the purpose of medical treatment and care (a) inside the NHS and (b) outside the NHS. [20212]

Mr. Horam

The contract for operating the NHS-wide clearing system has been awarded to AT and T Istel. The contract gives no right to the company to market identifiable personal health data. Services providing analyses of such data will be provided only to NHS organisations which are the registered data users.

The contract will prevent AT and T Istel from marketing personal health data, and security policy and safeguards will prevent any release of such data to third parties.