EU proposes changes to data privacy laws
March 23 2015
EU proposals to change data privacy laws could significantly improve data sharing arrangements across health and care services, says the NHS Confederation.
The proposals have looked at how special data, including health and genetic data, should be managed, including when organisations such as the NHS would need patient consent to access patient data.
“If ministers’ changes are accepted, they will enable greater flexibility for information to be shared appropriately and confidentially in radical new models of care delivery options,” says the NHS Confederation.
“They could also support national digital programmes bringing together hospital, GP, admin and audit data to support quality improvement, whole-system management and identification of patients who most need health and social care support.”
In a blog for the NHS Confederation, Elisabetta Zanon, director of the NHS European Office, said that if data is needed for any of the reasons below, organisations will have the ability to process personal data without relying on explicit consent from the patient:
• for clinical purposes
• for the provision of health or social care
• for the treatment or management of health or social care systems and services
• for public health purposes.
“This is not the final stage in the process, but is an important milestone and a real success story for NHS engagement at European level. It is one of the most critical steps in influencing a positive conclusion for the NHS on this piece of legislation,” she said.
It is pexpected that the revised laws could be finalised by the start of 2016
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