Policy paper

Review of data security, consent and opt-outs

Recommendations to strengthen security of health and care information and ensure people can make informed choices about how their data is used.

• From: National Data Guardian
• Published: 6 July 2016
• Last updated: 12 July 2017 — See all updates

Documents

Review of Data Security, Consent and Opt-Outs

PDF, 861 KB, 60 pages

Letter from National Data Guardian Dame Fiona Caldicott and David Behan, CQC Chief Executive, to Secretary of State for Health on data security

PDF, 227 KB, 8 pages

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Details

This review by the National Data Guardian for Health and Care (NDG), Dame Fiona Caldicott, makes recommendations to the Secretary of State for Health. These are aimed at strengthening the safeguards for keeping health and care information secure and ensuring the public can make informed choices about how their data is used.

The NDG proposes new data security standards for the NHS and social care, a method for testing compliance against the standards, and a new opt-out to make clear how people’s health and care information will be used and in what circumstances they can opt out.

Dame Fiona’s report argues that the public should be engaged about how their information is used and safeguarded, and the benefits of data sharing, with a wide-ranging consultation on her proposals as a first step.

A letter from Dame Fiona Caldicott and David Behan, Care Quality Commission Chief Executive, to the Health Secretary outlines the common themes between the NDG review and a review of data security in the NHS carried out by the CQC.

On the day that the NDG Review was published, the government launched a public consultation on the recommendations, the proposed new data security standards and proposed national opt-out.

The government has now published its response to that consultation, Dame Fiona’s review and the CQC Review ‘Safe Data, Safe Care’.

Published 6 July 2016
Last updated 12 July 2017 + show all updates

1. 12 July 2017

   Updated with information about the government's response to the consultation and reviews.

2. 6 July 2016

   First published.