Cable Forum - View Single Post - Private health firms could be given access to anonymous NHS patient records & data

Stuart · 06-12-2011, 09:38

Personally, I don't see a problem as long as the information is anonymised. It sounds like this is formalising something that actually already goes on in the various university hospitals. It's also something that, whether you are aware of it or not, may have saved your life.

The NHS has worked with outside medical companies for a long time to develop and refine treatments, drugs and medicines. Part of this is sharing patient data. They have to. Without patient data, the companies have no way of knowing if their treatment is working.

Not only does it help to develop new treatments, but the companies do pay for the results.

I will admit to a slight bias here, as my sister's life was saved because the hospital used a then experimental procedure, the bulk of the cost of which was paid by the company that supplied the equipment used during the procedure (they needed to see how well it performed in a real life situation).

06-12-2011, 09:38	#84
Stuart - Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Somewhere Services: Virgin for TV and Internet, BT for phone Posts: 26,546	Re: Private health firms could be given access to anonymous NHS patient records & dat Personally, I don't see a problem as long as the information is anonymised. It sounds like this is formalising something that actually already goes on in the various university hospitals. It's also something that, whether you are aware of it or not, may have saved your life. The NHS has worked with outside medical companies for a long time to develop and refine treatments, drugs and medicines. Part of this is sharing patient data. They have to. Without patient data, the companies have no way of knowing if their treatment is working. Not only does it help to develop new treatments, but the companies do pay for the results. I will admit to a slight bias here, as my sister's life was saved because the hospital used a then experimental procedure, the bulk of the cost of which was paid by the company that supplied the equipment used during the procedure (they needed to see how well it performed in a real life situation).