Changes to UK data protection law have been proposed in the government’s new Data (Use and Access) Bill which had its second reading in the House of Lords in November. Their briefing highlighted concerns about the potential impact on health data should there be a departure from existing high standards of data protection. The BMA is particularly concerned about the erosion of transparency standards when data is processed for research purposes and the threat to the regulatory independence of the Information Commissioner’s Office. 

The bill also addresses the technical deficit in the NHS that limits data sharing and sets out measures to address this. IT system suppliers will be forced to develop software for sale in the NHS in line with technical standards – which the BMA have long called for, and our report on IT was acknowledged as a factor favouring the inclusion of  this measure.