Controversial database of medical records is scrapped over security concerns

The UK government has scrapped the controversial data sharing programme care.data after expert reviews called for better security provisions and new patient opt-outs for the use of personal information.

The reviews were published on 6 July by the national data guardian, Fiona Caldicott, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).1 2

Caldicott recommended a new consent model to build public trust around sharing of confidential data and for all health and care organisations to enact 10 new data security standards.

She also recommended stronger sanctions to protect anonymised data, including criminal penalties for “deliberate and negligent re-identification of individuals.”

Caldicott highlighted concerns over data security breaches and said that she had been frustrated that there had been “little positive change” in the use of data across health and care since …