Last month saw NHS Digital provide individuals with the facility to opt-out from the use of their data for research or planning purposes.
The new national opt-out system follows the recommendations of the National Data Guardian in her Review of Data Security, Consent and Opt-Outs – with all health and care organisations required to have applied these preferences by 2020 in all research and planning situations in which confidential patient information is used.
The new opt-out system replaces the previous ‘type-2’ opt-out which required NHS Digital to withhold sharing patients’ confidential patient information for the purposes beyond their direct care.
Individuals can change their data-opt-out choice at any time by using the online service: www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.