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NHS 'can be trusted' over records NHS 'can be trusted' over records
(about 1 hour later)
The NHS can be trusted despite the loss of 168,000 patient records by nine trusts, health bosses have said. The NHS can be trusted to handle patient information despite the loss of 168,000 patient records by nine trusts, its chief executive has said.
NHS chief executive David Nicholson said it was "really important" to have public confidence when dealing with people's confidential data. The Tories want a planned database of 50m patient records to be reconsidered.
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has called for a planned national database of 50 million patient records to be reconsidered after the data loss. But David Nicholson said health workers took the situation "very seriously" and that the proposed system would be more secure than internet banking services.
The Department of Health (DoH) said the system would improve data security. The NHS losses emerged through checks ordered after the loss of 25m child benefit claimants' details in November.
'High security''High security'
Mr Nicholson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "One of the things that has been at the front of our minds in relation to all of this is what our patients need and what our patients want.Mr Nicholson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "One of the things that has been at the front of our minds in relation to all of this is what our patients need and what our patients want.
"It's vitally important that when a doctor or a clinician sits in front of a patient they have all the information that they need at their fingertips."It's vitally important that when a doctor or a clinician sits in front of a patient they have all the information that they need at their fingertips.
NINE TRUSTS INVOLVED City and Hackney Bolton Royal Hospital Sutton and Merton Sefton Merseyside Mid-Essex Care Trust Norfolk and Norwich Gloucester Partnership Foundation TrustMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells East and North Hertfordshire Health board lost records NINE TRUSTS INVOLVED City and Hackney Bolton Royal Hospital Sutton and Merton Sefton Merseyside Mid-Essex Care Trust Norfolk and Norwich Gloucester Partnership Foundation TrustMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells East and North Hertfordshire Health board lost records
"It's really important for us to have the confidence of the public when we do this sort of thing."It's really important for us to have the confidence of the public when we do this sort of thing.
"I can absolutely assure you that clinicians, professionals and people like myself take this sort of thing very seriously.""I can absolutely assure you that clinicians, professionals and people like myself take this sort of thing very seriously."
Mr Nicholson said the level of security for the national database would be way beyond, for example, the level currently in internet banking. Mr Nicholson said the level of security for the proposed new database system would be way beyond, for example, the level currently in internet banking.
"This is a very high level of security. There isn't going to be a huge national database," he said."This is a very high level of security. There isn't going to be a huge national database," he said.
"What we're talking about is a series of regional databases that are connected together.""What we're talking about is a series of regional databases that are connected together."
'Tipping point' 'Further steps'
Information Commissioner Richard Thomas told the programme that attitudes to data protection were changing fast. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the data loss was further evidence of the government's failure to protect personal information.
"Right across the piece, people have got to take personal information a great deal more seriously," he said. "We will need further steps on the part of the Department of Health to show how their planned electronic patients' database will protect our medical records," he said.
"I think we have in the last month or so got to a tipping point. People have suddenly woken up to the importance of data protection." Health minister Dawn Primarolo said: "What it is really important to stress is how important patient security and confidentiality is and how each of these trusts is moving to deal with this."
The NHS losses emerged after checks across government departments were ordered following the loss of the details of 25 million child benefit claimants in November. BBC News political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said Mr Nicholson was saying the government's plans for a national database were not what the Conservatives were saying it was.
Then a week ago it was revealed the details of three million learner drivers had also been lost after being sent to the US. A series of regional databases linked together did not sound all that different from what the Tories were themselves suggesting, she added.
BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said the latest revelation was an embarrassment for the government.
The DoH indicated the episode would not prevent plans for a national patient database - part of the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) - from going ahead.The DoH indicated the episode would not prevent plans for a national patient database - part of the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) - from going ahead.
'Wrong hands''Wrong hands'
The DoH confirmed that one of the breaches involved the loss of names and addresses of 160,000 children by City and Hackney Primary Care Trust, after a computer disc failed to arrive at its destination at St Leonards Hospital in east London. The DoH confirmed that one of the breaches involved the clinical details of 160,000 children by City and Hackney Primary Care Trust, after a computer disc failed to arrive at its destination at St Leonard's Hospital in east London.
A DoH spokesperson said: "We believe that an additional 8,000 patients in total may have been affected but even amongst these only a small proportion involves some clinical data, and there is no evidence that this has fallen into the wrong hands." The DoH believed an additional 8,000 patients may have been affected but only a small proportion involved some clinical data.
What it is really important to stress is how important patient security and confidentiality is Dawn PrimaroloHealth minister A spokesman said: "There is no evidence that this has fallen into the wrong hands."
The other trusts involved are Bolton Royal Hospital, Sutton and Merton PCT, Sefton Merseyside PCT, Mid-Essex Care Trust, and Norfolk and Norwich.The other trusts involved are Bolton Royal Hospital, Sutton and Merton PCT, Sefton Merseyside PCT, Mid-Essex Care Trust, and Norfolk and Norwich.
The East and North Hertfordshire Trust reported a loss but has since found its missing data. The East and North Hertfordshire PCT reported a loss but has since found its missing data.
Laptop computers
A further disc, lost by Gloucester Partnership Foundation Trust, consisted of archive records relating to patients treated 40 years ago - none of whom is still alive.A further disc, lost by Gloucester Partnership Foundation Trust, consisted of archive records relating to patients treated 40 years ago - none of whom is still alive.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has reported two breaches - meaning that 10 cases have occurred in total.Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has reported two breaches - meaning that 10 cases have occurred in total.
The losses involved data stored on laptop computers and data sticks.The losses involved data stored on laptop computers and data sticks.
It has also emerged that NHS Grampian health board has lost patient records eight times in the last five years.It has also emerged that NHS Grampian health board has lost patient records eight times in the last five years.
Health minister Dawn Primarolo said: "What it is really important to stress is how important patient security and confidentiality is and how each of these trusts is moving to deal with this." A week ago it was revealed the details of three million learner drivers had been lost after being sent to the US.