Health Data: Research and Analysis

Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie Excerpts

Wednesday 15th May 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)]

The whole point of the government strategy with introducing this data is to improve the connectivity, similar to what the noble Lord was referring to, between GPs and primary care, and indeed into those ICBs and the trusts throughout the country. I totally agree with the noble Baroness on doing it sooner rather than later, but the Government are moving at pace, and this strategy will transform patient outcomes throughout the United Kingdom.

[Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)]

My Lords, to build on the noble Baroness’s point about connectivity, the Minister has just told us that this will benefit everybody in the United Kingdom. Can he confirm that he is speaking to NHS Scotland, the services in Northern Ireland and Wales, and the devolved Administrations, so that all work to help develop health data connectivity is truly spread across the UK?

[Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)]

I do not wish to mislead the House—I can talk only about NHS England. If the noble Baroness is referring to healthcare in Scotland, or indeed in Wales or Northern Ireland, I cannot talk specifically about this. What I can say is that the IT system software is transformative for healthcare in England—but it also equally applies to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.