Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to reports on 13 November that Shared Care Record systems will be moved into the proposed Federated Data Platform without the seeking of further patient consent, what assessment they have made of (1) the Summary Care Record system, (2) the implications for this System of the proposed moves.

Shared Care Records and the Federated Data Platform will operate separately. Shared Care Records will ensure that authorised health and care professionals providing direct care to patients have safe, secure and ready access to the person-based records and care plans required to provide high quality, individual and integrated care.

There must be a clear, legal basis to use data held in Shared Care Records for purposes other than direct care, which includes explicit patient consent. Approval may be given under the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, subject to advice from the Confidentiality Advisory Group of the Health Research Authority, which protects and promotes the interests of patients and the public while facilitating appropriate use of confidential patient information for purposes beyond direct patient care.