Patient 'data may go abroad'

The Government is reviewing whether sensitive information about NHS patients could be sent overseas for processing, it has been claimed.

GPs expressed concerns this would create a "risk to confidentiality" - particularly if records are sent to countries with a different culture of data protection.

A leaked internal NHS Connecting for Health document reveals a review is under way into whether patient data could be processed by "approved organisations" abroad, according to IT magazine Computer Weekly. It is understood there are currently no plans to do this.

This comes only days after the Government was forced to admit HM Revenue and Customs had lost two computer discs containing the personal details of 25 million child benefit claimants.

The NHS Connecting for Health document reads: "Organisations should be aware of a current review into the possibility of NHS patient data being processed overseas by approved organisations.

"The review is considering the requirements for and implications of such possible arrangements."

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) said it would be contacting NHS Connecting for Health to check its position had not changed.

British organisations which send personal data abroad for processing remain legally responsible under the UK Data Protection Act for ensuring it is secure.

Deputy information commissioner David Smith said: "The importance of protecting people's financial records has hit the headlines but health records often contain even more sensitive personal information.

"Security is imperative, and as we have seen any system is only as secure as its weakest link. Processing people's personal information abroad is lawful, but the buck stops here."