Nine out of 10 doctors do not believe the government can
protect patient data online, according to a poll in theBritish
Medical Association's newspaper, BMA
News.
A massive 93% of 219 respondents said they were not confident
patient data on the proposed NHS centralised database would be
secure. Nor did they feel able to assure patients that their data
was safe. Eight out of 10 doctors said they would not want their
own data stored on the system.
The
loss by the HM Revenue & Customs of two CDs with the
personal details of 25 million child benefit claimants and the
online disclosure of personal details of junior doctors who
sought training posts under the MTAS system have left the
profession sceptical, the paper said.
It quoted Wiltshire trainee cardiologist Dr Sally Simmons, whose
personal details were exposed online, as saying, "I have received
no apology from the Department of Health despite writing to the
former health secretary [Patricia Hewitt]. I was also affected by
the loss of the two child benefit CDs with my bank details on them.
Not surprisingly, I have no faith in any form of IT security that
this government proposes."
The questions
Do you have confidence in the government's ability to safeguard
patient information on a national NHS database?
Yes - 6%
No - 93%
Do you feel you are in a position to assure patients that their
data will be safe?
Yes - 4%
No - 90%
Would you want your own data stored in this way?
Yes - 9%
No - 81%