[Gllug] NHS opt out

[Richard Jones]

On Tue, Jan 23, 2007 at 09:21:13AM +0000, Martin A. Brooks wrote:
> On Tue, 2007-01-23 at 09:09 +0000, Tethys wrote:
> > Here, for a start:
> > 
> > 	http://lists.gllug.org.uk/pipermail/gllug/2007-January/065502.html
> 
> 
> I don't see the problem as it relates to this discussion. The wrong data
> got put into a record, yes, that's bad. She had to withdraw from the NHS
> so sort it out, that's _appalling_.
> 
> This is not the same as saying that every evil corporation will be able
> to view and edit your file at will.

Medical records have a value - a significant value.  For example
potential employers and insurers will want to know if you have had
anything in your background which might make you unable to work.  This
can be all sorts of things -- eg. diabetes, heart disease, any sort of
psychiatric condition at all (even if it was successfully treated).
In future the list of things will grow as we discover how to look for
predisposition to disease through DNA testing.

If that information (a) has value and (b) is available to any tom dick
and harry with access to a hospital (or working at EDS), then you can
absolutely guarantee that someone will be corrupt enough to reveal it
to an agency.

What is needed however is not to give up on the whole idea of a
database, since with proper precautions it could be useful.  However
at a very minimum there must be a bullet-proof audit trail for writing
_and_ reading, penalties for revealing data which are much greater
than the value of data taken, and proper safeguards which state under
what conditions the police (and indeed anyone who isn't your doctor)
can access data.

Without these the database is not just bad, but actively dangerous for
your health.  Who will go to their doctor to seek treatment for
anything but the most trivial disease if there is a perception that
this information could turn up later when looking for a job?

Rich.

-- 
Richard Jones
Red Hat UK Limited
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