The government must be clearer with the public about how it shares NHS data

The government must be clearer with the public about how it shares NHS data Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, has established himself as a passionate advocate of technology in the National HEalth Service. In a series of speeches over the summer, he has shown his frustration at the fact that the NHS is “one of the largest purchasers of fax machines on the planet”. He has promised almost £700m for its neglected technology division and warned that where a new service challenges the system “the right response isn’t to reject the new service but to change the system”.

This is welcome news. But new technology alone is not enough. The rules on the handling of data in the NHS urgently need reform, too. They are arcane, outdated and not fit for purpose. iNews