This is the nightmare – that patients will stop sharing their serious and sensitive health or personal information with providers because the information is not being kept confidential. NHS should be focused on treating patients – not on being tin-star deputies for the Home Office on immigration issues.
Alexander J. Martin reports:
The NHS has been told to “immediately stop sharing patient data with the Home Office” for the purpose of tracing immigration offenders.
Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, the chair of the House of Commons health select committee, has criticised a deal between NHS Digital and the Home Office that may be putting pregnant women and modern slavery victims at risk.
She said it was “deeply concerning” that NHS Digital “ever chose” to breach the patient confidentiality standards in order to assist immigration investigations.
Read more on Sky News.