Private Medical Records in Jeopardy

There are proposals afoot which would allow electronic medical records to be accessed by researchers and private companies. The British Medical Association are set to fight this. In contrast, at the present moment rules concerning confidentiality are very strict in the medical health insurance business. Currently written patient consent must be obtained for GP's to be able to release patient information to a private health care company.

A huge database of all patient visits to GP's and hospitals would be available. This would make research much easier. However there are concerns over the possible misuse of the information. Drug companies could target sales at people who are unwell and vulnerable. These plans cannot go through without further debate in particular with the National Governance Board for Health and Care a body set up to protect NHS data.

The Governments own health information watchdog, Mr Harry Clayton, also expressed concern over these proposals. Mr Clayton said,

"The public do value medical research but they rightly want to be asked
first. Confidentiality are the building blocks of trust in the NHS, and it
cannot be in any one's interests, including researchers, to undermine that
trust."

Confidentiality issues aside for a moment, if these lists ever become available to the health insurance industry could it help with transparency and eradicate non-disclosure? On the other hand isn't it the GP's knowledge of their patient's medical history and their social and emotional well being what makes them the perfect middleman and authority between the health insurance provider and the patient?