Medical records of 26m patients at risk because of GP surgeries’ failing internet security
Records at 2,700 practices in England — one in three — could be accessed by strangers
THE medical records of 26million patients are at risk because of a failing in GP surgeries’ internet security.
Records at 2,700 practices in England — one in three — could be accessed by strangers, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The Information Commission is probing concerns that a GP switching on “enhanced sharing” to allow a hospital to access data also allows access by “thousands” of others.
Receptionists to medics in hospitals, pharmacies, care homes and jails can all look up sensitive files.
It is claimed patients were not told records could be accessed like this and could fall into criminal hands.
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The head of the BMA’s IT committee has written to all GPs who use SystmOne, owned by TPP, urging them to take “urgent action”.
A spokesman for the Information Commissioner told Pulse magazine: “We do have data protection compliance concerns about SystmOne’s enhanced data sharing.”
TPP said practices using SystmOne must “fully inform patients or turn off record sharing”.