There has recently been a lot of discussion about patient data being shared outside the NHS. We would like to reassure patients that no identifiable data will leave their GP practices.

NHS Digital has consulted with patient and privacy groups, clinicians, and technology experts, as well as with the British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of GPs (RCGP), the National Data Guardian (NDG) and multiple other organisations and communities across the health and care system.

Any data which directly identifies an individual will be pseudonymised and then encrypted before it leaves a GP practice. Data will only be shared with organisations who have a legal basis and meet strict criteria to use it for local, regional, and national planning, policy development, commissioning, public health, and research purposes.

If a patient does not want identifiable data to be shared outside their GP Practice except for their own care they can opt out at any time, by requesting that their GP practice record this preference, known as a Type 1 opt out form: https://nhs-prod.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/assets/website-assets/data-and-information/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/type-1-opt-out-form.docx, or by registering their opt-out through the National Data Opt Out service on nhs.uk, or both.