Concerns have been raised about the timing of Government plans to increase the sharing of patient’s health data and whether people in Cornwall know how to opt out.

NHS Digital has launched new proposals which would see people’s health records shared on a database which could be used for research and planning purposes.

All data will be anonymised but privacy campaigners have raised concerns about the proposals which would allow medical records to be available to third parties.

The data would be gathered from GPs’ records and at a meeting of the NHS Kernow governing body this week one doctor raised concerns about the timing of the move and whether patients in Cornwall were even aware of it.

Dr Judy Duckworth said: “I was quite surprised when I realised this was coming through so quickly. Primary care is currently focused on catching up with the backlog and the vaccination programme. This is not good timing.”

Dr Duckworth said that while GP surgeries had been advised to post details about the data sharing and how to opt out on their websites she was concerned that many patients would not see that information.

She said: “This really feels like something that should be in the public domain and highlighted. June 23 is the deadline for patients to withdraw consent to having their data shared.”

Dr Paul Cook, chair of the governing body, agreed that the timing of the announcements was “difficult” and said there was a need for more information to be provided to the public about the project and what the data would be used for.

Sally Turner, who was previously chair of NHS Kernow’s Citizen Advisory Panel, said she was very concerned about the scheme.

She told the governing body: “I consider this to be an extremely serious matter and agree wholeheartedly with Judy Duckworth. The timing is appalling. Some people have no idea about this.”

Mrs Turner said that some critics had described the proposals as “Orwellian” and added: “People don’t know that all our data has gone into a data stream. It seems to me another step in the direction of a Government taking control of things without public consent. It is really, really important that this isn’t just discussed quietly.

“People will not have a clue, will not look at their GPs’ website and it is not easy to just click and be out anyway. NHS England should pull back on this. The timing is absolutely appalling and far more detail is required.

“Just because the Secretary of State can take control and make this legal does not mean it is right.”

However Cornwall’s director of public health, Rachel Wigglesworth, said that there was nothing to be concerned about and that the gathering of data would help improve services.

She said: “All due process has been in terms of information and data protection processes of putting this together.

“The purpose of it is improving services and integration of services. With the integration of health and social care services one of the important foundations is to have the data needed to do that.

“A lot of other areas in the UK have already been through this. It is something that is novel to Cornwall and it is a process that has been tested in other areas.”

Dr Matthew Hayman said that the gathering of data was “vital” to help with research in health and social care.

He said that it can sometimes be very difficult to access the information needed and that the new system would make that easier so that services can be improved.

NHS Digital has said: “Patient data is already used every day to plan and improve healthcare services, for research that results in better treatments, and to save lives.

“During the pandemic, data from GPs has been used to benefit millions of us: helping to identify and protect those most vulnerable, roll out our world-leading vaccine programme, and identify hospital treatments which have prevented people dying from Covid.

“We have engaged with doctors, patients, data, privacy and ethics experts to design and build a better system for collecting this data. The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes, by organisations which can show they have an appropriate legal basis and a legitimate need to use it.”

More information on the data sharing and how to opt out can be found at www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/manage-your-choice/

The website gives slightly different information to the NHS Kernow meeting, stating: "There is no September 30 deadline for opting out of sharing your data. You can opt out at any time."