The Home Office has been given access to the NHS records of more than 6,900 people since 2010 as part of its efforts to track down illegal immigrants. Medical records are protected by data protection laws but new statistics show the Home Office has made use of a little-noticed exemption in the rules to access patients' non-clinical records, without any need for a court order.The exemption allows officials to see where people have made use of the health service and when.
Patients' groups said the use of NHS records by immigration and law enforcement officials could deter people from seeking treatment for themselves or their families, and so pose a public health risk.
"We are concerned to learn that the Home Office is seeking to track down potential immigration offenders by requesting their medical records," said Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association. "There is the very real danger that some patients may put off seeking medical help for fear of their details being leaked. Furthermore, children may suffer if parents are reluctant to take them for treatment when they are ill. The health and welfare of patients must always be the priority and we must not introduce policies which could undermine the core principles of our health service."
Ruth Grove-White, the policy director of the Migrants' Rights Network, questioned whether the data requests were a reasonable use of strained NHS resources.
"NHS staff are already under pressure and the last thing we need is for them to be forced to act as immigration officers as well," she said. "This further evidence that the Home Office is using the NHS as a vehicle for immigration enforcement is disturbing. Some migrants who are entitled to access the NHS are already too intimidated to seek the care they or their children need. In effect, this approach discourages people from going to their GP or hospital when they need to, with wider public health implications."
Patients' groups said the use of NHS records by immigration and law enforcement officials could deter people from seeking treatment for themselves or their families, and so pose a public health risk.
"We are concerned to learn that the Home Office is seeking to track down potential immigration offenders by requesting their medical records," said Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association. "There is the very real danger that some patients may put off seeking medical help for fear of their details being leaked. Furthermore, children may suffer if parents are reluctant to take them for treatment when they are ill. The health and welfare of patients must always be the priority and we must not introduce policies which could undermine the core principles of our health service."
Ruth Grove-White, the policy director of the Migrants' Rights Network, questioned whether the data requests were a reasonable use of strained NHS resources.
"NHS staff are already under pressure and the last thing we need is for them to be forced to act as immigration officers as well," she said. "This further evidence that the Home Office is using the NHS as a vehicle for immigration enforcement is disturbing. Some migrants who are entitled to access the NHS are already too intimidated to seek the care they or their children need. In effect, this approach discourages people from going to their GP or hospital when they need to, with wider public health implications."
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