Labour Launches 10-Year Plan to Transform NHS with Digital Records amid Privacy Concerns

Oct 21, 2024, 06:35 AM

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has launched a major consultation on the future of the NHS in England, inviting the public and clinicians to share their experiences and ideas to help fix the health service. As part of a 10-year plan to transform the NHS into a 'neighbourhood health service', the Labour Party aims to modernize the institution, moving from analogue to digital systems. Proposed initiatives may include providing all NHS patients access to their health records via the NHS app and potentially fining patients for missing appointments. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock played down privacy fears regarding digital 'patient passports', comparing them to online banking. Critics, including GP Dr Dean Eggitt and Saffron Cordery from NHS Providers, have expressed concerns, with Eggitt stating that "after 14 years, it should be action time." Privacy concerns have been raised about the proposed digital health records.