All posts by Megan Hardy

Bromley GP Alliance

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Bromley Adult Social Services:

Please see below website link for information about Bromley Adult social services.

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200050/help_for_adults/1231/getting_social_care_support

You can contact by calling: 020 8461 7777 or emailing: adult.early.intervention@bromley.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can complete online assessment form:

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/AdultSupportedAssessmentForm

Bromley council service directory:

Please see below website link for Bromley Council directory of services.

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200050/help_for_adults/1226/your_guide_to_independent_living

You can request hard copy to be sent via post by emailing: health.partnership@bromley.gov.uk

Bromley Food Bank:

Please see below website link for various locations of local food banks within Bromley.

https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/locations/

You can self-refer by calling: 0800 920 2324 or emailing: info@bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk

Living Well Bromley:

Food Bank :: Living Well

Holy Trinity Church, 66 Lennard Road, London, SE20 7LX (NO referral or food bank voucher needed)

Bromley council – Housing options team:

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200052/housing_advice_and_options/281/homelessness

You can self-refer by calling: 0208 461 7721 alternatively, you can complete online assessment form available on website.

Bromley Homeless Advice service:

https://bromleyhomeless.org/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8460 0042 or just drop into United Reformed church, 20 Widmore Road, in Bromley BR1 1RY Mon-Fri 10 am-4 pm.

 

Bromley Well:

Please see below website link about Bromley Well – supporting health, wellbeing and independence.

https://www.bromleywell.org.uk/

You can self-refer by calling: 0808 278 7898 or emailing:  spa@bromleywell.org.uk

Bromley Well – Carer service:

Please see below information regarding support available for carers within Bromley.

https://www.bromleywell.org.uk/our-services/carers/

You can self-refer by calling: 0808 278 7898 or emailing: spa@bromleywell.org.uk

Bromley Well – Mental health & wellbeing service:

https://www.bromleywell.org.uk/our-services/mental-health-services/

You can self-refer by calling: 0808 278 7898 or emailing: spa@bromleywell.org.uk

Bromley Mind: 

https://blgmind.org.uk/bromley-mental-health/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8289 5020 or emailing: recovery.works@blgmind.org.uk

Talk together Bromley:

Please see below information regarding NHS funded talking therapy for anyone registered with GP practice.

http://www.talktogetherbromley.co.uk/

You can self-refer by calling: 0300 003 3000 alternatively, you can complete online self-referral form available via website.

West Meria Low cost counselling:

https://westmeriacounselling.co.uk/low-cost-counselling/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8467 9693 or emailing:  enquiries@westmeriacounselling.co.uk

Bromley community counselling service:

https://bccs.uk.com/

You can self-refer by calling: 0208 460 7711 or emailing: contact@bccs.uk.com

BACP – Find private counsellor:

Please see below website link for British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy:

https://www.bacp.co.uk/

You can find a list of private experienced, accredited counsellors within your local area.

Oxleas 24 hour crisis helpline:

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/advice-and-guidance/how-to-get-help/bromley/

Mental Health Crisis Line: 0800 330 8590 (24 hour service)

Bromley Y:

https://bromley-y.org/index.html

You can self-refer by calling: 020 3770 8848 or emailing: broccg.bromleyy@nhs.net alternatively, you can complete self-referral form available on website.

St. Christopher’s Bromley Bereavement service:

Please see below information regarding St. Christopher’s Bereavement service for anyone registered by Bromley GP practice. You can access 12 sessions of bereavement counselling.

https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/bromley-bereavement-service

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8768 4599 alternatively, please see attached leaflet regarding face-to-face bereavement help points within Bromley.

Bromley Well – Long term health conditions:

https://www.bromleywell.org.uk/our-services/adults-with-long-term-conditio/

You can self-refer by calling: 0808 278 7898 or emailing: spa@bromleywell.org.uk

Bromley Dementia Hub:

https://blgmind.org.uk/bromley-dementia/bromley-dementia-support-hub/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 3328 0366 or emailing: bromley@dementiahub.org.uk

Parkinsons UK:

https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/

You self-refer by calling: 0808 800 0303 or emailing: hello@parkinsons.org.uk

Macmillan cancer support:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

You can call helpline: 0808 239 6962

Fresh start exercise programmes:

https://www.mytimeactive.co.uk/freshstart

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8290 4000 or emailing: exercise.referral@mytimeactive.co.uk

Crystal Palace physiotherapy service:

https://www.cppg.co.uk/self-refer.html

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8778 9050 alternatively, you can complete self-referral form available on website.

CSP – Find a private physiotherapy service:

https://www.csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist/find-physio

You can find a list of private physiotherapy services within your local area.

Bromley Children Project:

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200071/parental_support/769/bromley_children_project

You self-refer by calling: 020 8461 7259 or emailing: bcpadmin@bromley.gov.uk  alternatively, you can complete online self-referral available on website.

Bromley Mindful Mum’s:

https://blgmind.org.uk/bromley-mental-health/bromley-mindful-mums/

You can self-refer by calling: 07935 073625 or emailing: mindfulmums@blgmind.org.uk

Being Dad:

https://blgmind.org.uk/bromley-mental-health/being-dad/

You can self-refer by calling: 07704 536424 / 07764 967933 or emailing: beingdad@blgmind.org.uk

Bromley Well – Employment support:

https://www.bromleywell.org.uk/our-services/education-and-employment/

You can self-refer by calling: 0808 278 7898 or emailing: spa@bromleywell.org.uk

Community Links Bromley:

https://www.communitylinksbromley.org.uk/volunteer/

You can book a confidential 1:1 appointment by calling: 0208 315 1930 or emailing:  dianed@communitylinksbromley.org.uk

Bromley Age UK – Befriending service:

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bromleyandgreenwich/our-services/befriending/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8315 1850

Bromley & Croydon’s Women’s Aid:

https://www.bcwa.org.uk/

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8313 9303 or emailing: info@bcwa.org.uk

Bromley Relate:

https://www.relate.org.uk/find-my-nearest-relate/outpost/bromley-relate

You can self-refer by calling: 0300 0300 111

Bromley Drug & Alcohol service:

https://www.changegrowlive.org/bromley-drug-alcohol-service/london-road

You can self-refer by calling: 020 8289 1999

Primary Care Gambling service:

https://www.primarycaregamblingservice.co.uk/

You can self-refer by calling: 0300 0300 111 alternatively, you can complete self-referral form available via website.

 

 

 

Scarlet Fever and invasive Group A strep: advice for parents and carers

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There are lots of viruses that cause sore throats, colds and coughs circulating, especially over winter. These usually resolve without needing any special medical treatment or medicines. However, children can occasionally develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and that can make them more unwell.

One of these bacteria is called Group A Strep (GAS). You may have heard this in the news as it has been found in some children who have become very sick, very quickly. Fortunately, this is still rare.

There is much more GAS around this winter than in recent years, causing a lot of children to be unwell. We think this is because there is much more mixing now and these bugs are new to many young children, so they are more likely to catch and spread them.

GAS usually causes a mild illness with fever and a sore throat (Strep throat) but not a runny nose or too much of a cough. Your child may be poorly for a few days but will usually recover. Antibiotics may help them recover quicker.

Signs that suggest your child might have Strep throat are:

  • Fever within the last 24 hours
  • White spots at the back of their throat (pus on their tonsils)
  • Very large or red tonsils
  • Sore (tender) lumps under their chin
  • If they have become poorly quickly over the past couple of days
  • No cough or runny nose

If you are concerned that your child might have these contact 111, your GP Surgery, or Walk-in Centre for advice. 

GAS and Scarlet Fever

Sometimes, GAS can cause Scarlet Fever.

Symptoms include a sore throat, headache, and fever, along with a fine, pinkish or red body rash with a tiny, rough pimples (“sandpapery” feel). On darker skin the rash can be more difficult to see but the skin will have a sandpapery feel. They might have a very red tongue or lips. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if you are worried your child has Scarlet Fever, because early treatment of Scarlet Fever with antibiotics is important to reduce the risk of complications such as pneumonia or a bloodstream infection. If your child is not too sick, these antibiotics can safely be given by you at home. If your child has Scarlet Fever, keep them at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others.

Most children with GAS throat infection or Scarlet Fever will get better with antibiotics. Unfortunately, very occasionally some children become unwell later because their body produces an exaggerated immune response, or the bacteria gets into the blood stream and causes a more severe infection (called “invasive GAS” or iGAS).

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, or is becoming more unwell even if they are on treatment or have recently finished antibiotics, you should trust your own judgement.

Contact NHS 111 or your GP if your child is getting worse despite paracetamol or ibuprofen if:

  • the temperature has lasted more than 5 days
  • your child is feeding or eating much less than normal, especially if they are drooling or appear in pain when swallowing
  • your baby has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, or is crying without tears
  • or your child shows other signs of dehydration
    • feeling thirsty
    • dark yellow, strong-smelling pee
    • peeing less often than usual
    • feeling dizzy or lightheaded
    • feeling tired
    • a dry mouth, lips and tongue
    • sunken eyes (dark circles under eyes)
  • your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
  • your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
  • your child is drowsy (much more sleepy than normal) or irritable (unable to settle them with cuddles, toys, TV or snacks – especially if they remain drowsy or irritable despite any fever coming down)

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

  • your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs or using their neck muscles to breathe
  • there are long pauses (more than 10 seconds) when your child breathes
  • your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue 
  • your child feels very cold or clammy to touch
  • your child is difficult to wake up or keep awake
  • your child has severe pains in their arms, legs neck or back
  • your child has a painful, red area of skin, especially if it is getting bigger quickly

Good hand and respiratory hygiene are important for stopping the spread of many bugs. By teaching your child how to wash their hands properly with soap for 20 seconds, using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, and keeping away from others when feeling unwell, they will be able to reduce the risk of picking up, or spreading, infections.

Keep unwell children off school or nursery and away from vulnerable adults and children.

We know that when there are lots of viruses circulating, like flu, more serious infections like GAS can use this to get a hold. Reducing these viruses through vaccination, including Flu and Covid vaccines, can protect against GAS outbreaks. Getting yourself and your child vaccinated is the best way to make sure they are protected from serious illnesses.

With thanks to the team at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for collating this information.

Polio booster programme

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POLIO BOOSTER PROGRAMME –

Click below to book online or call 020 3051 2571 

https://bromleygpalliance.org/services/polio-vaccine/

 

Why are we talking about polio?

Following the discovery of poliovirus in sewage in north and east London, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that a targeted inactivated polio containing vaccine (IPV) booster dose should be offered to children between the ages of one and nine in all London boroughs.

Why is this campaign being run and what is the purpose?

There are signs the virus may be spreading in London and the number of children vaccinated in London is lower than it should be. Boosting immunity in children should help protect them and reduce the risk of the virus continuing to spread.

For some children this may be an extra dose of polio containing vaccine, on top of their routine vaccinations. In other children it may just bring them up to date. This will ensure a high level of protection from any risk of paralysis, though the risks to the general population are still assessed as low. However, the number of children vaccinated in London is lower than it should be.  By vaccinating children, this will protect them in case of any future outbreaks.  The booster programme is part of the incident response and is available to everyone in London, however routine polio vaccination is available to everyone in England.

What is the routine polio vaccination schedule?

The polio containing vaccine is free and given as part of combined jabs to babies, toddlers and teenagers. Children need all five doses of the vaccine to be fully protected against polio. The polio vaccine is given when a child is:

  • 8, 12 and 16 weeks old as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB)
  • 3 years and 4 months old as part of the 4-in-1 (DTaP/IPV) pre-school booster
  • 14 years old as part of the 3-in-1 (Td/IPV) teenage booster

What is being offered to children aged 1 to 9 in London?

In London, all children aged 1-9 years are being offered a dose of polio containing vaccine – whether it’s an extra dose if they are up to date with their routine vaccinations or to catch up. This is part of the incident response to ensure a high level of protection from paralysis and to help stop the virus spreading further. The booster dose will be offered to children in the areas where type 2 poliovirus has been detected in wastewater first and then offered to all London boroughs.

What information has gone out to parents?

A letter and text message was sent to parents of all children aged 1 to 9+365 days on 19 August 2022.  The text message script is:

The NHS is inviting children aged 1 to 9 in your borough to receive a vaccine against polio. For some children this will be an additional booster dose if they are already up to date with their routine vaccinations, in others who are not up to date it will be a catch-up dose. Traces of poliovirus have been found in sewage in some London boroughs – the vaccine will boost your child’s protection. Polio can be very serious and in unvaccinated people can on rare occasions cause paralysis. You will be contacted by the NHS to book a vaccination appointment for your child. More info can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/polio-booster-campaign-resources

And the letter is given at Appendix 1

Why are children that are up to date with their routine vaccinations being offered an additional dose in London? Are all 1-9 year olds being offered a polio booster?

Experts have advised that, as a precaution, all children aged one to nine years in London should be offered a dose of polio containing vaccine now to ensure that they are protected against polio and to stop any further spread of poliovirus in London.  This is because children in this age range have not received the full programme of vaccination, so they are not yet fully protected against polio. By getting a dose now this will boost their protection against polio. In London, all children aged 1-9 years are being offered a dose of polio vaccine. This will either be a top up dose in children that are fully up to date with their routine vaccinations or a catch-up dose.

Is this an extra jab? Will children that need to catch up with their missed routine vaccination/s then get an additional dose on top of that? 

We need to protect children against polio now. Bringing a child up to date now will achieve the same effect as the offer of an additional booster.

For children that are fully up to date with their routine vaccinations, this will be an additional polio vaccine to enhance their protection against polio whilst it is being detected in wastewater samples. If your child is not up to date with their routine vaccinations, they will be given a catch-up dose so it will not be an additional dose.

Is there anyone who does not need to get a polio dose now?

The only small group of children in London who don’t need a dose now are those who had a pre-school booster (at 3yrs 4m) in the last 12 months, but if they get an extra booster in error it won’t cause any harm.

Some of our patients do not live in London but are registered with us, are they eligible?

Yes, all children aged 1 to 9+364 days who are London residents or registered with a London GP practice are eligible to receive a polio containing vaccination.

What about older children and young people and adults – are they eligible for a vaccination?

The best way to prevent polio is to make sure everyone is up to date with vaccinations so anyone of any age may call to make an appointment and receive a polio containing vaccination on the NHS

Can patients get other vaccinations at the same time?

Yes – it is good practice to check the patient’s immunisation history and check the Redbook.  You should speak with your Practice Immunisation Lead to develop a system that flags which other immunisations a patient is due and administer them at the same time.

We run a very busy practice and our appointment slots are allocated very quickly. What should we do if all appointment slots are taken?

Your practice may be part of a collaboration agreement where you can refer to other practices part of the agreement.  Check with your GP, Practice Manager or Practice Immunisation Lead.  You should allocate the earliest available appointment to anyone requesting one

Can I refer the patient to our extended access hub?

Yes

Can I refer the patient to a Vaccination Centre?

Yes

Where can I get details of other providers who are offering polio vaccinations near my practice?

We will notify you as soon as these are confirmed

Are the school aged vaccination services offering polio vaccinations and do they send us information?

At present they are not offering this service but we will notify you if this changes.

What do I do if a patient comes in for another reason and their record shows they’ve not had a polio vaccination or completed the schedule?

You should ask the practice nurse or GP to speak to the patient’s parent and offer a polio containing vaccination

Where do I get stock from?

Your practice will have an Immform account and the polio containing vaccinations are available to order free of charge

Is there a limit to what I can order and can I order more?

There are ordering limits in place on vaccine supplied by UKHSA to encourage regular ordering of smaller volumes and reduce wastage due to fridge or delivery failure. If your practice has the capacity to store and administer more than the weekly limit then they are advised to contact the ImmForm helpdesk with requests for additional allocation.

Requests for polio containing vaccine are dealt with as quickly as possible and you are encouraged to request additional allocation well in advance of order closing deadline where possible and to only order what is needed for booked clinics for the next 2 weeks.

What is our practice expected to do to support this campaign?

You should work with your practice Immunisation Lead and Local Immunisation Coordinator to develop a system where you:

  • Invite children for a booster or catch up polio vaccination
  • Use your existing practice call and recall system
  • Use the correct SNOMED code
  • Escalate any declines to your practice nurse, GP or Immunisation Lead
  • Record reason for decline

Urgent Care Pressures in Bromley

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Please note that Urgent Treatment Centres and Emergency Departments in Bromley are currently experiencing significant demand. If you have an urgent but non life-threatening medical need, please use the NHS 111 website first https://111.nhs.uk/  rather than going straight to A&E. If you require it, NHS 111 can book you in to be seen safely in A&E, Urgent Treatment Centres, GP surgeries, pharmacies, emergency dental services and walk-in clinics. Contacting NHS 111 first will also help the NHS to keep you safe, by maintaining social distancing. They will ensure that you receive the right care in the right place, in a more timely and safe way. You should  dial 999 if you have a life-threatening illness or injury.

For further advice on when to visit urgent care centres or emergency departments please click the links below:

When to visit an urgent treatment centre

When to visit an emergency department

 

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Kind regards,

GP Data opt out Information

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There are changes expected in how NHS Digital collect data from GP surgeries from 1st September 2021 (initially scheduled 1st July).
South East London CCG have provided resources with information about what this means for practices and patients, and how to make choices about how your data is used. We urge patients to optimise these resources to enable you to make informed decisions. Please follow this link to their website General Practice Data for Planning and Research – South East London CCG (selondonccg.nhs.uk)  and find additional information below

NHS Digital briefing – General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR)
Q&A

• Why do you need this data?
Patient data is used every day to improve healthcare services through planning and
research in England, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care.
It helps to decide what new health and care services are required in a local area, informs
clinical guidance and policy, and supports researching and developing cures for serious
illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
• What are the benefits?
The pandemic led to a significant increase in the need for GP data from NHS Digital to
support clinicians, researchers, academics and commissioners. It has been used by NHS
organisations and researchers to help run and improve health and care services.
This includes identifying those most vulnerable to coronavirus, rolling out vaccines, and
for critical COVID-19 research, including the University of Oxford’s RECOVERY trial which
identified that treatment with dexamethasone improves the chances of survival
for people hospitalised with COVID-19.
Patient data is already being collected to improve health and care services. NHS Digital has
collected patient data from general practices using a service called the General Practice
Extraction Service (GPES). This system is over 10 years old and now needs to be replaced.
NHS Digital has engaged with doctors, patients, data and governance experts to design a
new and improved system to collect data from general practice that:
o reduces work for GPs so they have more time to focus on patient care
o explains clearly how data is used to help patients feel confident and informed
o means data is collected, stored and accessed in a secure and consistent way
• What are you taking?
We will not collect your entire GP record.
We will not collect:
o patient names and full addresses
o written notes (free text) of any consultations or interactions between patients and
clinicians
o images, letters, videos, or documents
o medicines, appointment, or referral data over ten years old
o legally restricted data such as IVF treatment or gender reassignment
We will collect most of the structured and coded elements of the GP record.
• Who are you giving it to?
The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes by
organisations who have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data. We publish the
details of the data we share on our data release register so we can be held to account. We do not allow data to be used solely for commercial purposes. NHS Digital will not
approve requests for data to be used for:
o insurance or marketing purposes
o promoting or selling products or services
o market research
o advertising
Once data is shared, we carry out independent audits and, where necessary, post audit
reviews to check organisations are using the data for the purposes they said they would, in
accordance with the terms and conditions of their data sharing agreements.
• Why are you trying to take data without telling anyone?
GPs already share data with other organisations for planning and research purposes in
accordance with their own data sharing agreements and patients have had the opportunity to
opt out of this type of data sharing for several years using the Type 1 Opt Out.
We have provided support and materials to GPs so that they are also able also let their
patients know about the collection. This contains detailed information about it, and the ways that patients can opt out.
NHS Digital is promoting this new data collection through our website, engagement with
media, through our stakeholders and patient groups and on social media channels. We want to raise awareness of the collection and its importance to help the NHS and research take place, but also to provide patients with a choice if they do not want their data to be used in this way.
• Why isn’t it opt out instead of opt in?
It is really important that the data is as reflective of the population as possible to be to draw sound conclusions from it. If a large number of people opt out then the data becomes less useful for planning services and conducting research. This is a particular problem if people from certain areas or groups are more likely to opt out. If that happens then services may not reflect the needs of those groups or areas and research may reach misleading conclusions.
Making data available for research will lead to better NHS services for patients, better
treatments and medicines.
• What profits will you make from selling data?
NHS Digital does not sell data. It does however charge those who want to access its data for the costs of making the data available to them. This is because we are not funded centrally to do this. Charges only cover the cost of running the service and means that those organisations who need access to the data bear the costs of this, rather than NHS Digital.

We do not make profits from the service.
The data will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes by
organisations who have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data. We publish the
details of the data we share on our data release register so we can be held to account.
We do not allow data to be used solely for commercial purposes. NHS Digital will not
approve requests for data to be used for:
• insurance or marketing purposes• promoting or selling products or services
• market research
• advertising
• How do you know it won’t be sold on to a third party?
Once data is shared, we carry out independent audits and, where necessary, post audit
reviews to check organisations are using the data for the purposes they said they would, in
accordance with the terms and conditions of their data sharing agreements.
Any serious breach of our terms and conditions of use would result in the data access being
withdrawn and we may report the breach to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for investigation.
• How can we trust you to keep the data secure?
We take our responsibility to safeguard patient data extremely seriously. Data shared by
NHS Digital is subject to strict rules around privacy, security and confidentiality and the new service has been designed to the highest standards.
We do not collect patients’ names or exactly where they live. Any other data that could
directly identify someone, for example their NHS number, full postcode and date of birth, is
pseudonymised before it leaves their GP practice and the data is also securely encrypted.
• But you have the keys to reidentify it?
We would only ever re-identify the data if there was a lawful reason to do so and it would
need to be compliant with data protection law. For example, a patient may have agreed to
take part in a research project or clinical trial and has already provided consent to their data being shared with the researchers for this purpose.
This would also need to be agreed through the Independent Group Advising on the Release
of Data (IGARD) and the GP Professional Advisory Group (PAG), which is made up of
representatives from the British Medical Association and the Royal College of General
Practitioners.
• Why are you collecting sensitive data about things like domestic violence and
STIs?
We need to collect sensitive data to help plan and design services, and research conditions
to better support the people affected. For example, we need to collect data about domestic
violence to ensure the right local support services are in place. Victims of physical and
sexual violence are also more likely to suffer from mental health problems. But without data about these sensitive events and conditions it is much more difficult to conduct research to provide better services and support.
We respect and protect all the data we collect to the same high standards, but we have also
added additional protections as we know how important it is to protect this sensitive data.
This includes going through our Data Access Request Service (DARS) process which
means the Independent Group Advising on the Release of Data (IGARD) and a GP
Professional Advisory Group (PAG), with representatives from the British Medical
Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners, can scrutinise it to ensure the
use of that data is absolutely necessary and is legal and appropriate.
• You tried this before and it failed – this is care.data2.This is not an extension to, or evolution of, care. Data.
Patient data is already being collected and used to improve health and care services. This is a new system, designed over the last three years, to improve how data from your GP is
shared with organisations involved in the planning of the health and care system, and clinical researchers.
Our processes for accessing data are now very different to those seven years ago when
‘care.data’ was developed. We uphold the Caldicott Principles for ethical data sharing and
are also bound by data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR).
There is also oversight from independent experts on data sharing. This includes the
Independent Group Advising on the Release of Data (IGARD) and a GP Professional
Advisory Group (PAG), with representatives from the British Medical Association and the
Royal College of General Practitioners.
• Why haven’t you published a DPIA?
We have carried out a very rigorous and full data protection impact assessment (DPIA) as
this is required under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules.
This is currently going through a final review and assurance process and we will publish the baseline version of it shortly. However, a DPIA is not a static assessment and, therefore, will be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes and developments in the service. We will publish updated versions of it from time to time